NEWS OF THE WEEK.

PARLIAMENT was prorogued on Friday, in a speech of un- usual length, but exceedingly little meaning. Her Majesty greatly regrets that the Conference failed, but hopes that the new negotiations will succeed ; trusts that the cession of the Ionian Islands will conduce to the welfare of Greece ; is filendly with China ; has settled the question of the Principalities ; will observe neutrality in America, but hopes for a conclusion of the war; observes with gratification the development of " those regions," the East Indian possessions of Great Britain ; has cordially assented to Acts for extending the factory bills, for granting small annuities, for public works in Lancashire, for improving the construction of railways ; and congratulates herself on the contentment of her domi- nions. The single original sentence is a rather remarkable one. It is the custom to tell the members every year that they have "important duties to perform in their counties," this year those duties are defined, as " connected 'with the linking together of the several classes of the community."

There is much talk in the Clubs of a coming shower of Peer- ages, and people who know everything profess to consider six of them as certain. The Marquis of Westminster will, it is said, be rewarded for his immense wealth and staunch 1Vhiggery by a dukedom ; the services of the Premier will be acknowledged by making Lady Palmerston Viscountess Melbourne in her own right, with remainder to her second son, the Right Hon. W. Cowper ; and Sir Charles Wood, Secretary of State for India, Mr. Went- worth Beaumont, member for South Northumberland, and owner of vast mining property in that county, Sir W. Bulkeley, a man of great influence in Anglesey and Flintshire, and head of a very ancient family, and Mr. Denison, the Speaker, will all be made Peers. The least probable name on this list is that of Sir Charles Wood, who told the electors of Halifax the other day that he should stand again, and who is always included in every list of peerages, from the intense desire of the public to see him out of office.

The first sitting of the Conference was held at Vienna on the 26th July, the Plenipotentiaries of Austria, Prussia, and Den- mark being present. Nothing has yet transpired as to the final arrangements, but the general basis of arrangement would seem to have been decided. Denmark is to surrender Holstein, Lauen- burg, and Schleswig entire, the purely Danish districts included, Holstein is to pay the expenses of Federal execution, and Schles- wig to liquidate gradually the cost of the war, estimated at 20,000,000 thalers expended by Prussia, and 7,000,000 by Austria. The Duchies are also to accept a portion of the Danish national debt, and there are rumours of a demand for the cession of the three West India Islands to Austria. These, however, are incre- dible, as Austria could only take them in order to sell them again either to Spain or the United States in return for concessions in Mexico. These terms leave Denmark utterly powerless, but in free possession of Zealand, Funen, Jutland, Iceland, and the colonies, none of which, however, could she keep if Germany thought fit hereafter to demand them.

It remains to divide the plunder, and on this point the rumours are numerous and conflicting. The most probable is that Holstein and Lauenburg will be united under a Duke to be chosen by the Diet, that Prussia will pay off all demands on Schleswig, and that the province will remain in her hands as a guarantee for the debt. As the amount will not be less than four millions, and the total revenue of the Duchy is 1,400,000 dols., or say 210,0001., and the surplus about 80,0001., this arrangement secures the province to Prussia for about half a century. At the expiration of that term, if the debt is paid, and the people wish it, and the Diet is in exist- ence, and the Hohenzollerns are not strong enough to hold their own, it is to be given back to Holstein, with which, be it remem- bered, it is all this while declared by Germans to be " indissolubly united."

The small powers of Germany are greatly irritated at the turn taken by the Danish affair, and the irritation shows itself in a variety of ways. Broils have broken out in Rends- burg, and Prince Charles of Prussia declared that the animosity shown by the Hanoverian troops, and the intention mani- fested by them of attacking the hospitals, rendered it necessary for him to occupy the fortress. General hake, in command of the Federal troops, denied the animosity and the intention, but being unable to fight Prussia with only four companies gave up the fortress. The I lanoverian Government is enraged, the Saxon Government is said to have forwarded " un- pleasant" telegrams to Berlin, and the Wurtemburg Chamber has called on the King to arm the country. Prussia, it is said, may as well occupy Hanover or any other Federal State as a federal fortress. The act seems to displease Austria also, and Herr Von Bismark, according to a telegram of July 28, has expressed to the Diet his readiness to restore the place, which, however, is not restored.

