The Sun.
London, England, 1844-02-10 00:00:00

LIGHT GOLD.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
SlR,—Observing that a paragraph has being going
the round of the papers, to the effect that but a trifling
quantity of light gold is finding its way into the Bank
of England, allow me, through the medium of your
columns, to account for its slow progress towards its
proper destination—the Mint.
As is stated, it is but too true that amongst tradesmen
and shopkeepers no objection is made to any gold, how-
ever light, which is offered to them in the way of busi-
ness, for their iheans of disposing of it is simply thus :
All the light sovereigns are laid aside,in many instances,
and with a slight sprinkling of heavy ones amongst
them—say one in ten—kept until the first commercial
traveller, who has an account to receive, calls ; these
sovereigns are then offered to him in payment of his
account—perhaps sometimes overdue—and he has the
option of either taking them at their full value of 20s.
each, or leaving the account unsettled, his customer
coolly telling him .that he has taken these at their full
value himself, and therefore must pass them at the same.
What is now the position of the traveller ? Sooner
than leave his account unsettled or offend his customer,
by insisting on an allowance on the gold, he consents to
take it, and in a few days finds himself burdened with
such a quantity, that it becomes both dangerous and
troublesome to carry it longer with him. And how, Mr.
Editor, is he to rid himself of it ? The private banks
will not, in any instance that I am aware of, take it at
less that six pence the whole and four pence the half
sovereign allowance ;
,and the branches of the Bank of
England are, "like angels' visits," so "few and far EQ.-
tween," that a traveller is not unfrequently, for weeks
together, without visiting any town in which one is
situated ; he is thus compelled to sacrifice TWO AND A
HALF PER CENT. to get his light gold changed ; but
what guarantee has he that this very gold is not the
next hour again put into circulation, and again paid to
himself or another traveller, to be once more exchanged
at the Bank at the ruinous premium above named, and
again and again put into circulation.
That this system is carried on to an enormous extent,
I can with confidence appeal to all my brother-travellers,
and that. nothing is more common than country private
banks paying over their counters light gold, any peri.on
who will take the trouble of weighing what they may
receive at the majority of them, will be fully convinced.
To remedy this evil, then, something should be done,
and done at once. In my opinion the Bank of Engla"d
should establish agents in all the principal towns in the
United Kingdom, or even in every county town, whose
duty it should be to take in all light gold, and in any
quantity it may be offered—allowing a fixed price by weight
for it. That they should be obliged to cut or deface all
gold so taken by them, in the presence of the parties so
changing it ; and this will guard against any system of
fraud being carried on. But, until some means be
adopted more stringent than those now established, I can
fearlessly assert that all hope of calling in the light g.ld
is futile, and that trade and manufactures are now
saddled with an additional import in the shape of this
nefarious traffic in light gold.

Trusting you will excuse the length of this letter,
I have the honour to be, Sir,

Your obedient servant,
A COMMERCIAL TRAVELLER.
Knutsford, Feb. 8, 1844

SPAIN.

MADRID, FEB. 2.—Several more arrests took place here
last night, and many of the leading men of the Liberal
party have sought safety from the persecution to which
they are exposed, by temporarily absenting themselves
from their homes. It was reported yesterday that Ar-
guelles, the two Calatravas, and other prominent men
among the old Progresistas, had been arrested ; but
hitherto they have not been meddled with, although their
names, with those of many other Liberals, were seen
on a list in the hands of a police agent, and a strict sur-
veillance is exercised over their movements. There are

upwards of 400 police agents now employed in this sort
of pursuit. General Concha left Madrid yesterday, and
went, as is given out, to pay a visit to a friend at Aran-
juez. There is a report, which it would be almost ab-
surd to think of, but for the daily absurdities we see
realised here, which is, that the ruling Powers contem-
plate shipping off the Progresista deputies whom they
have arrested, and sending them, without the fbrmality
of a trial, to the Mariana Islands, the furthest confines
of Asia.

The corpse of the Infanta Carlota was removed to-
day from the Calle della Luna, where it has been lying
in state, and was carried, with a funeral cot lige suitable
to her rank, to be deposited in that part of the Pan-
theon at the Escurial, appropriated to the relatives of
the Royal family.
The Commission nominated by the Crown to draw up
a report respecting the formation of a Council of State,
has concluded its labours, and it is expected a decree will
be speedily issued on the subject.
The tobacco revenue is about to be put up for public
competition. The houses of Messrs. O'Shea and Co.,
and Senor Carriquiri, have offered to advance 500,0001.
to the Government on the yearly revenue, and to take
the stock of tobacco, &c. on hand at 300,000/., with
prompt payment.
The troops destined for Alicante have left, and the
Luchana Regiment has been brought in from the envi-
rons of Madrid.

SAN SEBASTIAN, FEB. 3.—An extraordinary courier
arrived here last night from Madrid, with dispatches for
Brigadier Baruachea, who commands the province of
Guipuscoa. He brought the tidings of the death of the
Infanta Carlota, wife of Don Francisco de Paula, and a
communication announcing that the Nationals of San
Sebastian were to be disarmed within a short period.
The period was certainly a short one, as this morning at
day-break, and before the gates of the city were opened,
another courier arrived with the order that the dis-
arming should take place on the receipt of the dispatches
by the General.
The first act of the General on reading his dispatches
was to order that the guns of the citadel should be
loaded, and pointed to the town ; and his next, that the
troops should assemble in their barracks, and remain
under arms, and with muskets loaded, and bayonets
fixed, the whole of the day. The artillery were also
ordered to man the ramparts, and to stand by their guns
with lighted matches ; that all, in fact, should be ready
to commence hostilities at a moment's notice.

In addition to the preparations made in the citadel,
barracks, and ramparts, for hostilising the town, a bat-
talion was ordered to march from Hernani here, and the
General awaited its arrival before entering upon
operations.
The order for disarming was communicated at one
o'clock, P.M.; it is now five o'clock. The surrender of
arms and accoutrements is going on, and up to this mo-
ment the public tranquillity has not been for an instant
disturbed, nor do I suppose it will be.

METROPOLITAN DRAPERS'
ASSOCIATION.

A meeting of the members of the assistant drapers, in
the districts of Bishopsgate and Shoreditch, was held
last night at the White Hart Tavern, Bishopsgate-street,
and was fully and respectably attended, both by the as-
sistants and the employers. The chair was taken at 9
o'clock by Mr. Hopkins, and the business of the evening,
which was to discuss the question and pass resolutions
for carrying the system for closing the shops at earlier
hours than now in use, was immediately commenced.
The Chairman having briefly addressed the meeting,
Mr. Lylwell having also spoken in advocacy of the
principle to be carried out, the first resolution, to the
effect that the meeting was decidedly of opinion that
the present protracted system of business was attended
. by the worst results to the young men engaged therein,
morally, intellectually, end physically, was opposed to
the best interests of employers, and perfoctly unneces-
sary to public convenience, was moved by Mr. Hall, and
seconded. by Mr. Mills, and carried unanimously.
The second resolution, to the effect that the meeting,
encouraged by the good effects which had arisen from
early closing where the practice had been adopted,
hoped to obtain the assistance, and relied upon the co-
operation of a considerate public, was proposed by Mr.
Peggs, and seconded by Mr. Buckingham, and carried
as the former.