The tenures under which the colonists hold their lands in this settlement, are of Four descriptions, viz. loan lands, gratuity lands, quit rents, and freeholds. The first of these is the most ancient, and consists of certain portions of land granted to the early settlers, upon con dition of paying to government an annual rent of twenty four rix-dollars. Each of these is supposed to contain about nine square miles ; and, though the lease was at first made out only for one year, yet the payment of the rent was considered as a renewal ; and, consequently, this tenure is nearly similar to a lease held in perpetuity. gratuity lands are those which were originally granted in loan, lint have been since converted into a kind of eus tonvi•y copyhold, liable to an anno.1 re n. of tity -four rix-dollars. Quit rents arise front pie( es of waste land occupied by the owners of the estates to n hick tin y are contiguous, upon a least: of fifteen years, and at an yt any •mit of one per acre. Freeholds arc such lands as were granted to the ori•inal settlers, in small pot tions of 12o Engdish acre.,, and t o tsist of the fine..t land in the colony. They are chit confined to the Cape disuiet, and its vicinity.
The commerce of this stall me nt under the Ditt, h, v...s confined almost entirely to such ship a, tom !it d at Cie Cape for rt fr t shim tits; and a Si amity bt,oply of a few Eu ropean grief !intim t...,osnodities for the iintuudit to use mil the e olot y. 'FL( sc, however, wept allow( d to be brought only in Dutt h hottoms, all trallic with th«,t1 cr nations being considered as contr, 1 •tt d ; d %%as tip 1%16(.11 the y were furnis',ed, that the iidn.bi touts ivt rf; C0111pCiled to seluggl,t r .r ticic.; out of foreiot vessels kr daily t onsumption. t• original of its t t cupation, was min rely as a point of communication bow( flair Indian si ments and the mother country ; and, though it vas afterwards used as a military depot, for fortning and preparing their troops warmer climates, y t t it LAI: Wei Cr been able to profit by the advantages of its situation. Were the ab surd regulations, and jealous restrictions, with which it has been so long fettered, completely abolished, and the trade or our Indian empire thrown open to all British ou' ports, the Cape might rise to be one of the first com mercial cities in the world. Placed at almost an equal distance from India, Europe, and America, it would snout become an emporium for the manufactures and produce of each of these countries, and an influx of active settlers would raise it to be a most valuable coloni I possession. It would not only open an extensive market for British merchandise, but it might. be rendered a granary capable of affording us almost unlimited supplies during a scar city. Little, however, can be expected from its present inhabitants, whose indolence has been fostered by the restrictive regulations of the government, which seems to have thrown every impediment in the of its be coming a flourishing settlement. ; and, consequently, a statement of its present trade, cannot be considered as any estimate of its real importance. Its principal articles of exportation consist of grain, pulse, wine, brandy. hides,
skins, dried fruits, aloes, and ivory. The quantity ex ported, however, is very inconsiderable; and, during the last four years in which the settlement was in possession of the British, from 1799 to 1802 inclusive, the total va lue of colonial exports amounted only to 300.-5 nix dollars, or 60,185/. currency; and its re-exportation of foreign commodities to about 170,0001. Of 131,361;, muids of wheat, which passed the barrier during that period, and paid 30,000 muids were annually re quired for the consumption of the inhabitants of C, pe Town and the army and navy ; so that the average an nual surplus which could be spared for ships calling fur refreshments, was less than 4000 inuids. The mine and brandy which passed the barrier in four years. amounted to 21,6491 leggers of the former, and 16651 of the latter. Of these, the average quantity annually exported was about 600 leggcrs of wine, besides 23 of Constantia, and 60 leggers of brandy, estimated at 50,000 The annual exportation of aloes was 85.tS2 lb. valued at 6416 rix-dollars ; that of hides and skins amounted to tween 5000 and 6000 rix-dollars; of dried fruits, in 1802, to 2542 rix-dollars ; and of ivory to 1585 rix-dollars. Besides these articles of colonial growth and produce, which this settlement, if properly managed, could fur nish to almost any extent, it is capable of supplying se veral others equally valuable, and in equal abundance, particularly tobacco, wool, salt provisions, whale oil and bone, and soap.
The limited exportation of this colony, however, does not at all regulate the quantity of its imports. In most countries, it is according as the one or the other of these preponderates, that we estimate their poverty or wealth: But in the Cape settlement, though its exports scarcely amounts to one-fifth of its imports, a considerable ba lance is drawn in favour of the colony, which, however, • is occasioned entirely by the consumption of the garri son and navy. The principal articles of importation from Britain, consisted in woollen cloths, 'Manchester goods, hosiery, haberdashery, millinery, boots, shoes, hats, cutlery, iron tools, stationary, bar and hoop iron, smiths' coals, household furniture, paints, oils, earthen ware, naval stores, tongues, hams, cheese, and pickles; from India and China were brought piece goods, tea, coffee, sugar, pepper, spices, and rice ; from America, deal planks, staves, balk, salt fish, pitch, turpentine, &c.; and from Denmark, Sweden, and Hamburg, assorted cargoes of iron, plank, French wines, beer, gin, Seltzer water, coffee, preserves, pickles, &c. An abstract ac count of the whole importation is contained in the fol lowing table : This immense preponderance of imports, Mr Barrow disposes of in a very satisfactory manner. He supposes that the army, independent of the clothing and stores, &c. sent from home, and money remitted by the officers, could not expend less, in European and Indian goods, and colonial produce, than 180,0001. per annum, which in four years is - L.720,000 0 0 Pr/1 '•' " returns of the captain of the port, the vessels which sailed from the Cape amounted, In 1799 to 103 ; 1800 109 ; 1801 130 ; 1802 131 ; Total, 473 ships.