The Yelverton case ended on Thursday in the defeat of the lady. The Lora' judgment in appeal was delivered on Thursday, when Lord Westbury gave his opinion for Miss Longworth, and Lords Kingsdown, Wensleydale, and Chelmsford for Major Yelverton. The immediate effect of this decision is only to declare void the marriage affirmed by the Scotch Court ; but we imagine it settles the question. The majority of the judges expressed themselves incidentally against the Irish marriages, and should the Irish Ecclesiastical Courts disregard their opinion their judgment would be sure to be reversed in appeal. It is just possible, however, that the case may be re-opened many years hence, when Major Yelver- ton's death may tempt the next of kin to fight his sou's claim to the title of Avonmore. It is stated that Miss Longworth on hearing the verdict swooned, and continued almost insensible for hours ; but after all the Lords have rid her of a very bad bargain, and her character, with so many decisions in her favour, must remain wholly unaffected by the final result.

The murder of Mr. Briggs siemus to have affected the minds of railway travellers rather more than necessary. Mr. Beard, solicitor, of Basinghall Street, has, it appears, made a complaint to the police which seems to amount to this. He was going from Fenchurch Street to Snaresbrook on Tuesday, when a tall man dressed in black, with a hat It slouched" over his forehead, with something in his hand about two 't long, cased in leather, sat down opposite him. He kept his hand on this something, looked at Mr. Beard's watch and chain very fixedly, kept drawing nearer to him, placed his left arm completely across the window-frame, and—that was all. On arriving at Low Leyton, Mr. Beard made a bolt into another carriage, leaving the stranger to " walk away hastily, as if in quest of some one." If every stranger in black, with a case of in- struments, which he keeps his hand on lest he should lose it, who in the terrible heat of last week slouches his hat to shield his eyes, and on arrival looks out for the person who is to show him his way, is given up to the police, what are the physicians to do? Mr. Beard's description of his vis-a-vis suggests a surgeon at least as much as a thief ; but the story shows how deeply the fate of Mr. Briggs has impressed the elderly mind.

Lord Palmerston moved on Monday night in' he House of Com- mons to " rescind the resolution of 12th April," affirming that the reports of the Inspectors of Schools were mutilated. The report of the Committee of Inquiry, in his judgment, disproved that, and he thought his motion an act of justice to Mr. Lowe. The

The Lord Mayor gave a dinner to Her Majesty's Ministers on Wednesday, marked by speeches from the Duke .of Somerset, Lord Palmerston, Earl Russell, and Sir G. Grey. Lord Palmerston was less happy than usual, uttering only a somewhat formal speech on the benefits which English energy in removing the obstacles created by nature conferred on the commerce of the world. The Duke of Somerset, however, in a speech quite conversational in its tone, made a good point. He was returning thanks for the Navy, and alluded to the constant abuse poured upon the Admiralty. Whenever, he said, a gun was fired at a ship, ship or gun must fail, but " the public is so eager for both sides, that when the ship fails they say the ship is not strong enough, and, on the other hand, when the gun fails, they say the gun was not strong enough. One or the other must, in every case, fail, so on every occasion there is an opportunity of blaming the Admiralty." He thought the country was quite sure to have in the Navy " the nicest, most spirited young fellows that ever were," if only it would adhere to the system of education " so popular in this country," under which boys are taught Greek through a grammar written in Latin, that curriculum driving the best of them to sea. Earl Russell, speaking for the House of Lords, said little except that "never did the country stand in a prouder position than at the present moment," a sentence which it took a Russell to say, while Sir G. Grey con- tented himself with the customary platitudes about the connection between English interests and " our free institutions."

Manchester has been made an assize town, and the citizens, anxious to show their appreciation of the honour, have erected a " palace of justice," described as by far the best assize hall in Eng- land. It is certainly the most complete, the accommodation in- cluding, besides the courts and a magnificent hall for waiting suitors and witnesses, a " charming library, fitted with little recesses in which the members of the bar may quietly read their briefs apart from the rest of the room," consultation-rooms, dining-rooms, private apartments for the judges, and all the appurtenances of a great club. The style of the building is described as " Venetian Gothic," and the whole structure is thoroughly creditable to the public spirit of Manchester. Other buildings will now be erected in emulation of this, and Manchester will reap from the change just the advantage which we predicted for Leeds, namely, the sense that a city is something more than a collection of houses, an entity with individual character, reputation, and need of status.

