The Week.

On Wednesday , on the motion of [ Mr . Sotheron-Estcourt , the Friendly anil Assurance Societies Bill was read a second time . Mr . Locke moved the second reading of the Criminal Proceedings Oaths Relief Bill , the object of which was to allow persons who had conscientious and religious scruples to taking an oath to make an affirmation insteadwith the leave of the presiding judge . After

, some conversation , the second reading was carried by 65 to 31 . On the motion for going into committee of supply , Colonel French , adverting to the recent interview of the Rev . Mr . Daly with Lord Palmerston on the subject of the Galway contract , and speaking on behalf of the Irish members , declared that there was not a shadow of foundation for the statement that those gentlemen desired an interview with the noble lord , and he believed no one of them

would so far forget his position and character as to ask it under such circumstances . Lord Palmerston said that he thought the disclaimer of Colonel Dunne was altogether unnecessary after the statement which had been made by Mr . Esmonde , the lion , member for AAfiterford . AVith regard to what had passed between Mr . Daly and [ himself , however , he abided entirely by wdiat he had stated on a former evening— -the facts being simply as he had related them . He now understood Mr . Dalhad acted without

y authority . After some conversation , in which several Irish members defended their recent vote on the budget , Lord C . Paget said tho grievance complained of was more imaginary than real , as , in point of fact , out of 91 of those officers not less than 71 were in receipt of an increase of pay on account of their services . The House then went into committee of Supply , but , at a quarter to six o'clock , the Chairman reported progress without any vote being proposed .

GENERAL HOME NEWS . —A considerable improvement is shown to have taken place in the public health during the past week by the metropolitan bills of mortality . For whereas the weekly deathrate has been upwards of 1 , 200 through a long period , the present returns give a decrease of 1 , 069 . The births registered , on the other hand , were 1 , 959—972 boys and 9 S 7 girls . A mean height of 29-809 inches was recorded bthe barometerand the

y , average temperature of the air was 57-7 degrees . ——The new Horticultural Gardens at South Kensington were opened by the Prince Consort . The address by Professor Lindley was a history of the undertaking , and the reply of the Prince dwelt upon its artistic advantages . His Royal Highness was accompanied by the Prince of AVales and several members of the Royal family . M . Blondin made his first appearance at the Crystal Palace on Saturday , and

performed his wonderful feats in the centre transept without accident , and to the astonishment of the multitude who had assembled . At the meeting of the Society of Arts in the evening , Mr . AV . Hawkes read an important paper on the International Exhibition of 1 S 62 . He took a very sanguine view of the prospects of that great enterprise , and expressed his belief that foreign industry and skill would be as fully represented in it as it were in the Exhibition of 1 S 51 . He recommended thatin order to secure as large an

, attendance of the working classes as possible , a smaller sum than one shilling should be charged for admission . The Prince Consort presided , and Lord Granville also took part in the proceedings . Of A ' ofunteer proceedings on Saturday may be noticed the presentation of the colours of the Old AVestminster Volunteers to their

successors , the Queen ' s . The Corps paraded at AVestminster Hall and marched to the Horse Guards , where the ceremony took place amid a brilliant assemblage of spectators . Captain Robertson , P . A ., the son of the colonel of the old re : iment . presented the King's colours , and Richard Twining , Esq ., son of the lieutenant colonel , presented tho regimental colours . The Gazette announces the appointment of Sir George Greythe

Gover-, nor of the Cape , to the Governorship of New Zealand . — - — A very remarkable case was heard before the Sunderland bench , on Thursday week . Last year , a large number of houses in that borough were broken into and robbed , the police being fairiy outwitted in their attempts to lay their hands upon the dexterous robbers . It now appears that a young boy , named Barnes , was the leading spirit in no less than thirty-two of these cases of

housebreaking ; that hewas assisted on thirty occasions by a second youth , and on one occasion by a third lad ; and that the instigator to this frightful amount of crime was a " marine stores " dealer , named Margaret Taylor . Barnes was caught a few days ago , in the act of plundering a house , and thus it was that this almost incredible affair was brought to light . Taylor—a type , we fear , of a too numerous class of Fagins—and the three boys have been committed

for trial . Messrs . T . and R . Raikes & Co ., bankers of Hull ( Hull aud East Riding Bank ) , have suspended payment . A notice to that effect was posted on the bank doors on Monday—causing no little excitement , owing to the high reputation borne by the firm . The accounts are now being made up , and will be submitted to the creditors of the bank in a few days . The liabilities are stated to

