some advantages. I am not one who join in the romantic notion of universal free commerce; and I think that where privileges can, with justice, be secured, it is the duty of a government to do so.”
These suggestions were very favorably received, though various circumstances interfered with their adoption. Some parts of his plan and details, were, however, put into execution, in consequence of the following letter, which he wrote at the instance of Lord Melville.
"My Lord,– In obedience to yonr Lordship’s desire, I venture to place before you my idea on that part of North Africa lying between Tripoli and Egypt, and which, notwithstanding it constituted one of the most interesting sites of antiquity, is unaccountably a perfect blot in the geography of the present day.
“In consequence of a strict attention to the subject, I had reason to think that, on my visit to Tripoli in 1816, no other knowledge existed of those countries extending along the coast from the city of Tripoli to the Arabs Tower in Egypt, than what was gleaned from the Melpomene of Herodotus – excepting indeed the part now called the Gulf of Sidra, which is evidently deduced from the old map of Ptolemy.
“From my numerous enquiries, in various quarters, touching the present state and resources of those parts, and from the aggregate of a variety of conflicting statements, I have reason to imagine that material benefit is likely to accrue from a proper investigation thereof; for it appears that there are certainly several harbours almost unknown to us, of which the principal are those of Bomba, Toubrouk, and Tabraka; and my representation of them appeared in so favorable a light to that excellent officer, Sir Thomas Fremantle, that he directed my utmost attention to them, and to the facilities of procuring timber from certain forests reported to exist in that neighbourhood.
“But as the protection of his Highness, the Bashaw of Tripoli, does not extend beyond Derna, and indeed is only precarious at any distance from Mesurata, a thorough investigation of the shores of the Syrtes, and the whole of the Cyrenaica, becomes an object of serious difficulty, and a perhaps impracticable to a Christian, though the attainment of it certainly promises the gratification of much geographic and historic enquiry.
“I could myself soon fix all the important points on scientific data for the commencement of a coast survey; and a person properly qualified would not only forward the hydrography, but, from thence, could continue those journeys and researches that would be most conducive to add to our general knowledge; and from my long acquaintance with him, I make no hesitation in recommending Lieutenant Lyon as singularly eligible for
