Our Weekly Budget.

Commissioners a day previous to that fixed for the Committee on the University of Oxford Bill . The Marquis of Salisbury was unable to give the names at present . Lord Cottesloe asked for certain information as to the proposed exchange of the Gambia for the French settlements on the

West Coast of Africa , but Lord Carnarvon stated that the French , and English Governments were unable to agree aa to tho terms of the exchange , and that , therefore , the negociations had been abandoned . On Tuesday , the Council of India ( Professional Appointments ) Bill passed through

Committee . On Thursday , the sitting lasted half an hour . In the House of Commons , on Friday , on the motion for going into Committee of Supply , Mr . Goldsmid moved a resolution respecting the Purchase of Telegraphs . Col . Alexander seconded the resolution , and Messrs . Norwood

and Goschen , Lord J . Manners , and tbe Chancellor of the Exchequer were among the speakers . The last-mentioned suggested that Mr . Goldsmid should place himself in communication with the Government , with the view of

arranging the terms of the reference to a Committee of Inquiry , and the proposal being deemed satisfactory , the resolution was withdrawn . Mr . Meldon then made a motion , the object of which was to increase the Salaries of Irish National

School Teachers , and secure them pensions on retirement . Several Irish members addressed the House , and the Irish Secretary having given an assurance that the subject was being anxiousl y considered by the Government , the motion was , by leave , withdrawn . After the case of Arthur Orton

had been brought under notice by Mr . Whalley , the House went into Committee , and passed sundry votes . On Monday , the greater part of the evening was occupied in Committee on the Royal Titles Bill . Several amendments were proposed , and on one of them a division occurred , the

Government being victorious by 171 to 92 , but ultimately the Bill passed without amendment , and the third reading was fixed for Thursday . A number of votes were then agreed to in Committee of Supply , and , shortly afterwards , the House adjourned . On Tuesday , Mr . Ritchie moved

for a Committee to inquire into the constitution and efficiency of the Fire Brigade . After Sir J . Hogg , Chairman of the Board of Works , Mr . Cross , and others had addressed the House , the motion , with an addition proposed by the Home Secretarv , extending the inquiry so as

to ascertain the best means of providing security against loss of life and property , by fire was agreed to . A motion on the subject of the Ecclesiastical Dilapidation Acts calling for a Committee of Inquiry into this operation , was agreed to . The case of the Talisman , a British steamer , seized by

the Peruvian Government , led to a very long debate , which occupied , indeed , the rest of the sitting ; the result being its adjournment to some future day . On Wednesday , the afternoon was occupied with the debate on the second reading of the Coast and Beep Sea Fisheries ( Ireland ) Bill ,

in the course of which Mr . Butt gave a very interesting sketch of the history , during the last two hundred years , of the Irish Fisheries . Sir M . H . Bench , the Irish Secretary , opposed the Bill on behalf of the Government , and on a division the second reading was lost by 215 to 131 . On

Thursday , the Royal Titles Bill passed its third reading , in the teeth of the opposition offered by Messrs . Gladstone , Lowe , and others , by 209 to 134 . On the motion for going into Committee on the Merchant Shipping Bill , Mr . Gorst moved that the Labour Laws passed last year , should be

applicable to seamen , for so long as the ships they were engaged to serve in should he in British waters . The motion was received very favourably by both sides of the House , but was withdrawn on an assurance from the Chancellor of the Exchequer that clauses embodying such

a proposal should be added to the Bill . The House then went into Committee , when Clause 3 came under discussion , but progress was reported without dismissing the clause . The House Occupiers' Disqualification Removal Bill , the debate on the second reading of which was ultimatel y adjourned , pretty well occupied the rest of the evening .

The Serapis with H . R . H . the Prince of Wales and suite on board dropped anchor off Aden on Sunday evening , and was welcomed with a royal salute from the land batteries . The Prince did not land , however , and the Serapis sailed again on the morning of Monday . His Royal Highness is reported to be in excellent health .

