The Week.

that an air door was incautiously left open while the men were at dinner . The proprietor , Mr . Crawshay , challenges the most searching inquiry into the efficiency of the means lie bad employed to ventilate the pit as well as to prevent accidents , and the general impression is that he may well do so , as there are no mines in the country where more attention is paid to tho welfare of the workmen than there was in this mine , and all those under the charge of Mr . Crawshay . A case of libel

was tried on Tuesday before the Lord Chief Justice and a jury , when Mr . Ledger , the proprietor of the Era newspaper , sought damages . against Mr . Benjamin Webster , of tho Adelphi Theatre , for a libel contained in one of his playbills . There had been a dispute between the two parties relative to the criticisms in the Era on the ridiculous entertainments at the Crystal Palace for the Dramatic College , and Mr . Webster bad given notice that none of his advertisements should be inserted in the Era . Mr .

Ledger then inserted an advertisement of Mr . Toole's benefit gratuitously , on which Mr . Webster rejoined with some expressions in his next playbill , at which tbe plaintiff' took exception , and hence the present action . The jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff with a shilling damages . The whole of the parties concerned are members of our Craft , and had been , until the foolish dispute took place , bosom friends . The General

Omnibus Company was , on Saturday , cast in an action which a gentleman brought against them for injuries sustained by him on the top of an omnibus when the driver drove up against one of the tramway carriages . The evidence was , as usual , conflicting ; hut the jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff—Damages , £ 900 . Iu the Secondaries Court Mr . Shaw obtained a verdict of £ 700 for damages occasioned hy a collissioii on the North Staffordshire Railway . At the Cumberland assizes William Charlton , an engine-driver ou the Newcastle aud Carlisle Railway , was

found guilty of the murder of an old woman , named Emerson who was gatekeeper at a level crossing on the line—the jury appending to their verdict a recommendation to mercy , on account of the previous good character of the prisoner . Charlton was sentenced to death . On Tuesday , three men , named Robert Robinson , William Robinson ( father and son ) , and Hugh Earl , were tried for the wilful murder of Atkinson , the river watcher , at Broekleworth , on the 15 th of last month . It will

he remembered that the deceased and three other men were guarding the water against poachers , when they came upon the prisoners , who attacked them with bludgeons . The jury found the prisoners guilty of manslaughter , but recommended the elder Robinson to mercy . Robinson , sen ., was sentenced to 12 months' hard labour , while the two younger men were each ordered to undergo 10 years' penal servitude . Some time ago the Bishop of Exeter prohibited a clergyman from preaching

in his diocese because he had given a public reading of Hamlet . Some curious correspondence has since been published from which it appeais that the bishop has now a better opinion than he had of the Rev . Mr . Young's character , though he still thinks it was necessary to inhibit him . This is perhaps as much of a retraction as could be expected from the Bishop of Exeter . Mr . Young is a beneficed clergyman in the diocese of Worcester ; and it appears that that prelate also objects to clergymen

reading Shakespeare to public assemblies for money . It ought to he noticed , however , that the money in Mr . Young ' s case was given to increase the funds of the Torbay Infirmary . Mr . Young is a son of the distinguished tragedian . There has been another fall in the Waterloo-road pavement . It is time that the Legislature : or the Board of Works , or the district surveyor , or the vestry , or the constituted authority , whatever that may he , to interfere .

FOREIGN INTELLIGENNCE . —The draft of the address about to be returned "by the Legislative Body to the Emperor Napoleons's speech , declares that " the Emperor has acted wisely in recognising the kingdom of Italy , " and that " France , Catholic and liberal , wishes the head of religion to be independant and venerated , but always favours true liberty and the moral and material progress of podnlation . The vacancy created in the French Academy by the death of Father

Lacordaire has been filled up . The Duke de Broglie was elected to be thefauteuil . The health of the Empress of Austria is stated to be so completely re-established that no dread of a relapse is any longer entertained . The Emprees is still in Venice , and the Emperor is expected to arrive there at Easter , when both will return together to Vienna . The Austrian government has succeeded in temporarily alleviating the embarrassments of its treasury by obtaining a loan at a low rate of interest from the National Bank , in return for a renewal of the

