The Sun.
London, England, 1841-01-13 00:00:00

which I was authorised to select and cause to be purchased,
have all haen designated ; but, the appropriation not prov-
ing iMI:c ;int, conditional arrangements only have been
made tot their acquisition. It is for Congress to decate
whether thole conditional purchases shall be sanctionefi,
and tele humane intentions of the law carried into full effect.
The navy, as will appear from the accompanying report
of the Secretary, 1t been usefully and honourably em-
ployed
in the protection of our commerce and citizens in
the Mediterranean, the Pacific, on the coast of Brazil,
and in the Gulf of Mexico. A small squadron, consist-
ins, of the frigate Constellation and the sloop-of-war Bos-
too, under Commodore Kearney, is now on its way to the
China and Indian seas, for the purpose of attending to
o r interests in that quarter; and Commander Aulick, in
the sloop-of-war Yorktown, has been instructed to visit
the Sandwich and Society Islands, the coasts of New
Zealand and Japan, together with other ports and islands
frequented by our whale-ships, for the purpose of giving
them countenance and protection, should they be required.
Other smaller vessels have been, and still are, employed
in prosecuting the surveys of the coast of the United States,
air ctcd by varous Acts of Congress ; and those which
have been completed will shortly be laid before you.
The Exploring Expedition, at the latest date, was pre-
paring to leave the Bay of Islands, New Zealand, in far-
ti.or prosecution of objects which have thus far been suc-
cessfully accomplished. The discovery of a new conti-
nent, which was first seen in lat. 66 2 S., ton. 154 27 E., and
afterwards in lat. 66 31 S., lou. 153 .40 E., by L'eu-
tenants Wilkes and Hudson, for an extent of eighteen
hundred miles, but on which they were prevented from
landing by vast bodies of ice a Lich encompassed it, is ore
of the honourable results of the enterprise. Lieut. Wilkas
bears testimony to the zeal and good conduct of his °di-
cers and men ; arid it is but justice to that officer to state,
that he appears to have performed the duties ria,igned to
biro with an ardour, ahlite, and perseverance which
assurance of au honourable issue to the under_
siaaes.
The renort of the Postmaster-General, herewith trans-
mitted, will exhibit the service of that department the past
year, and its present condition. The transportation has
be en maintained during the year to the foil extent autho-
rised by the existing laws—soma impsovements have been
tffectsrl rahich the public interest seemed urgently to de-
mand, but not involving any material additional expendi-
trier ; the contractors have generally performs:l their en-
gagements with fidelity ; the postmasters, with few excep-
tions, have rendered their accounts and paid their quar.
tsrly balances with promptitude ; and the whole service
of the department has maintained the efficiency for winch
it has for several years been distinguished.
The Acts of Congress establishing new mail routes, and
requiring more expensive services on others, and the in-
creasing wants of the country, have for three years past
carried the expeniitures something beyond the accruing
revenues ; the excess haying been met, until the past year,
by the surplus which had previously accumulated. That
bu. plus having been ( xhmsted, and the anticipated in-
crease 'n the revenue not having been realized, owing to the
depression in the commercial business of tire country. the
finances of the Department exhibit a small thticieney at
th close of the last fiscal year. Its res iurces, however,
are ample; and this reduced rates of compensation fer
the transportation service, %chic) may be expected on the
future lettings, from the general reduction of prices, will
the increase of Revenue that may reasonably be antici-
pated ft em the revival of commr rjal activity, must so or
place the finances of the department in a prosperous con-
dition.

Considering the unfavourable circumstances which have
existed during the past year, it is a gratifying result
that the revenue has not declined, as compared with the
preceding year, but, on the contrary, exhibits a small in-
crtta,e, the circumstances referred to haviug had nu (ALr
eff et than to check the expected income.
It will be seen that the Postmaster- General suggests
certain improvements in the estitV;,limcrit. designed to
reduce the weight of the mails, cheapen the transportat o 1,
ensure greater regularity in the servicr2, and secure a con-
siderable ic:itsetion in the rates of letter postage—an ob-
ject highly desirable. The subject is one of general in-
terest to the community, and is respectfully recommended
to your consideration.

Tee suppression of the African slave trade has received
the continued attention of the Government. The brig
Dolphin and schooner Grampus have been employed during
the last season on the coast of Africa, for the purpose et'
preventing such portions of that trade as was said to he
p:osecuted under the American flag. After cruizing olf
those parts of the coast must usually resorted to by slavers,
until the cJmniencoment of the rainy season, these vessals
returned to the United States for supplies, and have since
been despatched on a similar service.

From the repurts of the commanding officers, it appears
that the trade is now principally carried on under Portu-
guese colours, and they express the °pit-lien' that the ap-
prehension of their presence on the slave coast has, in a
great degree, arrested the prostitution of the American
flag to this inhuman purpose. It is hoped that, by con-
tinuin,g to maintain this force in that quarter, and by the
exeitions of the officers in command, much will be done to
put a stop to whatever portion of this traffic may have
been carried on under the American flag, and to prevent
its use in a trade which, while it violates the laws, is
equally au outrage on the rights of others and the feelings
ut

Tile efforts of the several Governments who are anxi-
ously seeking to suppress this traffic must, hov.ever, be
directed against the facilities afforded by what are now re-
eugniied as legitimate commercial pursuits, before that
object can be fully accomplished. Supplies of provisions,
water-casks, merchandise, and articles connected with the
pra.iecution of the slave-trade, are, it is understood, freely
cal-1.1,A by vessels ~.f Intiitot,ut oations to the slave factories;
and the effects of the factors are transported openly from
one slave station to another, without interruption or pu-
nishment by either of the nation.; to which they belong,
engaged in the commerce of that region.
I submit to your judgments whether this Government,
baying been the first to prerli6it, by adequate penalties,
the slave trade—the first to declare 1, piracy—should not
be the first, also, to forbid to its citizens all tradu with the
slave factories on the coast of Africa gis ing an example
to all nations in this respect, which, if fairly followed,
cannot fail to produce the most effective results in break,
ing up thos, dens of iniquity.

