BiorrIlantiano.

The military ceremonial of distributing the Victoria Cross "for Valour" is announced for performance on Friday the 26th instant, not on the parade behind the Horse Guards, as originally designed, but in Hyde Park, so that "a far greater number of the public may have the opportunty of witnessing the interesting proceedings." Besides our Royal Family, Prince Frederick William of Prussia and the Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian of Austria aro to be present,

The South Kensington Museum—Containing collections of architecture, sculpture, patented inventions, and the Sheopshanke gallery of pictures—will be opened to the public on the 24th. The gallery will be open in the eventng on Mondays and Thursdays, as well as during the day,—a novel experiment, with a view to meet the convenience of persons whose employment* prevent them from visiting the Museum by daylight.

The deaths in the Metropolis rose last week to 934, or 66 above the number of the preceding week, but still 112 less than the corrected average.

The funeral of the late Mr. Douglas Jerrold, at Norwood on Monday, attracted a great concourse of persons, including many of the most popular writers of the day. The pall-hearers were Mr. Charles Dickens, Mr. Hepworth Dixon, Mr. Thackeray, Mr. Horace Mayhew, Mr. Charles Knight, Mr. Mark Lemon, Mr. Monokton und Mr. Bradbury. Mr. Jerrold's eldest and youngest sons, and the medical gentlemen who attended him in his last moments, were the mourners. It is stated that the constant and various demands upon Mr. Jerrold had prevented him from making proper provision for those he has left behind him. His friends have formed a committee for the purpose of conducting certain public performances for their benefit. There are to be performances at the Haymarket and the Adelphi Theatres, of Mr. Jerrold's most popular plays ; Mr. Dickens is to read one of his own books ; Mr. Thackemy 18 to lecture on "Week-day Preachers" and Mr. William Russell will tell what he saw in the Crimea. Moreover, there will be a musical festival, and amateur dramatic representations by Mr. Dickens and his friends. lickets may be obtained at the office of the Committee, Gallery of Illustration, Regent Street.

The Archduke Maximilian, who landed at Portsmouth on Sunday, at once proceeded to London. He was received at the Vauxhall station by Prince Albert, and conveyed to Buckingham Palace, where he remains on a visit to the Queen.

Lord Palmerston had a dinner-party on Saturday. Among the guests were the Count and Countess Persiguy, the Saxon and Sardinian Ministers, Earl Cowley, the Earl and Countess of Clarendon, and M. and Madame Fould. Lady Palmerston afterwards held an assembly.

The Fox Club had their fourth dinner of the season, at Brooks's, on Se. turday.

Sir William Jolliffe, the indefatigable and adroit "whipper-in" to the Conservative party in the House of Commons, was feted at the Carlton Club on Saturday, by 190 Peers and Members& the Commons, Lord Derby presiding. They took this means of testifying their appreciation of Sir William's services to his party.

The Dowager Empress of Russia arrived at Wildbad on the 8th, where she was received by her daughter the Hereditary Princess of Wurtemberg and her husband. The mother and daughter would probably remain together for a month.

In the batch of French Senators just made are M. Hausman, Prefect of the Seine, and M. Pietri, Prefect of Police. It is said that their promotion is with a view to put an end to squabbles between the two officials and the body of Senators regarding precedence.

, It is stated that the Government, animated by the testimony of a host of medical men that the site is salubrious, have resolved to continue the erection of Netley Hospital.

A number of German officials connected with the police departments are assembled at Vienna, endeavouring to make such arrangements that a sim ple " pass-karte " all of identity) shall enable its (German) eossessor to travel through all the states belonging to the German Confederation.

An exhibition of paintings by living artists was opened at the Pelvis de l'Industrie at Paris on Monday. Mr, Biliiehe'e collection of antiquities and works of art have been sold by Messrs. Sotheby and Wilkinson, at high prices.

It is no longer doubtful that a gold-field has been discovered in New Zealand that can he profitably worked. It is in the Aorere valley, near Nelson. In the week ending the 20th March three hundred diggers on the spot obtained 200 ounces of gold. Already a gold-dealing firm at Nelson issue a "circular," in imitation of the Australia brokers. The news that gold-fields had been discovered in Demerara set every one astir at Port of Spain, Trinidad; and a whole cargo of digging-tools were quickly despatched.

The Merchantman, from Calcutta, which arrived at Demerara on the 13th May with 260 coolies, had lost no fewer than 113 in the passage. This fearful mortality arose from several causes: the coolies were the "refuse" of those collected for the Mauritius and other places; the arrangements of the ship were injudicious; and the coolies were too well fed—changes had been made in the dietary-tables, so that the Hindoos got better and different food than they had been accustomed to. The master and surgeon of the ship did all they could to ameliorate the condition of the sufferers. A criminal at Brussels, to escape trial for a robbery, pretended to be dumb and idiotic. To detect the imposture, he was ethermed ; when he spoke perfectly in French. He was then tried, convicted, and condemned to ten years' hard labour. The destruction of life in the Theatre degli Aquidotti at Leghorn, where forty-three persons were killed and 134 wounded, arose solely from the panic of the crowded audience who frantically strove to escape from the building, and thus crushed each Other to death. The fire among the scenery was extinguished very quickly, and no one appears to have suffered from burning.

A balloon with three persons in the car ascended from North Woolwich at half-past eleven o'clock on Monday night; it descended at Tavistoek at half-past four next morning, having travelled about 250 miles in the five hours. Spain is almost dissolved in grief—her famous bull-fighter, Dominguez, has been frightfully gored in the head by a bull at Seville, and his life is in danger. Those who expected the world to be destroyed last Saturday by the apprehended comet were agreeably disappointed—nothing was seen of the celestial wanderer. A learned clergyman at Glasgow took a solemn leave IA F his conegatMn previous to the fatal 13th, saying that he did not expect to meet his flock as usual on the following Sunday. An extraordinary witness has appeared at Leith Police Court in a case of robbery; Mrs. M‘Leod has lived five months over a century; yet she is in possession of all her bodily and mental faculties, and she gave her evidence "very clearly. She was born in Orkney, and has one of her seven children living, an old man. A lady died six years ago in Pennsylvania from consumption; several of her relatives have since died:of the same disease ; it was said that this arose from the lady having sucked hei-witding-sheet into her mouth, and more of leer relatives would perish if the sheet were not removed. One Sunday, the corpse was exhumed to perform the operation; but six years of decay had done their work, and the credulous people found little left in the coffin.