The Virginia Gazette

Extract of a letter from London, Dec. 9.

You may depend on it, that government do not intend to make their grand armament at Boston; they will only reinforce the army there, so as to enable them to maintain their ground, if the provincials do not carry the place this winter. The whole force is to be 26,000 men, including those now in America, and three regiments of Scotch Dutch, who are to come over in the spring from Holland, and be sent to Scotland to recruit, and from thence go to America. No other foreign troops are to be had; nor would the Dutch have given them, but they were paid a most extravagant price for them. They are now about 2000, though nominally 3000, which number they are to be made. This whole force is to be divided in America, and sent to New York, Virginia, and South Carolina, so that there will be no very considerable army, though strong bodies of perhaps 4, 6, and 8000 men, to those places; but the numbers are not ascertained, though they will be strong bodies. All commerce is prohibited with America; but commissioners are certainly going out, their names not yet mentioned. The Scotch faction prevails at court. The Bedford party are a good deal divided, some having joined the opposition: Lord Chatham will never again appear out: The minority is considerably strengthened. Lord Rockingham is the head of a formidable party; indeed almost all the minority are immediately attached to him. Their strength, however, is greatly inferior to the ministry, and will be, except the rest of the Bedfords (which is the strongest part of that party, and the support of ministry) leave them, it is impossible to say what may happen.