, where in the last resort he could
capitulate and thus gain the means of being transported to France with
arms and baggage. Of this _point d'appui_ he will

"strive to take possession after the first months ... whatever be
the nation to which it belongs, Portuguese, Dutch, or English....
If war should break out between England and France before the 1st
of Vendemiaire, Year XIII. (September 22nd, 1804), and the captain
general is warned of it before receiving the orders of the
Government, he has _carte blanche_ to fall back on the Ile de
France and the Cape, or to remain in India.... It is now considered
impossible that we should have war with England without dragging in
Holland. One of the first cares of the captain-general will be to
gain control over the Dutch, Portuguese, and Spanish
establishments, and of their resources. The captain-general's
mission is at first one of observation, on political and military
topics, with the small forces that he takes out, and an occupation
of _comptoirs_ for our commerce: but the First Consul, if well
informed by him, will perhaps be able some day to put him in a
position to acquire that great glory which hands down the memory of
men beyond the lapse of centuries."[208]

Had these instructions been known to English statesmen, they would
certainly have ended the peace which was being thus perfidiously used
by the First Consul for the destruction of our Indian Empire. But
though their suspicions were aroused by the departure of Decaen's
expedition and by the activity of French agents in India, yet the
truth remained half hidden, until, at a later date, the publication of
General Decaen's papers shed a flood of light on Napoleon's policy.

Owing to various causes, the expedition did not set sail from Brest
until the beginning of March, 1803. The date should be noticed. It
proves that at this time Napoleon judged that a rupture of peace was
not imminent; and when he saw his miscalculation, he sought to delay
the war with England as long as possible in order to allow time for
Decaen's force at least to reach the Cape, then in the hands of the
Dutch. The French squadron was too weak to risk a fight with an
English fleet; it comprised only four ships of war, two transports,
and a few smaller vessels, carrying about 1,800 troops.[209] The ships
were under the command of Admiral Linois, who was destined