▁inv aded ▁by ▁France ▁and ▁the ▁V OC ▁was ▁in ▁complete ▁financial ▁ru in . ▁The ▁Prince ▁of ▁Orange ▁fled ▁to ▁England ▁for ▁protection , ▁which ▁allowed ▁for ▁the ▁establishment ▁of ▁the ▁Dutch ▁Bat av ian ▁Republic . ▁Due ▁to ▁the ▁long ▁time ▁it ▁took ▁to ▁send ▁and ▁receive ▁news ▁from ▁Europe , ▁the ▁Cape ▁Commission er ▁of ▁the ▁time ▁knew ▁only ▁that ▁the ▁French ▁had ▁been ▁taking ▁territory ▁in ▁the ▁Netherlands ▁and ▁that ▁the ▁Dutch ▁could ▁change ▁sides ▁in ▁the ▁war ▁at ▁any ▁moment . ▁British ▁forces ▁arrived ▁at ▁the ▁Cape ▁bearing ▁a ▁letter ▁from ▁the ▁Prince ▁of ▁Orange ▁asking ▁the ▁Commission er ▁to ▁allow ▁the ▁British ▁troops ▁to ▁protect ▁the ▁Cape ▁from ▁France ▁until ▁the ▁war . ▁The ▁British ▁informed ▁the ▁Commission er ▁that ▁the ▁Prince ▁had ▁fled ▁to ▁England . ▁The ▁reaction ▁in ▁the ▁Cape ▁Council ▁was ▁mixed , ▁and ▁eventually ▁the ▁British ▁successfully ▁inv aded ▁the ▁Cape ▁in ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Mu izen berg . ▁The ▁British ▁immediately ▁announced ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁free ▁trade . ▁ ▁As ▁elsewhere ▁in ▁Africa ▁and ▁other ▁parts ▁of ▁the ▁world , ▁trad ing ▁in ▁slaves ▁was ▁a ▁significant ▁activity . ▁A ▁notable ▁event ▁was ▁the ▁mut iny , ▁in ▁ 1 7 6 6 , ▁of ▁the ▁slaves ▁on ▁the ▁sla ver ▁ship ▁Me erm in . ▁ ▁The ▁ 1 8 0 0 ▁and ▁ 1 9 0 0 s ▁ ▁Under ▁the ▁terms ▁of ▁a ▁peace ▁agreement ▁between ▁Britain ▁and ▁France , ▁the ▁Cape ▁was ▁returned ▁to ▁the ▁Dutch ▁in ▁