, .
M. VAN BUREN.
Wusbingtou, December 5, 1840.

DEATH OF SCOTT, THE DIVER

(PURTIIER PARTICULARS.)
Fur sonic time past bills had been pasted about the
town, tile following of which is a copy :
" Challenge to the world.—On Mouday next, January
I I, 1841, and during the week, Sam Scott, the American
diver, will run front Harry Godfrey's, the White Lion,
Drury-lane, Wateiloo-bridge, and leap into the water, a
height of 40 feet, and return back to the house within the
hours of one and two. P. S.—S. S. will be in attendance
daily at the above house, open to any wager."
In consequence of such announcement, Waterloo-bridge
anci every approach thereto was densely crowded on Mon-
day, and at a few minutes after two o'clock, Scott ar_
riv, rt. when he was greeted with the plaudits of thou-
sands of tee-tons, who had assembled to witness his ex-
ploit. He was dressed in a pair of canvas: trousers and
blue check shirt, basing on his head e. silk handkerchief.
lle wore {wither shoes, stockings, t:or other article of
,soperel Os his arrival he appeared as confident as usual,
:sad asceridieg a ladder placed against a scaffolditig, erected
over the second arch of the eridge, on the Middli sex
Side. tied his handkerchief, which he took from his
head, to use ref the upright poke, and then affixed
a lope to the top cross pose. Coaling down again, he
festehed sonic tat money-boxes to tee scaffolding, and re.
anerkieg, " \Vi.y, you all seem cranky," went up the ladder
He then placed his head within the rope, and
swats for a few seconds, after which he strung with his
ieet uppermost. Having done that he regained the ladder,
and exclaiming, " Now I'll dance olice inure upon air be-
fore 1 dive," placed its head for a second time within the
rope, and swung himself off. In that position he remained
about five minutes, wtan nut being observed to move fears
were entertained that something had happened to him, and
kaife was called fur to cut him down, but some seconds
.elapsed before ene could be obtained, when a person named
Brown ran up the ladder, and dividing the rope extricatud
I,ni Mr. Havers, surgeon, of York-road, Lambeth, and
another medical gentle han, who were near the spot, rushed
fora/aid and opened the jugular vein, from which but a few
drops of blood flowed, andia all appearances he was dead.
1.1, was, however, immediately placed in a cart, and con-
.4cycd to Chaaing-cross Hospital by some of the F divi-
on the spot, when it was
,sion of police, who were on duty
foetid that life was not quite extinct. Every exertion,
under the superintendence of Dr. Golding, senior physi_
cian to the hospital, was made to restore animation, first
by electrifying bins, next by cupping, and lastly by placing
hint iu a warm bath, in which be had only been a few se-
*c°lds when it was discovered that he had ceased to exist.
IDeceased was about thirty years of age, and was a flee
enae'l muscular y
cast a gloom over those who
had reviously seen
inclancho-171anieflitntiudile:nnt .
no through his performances, and
had a pre iusly Cfl him go through his perfcrtnanccs, and
had attritred yesterdayto e knees a repetition of them. It
having beers generally rumoureetlthat deceased was is a
his death occurred, it is
state of intoxication at the
due to say that it lias heenti lnascertained beyond doubt that
such was not the fact, but Let h accident is to be solely
attributed to the slipping o
of a knot in the noose from under
his chin in such a Mannar us to c.:.tl
-
se suffocation.
The sensation created by the untimely fete of this un
fortunate man will probably render a few
a
particulars
rela-
tive In his life and career not unacceptabla to the public,d
the principal portion being collected front the deceased
himself, may add to the interest. The story that he was
not an American, but a native of Deptford, is untrue.
Scott, according to his own showing, was born at Phila-
. eielphia, in the united States, and at an eat ly age entered
the American navy, and served on board several frigates,
in whieb be commenced his daring feats as a diver, by
jumping from the topmasts of the vessels he served in into
the sea. His extraordinary courage and prowess as a diver
rendered hint very popular, and after quitting the naval
service ho travelled about the Union, exhibiting, and col-
I ectea a good deal of money as the reward of his daring.
partieulat ly in the cities of New York, Boston, and Palk_
neiphia, He subsequently visited Canal:, and made
sonic tremendous leaps from the banks of the St. Lase_
which intersect that errantry ;
but his
Tepee and the lakes
was from a precipice below the
sthei d'oeuvre As to leaping
when, according .tr!liis own state
Fulle of the Niagara,
zing cl.stenee of 093 feet into the
anent, he jumped the ante
,water, which he accompeae
_
i; 1 al without injury or inconve-
nience. Incredible as this feat may appear, Scott so
ng '
hotly averred that he had performed
if .nit' arid was willing
could be found' o'to
attempt it again in this country, a -e9
sufficient altitude for tine Ile has been in Eng
purpose. -
nearly all
land upwards of twelvemonths, and has visited
•
the seaports, and has taken some astonislonea leaps in the
Isle of Wight and Pembroke Dockyard. We first heard
of him in London about three or four months ago, when he
made several leaps from the top-gallant mast of a collier-
.brig moored off the Town-pier at Gravesend. He next
came up to Deptford, and jumped front the masts
ati: a large Amurican ship. Upon one of these occa-
linens an accident befel him similar to that which termi-
nated fatally on Monday. lie was going through his
usual antics, such as clinging cith his test to the spars, J