The Virginia Gazette

To the Author of the Daily-Post.

SIR,

You That have Reasons for prohibiting the Talking of Politicks, during the late War, was not to inflame the People, but to hinder them from giving to their Neighbours the Alarm of what they were doing.

Louis XIV. strove to gain universal Monarchy by Force of Arms; all Europe join'd against him, for his Designs were too apparent to succeed: I'm afraid they are not yet laid aside, tho' perhaps they may be better conceal'd, and consequently more dangerous.

The French now attempt universal Trade: and turn their Care to the Increasing Plantations. In Africa, they have monopoliz'd the Gum, incroach'd upon the English Settlements in Gambia, and outbid them in the Slave Trade. In the East-Indies they have increas'd beyond Imagination. In America they have encourag'd their Sugar Islands, so as almost to ruin ours: They have a great Settlement in South America, which incroaches upon the Dutch and Spaniards. In North America they seem to pursue the Scheme of Louis XIV. for uniting their Colonies from Canada to the Bay of Mexico, thereby surrounding the English, that they may, in case of a War, render themselves capable of mastering all our Plantations.

They possess Cape Breton, in the Mouth of the River, Canada, which they have fortify'd very strongly; they have open'd a Communication from Quebec to the Lakes which lie behind New-York; upon the Land round those Lakes, which is very fertile, and half way between the Mouth of the River Mississippi and Canada, they have made very considerable Settlements in a Province they call Louisiana, there is a vast Country clear'd and cultivated by them in the same Manner as in France: their chief Commodity is Wheat and Lead, of the Latter of which they have rich Mines; by this they carry on the Trade with the Indians to great Advantage, which has enabled them so to increase their Improvements, as I have been inform'd by one who was there some Years, that they have in the Province of Louisiana Three fine Towns, the Houses built of Stone, and inhabited by above 1000 Whites.

They have such plenty of Flour, that tho' they supply the Garrisons of the Mississippi with it, the Plenty now makes it a Drug: They are therefore labouring to procure an Exportation, by removing those Indians who make the Navigation of the Mississippi River precarious. If the Chickasaws who inhabit along that River are destroy'd or remov'd, they may send their Flour by an easy Navigation down the Stream to New Orleans, and from thence furnish Hispaniola, and their other Sugar Plantations, cheaper with it than the English can their Sugar Islands.

Above New Orleans, and upon the Red River, the French go now on Tobacco, in which their King gives great Encouragement; as also to getting Lumber saw'd. by the latter of which they assort the Cargoes of Flour to Hispaniola. His most Christian Majesty had these Coasts thoroughly survey'd by Men of War, and Maps made of them; so that the Navigation, which was at first very dangerous, is now become safe and easy: They have also enlarg'd their Settlements Westward and Eastward. and have a Communication over Land with the Spaniards in Mexico Westward, and Eastward from the Mississippi they have settled all up the Alabama River, and have Forts within twenty Days March of Charles-Town in South-Carolina.

All these great Things are much to the Honour of the French Ministry, who have encreas'd the Power of their Country without Arms or Force, and without Jealousy to their Neighbours; for the English and Dutch seem to be in a deep Sleep, and to know nothing of these Things: their Ignorance chiefly proceeds from the French being prohibited speaking of publick Matters, otherwise the talkative Humour of that Nation would have awak'd us; therefore you deserve general Thanks for giving the Hint, which I hope may rouze us from a Slumber no way advantageous.

I am, Sir,

Your most humble Servant