The Week.

the last ten years . The deaths were chiefly among children ; there were 813 deaths of persons under 20 years of age , which is a higher figure than has occurred in any week bufc one since the year began . The births were as nearly as possible on a level with the average , the former being 3 , 153 , the latter 2 , 161 . The reports read at the last meeting of the Central

Executive Relief Committee show that a marked improvement bas taken place in the condition of the cotton manufacturing districts . There has been a considerable increase of employment in the mills , and consequently a decrease in the number of persons in receipt of relief . Mr . Ashton , a member of the Committee , made a statement—based on the infoj-mafcion of

persons " upon whose testimony he could rely "—which , if correct , cannot obtain too much publicity in this country . It is to the effect that persons , representing themselves as agents from mills in America , are doing in Lancashire what the Fiuneys have already done in Ireland , i . e ., enlisting troops for the Federal cause . In his financial statement last year Mr . Gladstone estimated that the expenditures for the twelve months just expired would be £ 67 , 749 , 000 , and that if the outlay could he

limited to that amount there would be a surplus on the year of rather more than half a million . The Revenue Returns , just published , show that the right lion , gentlemen erred on tbe safe side in his calculations . The revenue for the year ending on Thursday is £ 70 , 208 , 963 , or about two millions and a half in excess of the estimated expenditure . As compared with the income of 1862-63 , the tables just issued exhibit a decrease of

about £ 400 , 000 , caused by the reductions made in the tea duty anel the income tax . These two items together produced £ 2 , 850 , 000 less than in the previous year ; hut this falling off , which is considerably smaller in amount than was anticipated , is reduced- in round numbers , to £ 400 , 000 , by the increased productiveness of all the other sources of revenue . There

seems to be a futility attending all the proceedings connected with the attempts to celebrate the Shakspeare tercentenary . The Stratford committee do not fare better than their London brethren . After driving Mr . Phelps aw-ay from their celebration , they have so managed as to offend Mr . Fechfcor too ; and that gentlemen has afc the eleventh hour declined to play Hamlet as he had engaged , and as the committee held forth to the world he would . The reasons which have induced Mr .

Fechter to recede from his engagement are doubtless all satisfactory to his own mind , but , as stated in his friend's letter to the committee , are not very intelligible to those on the outside of the little schemes and intrigues that whirl about the Shakespeare committees . And as the Stratford committee say they are as unable to understand them as the most ignorant outsider of ns all , we can only wait for further explanations . -The

great trial between the AVhitworth and Armstrong guns was commenced at Shoeburyness on Monday . The experiments are continued daily . The guns were tried at ranges successively of 200 , 300 , and 400 yards . In fche nearer ranges tho AAliitworth gun appeared to the bystanders to have an advantage , which was recovered by the Armstrong muzzle-loading gun in distant firing .

Garibaldi arrived at Southampton on Sunday ; and tho cheers with which he was greeted by the thousands who welcomed him when he stepped from the deck of the Bipon will find an echo in every corner of free England . The JRipon was intercepted ¦ off Calshot Castle by a steamer conveying the Duke of Sutherland , Mr . Seoly , M . P ., and other friends of the brave Liberator

of the Two Sicilies . Ifc was originally understood that the General would proceed direct to Mr . Seely ' s house in the Isle of AVighfc , bufc this arrangement was departed from , and Garibaldi landed afc Southampton , where he was to remain for the clay with the Mayor of that borough . On Monday he went to

the Isle of Wight ; and ifc is arranged that he will " enter " London on Monday next . Most considerable cities and towns in the country are candidates for the honour of a visit from Garibaldi , and if he should accept the invitations which have been , or are to be , addressed to him from Manchester , Liverpool , Glasgow , Edinburgh , Bristol , and other places , he will have a long , and , in some respects , trying campaign before him . On

Monday , Garibaldi was presented with an address from the Corporation of Southampton , to which he returned a brief reply , expressing his warm , thanks to the people of England for the support they had given to the cause of Italian unity and independence . Soon after the civic " reception" he left for the Isle of AAlght , where he will remain for some days the guest of Mr .

Seely , M . P . Ifc is worthy of notice that before leaving the deck of the Bipon , on Sunday , he handed a note ( of which the following is a translation ) fco one of his Italian friends who has been actively employed in preparing for his entry into London : — "Dear friends , —I do nofc desire a political demonstration ; above all , not to excite any agitaion . " Lord Palmerston

has declined to accede fco a request that a body of volunteers should be permitted to acb as a guard of honour to the General , on the ground that " it is esssential that the volunteers should not assume a political character , nor become the instruments of political demonstrations . " An influential meeting held at Driffield , under the presidency

of Lord Hotham , ifc was resolved to raise a fitting memorial o i tbe late Sir Tatfcon Sykes , on or near the . Sledmere estate . A meeting was also held afc Chester , for the purpose of deciding upon the form which the county tribute to Lord Coinbei'inere shall assume . After a good deal of discussion , ifc was resolved to erect an equestrian statute of the gallant veteran in Chester , and to request Baron Marochetti to send in a design for the

work . Aboufc 4 , 000 miners in the South Yorkshire coal district have been "locked out , " the coalowners having adopted this course in consequence of the . movement among the men for an advance of wages . Ifc is stated that only about one third of the number thus thrown out of employment belonging to the Miners' Union . A melancholy case of suicide took place a short time ago in Pentonville prison . A soldier named Valentine

was found guilty of having stolen a comrade's Victoria Cross and other medals . In addition to the ordinary punishment of the sentence the deceased forfeited a Victoria Cross he had himself earned and a pension of £ 10 a year . These matters preyed on his mind , and iu addition he protested to the last that he was innocent of the crime . He managed to hang himself in his cell .

The inquest has been held , when the jury returned a verdict of suicide through insanity . —¦—A dreadful outrage was committed afc the Calder Vale Reformatory , at Mirfield on Saturday night . A lad of seventeen , named Broaelhead , who afterwards stated that he had for several clays meditated the crime , attempted to murder Mrs . and Miss Johnston , the wife and

sister of the schoolmaster of the Institution . Mrs . Johnson evaded a blow aimed at her with a knife , bufc her sister-in-law was less fortunate , and received two wounds . The unfortunate lady lies in a precarious state . Broadhead , who admits that he was kindly treated by tho Johnsons , is in custody . A highly suggestive action has been tried afc Kingston . A firm of

advertising agents sued Mr . Marshall , who was a director in some South Australian engineering scheme for which a joint-stock company was attempted to be formed , bufc not with much success , for the sum of £ 1 , 378 , which the firm had expended in advertising ifc . Ifc was not disputed that the expenses hael been incurred , but the defence set up was that by arrangement the directors were to be relieved from ail these preliminary expenses , which were to be borne by Mr . Payne , the proprietor of the company ,