POSTSCRIPT.

SATURDAY.

Short sittings and short speeches characterize the commencement of the new Parliament. Both Houses sat on Thursday for little more than two hours. Yesterday the Lords were content with one hour, and the Commons with two and a quarter. In the House of Peers, the principal business was Lord CAMPBELL'S renewed motion for a Select Committee to consider whether the privilege now enjoyed by reports of the proceedings of courts of justice might be safely and properly extended to reports of the proceedings of the two Houses of Parliament, and of any and what other assemblies or public meetings, under any and what conditions or restrictions ; and also for a Select Committee to consider and report on the expediency of altering the present mode of administering oaths to witnesses to be examined by Committees of the House. Lord Campbell proposes to pass a standing order authorizing Committees to swear witnesses. The LORD CHANCELLOR, who concurred in the motion, and in the proposal to take evidence on oath before the Committees appointed in either House, doubted whether the Lords could effect the change simply by a standing order.—Motion agreed to.

In the House of Commons, the greater part of the time was taken up

by a statement made by Sir CHARLES Wolin in reply to a question from Mr. LINDSAY, with an explanation of the origin, build, and seagoing qualities of the Perseverance, Urgent, and Transit. These ships were bought by the Government, when greatly in need of transports, from the Messrs. Mare. The Urgent and Transit were fitted with engines made for the Russian Government by the Napiers of Glasgow, and were seized by the Crown. They had turned out ill, and new engines had been put in the Transit. Sir Charles gave a different version of the performances Of the Transit. She is not top-heavy ; but is, on the contrary, exceedingly "stiff" or stable under a press of canvass. Although a ship of 2580 tone, her masts and sails aro those of a corvette of 1960 tons. The accident that happened to her in the Bay of Biscay was such as might happen to any ship. The new rigging had stretched, and required to he set up ; but that is not an unusual thing. Admiral WALeerrr said, he felt perfectly persuaded that the Transit is seaworthy, and that instead of foundering at the Cape of Good Hope, she would be found to make a prosperous voyage to China. Sir GEORGE GREY brought in his bill to amend the acts of the 16th and 17th year of the reign of her present Majesty, substituting in certain eases other punishment in lieu of transportation. lie said it was substantially the same as the bill introduced in the late session.—The bill was read a first time.

Mr. LABOUCHERE obtained the reappointment of the Select Committee to consider the state of those British Possessions in North America which are under the administration of the Hudson's Bay Company, or over which they possess a licence to trade.

Much merriment was caused early in the evening by Mr. SPOONER, who gave notice that on the 21st he should renew his usual crusade against the Maynooth grant.

The Convocation of the Prelates and Clergy of the Province of Canterbury, met yesterday at Westminster. An unusually large number assembled. In the Upper House, a debate took place on the address to the Crown.One passage of the address said—" Hitherto the shortness of time given to our consultation has in a great measure frustrated the advantages which we humbly trust would result if further opportunity were afforded for ascertaining the opinions of the clergy by discussion in Convocation." In reference to this, the Bishop of Oxford took occasion to reply to some criticism "out of doors " ; in order to show that Convocation meets and sits under the authority of the Crown, that there is nothing illegal or quasi-surreptitious in its sittings, and that the Crown could give Convocation nothing more than it at present possesses except a licence to make canons, for which he did not ask. The Bishops of St. David's and St. Asaph concurred in these views, satisfied that Convocation is useful as a consulting body. The Archbishop of Canterbury said, that as long as the members of Convocation continue to be summoned in the solemn manner which is now the custom, he should not consider it within his province to discharge so ungracious a duty as to prorogue their sittings without giving full opportunity for the discussion of such matters as the members might consider needful for the interests of the Church. That is the reason why he has declined to put a summary end to the deliberations of Convocation. The Bishop of London, who came in late, objected to the paragraph quoted above ; but the Archbishop remarked, that they had considered the subject all the morning, and it was rather late to offer objections. The address was agreed to. In the Lower House, there was much discussion on a motion made by Dr. Menu; to present an address to the Queen praying that the services on the 5th November and the 30th May might be discontinued. The House appointed a Committee to inquire into the authority appointing he services. A number of notices of motion were given. The HOMO afljourned after passing two paragraphs of the address. The Nord, of Brussels, publishes the following tehgraphie despatch. "Paris, May 7, 4p. m.—In consequence of a grachus invitation from her Majesty Queen Victoria given to his Imperial Highness by Lord Cowley, when he had the honour of being presented to ' him, the Qran d Duke Constantine, after visiting Cherbourg will embark at Ostend ler Osborne, on a visit to her Majesty the Queen of England."

