The Sun.
London, England, 1816-12-27 00:00:00

SILVER COIN.

A considerable sensation was excited yesterday
in the retail trade, by the refusal of silver six-
pences in payment for goods generally among
shopkeepers. A respectable tradesman, residing
in .I.4lmbeth, applied at Union Hall, to DIF.
EVANCE, the Sitting Magistrate, for advice.
stated, that from the nature of the commodities its
which he dealt, he was in the habit of taking
small silver, particularly sixpences, to a magi.,
derable amount.—He yesterday. morning sent $
sixpence which had a mint impression upon it, tar
a baker's in the neighbourhood, for some
camels:rols:
the baker refused to take,it, and he-now
ingaire of the Magistrate if there. was no mode of
punishing him for his refusal. 'The Magistrate,
after consulting the several Acts respecting th
Coin of the Realm, expressed his regret that Ite
had it not in his power to tender the complainant
any assistance on this occasion. The poor man
said, if such wits the case he had better shut oP
his shop entirely, as the wicks in which be
dealt were of a perishable nature---ley
tt
s et 4
meats'-Feet :he could not keep his stock, end
was useless for bins to take money which lie could
not get rid of. lie asked whether, if be t°4
away the bread, and left his,muney for it on the
!counter, the baker could afterwards make any
further demand of payment The Magistrate gave
it as his opinion, that he could : the complainant.
if he chose to try the experiment, might do "
with safety, as the tender of sixpence of legal
coin, anti such as the Bank or Mint would receive*
would be a legal tender. Complainant went tool
perfectly satisfied with this opinion.

Tim

The first reports of the expeditious to explore
Africa, one of which we noticed
.yesterday, are
melancholy in the extreme: There are two expe's
ditious, the one penetrating front Senegal througli
the Deserts to the banks of the Niger ; the other pro-
ceedingbysteam-boats up the Congo, undertheido
that the former empties its waters into the Allan
tic through the latter great river, on the banks or
which the two expeditions expected to meet; tlta
former under the directions of Major Veddie, ttlt
latter continently(' by Captain Turkey, who Pro:
ceeded sooner than had been generally report"'
Major Peddie was at Senegal the end of Septet"'
her. The following is extract of a letter
from the Agent to Lloyd's, dated Bahia, Or
toher ''nu will observe by the 141
herewith, the arrival of the Congo and Durottl'
two ships tilted out on the coast. of Africa for
voyage of discovery ; they have put in here fro"
,the opposite coast in consequence of the bititif
state of their remaining crews, nearly two-thirf
having died of the fever, including the commtinde
first lieutenant; and botanist. ,„ •
esr
The neighbourhorid. of Deverettx,courtr ri
co"'
Temple-bar, was thrOwn into the greatest.fred,
sternation about half-past one o'clock On "the
nesday morning,, by the discovery of'a fire io
e
second floor of the Grecian- Coffee-ho"se' n
left t°
slotted by 41 candle being incoutionsil t t
he
near a bed, the furniture of which catigi,
flame, Bud set the room in is blaze. its .pro,,t,
tea
wes arrested time enough to confine It„ttoil
loom in which it originated, though'. n°'
considerable damage had been sustained.