Vice Admiral of the Blue the Honourable Sir George Keith Elphinstone<br />(1746-1823) was appointed as commander of the British force dispatched to capture<br />the Cape of Good Hope in 1795. As an experienced naval officer and a capable<br />commander acquainted with the Cape and the Far East, he was the correct choice to<br />command the expedition. Due to the strategic location of the Cape of Good Hope –<br />literally halfway on the sea route to the East – it was vital for maritime<br />communications, and Britain had to ensure that the Cape did not fall into French<br />hands. To secure a safe base on the sea route to the East, a British expeditionary force<br />was sent to the Cape. The British task force arrived in False Bay on 11 June 1795 and<br />when negotiations with the Dutch authorities at the Cape failed, a military campaign<br />commenced that resulted in the capitulation of the Cape on 16 September 1795. In<br />August 1796, when a Dutch squadron under the command of Rear Admiral E. Lucas<br />anchored in Saldanha Bay, Elphinstone speedily neutralised the threat, forcing Lucas<br />to surrender. After a very successful service period at the Cape, Elphinstone returned<br />to Britain on 7 October 1796. He conducted the defence of the Cape with vigour and<br />actively sought out his enemy, confirming British control of the Cape and the virtual<br />impossibility of taking back the Cape with force of arms.