I send 16 000 soldiers, all on ships of the line, every Seventy-fours carries 500 men, meaning that you would need 32 vessels. They take water for four months with them, they can renew it at Mauritius or in another region of Africa, Brazil or the Indian Ocean; if needed, water is conquered everywhere the army lands. Once the fleet arrives on the spot, the troops disembark and the vessels leave immediately - they stock up their crews using the sailors of seven or eight ships destroyed by the ravages of time. Thus, an English squadron coming from Europe would find nothing.
The army, abandoned to itself, under a reliable and capable commander, repeats the known prodigies and Europe hears of the conquest of India as it heard of the capture of Egypt.