The Week.

and that our Government had committed a breach of faith by communicating to Mr . Seward the despatch in which tbe French government last autumn asked the government of England to join in an effort to terminate the hostilities in America . —Mr . Gladstone moved a vote for the purchase of the Exhibition building , but , after a stormy debate , the proposal

of the Government was rejected by a large majority . On Friday , the House held a morning sitting , which was entirely occupied with the Irish Fisheries Bill . —At the evening sitting the Solicitor-General , in reply to a question from Mr . Carnegie , said that in the present state of things in America , it was not contrary to international law to consign arms , ammunition ,

or medicines to the ports of Quebec , Nassau , Matamoras , and Havana—only cargoes comsisting of such articles must be bona fide intended for the neutral ports , to which they are represented to be consigned . —In reply the a question from Col . Annesley , Lord Hartington said the Commissioners appointed to examine the frontier defences of Canada had sent in their

report , but the Home Government must await the decision of of the colonial authorities on the recommendations embodied in the document . —Mr . Villiers stated that he would postpone the next stage of the hill for the continuance of the Relief Aid Act until after his interview , which was fixed for Wednesday next , with a deputation from the magistrates of the

counties affected by the measure . —Mr . Caird then brought forward his motion on the subject of the cultivation of cotton in India . The hon . gentleman contended that much more might be done than had hitherto been accomplished , and in this view he was supported by Mr . Bazley . —Mr . Cobden ridiculed the efforts which had been made by the Indian government to promote the cultivation of cotton , while Sir C . Wood , on the other hand , defended the government . The motion

was negatived . On Monday , Mr . Seymour Fitzgerald put a question to the Government respecting the case of the ship Margaret and Jessie , which was recently fired into by a Federal cruiser close to one of the Bahama Islands—only a few hundred yards from the shore , it is alleged . Sir . Layard stated , in reply , that Mr . Seward had informed Lord Lyons , that the

Federal commander denied that he had fired at the vessel while she was in British waters , but the whole matter would be investigated , and , if wrong had been done , the " most ample reparation" would be made . —In answer to a question from Mr . Warner , Lord Palmerston said there was no truth in the statement which had appeared in a French journal , that

England was so far committed upon the Polish question that , if France and Russia went to war , that country could not remain neutral . We were bound , said the noble lord , neither one way nor the other , but were free to adopt any line of policy which the course of events might impose upon us . —The noble lord , in reply to an appeal from Mr . Roebuck , agreed , upon

certain conditions , to give Monday next for the adjourned debate on the motion in favour of the recognition of the Southern States . —Mr . Ayrton moved a resolution in favour of extinguishing the Commissioners of the Exhibition of 1851 , and of vesting the property now held by them in the Commissioners of Works . The hon . gentleman strongly denounced

the manner in which the Commissioners had performed the duties assigned to them ; but Mr . Lowe , while defending the Commissioners , pointed out to Mr . Ayrton that a Royal Commission could not be determined by parliamentary vote . After some further discussion , the House divided , when the resolution was rejected by a majority of 123 . —Another discussion on

the policy of the Government in China was started by Lord Naas , but the noble lord , although strongly condemning the course which the Government was pursuing , did not submit a

resolution to the House on the subject . Mr . Layard defended the course pursued by the Governmnnt , and after some discussion thc matter dropped . On Tuesday , -Mr . Bailie Cochrane , renewed his attack upon the Board of Works by moving a resolution in favour of the re-constitution of the department on a different basis . The motion was opposed by

Government , and on a division was rejected by a large majority —After a protest from Mr . Newdegate , Lord Alfred Churchilll obtained leave to bring in a bill which , as we understand the telegraphic report , purposes virtually to render it impossible torecover church rates [ by process of law . — A discussion on the claims of Azrem Jah to the dignity of nawaub

of the Carnatic was stopped in the bud by a " count-out . " On AVedncsday Mr . Paull ' s bill , prohibiting the use of poisoned grain for the destruction of birds , was read a second time , after a good deal of discussion . —Mr . Laird ' s bill , providing for ths official testing of the anchors and cable chains used by merchant vessels was characterised by Mr . Milner Gibson and Mr .

Lindsay as impracticable , but the measure received the support of Sir John Pakington , Sir J . Elphinstone , ancl other members . Mr . Lindsay moved the usual " this day three months " amendment , but on a division the second reading was was carried by 119 against 44 votes . Mr . Gladstone obtained leave to bring in a bill declaring the gold coins issued from the Sydney Mint a

legal tender . The remaining business was unimportant . GENEIU . II HOME NEWS . —The mortality in London during tho past week again rose above the average . The deaths were 1187 , which was 45 above the ten years' average of 1142 . Small-pox has not increased in virulence , but neither has it diminished . It is not , however , so fatal as scarlatina . The births for the week were 1997 children : the average for the last ton years was not higher than 1723 . The quarter of the year that has just elapsed

has been peculiarly unhealthy ; the deaths have been above the average every week in the quarter but one , and that one the last ; and last week , the first week of the new quarter , the average is again exceeded . Earl St . Maur , the Duke of Somerset's eldest son , has been summoned to the House of Peers by the old family title of Baron Seymour . There is no truth

in the statement that Lord Clarence Paget , the Secretary to the Admiralty , is about to assume the command of the North American squadron . At the meeting of the Central Executive Relief Committee , the Honorary Secretary presented his monthly report , in which we find the statement that " it is now certain that of those persons usually employed in the mills in the cotton

districts , about 234 , 642 are in full work , 125 , 097 short time , and 189 , 729 out of work , against 192 , 527 full time , 129 , 741 short time , ancl 215 , 519 out of work in the last week of April . " The report , however , goes on to deal with the prospects of the winter , ancl we are warned to expect , when the season arrives during which outdoor labour will be considerably reduced , an

addition of 100 , 000 to the 256 , 230 persons who arc now receiving relief , The Committee have a balance at the bank of about £ 340 , 000 ; but there is no doubt , says the report , that the whole will be absorbed before the close of next winter . A meeting of the Metropolitan Board of Works has been held , at which Mr . Bazalgette reported favourable and rapid progress

on the different sections of the main drainage scheme . An application from the trustees of tho Peabody fund had been received by the board , soliciting that the provision of the Act of Parliament which requires that houses where a number of families are intended to reside shall be built in such a manner as to render them fireproof , should be relaxed in the case of

some houses they intended to build at Shadwell . The board decided that they had no power to relax the provisions of the Act , and refused the application . The great annual rifle