The Emperor of the French has apparently given up the hope of civil government in Algeria. Marshal Bandon attributes the recent insurrection to the press and the prelets, and civil authority has consequently been suppressed by a decree in the Moniteur. All Algeria is placed under martial law. Every general is made abso- lute in his division, and the civil authority reduced to a subordi- nate position even in the cities, the press is only permitted to exist at the discretion of the nearest commanding officer, and the Arabs are replaced under a government " with the energy to effect repres- sion." There is an end of the idea of colonizing the southern House accepted the proposal, but not until Mr. Walter and Lord Robert Cecil had made it clear that they abstained from a division on the understanding that the new vote affected only the personal bearing of the old one upon Mr. Lowe. For the rest, the House will have to decide next session whether Inspectors are to have opinions or not, and whether information given by them to mem- bers can be called "clandestine," an epithet which Mr. Walter very strongly, and we think justly, reprobated.

The Southern invasion of Maryland has ended harmlessly, though the cavalry penetrated within four miles of Washington, and retreated down the Shenandoah Valley with a considerable amount of plunder. A good and intelligible account of the affair will be found in the letter of our American correspondent, and we need only add that the New York journals complain bitterly of the inaction of the Pennsylvania militia. General Sherman still continues his march, the most extraordinary and successful move- ment made daring the war, and on the 10th July crossed the Chattahoochie, capturing 3,000 prisoners, and by the latest date (July 13) was within four miles of Atlanta. A report pre- vailed in New York that Atlanta had been taken, but this has not been confirmed. All advices from Sherman's camp concur in stating that desertions from the Southern army are numerous, that the Georgians are disheartened by the incessant retreats, and that General Johnston, the Confederate General, is distrusted by his own men. It is too soon yet to estimate the full value of this success, but it much more than counterbalances the meaningless raid into Maryland.

shore of the Mediterranean. The colonists were few and discon- tented before, but Frenchmen, easily as they submit to despotism at home, are not quite ready to hold their lives, and property, and businesses by the sufferance of an irresponsible person in uniform, who can shoot them by drumhead court-martial for saying he is unjust.

Mr. Jacobs, American Consul-General at Calcutta, vouches for the truth of one of the most harrowing narratives of shipwreck on record. The Elvina, bound from Calcutta to Boston, had a fair voyage until about six degrees south, when the spare main topmast broke loose in a gale, rolled up and down the deck, and did such damage that in a few minutes the ship sank. Eleven of the crew saved themselves by lashing themselves to the cabin roof, the remainder were all drowned. Seven days of the most fearful sufferings reduced their number to three, who had only survived through recourse to the most revolting extremities, at the last even to cannibalism. Some died from drinking sea water, others from the fierce glare of the sun, and one man, delirious from thirst, sprang overboard, saying, " I am going home, I can stay here no longer, I want to see my mother," and was devoured by sharks. The three survivors were rescued on the seventh day by a French barque.

The annual inspection of the Main Drainage Works took place on Monday, and disclosed most satisfactory results. The northern high-level sewer, draining 10 square miles of North London, is com- pleted, the middle-level sewer, draining nearly double that area, is almost finished, the gigantic outfall works at Barking Creek are already in operation, while the completion of the most important of all, the low-level sewer, is only delayed until the construction of the Thames Embankment. South of the Thames the three corres- ponding lines are still more advanced, but the great feature. in Monday's programme was the outfall reservoir at Barking. This colossal hall covers ten acres, will contain 39,000,000 gallons, and cost 164,0001. Oriental ideas of vastness in building are almost surpassed by this specimen of nineteenth-century practical usefulness.

Mr. Villiers' Bill for the homeless poor has passed, in spite of some opposition in the Lords. Under its provisions the guardians retain their liability for the casual poor ; but the Board of Works will repay them for all expenses in rent, and the cost of the food and warmth bestowed upon the. homeless. The Act remains in opera- tion until April 1st next year, but Mr. Villiers has still to compel the guardians to act upon its provisions. If he is not very deter- mined they will plead the difficulty of securing accommodation, and the danger of gathering crowds of wretched people together, and the absence of the necessary officers, and all the other excuses with which parish officials are so familiar. As, however, they can- not now plead the interests of the ratepayers, the next coroner's jury which investigates a case of death from exposure will probably take heart to bring in a verdict of manslaughter, when the estab- lishment of casual wards will at once be found to be possible.