The Week.

be about £ 66 , 000 . It is reported that the estate may show 17 s . in the pound . FOREIGN INTELIGENCE . —The Moniteur of Monday published an official note condemning the passionate manner in whicli some of the French newspapers have recently attacked the Catholic clergy , and warning them that perseverance in such a course will lead to

Government interference . Two pamphlets whicli especially directed their strictures against the clergy have been seized , and the publishers of them are to be prosecuted . Count Cavour , who had been suffering from fever , expired on Thursday morning . It is rumoured that Garibaldi contemplates a voyage to America in a month or two , if war in Italy should not appear likely to arise . Francis II . has issued a new protest . This time he protests against the loan wdiich the King of Italy is about to contract , and warns all capitalists that he will never himself consent to recognise it in so far as it applies to Naples and Sicily . The announcement will probably be received with composure .

AMERICA . —The Great Fasten arrived on Tuesday , and brought intelligence that the AVasliington government had fanly opened the campaign against the Secessionists ; on the night of the 23 rd ult . some 13 , 000 federal troops quitted AVashington , and crossed the Potomac into Virginia . They occupied the town of Alexandria without opposition , and captured a troop of Secessionist horse , and likewise , according to another account , several hundred other prisoners . Thoy proceeded to secure their bold of Alexandria and

of the chain of positions selected on the Virginia side of the Potomac , and their vanguard is said to have been pushed as far as Fairfax Courthouse . About the same time , General Butler , with some 4 , 000 federal troops , embarked from Fort Monroe , and landed at Lynnhaven , for the purpose of attacking the works raised b y the Secessionists at a rilace called Sewell ' s Point . He was to be aided by ships of war-which were to assail Sewell ' s Point from the water

, ; and as some 10 , 000 or 15 , 000 Secessionists were assembled between Sewell's Point and Norfolk , it was thought likely that he would experience a sharp resistance . A movement was also rumoured to have been made by the federal troops against Harper ' s Ferry . The Kentucky Legislature had formally passed a resolution declaring that the state will remain neutral ; and in Missouri an arrangement has been made between the federal General Harney and the

commander of the State Militia , the practical result being probably that the state will preserve neutrality . The transmission of the mails to the seceded states had been stopped ; and all the telegrams on file in the telegraph offices throughout the Northern states have been seized by the government . The British barque Hiawatha , which was alleged to have attempted to pass the blockade of the Chesapeakehad been captured and sent to New York . A later

, telegram announces that a battle which was said to have been fought at Alexandria had proved to be a hoax . It is satisfactory to learn that the arrival of the Royal proclamation , forbidding British subjects to take part in the war and announcing a strict neutrality on our part , had produced a favourable impression .

INDIA . —The Bombay mail brings us details of Mr . Laing's financial measures , whicli will , we are assured , produce a surplus of £ 250 , 000 , instead of the great deficit which has for several years been inevitable . The Indian army is to be reduced to 200 , 000 men , and altogether the expenditure is to be diminished by no less a sum than £ 3 , 600 , 000 . There is to be an increase of £ 2 , 080 , 000 in the receipts , although the income tax and the licence tax are to be

abandoned , and the import duty on cotton yarns is to be lowered to 5 per cent . ; but a sum of £ 500 , 000 is to be raised by local taxation in a manner which is not detailed in the brief summary that has reached us . The European soldiers of the local army have volunteered almost universally for the now line regiments ; and many local officers have likewise intimated their wish to enter the Queen's general service . The oppressions of the Bengalee usurers have once more caused excitement among the Sonthals ; but no serious disorders have occurred .

To Correspondents.

TO CORRESPONDENTS .

Bro . MEXZIES is thanked . His suggestions shall , as far as possible , be attended to . J . S ., AND OTHERS . —It is not necessary for the Master of the , Freemasons' Boys' School to be a member of the Craft . B . R . —We still hold to our opinions on the subject , and shall resume its agitation at no distant day .