Our Weekly Budget.

given currency , that it was his intention to second the motion of the Earl of Shaftesbury , in reference to the Royal Titles Bill . The Dake of Richmond and Gordon introduced a Bill on Agricultural Holdings in Scotland , which was read a first time . On Thursday , the Royal Titles Bill was read

a second time , after a long debate , in which the Dnke of Richmond and Gordon , the Duke of Somerset , Lord Napier and Ettrick , Earl Grey , Lords ^ Lawrence , Waveney , and Stanley , of Alderley , Earl Granville , the Marquis of Salisbury , Lord Kimberley , and the Lord Chancellor took part .

In the House of Commons , on Friday , Mr . Fawcett gave notice of a motion , in the event of the Royal Titles Bill passing into law , to the effect that an humble address be presented to Her Majesty praying her not to assume any other title in respect of India than that of Queen . The

Marquis of Hartington announcedhis intention of asking , onMonday , a question relative to the report of Mr . Cave ' s mission to the Khedive . A motion of Mr . Gregory ' s , that effect should be given to the recommendations of the committee upon Acts of Parliament was ^ after a brief discussion , negatived

without a division . Mr . Sherlock proposed to remove the grating in front of the Ladies' Gallery ; after a brief conversation the subject dropped . The House then went into Committee of Supply on the Civil Service Estimates and passed several votes . On Monday , Mr . Disraeli announced

the course he proposed to pursue in reference to the vote for the expenses of Mr . Cave ' s mission . The Chancellor of the Exchequer stated that he should bring in his budget on Monday next . The House then went into committee on clause 3 of the Merchant Shipping Bill . An amendment ,

proposed by Mr . Plimsoll , that every British ship , with certain named exceptions , should be furnished with a certificate of seaworthiness , was strenuously opposed by the Government and defeated , after a long and interesting debate , by 247 to 110 . On Tuesday , Mr . Anderson asked the

First Minister a silly , if not an impertinent question , as to whether there was any precedent for the Queen ' s leaving the country when Parliament was sitting . Mr . Disraeli gravely cited a case in point , but this did not satisfy Mr . Sullivan , who was anxious to learn if members of the House

would enjoy their privilege of free access to Her Majesty during her visit to Germany . Mr . Disraeli replied in the affirmative . Mr . Meldon then proposed a motion , the object of which was the extension of the borough franchise in Ireland . A considerable number of Irish members ,

prominent among them being Mr . Butt , and Mr . John Bright supported the motion . The Solicitor-General for Ireland and the Chief Secretary opposed , on behalf of the Government , and Mr . Meldon was defeated by the narrow majority of 13—179 against 166 for the motion . On Wednesday ,

Mr . Butb moved the second reading of the Land Tenure ( Ireland ) Bill . Mr . Clive moved an amendment that the Bill be read that day six months . Captain Nolan , Mr . McCarthy and the O'Donoghne supported , while Lord Elcho and" Sir M . H . Beach on the part of tbe Government ,

opposed the second reading . Mr . Law moved the adjournment of the debate , to which Mr . Disraeli assented . On Thursday , Mr . Anderson having renewed his impertinent inquiries as to the Queen ' s absence in Germany during the session of Parliament , and Mr . Disraeli having answered

them , the House went into Committee on the Mercantile Shipping Bill . Clause 8 was agreed to , after several amendments had been proposed and rejected , and subsequently clause 4 . The House then resumed , and having passed the Mutiny Bill through Committee , adjourned at a late hour .

On Monday the Queen , with the Princess Beatrice and suite , left Windsor Castle for Portsmouth , en route for Germany . The visit being strictly private , no one was allowed in the Dockyard , and her Majesty at once went on board the " Victoria and Albert . " The Royal yacht left

Portsmouth Harbour at nine a . m . the following morning , and reached Cherbourg at three in the afternoon . The Earl of Derby accompanies the Queen as Secretary of State in (•''¦ ¦ 'i . Ci .-ince ou her Majesty , who is now at Badeu-Baden . His Forp . l Highness the Prince of Wales reached Suez

on the r-. 1 . ' xlug of Saturday last , and at once left for Cairo , which he cached same day , where he was received by the Khedive and the Princes , tbe Grand Duke Alexis of Russia being also present . On Monday a grand banquet was givei ;

in the Prince ' s honour at tbe Abdin Palace , when cover .-were laid for ninety guests . A grand concert followed the banquet . His Royal Highness is expected to reach Malta on Wednesday next , the 5 th inst ., and , accordingly , greai preparations are being made with a view to giving him a

