The New Hampshire Gazette

From the CENTINEL.

Situation of the World.

The recent collection of a vast number of documents, enables us to give a full view of the politics of the World, at the last dates.

GREAT-BRITAIN

After the French Republic, the next nation which arrests the attention of the world is the British. The part it has taken on the great Theatre of European politics is conspicuous, and its immense maritime force, scattered over the globe, renders her formidable to every commercial nation. We shall take a fair view of her Situation as it respects her exterior.

In the war against France and Holland, Britain may be said to have received all the whole coalition have acquired. In the South, he has gained Corsica, a large island in the Mediterranean, 80 miles long and 40 broad—and Porto Ferrajo, in the island of Elbe, in the territories of the Grand Duke of Tuscany—the latter being lately seized in consequence of the capture of Leghorn by the French. In the East-Indies, Trincomalee from the French, and all the spice islands of the Dutch have fallen into their hands, with produce to the amount of near four millions sterling. The Cape of Good-Hope is also theirs.

In the West-Indies they have possessed themselves of Martinico, Grenada, and St. Lucie, with part of St. Domingo.

To balance this, they have suffered much loss in their commerce from the French cruisers; and their acquisitions in the West-Indies have been attained at the expense of many thousand lives of their best soldiers and seamen. If recent accounts are to be relied on, the British colonies of Newfoundland, and St. John's are in danger of falling into the hands of the French.

Placing its entire strength in its "wooden walls," the English government has been assiduous to strengthen by every exertion its marine; and truth must say, that it is the best disciplined in the world. In August last, it consisted of 109 sail of the line, from 120 to 64 guns; eighteen 50 gun ships, 173 frigates, and 147 ships under 28 guns, besides cutters, &c. all manned. in commission, at, or ready for sea; making a total of 460 vessels. Besides these, it has 40 sail of the line, two fifties, and five frigates, as receiving ships—five sail of the line, and six frigates repairing—14 sail of the line, and 84 frigates, sloops, &c. in ordinary—and 20 sail of the line, three fifties, and ten frigates, building—forming a general total of 170 sail of the line, 25 fifties, 206 frigates, and 217 sloops, &c. in all 618. These are thus distributed—In port and fitting 101, of which 28 are of the line. In the English and Irish channels 73, of which 14 are of the line. At the West-Indies, or on the passage 73, of which 17 are of the line, 4 fifties, 35 frigates & 17 sloops. At Jamaica 17, of which 6 are of the line, four frigates, and 7 sloops. Some of these must have gone to England with the late convoy. In America and at Newfoundland 37, of which one is of the line, two fifties, 14 frigates, and 10 sloops. In the East-Indies, and on the passage 39, of which ten are of the line, 3 fifties, 9 frigates, and 7 sloops. At Gibraltar and Mediterranean 74, of which 27 are of the line, 37 frigates, and 10 sloops. In addition to these the English have in their service, a Russian fleet of 19 sail of the line, eight frigates, and a sloop. This last fleet is commanded by Admiral Hanikoff—who has for his Rear Admiral, Tate, a native of Portland, in this State. This information will be useful to those who trace the progress of the war, and make their calculations on expected events. The English have lost, by various ways, since the commencement of the war with France, eight sail of the line, one fifty, eight frigates from 44 to 28 guns, and 28 vessels from 20 to four guns. It is to the sea, the East and West-Indies, and in the Mediterranean, that the English warlike operations are confined.

We are necessitated to continue this article.