The Week.

bank charter ror a term of 2 o years . The commercial treatv between France and tbe Zollverein , so often said to be near conelusion , is once more alleged , by a telegram from Berlin , to be " on the point of being concluded . " We learn from Thorn that the Governor of Poland has issued an ordnance that there shall be no further judicial investigations or arrests for offences committed prior to the state of siege . This is a step in the riht directionand if followed up would graduallallay the

g , y spirit of disaffection and rancour that at present exists among the Poles . —•—The Greek government has forwarded to Paris and London a despatch declaring that "the whole country and the troops which have been despatched against Nauplia are inspired by the best spirit , " that the insurgents have been des feated outside Nauplia , and that great discouragement prevaiL among those remaining in the place . Nevertheless , it appear ,

from other accounts that , in spite of the " excellent spirit" o the people , the government has deemed it prudent to arrest many persons , . including /' senators , officers , advocates , and journalists . " AMERICA . —The news from America , brought by the Africa , to tho 12 th inst ., is again favourable to the Federal arms . General Burnsides ' s expedition had taken possession of Roanoke Islandand completely destroyed the Confederate fleet . The

, Federals had also occupied Elizabeth city , and were advancing on Eden Town . The fighting was very severe , and it is stated that there were 1000 killed and wounded on each side . The onl y impediment to the Federals marching on Norfolk was said to be the swamps , marshes , and sickness . Success was also attending the proceedings of the Federals in Tennessee ; they had seized the bridge across the river , and cut off the main

communication- between Memphis and Columbus , and General Grant was preparing to attack Fort Donaldson with eight batteries of artillery . It was rumoured that the Confederates had evacuated Bowling-green . The House of Representatives had passed the Senate Bill for the issue of demand notes to the amount of 10 , 000 , 000 dollars . Advices from Vera Cruz to the 21 st ult . state that the allies had advanced to Espiritu Santo without fighting . The captain of the Confederate steamer

Sumter , we learn from Madrid , had been arrested at Tangiers . The arrest , we are told , was made at the instance of the American Consul at Gibraltar , and of the commander of the Tuscarora , hut the charge on which the arrest was made is not specified . INDIA AND CHLKA . —The overland mail puts us in possession of papers from Calcutta to the 23 rd January . In Calcutta public attention was directed to the proceedings of the new Legislation Councilthe first sitting of which took place on the

, 22 nd . The composition of the assembly , a mixture of Europeans and Asiatics , the latter in their peculiar Oriental costumes , had a very peculiar effect . Some very successful experiments in cotton cultivation had been brought to a conclusion . The news from China relates principally to the proceedings of the rebels . At Ningpo they behaved in a very brutal manner to the woman and children who were left in it ; but towards foreigners they had shown great moderation . The Christian

ministers , however , had been warned by the British Consul to withdraw . Terror , also , is stated to reign within the walls of Nankin , the population of which consisted of only two classesthe soldiers and helots . The capture of Hangchow by the rebels had caused some fears for the safety of Sbangbae . AtPekinall was quiet , and Mr . Bruce and Prince Kung were acting together with much harmony .

To Correspondents.

TO CORRESPONDENTS .

S . T . —We shall be glad to receive the " Vernons . " J . J . T . —The S . W . rules the lodge in the absence of the Master , but if a P . M . be present it is usual , and certainly the most convenient to allow him to do so . — -2 nd . The S . W . can legally confer degrees sitting either a little in advance or to the right or left of the Master's chair ; the right is the most convenient . —3 rd . If the S . W . has been an Installed Master he may take the Master ' s chair .

B . B . —It is correct in the second and third degrees . BRO . WHITE is thanked . We shall at all times be happy to hear from hira . We have not forgotten the meeting . BRO . T . B . HARRIS HAMILTON , Canada West , is thanked for his communication and remittance . ROYAL CUMBERLAND LODGE , BATH . —We are requested to state that the jewel noticed in our last number was designed by Bro . Moring , of Holboru .