The New Hampshire Gazette

Extract of a Letter from Hamburgh, Jan. 25.

The Clouds thicken in our Hemisphere, and Storm seems ready to burst; the Year 1761 will probably fill the bloodiest Page in the future History of Europe: whoever dreams of Peace has not attentively considered the System of the belligerent Powers: but whatever Turn Affairs may take, we may boldly affirm, that the Empress Queen will be a Loser; the Recovery of Silesia will not indemnify her for the Sacrifices she must be obliged to make the French, as has been before observed, are fighting for themselves, and will, by their Acquisitions in the Low Countries, amply recompense themselves for their Losses in Germany; the Russians begin to take off the Mask, and by the Hints lately dropped to the Regency of Dantzic, we may see they look upon this City with a longing Eye, and as a Place extremely fit for forwarding their Designs; the Dispute with Dantzick about Holstein is artfully delayed, and Polish Prussia appears a tempting Morsel. The pacific Scheme of the British Minister has been rejected; these Things show a settled Design of getting Footing in the Empire, for aiding the Empress Queen is out of the Question; they have never been hearty in her Interest, no further than it coincided with their own; they now and then, indeed, lend a helping Hand to save Appearances, but that so lamely, that the Austrians must be very blind Politicians indeed, if they do not perceive their Drift. Well, but the King of Prussia must be crushed, and this Northern Power recompensed with his Spoils. This is selling the Bear's Skins: For, One Hundred and 60 Thousand Men, with such a Prince at their Head, may cut out Work for more than one Campaign; and if he should triumph, the Work must be begun again. In short, of all the Northern Powers, none has a Prospect of gaining more, and losing less, than the Russians; in them it is Wisdom to temporize and catch Opportunities as they rise; this is their System, for which they will not depart; and, when Overtures of Peace are made, if they do not come from the Court of Vienna, be assured they will be rejected, and from that Quarter there is very little Reason to expect them.

Since the Commencement of the present War, it is reckoned, that the French never were in so bad a State as now. The Destruction of such immense Magazines, in a Country so exhausted as Germany is, makes it almost impossible for so numerous an Army to subsist.