The Week.

ready followed , the same course . The Prussian Chamber of Deputies have introduced this session something of a novelty into Parliamentary arrangements . It appears that there Avill be no address in reply to the speech from the Throne , and thus a long , impassioned , ancl , as the Deputies think , unprofitable debate will be avoided . The Chamber consider it most suitable and advantageous to discuss the several topics of foreign and domestic policy as they present themselves in the regular

progress of business . Opinions are greatly divided in Prussia upon the advantage of this course of procedure . A debate on the Address is unquestionably a delay to actual business ; but a parliamentary assembly does not simply mean a body of persons gathered together to pass specific measures . AVe doubt whether Prussian politics at present would not be the better for a good deal even of general discussion . The nobles of Foissia continue opposed to the new order of things arising out of the

emancipation of the serfs and the changes that have been introduced into the financial system . The Russian Government has just published its budget for the current financial year . According to this statement the revenue of the empire , arising from ordinary sources , amounts to 296 millions of roubles ; ancl from extraordinary sources—namely , from the loan of I 860—to fourteen and a-half millions of roubles . The ordinary expenditure is represented to be 294 millionsand the extraordinary

, , sixteen and a-half millions of roubles . INDIA AND CHINA . —Advices brought by the Bombay mail , state that the Indian government had prohibited the export of saltpetre , except to British ports ; but we may presume that the prohibition will be removed as soon as intelligence of the pacific settlement of our quarrel with the United States shall reach India . An extensive goldfield was said to have been discovered in the southern Mahratta country ; ancl a company hacl

been formed in Bombay for the purpose of working it . An anticipatory telegram via Alexandria intimates that the French have gained rather considerable successes in Cochin China . AVe also learn from the same city that Pekin and Canton are quiet , but that Ningpo hacl fallen into the hands of the rebels , anil that the export of tobacco from the Manillas had been prohibited .

BUENOS AYRES . —The Brazilian mail brings dates from Buenos . Ayres to the 30 th of December . The success of General Mitre , both by sea ancl land , was almost complete . General Urquiza ' s squadron had been captured , ancl there Avas little doubt that the defeated general would quit the . country . Most of the provinces had declared themselves in favour of Buenos Ayres , and the rest would in all likelihood follow . When this takes place General Mitre ivould convoke the country for the

election of the ordinary Congress , and there was no doubt that General Mitre would be elected President of the Republic . MEXICO . —The Moniteur of Saturday publishes a letter from Vera Cruz , which , after stating that the excitement of the Mexicans was beginning to subside , and that the idea of an arrangement was no longer rejected , a priori , as treason against the nation , proceeds to say : — " There were serious indications that a party was forming which was disposed to repudiate a

Government ivhich had been so fatal to the country . The enlightened inhabitants did not wish for war , ancl the soundthinking portion of the population demanded the unity of the country under an independent constitutional monarchy . A foreign Prince ivould doubtless rally all sympathies , but the allies should take care not to put forth any pretensions on their own account , as they would give rise to ideas of conquest , ancl

could not fail to wound the national self-respect . " Our correspondent thinks the letter has been written by order , and is evidence that the king-making scheme for Mexico is entertained hythe Government .

AMERICA . —The . mosfc important intelligence contained in the American advices brought by the Bohemian ancl Australasian is an aefc of considerable defeat in Kentucky . It was " officially reported" that the Confederates attacked the Fedrels at Somerset ; and that , after a severe engagement , in which heavy losses were sustained on both sides , and in which the Confederate General Zollicoffer was killed , the Confederates retreated to their intrenchments . During the night they abandoned

their camp , and retired across the Cumberland river , and the Federal troops afterwards occupied their intrenchments , and captured some cannon and stores which had been left by the retreating Confederates . There was a rumour that the Southern aitaiy on the Potomac had fallen back upon Manassas ; and General M'Clellan hacl issued orders that- all officers of the Federal army should hold themselves iu readiness for service ,

The Week.

and that no furloughs vreve to be granted . The " Mississippi expedition , " which was saicl to be composed of about 25 , 000 men , had not made any movement from Cairo . No intelligence had been received , or at least none had been published respecting General Burnside ' s expedition . There Avere rumours that Norfolk Avas to be attacked by the Federal forces , and that all women and children had been ordered away from that place - but there did not seem to have been any certain foundation for

these rumours . It ivas reported that a Federal war steamer , had fired into a French war steamer , " which had tried to run the New Orleans blockade ; " bub later intelligence states that the report was incorrect , and that ifc " arose from a collision between the French and Federal steamers . " Congress hacl agreed to impose taxes to the amount of 159 , 000 , 000 dollars a year ; but the precise nature of the new taxes had not been fixed , though it was said that they would

partly consist of excise duties . The premium on gold at New York was 25 per cent ., ancl sterling exchange was quoted 112 . The government has adopted a fresh measure—ivhich seems likely to be equally distasteful to both belligerents—to ensure the preservation of our neutrality in the quarrel between Federals ancl Confederates , and to avert the inconveniences which , as ive have been shown by the sojourn of the Nashville ancl Tuscarora at Southamptonand by occurrences at Nassaumay

, , be expected to arise from the presence of American cruisers in our ports . In pursuance of a letter addressed by Earl Russell to the Lords of the Admiralty , the armed vessels of the Southern ancl Northern States are alike forbidden to make use of British ports , —the harbours of the Bahama Islands being specially mentioned . If a cruiser belonging to either belligerent be driven into a British port by stress of weather , shemay obtain a supply of provisions , ancl mav take on board as much

coal as will suffice for her voyage to the nearest port in the possession of her government ; but in no case is a supply to be furnished twice in three months to the same vessel in the same port . Acting upon these instructions the Confederate war steamer "Sashville has left Southampton . She steamed out on Monday afternoon , and when last seen she hacl made the passage of the Needles , and was " standing away for sea with all sail . " The frigate Shannon took up a position near the

Federal ship Tuscarora , ivith the view of preventing her from following the Nashville before the expiry of the 24 hours prescribed . Captain Peagrim and his officers seem to have kept their secret well , nothing whatever being known as to the destination of the Nashville . A large steamer has been seen off Cape Clear . She shoived neither colours nor name , but from her general appearance and movements , she was suspected to be either a Federal or a Confederate war vessel .

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT . —Paliament was opened on Thursday with the Queen ' s speech . Her Majesty after alluding to the death of the Prince Consort , states that her relations with the Courts of Europe are satisfactory ancl she has no reason to apprehend any disturbance of the peace of Europe . She alludes to the late Slidell and Mason affair , and states that these gentlemen having been given up , relations with the President of the United States remain unchanged . She complimented the

people of BritishlNoi'th America on their loyalty and spirit , and promises that the papers relative to the convention to tranquilise Mexico shall be forthwith produced . Bills for the improvement of the law , more especially as regards the supplying titles to land are promised together with other measures of usefulness . Her Majesty regrets the distress prevailing in some branches of industry , though she believes the general condition of the country to be scund and satisfactory .

To Correspondents.

TO CORRESPONDENTS .

MES . ELIZA BAUER requests us to publish a letter thanking tho governors of the Girls' School , for the care taken of her twin daughters . Being an advertisement , we cannot publish it in any other form , though we now make known the fact that she wishes to thank the governors for the benefits received by her daughters . Bro . FISHER . —AVe shallat all timesbe happy to hear from

, , you . AVe know too little of what takes place in your part of the country . KENT . —In our report of the Royal Kent Lodge , Chatham , last week , we give Bro . Mudd as J . D ., whereas he is S . D . The Lodge of Sympathy , Gravesend , is No . 709 , not 732 , as stated .