The Sun.
London, England, 1823-05-29 00:00:00

SOCIETY OF AnTs, &c.

Yesterday this Society met at the Xing's.
Theatre, in the Haymarket, for the purpose of presenting the
Rewards adjudged to the respective Candidates, the great in.;
crease of its Members renthrring it impossible U) bold this
annual meeting in the Society's own house in the•Adelphi,
spacious as it is. The Society has • indeed been compelled to
move from place to place for several years; and notwttlistand•
ing the enormous size of this splendid theatre, such was the
desire to witness the distribution, it was crammed to the top
seat in the gallery, and many visitors were obliged to walk the
lobbies the whole morning. His Royal Highness the Duke of
SUSSEX in the Chair._

The President, at half-past twelve, took the Chair, raised
upon the stage, on each side of which sat the Candidates.
The Secretary (Mr. ATKIN) read a statement of the rise and
progress of the Society.
His Royal Highness then proceeded to present the different
prizes.
The first was the Gold Ceres Medal to Lieutenant-Colonel
Wilda n, of Newstead Abbey, for planting 500 acres with fo-
rest trees.
There were about 00 successful candidates,to whom his Royal
Highness presented the premiums. Amongst them was Mr.
P. 1. Desvibmes,
a Greek, who made a very fine.. drawing
from a bust, and also a drawing of a Corinthian Capital, and
received the Silver Pallet and the Silver Isis Medal.
His Royal Highness, in presenting the Greek with those
premiums, congratulated him upon the station lie held amongst
men of genius m this country, and stated that he would here
have on opportunity. of sharing the admiration in which Eng-
lishmen held the Arts of his native country, as well as of oh.
serving the feeling for the Greeks, which was so powerful
through 'the country.--(Loud applause.)
A large silver medal and 30 guineas were presented to Mr.
JaMes Marsh, of Woolwich, for a portable electro-magnetic
apparatus.
Premiums were, among the rest, given to three young Ladies
named Drummond, and their brother, a boy, for painting, and
to Messrs. Cowley and Winslow, Bucks, for preparing a large
quantity of opium from poppies grown in England.
A premium had also been adjudged by the Society to C.
Warren, Dig. deceased, for his improvements in the art of en-
graving on steel plate.
The 'SECRETARY stated, that Mr. Warren had found out
the art of softening steel in such a manner as to make it supply
the place of copper in engraving, and that 6,000 exquisite im-
pressions were produced by one plate, the last of which was
almost as good as the first, and exhibiting the very perfection
of an engraver's proof.
His Royal Highness presented the Gold Medal tnthe brother
of the late Mr. Warren, in trust for his infant daughter.
One of the last candidates to whom a medal was presented
'was Mr. William Cobbett, of Kensington, for Plat from Eng-
lish grass. .
Before Mr. Cobbett advanced to his Royal Highness to re-
ceive the medal,
The Stenzranx stated, that for three years the Society had
been endavouring to find employment for the labouring poor
in the country. During the war, English straw was manufac-
tured to a considerable extent, but since the establishment of,
peace straw-hats had been imported from the Continent in
such abundance, that the manufacturers in Bedfordshire,
Leicestershire, and the other counties where the manufacture
was carried on, were obliged to give up the experimeut. One
hundred and sixty thousand hats were supposed now to be an-
nually imported, and if something were not done to check
such an interference with our domestic manufacture, the British
growth would be wholly useless. Mr. Cobbett was of opinion
that the English grass was as good for manufacture as the
Foreign ; he bleached it by a simple process' and gave it to be
platted by some of the best Hertfordshire platters, and then sent
it to the Society, who were astonished at the extraordinary beauty
and excellence'of the material, and at once presented him-with
the mark of distinction which the President held in his hand.
The Duke of SUSSEX, in addressing Mr. Cobbett, said he
had great pleasure in communicating to him the approbation
of the Society
for the valuable service he. had rendered, by his
attention" to this very important branch of manufacture. The
specimen of plats afforded a great gratification to the Society,
as the suggestion presented means of employing great numbers
of industrious individuals, who would otherwise have no way
of living, and the communication by Mr. Cobbett was the more
grateful, as it was made upon no confined principle, but upon
that of serving the community.—( Loud applause.) •
Mr. CODISETT begged that his Royal Highness would allaw
him to deviate a little front what he observed was the usual
'practice upon these occasions, 'and to make a few observations.
was always of opinion that it was of the greatest import-
ance to the people of this country, that the manufactures
should be carried on-brthemselves. It was Impossible to look
round, and not to observe that thousands of pounds; which
ought to be expended in this country were sent into foreign
countries. He was satisfied that if the'Ladies and Gentlemen
Of this Society,man yof whoin were present; would exert them-
selves, there would be very little sale for Leghorn bonnets, and
this would be one way of putting a period to that despicable
cant which was-daily dinned in to'the eats of the-poor, that they
should.be content with their condition as patipers, and that the
griree of God directed them to live in poverty, both of food and
of dress.—(APplause.)
His Royal Highness having performed all the duties of the
situation of President in the most elegant manner, returned
thanks to the Company for their attendance, and retired amidst
loud applause.—Several of the works of merit were exhibited.