The Week.

tunate creature was in a state bordering upon starvation , and not morally responsible for her actions . The jury acquitted her on the ground of insanity , and she was ordered to be detained during her Majesty ' s pleasure . Alexander George Gray and AVilliam Oliver Gray , father and son , were charged with forgery and fraud . The particular charge which was gone into was that of feloniously altering a bill of lading for the delivery of a large quantity of alkali . The younger prisoner was acquitted

, and the elder prisoner was found guilty , but strongly recommended to mercy . Mr . Baron Martin , in consideration of this recommendation , as well as of his age , sentenced him to nine months' hard labour . Another accident has happened at a colliery—the Victoria Pit , Dukinfield . Two men were descending the shaft , when the chain of the balance rope gave way , and one of the men was seriously injured , but no life was

lost . The Warrior is now lying at anchor off Osborne , in attendance on her Majesty . It is proposed to light this leviathan ship by gas , and also to place on board the necessary apparatus for producing electric light .

FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE . —Various German journals publish summarized versions of the answer which the Prussian Government has given to the proposals of the Saxon Minister , Baron von Beust , for a reform in the constitution of the Germanic Confederation . The Prussian Government entirely disapproves of the scheme . Sicily is again disturbed by the reactionists , who have raised their banners at Castellamara . Troops had been'dispatched against them from Palermo , the inhabitants of

which city have offered to co-operate with the Government against the insurrectionary movement . The band of the reactionary chief Carbone had been dispersed . Garibaldi , in accepting the presidency of the Rifle Association of Genoa , exhorts the members to prepare themselves to take up arms ; " for the moment approaches when you will have to give fresh proofs of your fervour . " The French Chambers are not to meet till the 22 th—a fortnight later than expected—the delay ,

it is said , being occasioned by M . Fould not being ready with his financial plans . The Emperor Alexander has closed the University of St . Petersburg , and has dismissed all the professors and students . He has , however , permitted the students to continue their academical course at any other Russian University , and the professors may perhaps , " with the sanction of the authorities , " be restored to their posts when the St . Petersburg University shall he re-opened under the new regulations which are to be framed for its government .

AJIERICA . —The Ev . ropa arrived on Monday at Queenstowu but she brought nothing definite respecting the Mason-Slidell dimralty . During a debate in the Senate at AVashington , several senators opposed a surrender of the Confederate Commissioners . On AVednesday the City of Washington arrived with the gratifying intelligence that the AVashington Government had given up the Confederate Commissioners , and Lord Lyons , according to the Foreign-office despatch , was to receive

these gentlemen when and where he pleased . Simultaneously with the receipt of this most important and gratifying intelligence , we are apprised of new and vigorous measures of warlike character which are about to be instituted by the Federal Government . An expedition accompanied by an army of 12 , 000 men is about to sail from Annapolis , the object of which is to compel General Beauregard to divide his forces in Virginiaand thus to enable General M'Clellan the more surel

, y to strike a blow . The mouth of the Charleston harbour has been effectually closed . Two supposed Confederate agents have been seized by Federal steamers on board of the Eugenia Smith , a schooner bearing the British flag , which may create another difficulty . This vessel was overhauled on the coast of Texas . The text of the Prussian Government ' s note respecting the Trent affair has been published . Count Bevnstorff declares that the seizure of the Confederate Commissioners on board the

Trent was a violation of the right of neutrals , and that public opinion in Europe unanimously condemns it . According to a letter from St . Petersburg , thc- Russian Government , since the seizure of the Confederate Commissioners on board the Trent , has " employed ail its influence in . favour of peace , and has recently taken fresh steps to the same end . " The note respecting the Trent affair , addressed by Count Rechberg to the Austrian Envoy at AVashington , declares that

in the opinion of the Austrian Cabinet , " according to the doctrines of international law which are adopted by all the powers , and which the American Government has itself often taken as a basis for its conduct , England could not , in the present case , re-

The Week.

frain from protesting against the insult to her flag , and demanding a just reparation . " The Confederate steamer Sumter arrived at Cadiz on Saturday . The American Consul solicited the Spanish authorities to refuse her permission to enter the port ; but , after the orders of the Ministry at Madrid had been taken , she was allowed to come into the harbour , but was not saluted ~ by the forts . The Sumter is said to have had on board 42 prisoners , the crew s of three Federal merchant vessels which

have been destroyed by this audacious and successful cruiser since she escaped from Martinique iu spite of the presence of the Federal steamer Iroquois . INDIA AND CHINA . —The intelligence from India brought by the Bombay mail is very satisfactory . The health of the country generally was good ; trade and commerce were thriving ; cotton was being abundantly planted , and peace pervaded the whole country . The North-AVest Provincesso recentlravaged b

, y y famine , were covered with promising crops , and the people happy and contented . It is announced that the miscreant Nana Sahib has been captured at Kurrachee ; there is some doubt of his identity , but the evidence in favour of it is very strong . The murderer of the late Major Burton and his sons has been hung at Kotah , the scene of his crimes . Orders had been issued for tho creation of a chief commissioner of the central provinces . Accounts from Pekin state that the new Celestial

Emperor has arrived in his capital , and has taken measures which promise well for the maintenance of amicable relations between China and the European powers . Prince Kung , who is known to advocate a strict observance of the stipulations contained in the Treaty of Pekin , has been appointed ' Regent of the Empire ; " and the Supreme Council , which was composed of men attached to old Chinese ideas , and hostile to commerce and intercourse with Europeans , has been dissolved . This

administrative revolution has not been as bloodless as a minis-, terial crisis in Europe , for the President of the Finance Department has been publicly executed , and two other officialshave been compelled to commit suicide .

To Correspondents.

TO CORRESPONDENTS .

To SUBSCRIEEES AND OTHEES . —All remittances by cheque , postoffice orders , & c , are to be made payable to the Proprietor ,. Mr . AVilliam Smith , C . E ., 19 , Salisbury-street , Strand . CojnrusTCATioNS for the EDITOR to be addressed to H . G . AVarren , Esq ., Salisbury-street , Strand . ALL OEDERS OR Communications with respect to the publishing

department to be addressed to the publisher , 19 , Salisburystreet , Strand . A . B . C . —The Scottish and the Irish Calendars may be both obtained from Bro . Speucer , Great Queen Street . J . AV . —AA e cannot tell which is the best and cheapest Masonic Jeweller . AVe do not believe that the cheapest is always

the best . S . S . —Signs and Symbols are best explained in lodge . AVe certainly cannot explain Masonic signs in the pages of the FEEEMASONS' MAGAZINE . NONPLUS is inexplicable . AA e have no idea what he means . J . T . R . —The last Prince of Wales , afterwards George IV ., was initiated in 17 S 7 .

FEEEMASON ' S HALL . —The first stone was laid in 1775 . CURIOUS . —Bro . Preston , the founder of the Prestonian Lecture , died in 1819 . P . G . M . —His late Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex , died on April 21 , 1843 . The Grand Festival consequently was not held that year . We never heard what became of the amount subscribed by the Grand Stewards . AA e supposed they

obtained the honour without the expense . P . M . —You have no authority in a lodge of which yon become a joining member , in right of having passed through the chair in another lodge . You are a Past Master in the lodge , but not of the lodge , and are eligible for the Master ' s chair without serving any other office in the lodge .