The Sun.
London, England, 1844-11-02 00:00:00

. .

supposed slaver. It has become the fashion, however,
now to misrepresent the conduct of British officers
engaged in the arduous and harassing duties whit
they are necssarily called upon to fulfil in the stir-
pression of the slave -trade, when they board suspect( d
vessels. The performance of this act of duty is, in
the present day, a subject of complaint against the
officer vi ho does it, and in nine cases out of ten the
parties who most loudly complain are those who are
most actively engaged in this nefarious trade.

THE ROYAL ACADEMY AND THE
KING OF THE FRENCH.

The following address from the Royal Academy of
Arts to the King of the French, was presented to
his Majesty by Sir Robert Peel, during his residence
in this country :--
"To his Majesty Louis Philippe, Kit g of the

French.

" We, the President., Council, and Members of the
Royal Aeademy of Arts, beg leave most humbly
to approach your Majesty for the purpose of joining
in the general manifestation of sincere respect 'and
cordial welcome which your Majesty has experienced
from the British community on the auspicious occa-
sion of your Majesty's visit to our most gracious and
beloved Sovereign.
" As artists, we are most anxious that the voice of
the arts of our country should be heard in the loud
chorus of congratulation which greets your Majesty's
safe arrival among a people who justly appreciate your
virtues, and highly estimate the character of the great
nation which you so • worthily represent. But most
especially we are desirous, in the name of those en-
nobling pursuits to which we are devoted, to offer to
your Majesty the tribute of our grateful acknowledg-
ments for the generous favour and protection which
have been invariably extended to them under your
enlightened sway.
" To expatiate to your Majesty on the importance
of the fine arts would be as ill-timed as unnecessary
—their eulogium is indelibly stamped on the records
of time, and their powers universally recognised in
the ameliorated character of man. Your Majesty has
effectually proved your sense of their value by the
efforts you have made to promote them. You have
zealously sought to procure for your country- the
benefit of their humanizing influence, and to unite in
her history, with the splendour of her renown, the
unstained glories of those great agents of civilization
and refinement. You have succeeded, Sire, in the
objects of your patriotic ambition, and while von have
raised the arts to that high station to which they are
justly entitled among the dearest interest society,
the grateful genius of your country h nobly re-
sponded to your call. You have created a school of
art which takes a proud and honourable place among
those civilized communities who desire to combine
the triumphs of peace with the trophii.s of war. You
have /produced great artists and great works, and
while with the candour which must ever inspire the
true artist, we applaud their excellence and acknow-
ledge their celebrity, we zealously desire, in a spirit
of amicable rivalry, to emulate their merits and their
fame.

" We are, Sire, so fortunate as to enjoy the pa-
tronage and protection of a gracious Queen, who ge-
nerously encourages our efforts and cheers us forward
in the career of honourable competition ; who, like
you, Sire, desires to secure for her people the bless-
ings that flow from order, freedom, and peace, and
who participates with your Majesty in all those ex-
alted qualities which prompt you to cherish with
affectionate solicitude those interesting pursuits which
are the measure of refinement in all civilized States,
which soften the heart, elevate the feelings, and sub•
due the turbulent passions of man.

"In conclusion, Sire, we sincerely pray that your
Majesty may long live to witness the happy results
of your enlightened labours, and to receive your
most gratifying rewards in the peace, prosperity,
and contentment of a loyal, generous, and grateful
people.
(Signed) "MARTIN ARCHER SHEE, President,
A. W. CALLCOTT, C. BARRY,
C. STANFIELD, G. JONES,
C. R. LWSLIE, A. E. CuALow,
W. C.Vpst T. Pnuadrs.
HowARD, F, ecretary."
To the above adegss 'the loyal Academy was ho-
noured with the OobloWing gracious answer, trans-
mitted to them br4ii=-Robert Peel :
" Windsor Castle, Oct. 13, 1844.
" My dear &VII beg leave, in compliance with
the wish expresseQ by his Majesty the King of the
French, to transmit to you the copy of an autograph
letter which I have had the honour of receiving from
his Majesty, in reply to that with which I accompa-
nied the address of the Royal Academy.—l have the
honour to be, my dear Sir, very faithfully yours,
(Signed) "ROBERT PEEL.
" The President of the Royal Academy."
" Windsor Castle, Oct. 12, 1844.
" Sir,—lf anything could add to the satisfaction
with which 1 receive the address from the Royal
Academy, it is that it should have been transmitted
by you. I hope you will permit me likewise to re•
quest your kind interference for conveying to the
President, Council, and members of that distinguished
body the expression of the high value 1 set upon their
suffrage, and the deep sense with which 1 am im-
pressed by the flattering manifestation of their senti-
ments for my country. and myself.—l am, Sir, with
the most sincere regard, your affectionate
(Signed)` "Louis PninirrE,"

