rendezvous, in case of separation, as may be judged most likely to enable you to arrive off the Cape with the whole of your collected force.

Upon the surrender of the settlement to his Majesty's arms, you are to use your utmost diligence, as far as may depend on you, to have the troops and recruits destined for India expeditiously reimbarked, in order that they may proceed under the convoy of the Belliqueux, to their ulterior destination; notifying by them, or by the earliest opportunity which you. can find, the surrender of the Cape to the two Commanders in Chief of his Majesty's Naval Forces in the Indian Seas, in order that the accustomed communication with the colony may again be opened. And you are further directed, as soon as the object of the expedition shall be accomplished, to send the Raisonable to St. Helena, with orders to take under her convoy, such of the vessels of the East India Company, and others, as may be collected at that island, and proceed with them to Spithead.

In the event of circumstances arising, which may make it expedient to desist from the enterprise, you are nevertheless to detach the India ships to their destination under the con voy of the Belliqueux, and to return with the remainder of your force and transports to St. Helena; and not finding there any fresh instructions, after waiting fifteen days, or longer if it shall be found expedient, you will proceed to Cork with the ships and transports under your convoy, unless you shall receive a different destination at Port Praya at St. Jago, where you are directed to call for further orders; leaving at St. Helena the Raisonable, to take under her convoy any of the homeward-bound East India ships that may either have arrived there, or be expected to arrive within one month. But in the event of none being there, nor any expected in the above-mentioned period, you are to continue the Rai, sonable under your command, and proceed as before direc ted.

Immediately after the surrender of the Cape, or in the event of circumstances arising which may oblige you to desist from the enterprise, you are to dispatch one of the small vessels, which will accompany you, to England, transmitting to our

Secretary for our information an account of your proceedings.

Inclosure in No. I.-Copy of Instructions, dated 25th July, 1805, to Major-General Sir DAVID BAIRD, for proceeding to the Cape of Good Hope.

SIR,

(MOST SECRET.)

Downing-street, 25th July, 1805. IN consequence of information having been received that the Cape is now defended by not more than from 1500 to 2000 regular troops, not of the best description, and that the militia and inhabitants look with anxiety for the arrival of a British force; and also from the facility afforded to an operation against that settlement from the troops now embarked and proceeding to India being applicable, without inconveni ence, to this service in progress to their ultimate destination, it has been determined on to attempt the reduction of the colony by a combined operation of a force from Cork, added to that now on board the East India Company's ships at Falmouth.

I have the satisfaction to acquaint you, that his Majesty has been graciously pleased to select you for the command of this expedition, and that directions have been given to embark with the utmost dispatch the regiments named in the margin, in transports now laying at Cork, to be employed on this service.

As the troops cantoned in the neighbourhood of Cork have been directed to embark on board transports which are kept constantly in readiness, and victualled for six months, I have every reason to hope that the armament will be in readiness to put to sea in the course of a few days, and the whole naval and military force, when assembled at the Madeiras, will be as follows:

Raisonable, 64 guns-Diadem, 64-Diomede, 50-Bellie

* 24th, 38th, 71st, 72d, 83d, and 93d foot,

C

queux, 64-Narcissus, 32-Leda, 32-24th Foot,501-38th 925-59th, 1000-71st, 768-72d, 730-83d, 750-89th, 890-20th Light Dragoons, 221-Artillery and Artificers, 320-Recruits, 546. 6654 Rank and File.

It is of the utmost importance that the object of this expedition should not transpire; and lest the enemy should be apprised of your approach, the troops at Cork have been directed to embark, under your command, for the Mediter

ranean.

The India Fleet has been ordered to proceed at once to India; both Fleets will sail with these ostensible destinations, but having sealed orders to be opened in a certain latitude, directing them to rendezvous at the Madeiras, where the whole Naval and Military Force (including the Company's ships) will be directed to place themselves under your orders, and those of Sir Home Popham.

It is his Majesty's pleasure, that you delay as short a time as possible at Madeira, and that even there every precaution be taken to prevent the immediate object of the expedition from being made public, which will best be done by giving out that the Cork Fleet is to separate at a certain latitude for the West Indies.

