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reviewing officer . At the close of the movements , the gallant officer , after highly complimenting the volunteers upon their efficiency , referred to the oft-expressed fear that the movement is on the decline . He asserted that there was no ground for such an alarm , —that , on the contrary , the force was never stronger than it is at the present moment . He also referred to

the report of the Volunteer Commission , and said he was disposed to think that the Government would do all in their power to g ive effect to the recommendations of the Commissioners . This report has not yet been issued , but the Observer gives an abstract of its leading recommendations . The Commissioners propose that the staff of drill sergeants should continue as at present ;

that for every effective the commanding officer shall receive £ 1 , to be devoted to the interests of the corps ; that 10 s . be allowed for every man who has obtained a certificate of efficiency in musketry : and , further , with the view of giving an impulse to j he movement in agricultural districts , that a sum of 4 s . per head be granted for all volunteers living beyond five miles from

headquarters , or the usual place of drill . The recommendations , if carried into effect , will , it is estimated , increase the parliamentary vote for volunteers from about £ 40 , 000 to between £ 170 , 000 and £ 180 , 000 . A man named Davis , or Reynolds , has been brought up at the Mansion House , charged with an attempt to extort money from the Messrs . Rothschild under threats of

assassination . This foolish as well as wicked attempt was traced to the prisoner by means of the detectives . A singular case has been tried in the Sheriff's Court , in which a Mr . Litchenfield sought to recover against a Mrs . Brandt tbe sum of £ 10 , the balance of £ 15 , which it was alleged the latter had promised to give to the plaintiff on the condition that he should procure a husband for her daughter . It appeared thatthehusbandwas found , but the fudge held that any reward or promise for bringing about

ainarriagemustbeyoid , andgavea verdict for defendant with costs . The great " umbrella question" came on for decision at the Brompton County Court on AVednesday . The Commissioners of the Exhibition refuse to allow umbrellas or sticks to be taken into the picture galleries , and levy a charge of one penny on all those which are deposited at the stalls provided to receive them . Mr . Garnham , a season-ticket holder , refused to pay this charge ,

and his umbrella was detained . He sued the Commissioners for £ 2 15 s ., of which sum 10 s . was the value of the umbrella , and £ 2 5 s . damages for its detention . After a long hearing , the judge gave a verdict for the plaintiff , with one shilling damages . He thought the Commissioners had a right to make a charge at the umbrella stalls ; but in this case they knew that

Mr . Garnham disputed the right and did not intend to pay , and yet they allowed their servant to take the umbrella . Both parties are said to have been satisfied with the verdict . A melancholy accident has occurred on the Ribble , some nine miles from Preston . A boat , containing a party of sixteen excursionists , was upset , and eight of its occupants , all women and

• children , were drowned . One man is stated to have lost his wife and two children ; and another man his wife , child , and sister-in-law . Gilbert , the Pordingbridge murderer , has been executed at AA'inchester , in the presence of some 10 , 000 persons . An American seaman , named Henry Brennan , apprehended some days since on the charge of stabbing a Russian

seaman naned Stephen Ross Fenkoff , who , in consequence of the injuries received , died a few clays ago , has been examined before the coroner's jury . A verdict of "AVilful Murder" was returned .- ^—At the Lewes assizes a private in the 18 th Hussars , who shot one of his comrades some time ago at Bri ghton , was found guilty . It appeared that , the deceased had given the prisoner some provocation , and that the prisoner had been drinking ; but these circumstances were not allowed to

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form a justification , and he was sentenced to death without hope of mercy . —At the same assizes a scoundrel , who was convicted of sending letters threatening to accuse an old gentlemen of unnatural offences unless he received money , was sentenced to a life-long penal servitude . On Friday night , the bodies of two gentlemen—brothers , it

would appear—were found in a wood at Cobham , in Surrey . It seems that the two deceased left home together , on a fishing excursion on the 24 th ult . On the same day , they called at an inn at Cobham , and having purchased a bottle of wine , went on . their way . It was supposed that on reaching the solitary spot ' where their bodies were found a week afterward , the elder

brother shot the younger , and then committed suicide . At the inquest the father of the young men was unable to suggest any satisfactory explanation of the supposed murder and suicide j but he expressed his belief that the younger brother in a lit of aberration , had murdered the elder , and then destroyed his own life . The surgeon ' s evidence appeared to favour the original

hypothesis that the elder shot the younger , but the jury , influenced to some extent hy the testimony of the father , returned a verdict of felo de se agaiust the younger , and an open verdict in the case of the elder deceased . Mr . Braddell , the land agent who was fired at in the town of Tipperary , on AVednesday , is dead , and a coroner's jury have returned a verdict to the effect

that the assassin was Michael Hayes—a man who was about to be evicted from his farm . At the Limerick assizes , Walsh , the accomplice of Breckham in the murder of Mr . Fitzgerald , was sentenced to death ; while another ruffian who was found guilty of sending a threatening letter , was ordered to undergo penal servitude for six years .

FOBEIGS INTELLIGENCE . —Correspondence from Pans says it is now certain that the Emperor will be in Paris on the 15 th inst ., his fete day , and that the i _ robability is that the members of the diplomatic body will all hasten to the capital by that period . The Emperor on that occasion will receive that bod y for the first time for the last three years , and in his reply to the

congratulatory address , which will be delivered by the Nuncio in the name of his colleagues , will enter at length on all those questions which now preoccupy the public mind , amongst which will doubtless be some proposition for the friendl y mediation of the European powers in order to put an end to the civil war in America . A

telegram from Toulon announces that 1200 troops are about to embark at that port , ivhose supposed destination is Civita A * ecchia . Letters from Rome state that the steamer Castor had given chase to an Italian steamer which appeared to have on board men in blouses . The French Minister of Marine

havinslearned that , since the recent treaty between England and the United States for the suppression of the slave trade , slavers had shown a disposition to put their vessels under Prench colours , has ordered special vigilance to be exercised for the prevention of such an abuse of the French flag . A case of great importance to the Roman Catholic Church in Prance , and ivhich has

been in dependence for some time , was decided a few days ago by the civil tribunal of Periguenx . A Roman Catholic priest , who had retired for some time from the active duties of the ministry , proposed to marry , ancl found a lady who was willing to accept him as a husband , but the mayors of two districts refused to celebrate the marriage . The i _ riest appealed to the

Court , insisting that marriage was a civil contract , and that in becoming a priest he did not forfeit his rights as a citizen . The Church might ignore the ceremony , or even excommunicate him . for the act , but her censures would not invalidate the civil coiltract . After several hearings and much deliberation , the Court gave judgment in favour of the priest , declaring that there was