The New Hampshire Gazette

From a late Magazine.

I presume it is very plain, that France cannot, in many years recover the loss he has sustained in the present war; the effects of the last were pretty severely felt, even at the beginning of the present, though her case was infinitely better at the peace of Aix la Chapelle, than it is now. Perhaps he was never reduced to so abject a state since he became a nation; nor ever knew such humbling circumstances; and, in all probability, if the French refuse to listen to an accommodation, which has been so generously offered them; their condition will, next year, be much worse than it is at present.

The island of Martinico will undoubtedly fall into our hands, if a squadron be sent to the West Indies for that purpose. Indeed, if we may believe the accounts from that island, the inhabitants envy their neighbours of Guadalupe, the advantageous terms they have procured by capitulation, and would not be displeased if they were admitted to partake of the same favour.

But besides Martinico, and some other settlements in the islands, they have one on the continent, of too great a value to be disregarded; I mean, their colony on the Mississippi. That country which is called Louisiana, by its vast extent and the fertility of its soil, greatly exceeds in value all the late conquests we have made in North America, and may be put on a much better footing than Canada. As it is situated in a very mild climate, fit for producing a great variety of the conveniences as well as the necessaries of life, it may in process of time make the French of too much importance in America, if they are suffered to remain in possession of it. The great river of St. Louis that waters it, is navigable for 600 leagues from the sea; the natives have always known it by the name of Missi Chaippi, which signifies Grand Father of all the Rivers: but the French naturally careless in pronouncing foreign names, clipped it to Mississippi.

This fine country might be easily conquered; for, as we are already masters of the river St. Lawrence, we need only to get possession of the country, at the mouth of the Mississippi; after which there will be no reason to be uneasy about what numbers of the French may remain in the inland-parts of North America; for, as they would be deprived of all communication with Old France, if such a project should take place, they would gradually lose all thoughts of their mother country, and either dwindle away, or mix with our colonies, and submit to the British government.