We have received a letter from Dr. Sandwith, now at Gratz, containing an account of the proceedings of the Turks with respect to the Circassian emigration. The Porte, instead of locating the people, as it easily might, in Asia Minor, is turning them by thousands among the Christian population of Bulgaria, where an insurrection is expected. The Circassian are of course burning with hatred of all Christians, and the calculation of the Divan is that when the outbreak occurs the exiles will play the part of the Druses, and massacre without scruple. Oat of the 50,0001. granted by Turkey for their relief barely 1,0001. have reached the immigrants in the shape of food, every official through whose hands the money passed having stolen a little, and the Cir- cassian are selling their children to " curious voluptuaries," Turk and Christian, for a few coins. It is, says Dr. Sandwith, whose infor- mation no one will doubt, no longer emigration, but " the suicide of a nation." He asks if the House of Commons cannot grant some assistance. The House of Commons is on its way to shoot grouse, and besides, how is assistance to be made to pay ? Circassia, like Poland and Denmark, may be destroyed, but there will be another farthing off sugar next year.

The " Haymarket Bill " has passed, and came into operation on Wednesday night, amidst groans, and threats, and anathemas from all kinds of people except the respectable. The Act shuts all houses of " refreshment " to everybody, not travelling, from one to four a.m., and was devised specially to put a stop to the scene in the Haymarket,—a scene which in any other country would be suppressed by a simple police order. The Act requires time to show its effect, and at present it is work- ing with rather absurd strictnivs, the exemptions to respect- able houses not having been given out, but the magistrates already report an extraordinary diminution in the number of cases of drunkenness and disorder. At Bow Street on Thursday there was not a single case upon the charge-sheet, and it is stated that the law has been obeyed without resistance throughout London.

Lord Ellenborough on Tuesday uttered the great speech in favour of interference for Denmark, which he ought to have spoken on the night of the division. He declared that English policy towards that country was one "which would have been congenial only in one reign, that of James I.," but for himself he believed, with Bacon, that " no State could expect greatness that was not ready on a just occasion to take up arms." The Govern- ment had destroyed the effect of its negotiations by bringing in a budget with reductions, for diplomacy meant " armed reason." If it did not, then the Minister of Portugal or Greece might have as much influence in the world as a Minister of Great Britain or France. He denounced the conduct of Germany in Denmark, and of Russia in Circassia and Poland, recommended alliance with France, and trusted that when the hour of retribution arrived the punishment might be "inflicted only on those who had participated in the crime." The speech was an eloquent protest against the new policy of selfishness, but made, as the speaker admitted, too late in the day for effect. Earl Russell replied by a repetition of his old argument that the Danish case was complicated by Danish wrong-doing—which is equivalent to saying that murder is objec- tionable, but the victim had not paid his creditors—and of his old belief that the Governments of Europe will all become constitu- tional.

Lord Clarence Paget's Bill for preventing the spread of sexual disease has, we perceive, passed. It is a misfortune that the dis- like of the public to "delicate" statements anywhere except in a police report has prevented discussion on one of the greatest innovations ever attempted in England. The new law may be briefly described as enabling the police of Portsmouth, Plymouth, Woolwich, Chatham, Sheerness, Aldershot, Colchester, Shorncliffe, the Curragh, Cork, and Queenstown, to arrest any infected person, send her to hospital, and keep her there till cured. As far as it goes it is a wise Bill, but it will be found in a year or two that it does not go far enough, and Lord C. Paget would have been wiser to rely a little more on the common sense within the Houses, and pay less respect to the ignorant clamour outside. Still he will pro- bably reduce invaliding some 10 per cent.

Sir Charles Wood has brought down another defeat on the Government. Instead of boldly attacking the system of competitive -examination, and so securing the sympathy of every man who believes that knowledge and efficiency are different words, he tried to get rid of it by a side-wind. There are not enough candidates to fill the Indian medical service. As there was no difficulty in filling it before competition was established, it is a fair presumption that competition is the cause of the falling off. Sir Charles Wood therefore asked in a roundabout way power nominally to induce Queen's surgeons to volunteer, really to appoint anybody he liked. The House would not give it, so India must go without doctors, or put up with native surgeons, till Sir Charles Wood can devise some new scheme. Of course it is open to the Indian Government to attract doctors by higher pay, but the proceeding is not so easy as it looks. The surgeons already receive the full pay of their army rank. Are they to have more, and so excite a furious jealousy in the fighting branch?

