The Week.

mark , and may be said generally to have brought in a bill of indictment against the management of the Empire ' s foreign nffairs . M . F . milc OUivier defended the foreign policy of the Government against his ancient colleague . The debate Avas resumed on Tuesday . M . Picard sustained the views of tho Opposition , and M . Rouhor was the champion of the Government . Tho Minister stated , in the course of his speech , that the

French troops would all return home " as soon as possible . " In a subsequent speech M . Rouhcv denied that there is the slightest chance of a war between France and the United States . It is now certain that M . Baroche is to be President of the French Corps Legislatif , and the deputy for Seine-et-Oise has vacated his seat to make room for the new dignitary . An

opposition candidate is , however , to be brought forward , and a keen contest is expected . M . Paulin Limayrac , it is said , is to be appointed to the invidious office of chief censor of the press . I \ I . Carron has been appointed commissioner at Dublin on behalf of French subjects who shall have articles at the forthcoming exhibition . The Marquis de Lavalette has inaugurated his

tenure of office by suspending for two months the Union de VOuesl , for an article in its columns respecting certain rumours . The same paper has already been distinguished by three warnings previous to this , and a two months' suspension . It is understood that the Prince Imperial accompanies the Emperor on his trip to Algeria . M . Maurice Joly , a member of the

Paris bar , is about to be prosecuted on suspicion of being tho author of a work which was published six months ago at Geneva , wherein , it is alleged , the writer holds up the French Government to hatred and contempt . The Belgian Minister of War , General Chav-al , fought a duel on Saturday with M . Delaert , a deputy , who considered himself insulted by the language used by the minister during a debate in the Chamber of Deputies on

Wednesday . The result of the duel was that General Chazal was " very slightly wounded in the side . " The Treaty of Commerce between Austria and tho Zollvoroin was signed at Berlin on Tuesday . The debate on the bill for the modification of the Danish constitution has concluded , after having been protracted for many weeks . But it has only ended in a sort of fiasco . Adopted by the Upper House , it has been

rejected in the Lower by a small majority . At Rome Palm Sunday Avas celebrated with splended ceremonies . The Pope blessed a number of palms and distributed them among the representatives of foreign States . Tho Duke de Persigny , to whose mission so much political importance has long been attached by anticipation , has arrived in Rome . The Prince of

Servia , " desirous of recognising the services rendered by Richard Cobden to the cause of humanity and of Servia , " ordered a funeral service in honour of his memory to be celebrated . It seems riot quite certain whether the Emperor of tho French has given up his projected visit to Algeria or not . The yacht Aigle has returned to Toulon to bo at his disposal should he

decide upon making the voyage . But the general impression appears to be that he will not go , neither the state of Algeria nor that of his own health wholly favouring such an expedition . The Spanish Minister of Public Works died suddenly iu Madrid on Wednesday from a stroke of apoplexy . Despatches received in Berlin from St . Petersburg announce that

the Council of the Empire has approved the new press law submitted to it for examination by the Government , and that it will probably be promulgated immediately . This law allows the Minister of the Interior to suspend temporarily auy paper after three warnings , but requires a vote of the Senate before a journal can bo actually suppressed . AMERICA . —The military intelligence brought by the Africa is interesting and important ; but the details are very im-

The Week.

perfect and obscure . General Lee attacked tho Federals on the 25 th of March , near Petersburg , and a severe battle ensued . The Confederates , we are told , gained a temporary success , but were afterwards repulsed . The losses were heavy , but no estimate of them has been transmitted to us . It has been

reported in the North that General Grant ' s army had commenced a movement ; but up to the date of the latest telegrams no confirmation of the report had been received . General Sherman , it is announced , had had hard and continued fighting since leaving Fayettevillo , but he had formed a junction with the corps of Generals Schofield and Terry at Goldsborough , which had been occupied by General Schofield on the 22 nd of

March , and there , it is stated , the armies were resting to refit , the campaign having been a glorious success . General Sherman had issued an order of the day , dated near Bentonville , on the 22 nd of March , in which ho stated that tho concentrated army had upon the 2 J . st been beaten upon their chosen ground , and were fleeing in disorder , leaving their dead and wounded , and burning the bridges in their retreat . General Sherman had quitted his army and proceeded to Cit

y Point , where he held a council of war on the 27 th of March , Avith President Lincoln , General Grant , and General Sheridan , and afterwards returned to Goldsborough . The unconfirmed report of the movement of General Grant's army had arisen immediately after the meeting of this council of war . President Lincoln remained at City Point , whither Secretary Seward had gone to join him . Rumours of peace negotiations were again current ; but a New York telegram of the morning of the 31 st

March states it to have been " semi-ofiicialty denied that General Lee has demanded a peace conference . " The City of London brings intelligence to the 1 st inst . A movement had commenced in the army of General Grant in which Sheridan

took 2 '" rfc . Tho Confederate pickets were driven back , and some skirmishing with trilling losses on both sides took place . The Federal forces have advanced against Mobile , and from heavy firing which has been heard it is believed the attack is commenced . Mobile is said to bo provisioned for a six months ' siege . INDIA . —A summary of Sir Charles Trevolyan's financial statement has been received from Bombay . The Indian deficit

for the year ending iu April , 1 SG 5 , is stated to amount to £ 1-11 , 000 ; but the surplus for the year ending in April , 1806 , is estimated at £ 500 , 000 . The income-tax is to cease , but an export duty of 3 per cent , ad valorem is to be levied on jute , wool , tea , and coffee , and one of 2 per cent , ad valorem on hides , sugar , and silk . A brief telegram from the Bombay Government , received on Saturday at the India Office , announces

that General Tombs has re-taken Dewangiri . The Bhootanese , who are stated to have fought well , had 130 men killed , and 30 , including two of their chiefs , were made prisoners . As to the English loss , we only learn that no officers were killed . NEAT ZEALAND . —A telegram received at the War Office from General Cameron , announces a sharp engagement between the British troops iu New Zealand and the insurgent Maoris . General Cameron states that on the 24 th January he advanced

with S 00 men towards the Waitotara river , and that on the same day there was a skirmish witli the insurgents , who assailed his pickets . On the 25 th January the Maoris in force attacked his camp , but were repulsed with the loss of seventy killed and an unknown number wounded . The losses of the

English troops during the two days amounted to three officers wounded , and fifteen men killed and thirty wounded . On the 5 th February General Cameron crossed the Waitotara river and encamped on its left bank .

To Correspondents.

TO CORRESPONDENTS .

ERRATUM . —In our issue of the 1 st inst ., in Masonic Mems ., for " Bedford Eye and Ear Infirmary , " read " Bradford Eye and Ear Infirmary . " Tnr . GIUIS' SCHOOL . —Our report of the election on Thursday is necessarily delayed , owing to Good Friday having necessitated our going to press some eighteen hours earlier than usual .

* *—Various communications are held over from the same cause .