Having departed from the Madeiras, you are to proceed at once to the Cape, unless the officer in command of his Majesty's ships should think it advisable to touch at St. He lena; in which case you will use your utmost diligence to obtain the latest and most precise information with respect to the state of the Cape, its garrison, defences, means of subsistence, &c, and you will confer with the Governor of St. Helena (who is directed to render you every aid consis tent with the security of that Island), as to the possibility of making any of the resources at his disposal, applicable to the success of the expedition.

Having arrived off the Cape, you will, if you should have no previous reason to suppose that your approach has transpired, endeavour, by a vigorous and immediate attack (having previously summoned the garrison to surrender), to avaiļ yourself of the probable neglect of due vigilance and precau,

tion on the part of the garrison. As it is not impossible; however, that two French ships of the line, which sailed in May from Rochefort with troops on board, and which are yet unaccounted for, may have thrown themselves into the Cape with a reinforcement of troops, you will not rely with too much confidence in the enemy's means of resistance being confined to the numbers stated at the outset of these instructions. Should you be of opinion that the reduction of the place may be facilitated by opening a communication with the inhabi tants and persons in authority, you are authorised and directed, in conjunction with the officer in command of his Majesty's Naval force, taking care not to waste too much time in such negociation, to grant to the garrison and the Inhabitants such favourable and liberal terms of capitulation as may appear to you best calculated to acquire the possession of the place in the most expeditious manner, and with the least loss or hazard to the ships and troops employed on this service.

Upon the surrender of the place to his Majesty's arms, taking possession of it in the King's name, and duly attend ing to the stipulations of any capitulation which may be previously agreed on, you will take upon yourself, under the title of Lieutenant-Governor, the civil government of the settlement till his Majesty's further pleasure is declared, and continue to carry on the administration (preserving to the inhabitants the enjoyment of their private property, usages, and religion), as nearly as may be, according to the system laid down, and established by his Majesty's authority during the late war, and under which the colony enjoyed, till the period of its restitu tion, so much prosperity and happiness.

As I understand the troops now in garrison at the Cape are mostly Germans, and much disgusted with the Dutch service, you will take the earliest opportunity of inducing them to enter into his Majesty's 60th regiment, attaching them in equal proportions as supernumeraries to the regiments in garrison, until measures can be taken for transferring them under their own officers.

If, after using your best endeavours to procure the whole of these men for the King's service in the manner above di.

rected, any foreigners (not being French snbjects) having so declined to engage, should nevertheless be willing to enlist for service in the East Indies, you will engage them for the service of the East India Company, according to the terms of enlistment usual in the European branch of their army, a statement of which you will receive herewith inclosed, and you will exercise your own discretion in the retaining or enlisting Hottentots, in case the public service shall appear to you absolutely to require that this additional expence should be incurred.

As it is important that the Company's ships directed to cooperate in this expedition, and placed with a view to this special service under the orders of the Naval Officer in the com mand, should be delayed at the Cape for as short a time as possible, I have his Majesty's commands to direct that you use your utmost diligence to have the troops and recruits, destined for India, expeditiously re-embarked, in order that they may proceed under the convoy of the Belliqueux to their ulterior destination, notifying by them, or by the earliest opportu nity which you can find, the surrender of the Cape to the seve ral Presidencies in India, in order that the accustomed intercourse with the colony may be opened, and such supplies received, as may be required for the use of the settlement. In the event of circumstances arising, either to discourage you from landing the troops, or, in the event of your having made good your landing, to determine you to desist from the enterprise (contingencies I trust equally improbable), it is his Majesty's pleasure (the India ships being detached to their destination), that you do return with the remainder of your force to St. Helena, there to refresh the Troops and Squadron, and to receive further orders for the direction of your conduct. In case you should not find fresh instructions at St. Helena, continuing there not more than fifteen days, unless the refreshment of the squadron should render a longer delay indispensable, you will, at the end of that period, return to Cork, unless you should receive a different destination at Fayal, one of the Western Islands, where you are directed to call, and inquire for orders.

His Majesty has intrusted to you the conduct of the Mili tary part of this service, under a full confidence in yourexpe