The Week.

the ill-will of the inhabitants , and added thafc it Avould not interfere with the reforms Avliioh it AVUS intended to introduce into the administration of Poland . A Government prosecution of a novel kind is about to take place iu Bvomhevg , East Prussia . Five local judges are to be arraigned as political offenders against the Government . Daring the late elections circulars were issued by the Minister of justice to all the functionaries

under him claiming their support as electors for the ministerial candidates . Tho five magistrates alluded to replied to the circular by energetic protests against ivhafc they conceived to be an illegitimate interference with their rights as electors and citizens . The Government , it is stated , has had the bad taste to institute criminal proceedings against the authors of tbe protest . A Turkish Avar vessel , destined for Belgrade , has ascended tho

Danube . The Servian authorities have protested against this as an infraction of the rights of the Principalities . AVhile on this subject ifc may bo remarked that the Ottoman Grand A izier has issued a circular to all the governors of provinces adjacent to , or connected wifch Se-.-via , which proclaims a determination to maintain intact all the privileges and rights conceded to Servia ; but , as a matter of course , throws all the blame of the recent disturbances upon malignant Servians and evil-minded

enemies of public order . It is reported that Admiral Jurien de Lagraviere , AVIIO will take the chief command of the French fleet in the Gulf of Mexico , ivill hoist his flag on hoard the ironcased frigate Normandie—perhaps ivith the double purpose of subjecting one of tho iron-clad French frigates to the trial of a Transatlantic voyage , and of providing , in some measure , against any contingencies that may arise from the confidence of the

Americans in the poivers of their iron-clad gunboats . It is said that tho French force in Mexico may probably he raised to 20 , 000 or 25 , 000 men ; hut that , unless General Lorenccz's position should he very dangerous , none of the reinforcements will he landed at A era Cruz before the expiration of tho unhealthy season .

CHINA . — The intelligence by tho Calcutta and China mails contains an announcement that there had been further hostilities between the Chinese rebels in the neighbourhood of Shanghai and tho French and English forces . The rebels had "been driven out of tiro towns , ivhich wero replaced under tho imperial authority ; but during tho operations the French Admiral Protefc was killed . A reinforcement of Sepoys had been solicited from the Indian governmentand a cargo of arms and

, ammunition , probably intended for sale to the rebels , had been seized and confiscated by the allies . AAIEEICA . —The Africa , from Boston and Halifax , does not bring the announcement of any battle in front of Richmond . President Lincoln had gone to West Point , in order to hold an oral consultation with General Scott . The battle which Avas fought on the 16 th ult . near Charleston , is described as severe ,

the loss on both sides being said to be exceedingly heavy . The Confederates were reported to have been victorous ; bufc no Northern accounts of the engagement had been received . There ivas no material change in New Orleans ; and General Butler's administration continued to be marked by rigour . He had sent an alderman and the chairman of a relief committee to Fort Jackson , with orders that a hall and chain should be attached to their legs , and that they should be put to hard labour . He was still engaged in quarrels with the foreign consuls , and had refused to answer the inquiries of Mr . Coppell , the acting British consul , respecting an oath tendered to foreign

inhabitants—declaring that he AVOUUI hold no intercourse with Mr . Coppell until his pretensions and credentials should have been recognised by the British and Federal governments . The Tax Bill—including a clause ivhich imposes a tax of half a cent a pound on cotton—had afc length been passed by both Houses of the Federal Congress . The Committee of the House of Representatives had amended Secretary Chase's bill for an additional issue of demand notes , by reducing tbe aggregate amount

of the new notes to 100 , 000 , 000 dollars , and authorising the Secretary of the Treasury to issue them for sums of less than five dollars . The Etna via Queenstown , brings intelligence to July 1 st . Generals Fremont , Banks , and M'Dowell ' s forces have been consolidated into one army , and General Pope has been assigned to the chief command . It is officially stated that General M'Clellan has been largely reinforced since the battle of Fair Oaks . Genera ! Pope ivill also operate against Richmond .