Lord Edward Howard made onThursday night a strong and in its way able speech on emigration to the -United States. He dis- claimed any idea of attacking the Washington Government, but he produced a long list of cases in which British emigrants had been tempted into the army, or kidnapped into the army, or enlisted when under the influence of drugs. He made no substantive motion, but wished the facts that emigrants are in danger of enlistment and that the dollar is only worth ls. 9d. should go forward among the people. The real drift of his speech was perhaps contained in the remark that in many parts of the country labour, from the increase of emigration, was becoming scarce and dear, landowners and employers beginning at last to realize the fact we have pointed out ineffectually for the past twelve months, that if the condition of the labourer is not improved they will be left to work their mills and their lands for them- selves. The statement about the dollar is mere delusion. Wages raise all other prices under an inflated currency, and the notion that 10s. a week with the loaf at 5d. is equal to 20s. a week with the loaf at 10d. is no better. The workman can buy no more bread, but he saves just twice as much. The tenth of his wages saved at home is only a shilling, the tenth saved in America is two, and that makes just the difference between becoming a capitalist and remaining a mere day-labourer. America is no country just now for skilled artizans, but why agriculturists should starve in Dorsetshire in a pigsty on ten shillings a week, when they can get a good house, food in profusion, and as many dollars in Massachusetts, we are unable to perceive. It pays the landlords no doubt ; but Lord E. Howard professes to be speaking to the people. Mr. Layard in reply said Government would issue emigrants' cards with all necessary cautions printed on them.

The Bill guaranteeing the loan raised for New Zealand passed its second reading in the Lords on Monday, and elicited a wild speech from Lord Malmesbury, which reads as if he took his prin- ciples from Mr. Bright and his facts from the Times. He accused the colonists, who have put 10,000 men into the field, of having quarrelled with the natives ever since they obtained self-government, of being restlessly aggressive,—as if they had massacred Maories, not Maories them,— and of refusing to pay and bleed in their own defence. He made other charges against the colonies, but, as he stated in a subsequent speech that New Zealand had eight millions of in- habitants (vide Times' report, July 26, page a, col. 6), his opinions on the policy of the island did not matter much. He finished a very feeble speech with a wish that the Lords held the public purse,—they would be so much more economical than the Commons. Why, they did hold it up to 1832, and gave us a national debt of 800,000,0001.

Dr. Livingstone has arrived safely in England, and announces that he will not give up his efforts for the suppression of slavery, which has been the object of his life.

The Spanish Government, having lost all its American colonies except Cuba, and turned that one into a slave estate, has ordered by Royal decree that a commission shall be appointed to erect a statue to Columbus, the Genoese who gave to Spain a new world, was rewarded by chains, and died heartbroken in utter poverty.

The ttinchintong Tea Company, capital, 60,0001., in 6,000 shares of 101. each, has been formed, for the purpose of cultivating and manufacturing tea on three valuable freehold estates in the district of Darjeeling, Bengal. The directors anticipate that in two sea- sons from the present time a crop of about 16,000 lbs. of tea will be secured, and that when the whole of the estates are under culti- vation the annual production will amount to 60,000 lbs. It is well known that Indian tea, owing to its strength, commands high prices in the London market.

The share-list of the West Birmingham Railway and Canal Company will close to-day, and that of the Indian Tramway Com- pany for the issue of further capital on Monday next.

On Saturday last Consols closed at 901 for money, and 90f for account, Yesterday they left of at 891 90 for transfer, and 901 1 for time.

The Directors of the Bank of England raised their minimum rate of discount on Monday to seven per cent. The stock of bullion in that' establishment is reduced to 12,990,6851.

The following were the closing prices of the leading Foreign Securities yesterday and on Friday week :- Subjoined are the closing prices of the leading British Railways yesterday and on Friday week :—

Friday, July 22. Friday, July 29.

.. 125 .. 125i en ..48

140 .. 189

7 1 .. 72} i isf .. 121 ion 107 asi .. 111

sp I 99

40 45 1811 l2$

1071 110

11 12

tra Greek Dm Coupons

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Friday, Ju'y 22.

•• 241 Friday, July 29.

.. 24

Mexican Spanish Passive ..

• • 29 281

29 291

Do. Certificates

• • • • 10 10 Turkish 6 per Cents., 1858

72

691 70

Consogdes..""..

00* 501 Caledonian Great Eastern ..

Great Northern Great Western..

Lancashire and Yorkshire London and Brighton .. London and Northwestern London and Bouth-Vteittern London, Chatham, and Dever Midland North-Eastern, Berwick .. Do. York .. weal Midland, SMIhrd

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