It is announced that the Queen will hold drawingrooms at Buckingham Palace on the 10 th and 12 th May , and further , that Her Majesty ' s birthday will be celebrated on Saturday the 27 th of the same month . The twentyeight birthday of H . R . H . Princess Louise , Marchioness

Our Weekly Budget.

of Lome , was marked by the customary honours paid , on such occasions , to members of the Royal Family . Royal salutes were fired , and the bells of St . George ' s and the parish chnrch of Sfc . John , rang merrily during the day .

On Friday Lord Mayor Cotton was initiated in the Bishop Bonner Court into the mysteries of the Ancient Order of Foresters , the impressive ceremonial being performed , by dispensation from the High Court of Foresters , in the Egyptian Hall , several other gentlemen being

initiated at the same time . Considering the lively interest which the City of London has taken in the preservation to the public of Epping Forest , this compliment to its chief magistrate seems a most appropriate one . At the lunch which followed , the Lord Mayor , in returning thanks for

the newly initiated brethren , expressed the gratification it afforded him to have joined this Ancient Order , and his belief that Forestry , Freemasonry , and Oddfellowship could not have existed so long and been so prosperous had they not been based on the principles of morality , integrity , and honesty .

On Saturday evening , in honour of his recent enrolment as a citizen of London , the Lord Chief Justice of England was entertained at a banquet at the Mansion House by the Lord Mayor , a considerable number of guests being present to grace the occasion . The usual loyal and patriotic toasts

were given , that of the guest of the evening being received with the greatest enthusiasm . Sir A . Cockburn acknowledged the honour with much heartiness . The health of the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress likewise evoked similar manifestations of cordiality .

The Oxford and Cambridge Crews reached London on Monday , a full week earlier than usual . No time was lost in commencing the work of preparation on the London waters , both crews having a stiffish pull the same day , Oxford in the forenoon , and Cambridge in the afternoon .

The odds , of course , are in favour of the former , but the knowing ones , or those who pretend to be knowing ones , think Cambridge will make a great fight for it on the eventful day of the race . So much the better ; a hollow race is but a tame affair , even though London should be in a delirium of bine fever for the rest of its existence . Our

wish is intelligible enough . Be it light blue or dark blue , may the best crew win . One thing is certain . The good old coaching days are not yet gone altogether , or the papers would not be dinning into our ears that this or that crew

was coached on such a day by certain old 'Varsity oars . By the way , as , under the new system , the crews must not only row well but slide well , the appearance of Jack Frost on the scene of action seems bv no means uncalled for .

Friday was St . Patrick ' s day , and in Ireland the customary honours were paid the worthy saint , the Queen ' s Viceroy setting an honourable example . In London , the 93 rd anniversary of the Benevolent Society of St . Patrick was held at Willis ' s Rooms , under the presidency of the Earl of

Milltown . In response to the earnest appeal of the chairman for support towards the funds of this excellent charity , subscriptions to the amount of about £ 700 were announced . At the Royal Albert Hall was held an Irish festival , the programme consisting almost entirely of Irish music . On

Saturday there was an Irish fete at the Alexandra Palace , the chief attractions being the Colleen Bawn , and a concert consisting of Irish melodies . There was also a "

demonstration , ' at which the various Irish political and temperance societies assisted . The number of visitors is set down at 15 , 000 , and everything appears to have passed off most harmoniously .

We shall be hardly fulfilling our duty as newsmongers , if we omit to say a word or two as to the weather . For the edification of- any of our readers who may be impervious to cold and indifferent to storms , we announce that snow has fallen several times since our l ? . st issue , and that

severe gales have been experienced in different parts of tho country . Having relieved our conscience in respect of this important announcement , which , at least , has the merit of coming better late than never , we pass at once to the next topic of the week .

The annual general meeting of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution was held on Tuesday , at the London Tavern , Bishopsgate-streefc . In tho absence , from ill-health , ol the Duke of Northumberland , Earl Percy presided . The

chairman , in his address , spoke of the vastly increasing tonnage which cleared from our ports , and stated that the wrecks and other casualties which have occurred round our coast during the last ten years amounted to 23 , 098 , while the