_ 433 _ the manner I have already indicated to him. Messina and Venice are much visited by ships, and in Alexandria we have Lemelino and Cornoca, knowledgeable merchants with whom to correspond. He will be able to write easily and safely to your Ambassador in Rome many times a year. It is a matter of much wonder that when the business of obtaining Information from Cairo is so important in the service of Your Highness that no other channel has been found, nor even tried, than Silva. This is so expensive, slow and unreliable. We can use a channel in Cairo itself. Because of the size of the city and the trade of various nations, the right person can reside there without arousing suspicion. The city of Cairo is the very source where news, of developments necesssary or harmful to India, arises, where as Aleppo is of very little importance for newsgathering.What can be learnt there comes from caravans which proceed from Cairo, and set out from there when they need to, not when it is necessary for us. News of this kind, brought by travellers, is slow and unreliable. The contact in Aleppo will never be able to communicate the truth of matters to India, nor will what is written arrive in due time.
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