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Our Weekly Budget.

OUR WEEKLY BUDGET .

THE Queen and Court are IIOAV at Windsor Castle , and will remain there for some time . On Monday , Her Majesty held an Investiture of the Imperial Order of the Crown of India , when the following' ladies were ushered into the presence separately by Viscount Torrington , preceded by Sir Albert Woods , Garter King at Arms , and

invested with tbe insignia of tbe order by tbe Queen , assisted by the Princess Christian of Sehleswig-Holstein , Princess Helena of Groat Britain , and Princess Beatrice , viz ., the Marchioness of Salisbury , the Marchioness of Ripon , the Countess Dowager of Elgin , the Countess of Mayo , Lady

Jane E . Baring , Lady Hobart , Baroness Napier of Ettrick , Baroness Lawrence , Lady Northcote , Lady Temple , Lady Denison , and Mrs . Gathorne Hardy . Each lady kissed hands on being presented . On Tuesday , the Crown Princess of Germany , Princess Royal of Great Britain .

arrived at Dover on a visit to tbe Queen . Her Imperial Highness on landing was received by Colonel Dnplat as representing Her Majesty , Count Munster the German Ambassador , and tbe Countess Maine Munster , Viscount Sydney , Lord Lieutenant of tbe County of Kent , and the

Naval and Military authorities of the port . After luncheon at the Lord Warden Hotel , Her Imperial Highness travelled by the London , Chatham and Dover line to Clapham Junction , where the train was changed to the London and

South Western line , aud proceeded on its way to Windsor . Next week the Queen will make a short stay at Buckingham Palace , and will bold two drawing-rooms , one on Tuesday , tbe 7 th instant , and the other on Thursday , the 9 th instant .

lhe Prince ot Wales arrived in Paris on . Friday , and up to Wednesday was engaged in his duties as President of the Royal Commission of the Paris Exhibition . Thanks to the energy displayed by His Royal Highness in this capacity , the part of the building allotted for the display of British

Home , Colonial , and Indian products was ready by the opening clay , and presented a picture of neatness and order which must be intensely gratifying to all classes of our countrymen . It is not very often we outdo the French whose powers of organization arc supposed to be greatei

than ours . But whatever else thej' may manage better in France than in this country , they certainly have not managed the arrangements of their part of the Exhibition as well as wc have ours . Moreover , our Catalogues were the first to be issued , so that we have to thank the Prince

of Wales for bis successful exertions , whereby both Commissioners and Exhibitors have been stimulated to get through them in order in good time . On Tuesday , the Prince Avas joined by the Crown Prince of Denmark , and on Wednesday both their Royal Highnesses took part in

tbe opening ceremonial . The Princess of Wales and the Crown Princess of Denmark are at Marlborough House . They pay frequent visits to the theatre and opera , and on Monday , accompanied by the Princes Albert Victor and George of Wales they visited , and were conducted over the Tower of London .

It is announced that His Royal Highness the Duke of Connaught will be betrothed on Thursday next to the Princess Louise , third daughter of Prince Frederick Charles , who so greatly distinguished himself in the Franco-German War , aud the Princess Marie of Prussia . The betrothal

will take place at Darmstadt , whither the Princess Marie , who is at present in Italy , will set out for tho purpose of being present at tho ceremony . The Duke completed his twenty-eighth year on Wednesday , and the Princess is about eighteen years of age .

The House of Commons will assemble , after the Easter holidays , on Monday next , while the Honse of Peers will meet again a week later . Several changes have lately taken place in the personnel of tho House . Mr . H . Bass ,

Our Weekly Budget.

a Liberal , will take his seat for Tatnworth , aud the House will have to determine whether Mr . Ridley or Mr . Grey , or either of them , shall sit for South Northumberland , as

both these gentlemen have been returned for the vacant seat in the representation of that constituency . A new writ will havo to be moved for County Down , owing to the death of Mr . Sharman Crawford , while a contest is

already in full progress for the purpose of deciding who shall succeed Mr . W . Watkins . At one time , also , there seemed a prospect of a vacancy for Southwark , as Colonel Beresford , owing to ill-health , found it impossible to givo due attention to his Parliamentary duties , and had no

alternative between resignation on the one hand , and prolonged leave of absence on the other . His constituents , however , prefer he should continue to be their representative , and have urged upon him to ask for leave , so that ho may obtain the necessary rest .

There have been several speeches during the week in which the policy of the Government has had a conspicuous share of criticism and defence . On Monday Mr . Gathorne Hardy , the Secretary of State for India , visited Bradford ( Yorkshire ) for the purpose of opening a now

Conservative Club , and at the dinner which followed , tho right hon . gentleman justified the policy of the Ministry in which he holds so prominent a place . As a matter of course , his justification was received with the most unbounded applause by his audience . On Tuesday , Mr .

Bright , at a meeting of Liberal delegates in the Free Trade Hall , Manchester , was as vehement in denouncing , as Mr . Hardy had been in defending , the Ministerial policy . Moreover , Mr . Brig ht lavished a considerable amount of abuse on the Earl of Beaconsfield , just as he

did at the time of the Crimean war on the late Lord Palmerston . •Abuse , however , is not argument , and will not help forward tho designs of the Peace-at-any-prico party . People respect Mr . Brig ht when he boldly urges or defends the opinions he holds , but they will have no

sympathy with him if he descends to abuse his political opponents . A third political meeting was held tho samo day at Brierley Hill . Mr . C . Cochrano presided , and Mr . Chamberlain , M . P ., one of tbe Birmingham representatives ,

was the principal speaker . His views were those of Mr . Bright , but they were not enunciated with the ability of that right honourable gentleman . Next week , when the House meets , no doubt wo shall havo more exciting

times . It is very significant of tho temper and determination of tho nation at this moment that the Volunteers , Avhoso duties are of a purely defensive nature , are offering their services to the Government in very considerable numbers .

Quite recentl y a movement Avas set on foot by Captain Bedford Pirn , M . P ., and a few other gentlemen , for organising an " Active Service Volunteer " force , the members composing it to join for a year , and to be ready to serve as part of any ' army that might be sent into tho

field . Already 2 , 800 men have joined , and letters from Lancashire , Yorkshire , and many other parts of England , have been received to the effect that numbers of others were prepared to folloAV their example , and Avould do their best to induce their comrades to aid the movement . Thus

it is reckoned that Lancashire Avould furnish quite 4 , 000 men , and Yorkshire an even greater number , and it must not be forgotten that these thousands will be composed of trained and intelligent men who have a stake in the country , and are therefore of a class above that from which

AVC usually recruit our armies . In fact , they are of the kind of men Avho , in the American Civil War , fought so desperately under Grant , McClellan and Sherman for the North , and under Lee , Jackson , Beauregard , and Johnstone ,

for the South . They are men in the prime of life , full of vigour , accustomed to athletic exercises , and for the most part good marksmen . With men like these , and well officered , AVC are likely to fare AVCII if Avar should come .

Taking advantage of tho Easter recess the Lords of the Admiralty have been Imsil y inspecting our dockyards and carefully noting the progress that is being made in bringing forward neAv ships of Avar for commission . This week tho First Lord and the First Naval Lord visited

Portsmouth , it being the second visit paid in the brief period of a fortnight . The Penelope , the Triumph , and other ironclads have been commissioned , tbe Triumph for service as

flagship in the Pacific in place of the Shah , announced as ordered home for repairs , Avhile the others will assemble at an early date off Portland and form the fleet for service in the Channel and North Sea . Some seventeen or eighteen