Fowle's New Hampshire Gazette And General Advertiser

Although it remains a query, whether the free circulation of M. Neckar's publication will be permitted, or crushed in the bud: yet by means of a French correspondent, we have been favoured with a passage, in the choice of which his native vanity, no doubt, has been his guide, and by which we may form an idea of the power of the Grand Monarch, and the many resources he has at hand:--

"This wealthy kingdom, says the Swiss financier, contains, upon an average, 26 millions of inhabitants. Its extent is 81,000 square miles. The soil is proper to the cultivation of every thing that Europe is known to produce, and boasts of some which are peculiar to the country. A great number of navigable rivers and canals, together with near 3000 miles of open highway, tend to facilitate the inland trade, whilst part of its coasts are washed by two different seas. The climate there, temperate and wholesome, might lengthen to an older age than any other part of the world, the lives of its inhabitants, were not mortal causes to counteract the favourable influence of partial nature. Add to this, that the industry of the French in general displays itself in so many shapes, that this kingdom needs borrow no assistance for the resources derived from the arts and sciences.

Some valuable colonies in the new world constitute one part of the King's domains, from whence goods, to the amount of 120 millions of livres, are imported yearly. The contributions of the people, joined to the revenue of the Crown, the patrimonial estates of the cities, towns, &c. constitute a total of 600 millions, (about 27,000,000l. sterling.)--The clergy's revenues may be computed at 13 millions of livres annually. As to trade, the yearly balance is proved in our favour, to amount to 70 millions of livres, before the breaking out of the last war. The gold and silver coin circulated in the kingdom, exceeds 2,000,000,000 of livres, the increase of this wealth may be valued at 40 millions per annum; and this increase is, in all probability, equal to the augmentation of the specie of all the European states put together."