The Sun.
London, England, 1803-09-22 00:00:00

slid) a mistake.. On cross-examination, he said, he
had been' formerly suspended fur mal.pradice, and
did not make the communication until he had been
dismissed a year for other miscondutt.:
Thc. Inspeetor of the Post-Office said, tl:e Prisoner
confessed that he had participated in the fraud, but
denied the extent as stated by die last WitneSs.
Mr. ALLEY, for the Prisoner, chiefly •insisted,
that the Witness, Webster, was not worthy of cre-
dit, and that his story was' not confirmed.

The Juty withdrew for a considerable time, and
at eleven o'clock returned a verdid of Guilt,.

SOUTH SEA DISCOVERIES.

A very interesting chronological History of the
Discoveries in the South Sea has lately been publish-
ed by Captain BURNEY, of the Navy. It would
be difficult to find a Gentleman better qualified for
such a Work than Captain BURNEY. He was, we
believe, in every voyage with Captain COOK ; to
great professional knowledge, he adds extensive ac-
quaintance with books, and he possesses, in a.very
eminent degree, that impartiality, candour, and
clearness of judgment, so necessary to, but so rarely
found, in an historian.
The Work is divided into twenty chapters. The
first, which is introduftory, contains, a brief account
of the Discoveries of CoLusteus, CABOT, CO TES,
REAL, AMERICUS VESPUCIUS, JUAN DE SOLIS,
and BAsco Ninitsr,a7, the first European who. saw
the South Sea,. the discovery of which immediately
provoked, or father. gave a new stimulus to an. eager
desire`of finding aliassage to it from the Atlantic
Ocean. In the, year r+ls, the King. of Spain order.
ed JUAN. DE SOLIS to attempt a passage into the
South Sea, and to the .Molueca Islands: but in Rio
de la Plata, Sous quarrelled with the natives, and
was killed, whereupon the ships returned to Spain.
Soon after, when the Spaniards had begun to make
settlements on the south coast of the Isthmus cif
Darien, they attempted to sail ffoin thence to the
Moluccas': but their vessels, being built of timber
which was rendered uselesi by the worm in one
month, were incapable of performing such a voyage.
The second and third chapters contain the voyage
of FERNANDO DE MAGIIELANES, a disgusted Por-
tuguese in the service of Spain, to whom was re-
served the honour of conducting the first 'European
vessels in the South Sea.

The advantages obtained to geography by the
voyage of FERNANDO DE MACH P. LANES, are to be
regarded as very important : he disAvered the li.
mits of the Continent of America towards the ;Judi,
and the communication of the Atlantic with the
South Sea. His other discoveries are, the two
islands Las Desventuradds, the islands Sapan, Ti-
nian, and Aguigan, of the Ladrones, and the Atehi.
pelago of St. Lazarus, afterwards included in the
name of the Philippine Islands. By the ship 1.71
Trinidad, under E!iP mosn, four islands were added
to the group called the' Ladrones.
In Europe, the discoveries made by the Maghe-
lanes became the cause of much contention and dis-
pute. 'The new passage to the Indies was regarded
by all the European nations, except Spain, as a
common benefit. By Spain it was claimed as ex.
elusive property.
It was still believed in Europe, that there was
an inlet to the South Sea, near the Isthinui• of
Darien ; and in 154.2, a vessel was sent to attempt
the supposed passage, which returned with a cargo
of Indians, kidnapped in direa violation of the Em.
peror's orders.

A considerable number of other voyages to the
South Sea were undertaken from Spain, Genoa,
Portugal, and France, moot of which terminated
without • making any-addition to the stock of geo-
graphical or nautical knowledge, or producing any
thing but disappointment and loss to the projeaors
of them. These are the subjeds of the 4th, .sthi.•
6th, and 7th chLpters.
The Spaniards, discouraged by the dangers and
distance of the voyage by the Southern extremities
of America, and convinced that there was no other
Western access to the South Sea, by navigation(un.
less it should be in a high northern latitude), be-
gan to think of conducting the trade between Europe.
and the Spice Islands, by transporting the; good 3
by inland nievigation, or other carriage, across the
narrow part of the land. They also turned their
attention to the West Coast of the American• Con.
tinent, which they explored Northward•and South-
ward, in search of seven cities, which after having
long occupied a fabulous island, seem to have been
now transplanted, by the imagination of the gold-.
thirsty Spaniards, to the unknown West Coast of
America.