The New Hampshire Gazette

It was reported on Sunday by some persons at court, that some overtures of peace had been made by France. While France is in so many places and so many shapes distressed, it is not at all to be wondered at, if she should have recourse to her old wily arts, instead of arms; if she should endeavour to extricate herself out of her difficulties, to save her commerce from entire destruction, and avert the impending blow in America, which she hath not the power to parry off, by offering proposals of peace. But we have now as little reason to be afraid of her deceitful arts, as of her arms; the same wisdom that hath confounded the one, will, no doubt, confound the other: No insidious offers will be of service to her; nor will all her art be able to stop the progress of the British arms in America.

With such a perfidious people, it can never be our interest, nor can it be prudence in us, to listen any terms of peace, till we have reduced them, and seen from them the power of violating it. The commerce and navy of France must fall, if we succeed in America; and when we have them down, we should keep them so: For with France, no peace can be lasting, if she should be suffered to rival us at sea. But whilst we keep her commerce and navy under, her restless temper will be bridled; she must want the sinews of war: It will not be her interest to break with us, nor in her power to hurt us; nor can we have any thing to fear from all her ambitious projects on the continent. To compel France to accept of our own terms of peace, may very probably be soon in our power; for should that success in America, which we have the greatest reason to expect this summer, be accompanied with one complete victory over the Austrians by his Prussian Majesty, it is far from being improbable, that the Empress Queen may be reduced to the necessity of making a separate peace with him; and then we may, perhaps, have the satisfaction of seeing France humbled to a greater degree than she ever yet has been. It would give infinite pleasure to every true Briton, to see his Prussian Majesty at the head of an hundred thousand men in the heart of France: The perfidy and restless ambition of the French do certainly deserve such chastisement, and surely there never was any person living more likely to give it than his Prussian Majesty.

Portsmouth, April 24. Yesterday sailed for the Mediterranean, the Favourite Sloop of War, Capt. Edwards, Express.

Kensington, May 8. His Majesty in Council, was this Day pleased to appoint Henry Ellis, Esq; the present Lieutenant Governor of His Majesty's Colony of Georgia, in America, to be Governor in Chief of the said Colony, in the Room of John Reynolds, Esq.

May 10. France is now confessedly in a most deplorable situation. Her finances are so much exhausted, that money is raised with the utmost reluctance; the levies to recruit the army, go on but slowly; her councils are greatly divided; murmurings of maladministrations at home, and misconduct abroad, are every where heard; the merchants complain loudly of want of protection to their trade; the clergy of oppression; and private people of the hardships they suffer; to support a ruinous German war. Dispatches after dispatches from Westphalia, from Vienna, from America, from the Indies, all full of demands for succours, for money, for powerful protection against the danger that every where threatens; and in an utter incapacity to satisfy any of these pressing demands. The Subsidies to the Empress Queen are unpaid; the stipulated Succours cannot be spared; and the levies necessary for the colonies abroad, are now wanted for her defence at home: Thus the tables are turned upon this perfidious people; they are now down, and it is to be hoped, as a worthy patriot said on a late occasion, the opportunity will not be let slip, of tumbling them over and over.

On the other hand, England was never greater nor better provided; 50,000 as fine troops as any in Europe, at home unemployed; a navy equal to the maritime force of the whole world, in the present condition of it, well manned and well supplied; money granted cheerfully; a ministry in whom the confidence of King and People is united; allies that do wonders; and a spirit in our colonies not to be suppressed. Our trade in the most flourishing condition, while that of our grand enemy, is dwindling daily; exposed on all sides to the captures of our men of war, our cruisers, and privateers, while the squadrons destined for its protection lurk in bays and harbours, and dare not come out. The condition of the French is no better in America than in Europe; we have now in America 50,000 regulars, well provided with all kinds of provisions and stores, and a naval force, to carry and support that army wherever it can distress the enemy most. This is no partial representation of things, but the naked fact, which should be published throughout Europe, to the honour of the present administration, who, by pursuing true British measures, have restored the honour, the power, and credit of their country, when all these seemed to be expiring.

Notwithstanding the great number of troops now in England, it has been publicly declared, that very few of them shall be idle this summer, but that all that can be spared, shall be employed in distressing the common enemy.