LIGHT GOLD.
The fact that a_great quantity of light gold has
found its way to New York is mentioned in the New
York Republican. Gold coin was, it seems, imported
in large quantities from England in the year 1843,
while there has been no material export since 1841 ;
and the consequence is, that the vaults of the New
York banks are well stocked with English gold, the
expense of removing it to Philadelphia to be coined
being too great to render such an operation profit-
. able. This gold coin having been chiefly sent before
the appearance of the proclamation by which light
sovereigns were withdrawn from circulation, it is
generally found to be below the standard value. The
coin has mostly been made in the reigns of the
Georges.

Mention is made of a counterfeit sovereign being
made in this country according to a low standard of
gold, for the express purpose of circulation in the
United States. The fact that such coin has been
manufactured is, we believe, unquestionable, as two
or three sovereigns below the proper standard are
said to have been received by the Bank of England,
where the imitation was declared so perfect, that no
other establishment but that or the Mint could, have
detected the fraud. These counterfeit F.bvereigns
may possibly have some connexion with the abun-
ciaiice of light gold in the American bonds ; but there
is this circumstance against the supposition—that the
light gold is described as belonging to the period of
the Georges, while the counterfeit seems to be an
imitation of the sovereign of her present Majesty,
Victoria. At all events, however, it does not seem
impossible that an attempt has been made to pass off
among the Americans a coin the real value of which
is not equal to that which it nominally bears.
Sovereigns are not merely treated as bullion in New
York, but pass from hand to hand at their nominal
value, and hence an inducement for getting rid of
I light coin obviously exists.

SCOTTISH SYSTEM of BANKING.
STIRLING COUNTY MEETING.
A meeting of the county, on the subject of Scot-
tish banking, took place at Stirling, on Friday, and it
was extremely gratifying to see the complete Una-
nimity which prevailed. Not a dissentient voice, and
the subject about which they met appeared so plain
and self-evident, that no one thought of making any
speech of importance, or of explaining that which
needed, as they were aware, no explanation. Neither
did they think it necessary to arouse any one to op-
' pose the nonsensical and altogether uncalled-for inter-
ference of the Government with the currency of Scot-
land. They wisely considered, that as Scotland her.
self was satisfied with the currency, nobody else had
any interest in the matter, and, therefore, it would be
highly impolitic in the Legislature to attempt to de-
prive Scotland of a currency which she values above
gold.
The following resolutions, moved by J. L. K.
Lennox, Esq., of Woodhead, Convener of the county,
and seconded by Colonel Dundas, of Carronhall, were
unanimously adopted, viz.:—
<< 1. That this meeting, in common with the rest of
the people of Scotland, is satisfied by experience, that
great benefits have arisen, and do arise, from the spe-
cies of banking now established in this part of the
United Kingdom.
c). That any change in that system is to be depre-
cated, but more especially that any alteration, by
which the issue of One Pound Notes would be abo..
lished, or the circulation restricted, is to be resisted
to the utmost.
,‘ 3. That should a measure, making such altera-
tion, be proposed to Parliament, this meeting trusts
es opposition representatives
to
i t;
the Members for the County and Burghs will unite,
oafndSctilllCnocinviennerthise
mostwith strenuous n nothur
hereby instructed, in that event, to call a meeting of
the County to consider how the • •
opposition may be
best supported."—Stirling Observer.

BRIDGWATER.—We have to record the loss of the
schooner John and Mary, of this port, on her passage to
this place on Thursday last, with a cargo of coals. This
vessel left Newport the day before? an.'a to all appearance
was then in perfect condition, out we understand she
sprung a leak in the (!I"..annel, and shortly after went
clown in two:l:Ay c..-,et of water. On discovering the leak
the Du cps were used, but the water rapidly increased in
the hold, and the crew finding their:efforts of no avail
immediately took to the ship's boat, and were shortly
after picked up by a passing vessel. The cargo and
vessel belonged to Captain Hercules Fowels, of this port,
and was supposed to be worth about 600/. or 7001.
% Somerset County Herald.