Prince Napoleon arrived at Berlin yesterday evening. He was received at the Railway-station and conducted to the Palace by Prince George of Prussia.

The Emperor Napoleon has, it is said, again written to the Eng of Prussia on the subject of Neuchatel, pressing him, in as urgent a manner as he can, to accept the solution proposed by the representativcs of the four Powers and already accepted by the Swiss Government. The Swiss still declare they cannot advance a step more in the way of rancession; whatever is to be done in that way must come from Prussia.— Times (second edition.)

The Canadian arrived at Liverpool yesterday, with advices from Portland to the 25th April. The House of Assembly in Nova Scotia, has passed the Submarine Telegraph Bill. Lord Napier was present at the annual dinner of the St. George's Society, New York. To the toast of "Her Majesty's Ministers" he answered, in a speech dashing in manner, pleasantly piquant in bantering allusions, frank and cordial beyond all diplomatic restraint, but grave and vigorous in matter. He avowed himself to share a useful employment with his venerable friend the United States Minister in London—" the employment of holding aloft the ensigns of friendship between the two great branches of the English race.'' The friends of Sir Bowyer Smijth, the defeated of South Essex, determined to show that they are not east down, gave their hero a dinner yesterday, at Chelmsford. The "defeat, disgrace, and dishonour," is attributed to "apathetic friends and energetic opponents." Sir Bowyer Sinijth in the course of his speech revealed the intentions of his party— He believed this session nothing would be done ; but he had every reason to believe that next session three Reform Bills would be brought before the House of Commons—Mr. Disraelrs, Lord John Russell's, and Lord Palmerston's. The House of Commons would probably accept the latter, and send it up to the House of Lords : but if that House did its duty it would make it as near like Mr. Diaraeli's as possible.

At the meeting of the Royal Geographical Society on Monday, Sir Henry Rawlinson will read a paper "on Mohammerah and the Cheat Arabs, with reference to the late operations at the mouth of the Euphrates."

NOTICES OF MOTION IN THE HOFSE OF COMMONS. Monday, May 11. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER—Select Committee on the Bank Acts. Resolutions on Savings-Banks. Sir GEORGE Omar —General Board of Health Bill.

Mr. ATTORNEY-GENER.AL for Ireland—Bill to consolidate and amend the Irish Bankruptcy and Insolvency Acts.

Tuesday, May 12. Mr. LoemE Kum—Bill to Abolish Property Qualifications for Members of Parliament.

Thursday, May 14. Mr. Wrumer—Bills to regulate Life-Insurance Offices, Insurance Companies, and Mutual Companies.

Sir ERSKINE PERRT—Billto amend the laws of Property affecting Married Women. Mr. Lome Ktmo—To move an address praying for an authentic edition of the Statutes at Large.

Friday, May 15. Lord PAratemsrox—Bill to amend Parliamentary Oaths. Mr. Arrommar-GamitaAL—Bill to make Fraudulent Breaches of Trust criminally liable.

Mr. Lowe—Bill to amend the Law relating to Joint-Stock Companies.

Tuesday, May 19. Mr. LOCKE Kum—Bill to extend the Franchise in Counties in England anti Wales.

Wednesday, May 20. Mr. T. Dmt. comma—Bill to afford more frequent opportunities for the Registration of the Elective Franchise.

Thursday, May 21.—Mr. SPOONER—To move for a Committee of the whole House on the Acts for the Endowment of Maynooth.

On an Early Day. Sir DE LACY EVANS—To draw attention to the Report of the Commissioners on Foreign Military Education, and to submit a Resolution on the subject.

Mr. H. BERKELEY—Ballot.