Harley-street, London,
June 10.1800.
My dear Sir,
I did not receive, till the 22d November, your favour, dated 1st
September last, for which I beg you to receive my best thanks. I
have transmitted an extract of it to Lord Moira, Sir Joseph Banks,
and to a friend of mine, who is a member of parliament, and has
great influence with his majesty's ministers; in order that he may
lay it before the secretary of state, in such a manner as to draw
his attention to it in the most impressive and effectual manner;
but I much fear that the pressure of the war, and its consequent
effects; the arrangements of finance, &c. will preclude their
immediate support to objects which they consider as of very
subordinate importance. The time is certainly highly favourable for
the cultivation of the friendship of the emperor, and of other
Muhamedan sovereigns; now that the British arms have preserved the
principal empire of the Moslems, by the victory at Aboukir, and the
defense of Acre; in consequence of which, Egypt has been recovered,
and one of the sacred gates of the Caaba again opened to the
102 Mussulmen. This appears to be an event of the highest consideration
to the Muhamedans of Africa, since it is by Grand Cairo, that the
western pilgrims communicate with Mecca.
I suppose you have received the narratives, published by Park and
Browne, of their respective journies and discoveries in the
interior of your continent; they have done much, but much more
still remains to be done; and above all, the discovery of Timbuctoo
and its commercial relations.
There is a captain Wild, now either at Tunis or Algiers, preparing
himself for this journey, (as I am informed,) a man of intrepidity,
judgment, and enterprise; whom Sir Joseph Banks writes me, he hopes
to engage in the employment of the African association.
I assure you that I consider you, as the only European that
possesses any substantial and interesting information concerning
that part of interior Africa, which we are most solicitous to
investigate; and, therefore, set a high value upon whatever you are
so good as to communicate. I am also of opinion, that your plans
may very probably be adopted by administration, when the return of
peace shall leave their minds at liberty to attend to it.
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