The Sun.
London, England, 1862-07-28 00:00:00

SOUTH KENSINGTON MUSEUM.

The Emperor of the French has graciously pre-
sented fine specimens of Gobelins and Beauvais
tapestry to the South Kensington Museum. The
presents were notified by the following decree from
Marshal Valliant :

" Palais des Tuileries, Paris, July 12, 1862.

"Monsieur l'Administrateur,—l hasten to inform
you that his Majesty the Emperor, wishing to ac-
knowledge the gracious welcome which has been
given to the French jury by the Directors and
Committee of the South Kensington Museum, has
condescendingly authorised me to present to that
establishment, in his name, the productions of the
Gobelins and Beauvais manufactories which are in-
dicated below, viz. :
" A tapestry representing Christ at the Tomb,
alter Caravaggio, as a specimen of the produc-
tions of the Gobelins.

" A fauteuil, as a specimen of the works of
Beauvais.

" Receive, &c., the assurances of my high con-
sideration,
(Signed) " VAILLANT,
" Marshal of France, and Minister of
the Household of the Emperor."
"M. Badin, Director of the Imperial Manufac•
tories of the Gobelins and Beauvais."

AUSTRALIAN SovERI•;IGNS.—The Commons' select
committee, on the subject of legalizing the circulation in the
United Kingdom of sovereigns coined at the Sydney branch
of the Royal Mint, report that this coinage is increasing,
and was about £BOO,OOO in the first quarter of the present
year. These coins are of equal fineness and weight with
the Tower-hill sovereigns, and the Master of the Mint is
equally responsible for them ; yet they have the privilege
of circulation in certain colonies only. The only difference
is, that the alloy being more of silver and less of copper,
the Sydney sovereign is not considered so durable as the
English ; but there is no sufficient inducement to cause the
systematic introduction of light Australian coin into our
home circulation. The limited privilege of circulation is,
of course, a disadvantage to the Australian coinage. The
committee propose that an end be put to this distinction,
and recommend that the existing Sydney gold coinage be
withdrawn from circulation, and that gold coin be issued
from the branch mint there, having as nearly asp saible
the same alloy as that of London, and having currency
wherever gold coin minted in London is current; that it
have a mint mark to distinguish it; that it be kept at such
an amount as to prevent any undue inducement to the im-
portation into the United Kingdom of gold in coin rather
than in bars ; and that the charge for the branch mint
should be provided for by permanent appropriation by the
Legislature of New South Wales rather than by an annual
vote.

BRITISH FISHERIES.—The annual report of the
British Fishery Commissioners show the great success of
the new brand:ng system. The fee of 4d. a barrel for
branding herrings yielded only £2,644 in its first year,
1859 ; £3,865 in 1860, and £4,422 in 1861. Yet the fishing
in 1861 was not extraordinary ; the gross cure was less
than in 1660, but the branding of the export ex ceeded those
of 1860. 33,433 more barrels were branded, and the export
reached 390,313 barrels. The Scotch herrings have in a
great degree displaced those cured by the Dutch in the
foreign markets where they meet, and last year upwards of
20,000 barrels were exported direct from Scotland into
Holland—the commencement of a trade which, it is hoped,
may in future years emulate that of the Prussian ports,
and develope, as that did, from small beginnings into the
large proportions it has since reached. In the year 1861
12,961 boats, manned by 42,751 fishermen and boys, were
employed in the herring and cod and ling fisheries of Great
Britain, and the boats, nets, and lines employed were of
the deviated value of £783,037—an increase over the
preceding year of 432,841 and of 321 in the number of
fishermen.

JUDICIAL STATUTES.—Mr. Ewart, on Friday, will
ask the Government what steps have been taken to put
the judicial statutes of Scotland and Ireland on the same
footing as England,