Our Weekly Budget.

hearty welcome . A thousand pounds have already been collected for the illuminations , and there will be a grand pyrotechnic display on the Corradino heights . The route from the landing-place to the Governor ' s palace will be decorated the whole way with Egyptian masts , and banners of

every description . The Prince will remain two or three days , the principal entertainment being a grand ball at the Union Club , to be given by the army and navy . New colours , it is said , will be presented to the 98 th Regiment , now on its way to Malta , and it is expected there will be some kind of

a military spectacle on a very grand scale . The Prince will also lay the foundation-stone of a Conservatorio , or asylum for girls , founded by a Chevalier Bugeja , who is to spend some fifty thousand pounds on its completion . The Princess of Wales and her children left Windsor

Castle for Marlborough House on Saturday . In the afternoon she was present at the Saturday Popular Concert , at St . James ' s Hall , and later in the day visited her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cambridge , at St . James ' s Palace . His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh having

terminated his visit to St . Petersburg , started on his return to England on Sunday afternoon , reaching Berlin on Tuesday . He was received by the Crown Prince and Princess . After dejeuner at the palace of the latter the Duke left for Darmstadt .

In the sporting world the doings of the Oxford and Cambridge crews claim our first attention . The supporters of the latter are gaining courage from the reports which appear daily of the improvement evidenced by the performances

of their favourites , while Oxford has had to make a change in its personnel . But though such a change , when the day for the race is so close at hand , is far from encouraging , the backers of Oxford have faith in the success of the dark

blue . The number of spectators has not been on some days so great as usual , as there has been more than one tide high enough to cover the towing-path . ; indeed , some of the more enthusiastic admirers of rowing had to make their way back to terra firma as best they could . On Friday the Liverpool

Grand National , the great steeple-chase event of the year , was run , and resulted , towards the end , in a very fine race , Captain Machell's Regal passing the winning-post a neck in front of Mr . Gomm's Congress . Nineteen ran , of whom Zero came to grief , his rider , Mr . Roily , being somewhat

severely shaken . On Monday was held , at Lillie Bridge , the First Spring Meeting of the London Athletic Club . The weather was not particularly favourable , as a strong north-easter was blowing the whole of the afternoon , yet the attendance of spectators was , under the circumstances ,

considerable . F . T . Elborpugh walked over for the 220 yards challenge cup , and was beaten by a yard only by Montague in the 600 yards handicap . The final of the 100 yards fell to H . Macdougall , while that of the 250 yards for members only was won by R . H . Dudgeon . The open

half-mile handicap was won by T . H . Todd ( 19 yards ) . H . Venn secured the three miles walking challenge cup , and A . P . Smith , L . A . C ., the open four miles handicap ( time ,

21 mins . 27 sees . ) . At Glasgow , on Saturday , Wales aud Scotland played a match at football , under Association rules . The North Britons were eventually winners , by four goals to none . In a return match at Sheffield , between London

and Sheffield , the latter proved victorious , by six goals to none . As London won the first match , at the Oval , these two rival teams have each scored a victory . We close this list with the first of the inter-university contests as yet settled . These were the double and single billiard matches played at

Cambridge , Oxford being represented in the first by Messrs . Adey ( Balliol ) and Home ( Worcester ) , while the honour of the sister university was entrusted to Messrs . Pontifex

( Trinity ) and Sarkeis ( Caius ) . The latter won by 224 points . In the single match Cambridge , represented by Mr . Pontifex , won by 287 points . The annual dinner of the Institute of Civil Engineers

took place on Saturday evening , at Willis ' s Rooms , Mr . Robert George Stephenson being in the chair . Amongst the notabilities present were the Duke of Teck , the Earl of Carnarvon , Viscount Halifax , Captain Lord Gifford , R . N . Lord Colville of Culross , Lord Hatnerley , General

Lord Sandhurst , the Lord Mayor , Messrs . Lowe , Goschen , and Stansfield . The usual loyal and other toasts wero received with enthusiasm , especial honour being paid to the toast of the evening , " Prosperity to the Institution of Civil Engineers . " A large and influential meeting was held in the Egyptian Ball at the Mansion House under the presidency of Lord Mayor Cotton , in aid of the funds of Mrs . Gladstone ' s