The steamer Lempis , from Nassau , has run the Charleston blockade . Federal accounts state that the Federals attacked James Island , near Charleston , on the 14 th inst ., and were repulsed after four hours hard fighting , ivith a loss of 660 killed ,

The Week.

AA-ouiiding , and missing . The Federals Avere obliged to retreat under cover of their gunboats . It is stated that the Federal General Benham will he courfc-martialled for disobedience of General Hunter's orders in . attacking the batteries before Charleston . General Fremont asked to he relieved from his command because General Pope had been appointed oi-er him . President Lincoln has acceded to General Fremont ' s request ,

and appointed General Rufns King to take his place . Southern , papers state that great efforts are being made to hold Vicksburgh . President Lincoln has sent to the Senate a treaty , made by the American Minister , baaing to Mexico 11 , 000 , 000 dols . At New- Orleans the Federal surgeon Biddle , having taken a slave to be his servant , the oivner of the slave retook him from Biddle . The owner ivas thereupon condemed to two years imprisonmentifc having been decided that the

, Federal army must have everything ifc requires for its use . On the 26 th inst . tho Confederates , having been reinforced by StoneAvall Jackson , attacked the right Aving of the Federals "before lUchmonil with heavy force . Severe fighting continued during two days , ivith heai-y lovs on both sides . The Federals , by order of General M'Clellan , receded several miles , hotly pursued by the Confederates . The Federals then made a stand , and held their position . The Federals are stated to have retreated

for a strategic purpose . No official intelligence has yet been received . The fighting probably continues . The telegraphic communication has been interrupted . Information obtained from reliable sources leads to the belief thafc General Burnside was to attack tho Confederate defences near Richmond on fche 2 Sfch inst . Fresh reports have been received of the late fight

before Richmond , according to which General M'Clellan has contracted his lines , and massed his troops between the Chickahoniiny and James Rivers . The latter constitutes his base o £ operations . AVhite House has been abandoned , and the tight Aving of M'Clollan's army has been drawn across the Chickahoniiny . On the 27 th inst . the Confederates made an attack on the right iviiig of the Federals . The division of Stonewall Jackson attacked M'Clellan's division of reserves on the extreme

right . After a fight of three hours Jackson ivas repulsed . The Confederates then made several attacks on the Federal right Aving , and severe lighting ensued . General M'Clellan then commenced the strategic movements , for AA-hich he had been preparing his AA-hole right Aving , fell back , and crossed the south side of the Chickahominy , in rear of his left Aving . He afterwards made for the James River . The evacuation of AVhite House was completed on Saturday afternoonthe Federals

, carrying off all their materiel . The attack of Vicksburg by the Federal fleet in force is imminent . INDIA . —The Bombay mail has arrived . Somo alarm had been created in the North-west Provinces by rumours of an intended insurrection of the native population . It was said thafc wheateu cakes had been circulated in the same Avay as before the great mutinies , and that the government had

inter-. cepted letters from Mecca written for the purpose of fomenting disaffection among the Mohammedans . Heavy storms in Bengal have caused much injury to the opium crop ; and it was estimated thafc tho yield of opium would be diminished by more than 12 , 000 chests , and that there would , consequently , be a deficiency of more than LE 1 , G 00 , 000 in the revenue which Mr . Lainghad expected to realise for the current A ear .

To Correspondents.

TO CORRESPONDENTS .

EXCELSIOK . —1 . The Master of a lodge has no right to vary the regular night for meeting , as provided for in the Avarrant and bye-laws . 2 . He has not the right on his sole authority to direct that a regular monthly meeting shall not be called . 3 . We should hold that the majority of the lodge has a right to adjourn over ono ov move regular monthly meetings without dispensation , if they think it desirable .

4 . In the event of the W . M . refusing , or neglecting , to call a regular meeting in accordance with the bye-laws , the S . AV . has no authority to issue the summonses . 5 . If the members W ° H--1 I the bye-laAVS to be strictly adhered to , and the AA . M . refuses to do so , complaint should be made to the Board of General Purposes of it , if in London , or the Prov . G . Master if in the country . StfKEET . —Our reports of the l'rov . Grand Lodge is necessarily postponed , owing to the non receipt of some promised details , such as the appointments & c .