The Week.

hgence from China in particular will necessitate a consultation of the government to decide upon immediate steps to be taken to brine the Chinese pirates to their senses . The trial trip of the Great , Eastern has come to a most disastrous conclusion—after having delighted all on board with the satisfactory proofs given of her sea-going qualities and her immense speed and steadiness under steam , a fearful accident has put a stop to her progress for some time . On her passage from the to off

Nore AVeymouth , Hastings , at six , p . m ., on Friday , a terrific explosion occurred in the funnel casing ofthe forward boilers ; the fittings of the grand saloon and lower deck cabins were blown to pieces thirteen firemen and stokers were scalded or burnt , two are since dead ' one jumped overboard , and was drowned . Five are not expected to recover . No passenger was injured . The magnificent decorations of the grand saloon are totalldestroyedvalued at £ 5000 but the

y , ,, ship aud machinery otherwise have sustained little injury . The inquest on the bodies of the men who lost their lives by the explosion , was opened at the Town Hall , AVeymouth , on Monday . After some preliminary evidence had been taken , tho inquiry was adjourned till this clay , in order that a thorough scientific examination into the cause ofthe accident may be made . The strike in the building trade has shown some more favourable features this week ; on Monday several ofthe

building yards were opened , without the document being insisted on . At others the test was required , but refused by the men . The probability now is that the strike -as strikes usually do—will wear out , instead of coming to an abrupt termination by mutual arrangement . The weekly report of the Registrar General says the mortality of London ^ ol ° X , ' i " t , 1 G avera S e rate > whicll > exclusive ofthe weeks of 1849 and 1854 ( when the cholera was epidemic ) , would havo demanded 1 ] 02 lives . The actual number last week 111

was ] . In the same period the births of 875 boys and 827 girls were registered . A serious fire has occurred in the pitch and tar factory of Mr . Dorsett , Plough-road , Rotherhithe . the catastrophe was caused by tho bursting of a retort . James Kirkham , clerk to Mr . Humphrey , local commissioner for the redemption of land tax , was charged at the Mansion House on Saturday with forginr .-the names of Sir Alexander Duff Gordon and Mr . Disraeli ' to a certificate for about £ 600 . The prisoner was remandedand bail refused .

, Normington has been fully committed for trial by the Leeds magistrates , on the charge of murdering Mr . Brought ., n . The prisoner has made a confession , but denies that he did the deed , although he spoke to tho murderer just after the commission of the crime . Boarder is discharged . The city commissioners of sewers held their first meeting yesterdav since the commencement ofthe holidays . Deputy Christie in the chair . Some reports were presented from Dr . Letheby , after which the court adjourned . At the Court of Bankruptcy melanchol

a y ease was brought under consideration . It was that oi' 11 . Cane , a fishmonger at AA mdsor , who , suffering from mental derangement , was unable to attend to his business , whicli , conducted properly , might have been a very prosperous one . It , therefore , devolved upon others who , it was stated , managed it so imprudentl y that insolvency soon resulted . After the bankruptcy the poor fellow soon became the inmate of a lunatic asylum ; but he has now recovered his reasonIt fearedhoweverthat

. was , , any excitement such as would naturall y ensue from an examination , would cause a relapse . The Commissioner , therefore , in consideration of the circumstances of the case , the . bankrupt ' s debts not being huge , his estate having already paid 2 s . iu the pound , and there being " no opposition , granted an immediate second class certificate . Adjournments of examination meetings in several cases were rendered necessary in consequence of the unprepared state of the accounts . It caused the remark bthe Commissioner th

y at adjournments were becoming almost matters of course , and that it was a practice which ought to be checked . Although at the first sitting of the coroner ' s jury to inquire into the circumstances attending the disastrous explosion on board the Great

Eastern , it was resolved to adjourn the inquest till Saturday , yet as it was considered desirable that as little delay as possible should take place arrangements were made to resume the subject on AVednesday . On this occasion Mr . Scott Russell was present , and made a statement relative to his absence in the first instance , and also as to the . evidence to be brought forward . The investigation was again adjourned till Saturday . The prices of the various securities recovered from their previous depression , owing to the expectation that thc concerted

measures between France and England to revenge the insult offered in the rupture of tho newtreaty will more closely cement the alliance between the two countries . Consols were eventually quoted 95 £ to A for money and the account ! About £ 48 , 000 of gold was sent into the Bank , and it is expected other arrivals , when they are received , will be retained in this eountrv . Only a small sum of the Indian loan was paid in full , but the price recovered from the fall

previous . There was not much demand for money , the average quotation remaining 2 £ per cent . COMMERCIAL ; AND PUBLIC COMPANIES . —During thc past week there has been less activity in the port of Loudon . The number of vessels announced inwards at the Custom House amounted to 249 ; there were 6 from Ireland , and 139 colliers . The entries outwards amounted to 102 and those cleared to 107 besides 10 iu ballastThe departures for

, , . the Australian colonies have been three vessels , viz ., 1 to Sydney of 60 S tons ; 1 to Port Philip of 1206 tons ; 1 to Adelaide of 709 tons ; makin .,-a total of 2701 tons , The traffic returns of tlie railways in the United Kl o d 0 ° o ' ' tb 0 week endi " the ; Jr < 1 September , amounted to £ o 33 , 230 , and for the corresponding week of ] 85 S to £ 508 , 090 , showing an increase of £ 25 , 140 , The gross receipts of thc eight railways havin °

The Week.

then- termini in the metropolis amounted to £ 229 , 363 , and for the cor responding period of last year to £ 221 , 669 , showing an increase of £ 7694 Ihe receipts on the other lines in the United Kingdom amounted to £ 303 , 867 , and for the corresponding week of last year to £ 286 421 showing an increase of £ 17 , 446 , which , added to the increase on the metropolitan lines , makes the total increase £ 25 , 140 , as compared with the corresponding week of 1858 . During the past week the movements of tho metals have

precious boon extensive . The imports have been largo , and comprise £ 50 , 000 from thc United States , by the Arabia-£ 129 , 600 by the City of Manchester ; £ 37 , 609 by the Hammonia £ 226 , 000 by tho City of Baltimore ; and £ 160 , 170 by the Vanderbilt ' The Oneider , from Australia , brought £ 339 , 178 ; aud the Eagle , £ 126 , 540 the total being £ 1 , 069 , 097 . The exports have been £ 159 , 697 to Bombayby the Indus ; £ 45000 to Cadizbthe Oscarand the shipments

, , , y ; to tho continent through the London Custom House estimated at £ 2192 making a _ total of £ 206 , 889 . -The intelligence from China exercised no immediate effect upon thc silk market , but among the operators in tho tea trade thc influence was very decided . A great number of the large holders refused to sell until further details were ascertained , while in the business that in reality occurred au advance of-Jd . to Id . on common congous , and of 2 d . per pound on black-leaf kinds , was established . The of thc

report Intercolonial Royal Mail Steampacket Company has been presented preparatory to the meeting which is to take place on the 23 rd inst . It appears that the directors , in addition to the original sum of £ 24 , 000 for carrying the mails between Sydney and tho principal ports ofthe colony of New Zealand , havo obtained a further subsidy , amounting to £ 0000 , for which they undertake to run a boat monthly between Sydney and Auckland direct . Although the supplementary service is

an equivalent for the increased outlay by government , its performance docs not involve any addition to the fleet . Under the new arrangements three boats will be actively employed , the remaining one being available for any unforeseen contingency . 'The working account presented to the shareholders has been constructed , whicli shows a balance of £ 7 , 000 in favour of the company . This amount , after deducting for depreciation as shown by profit and loss , enables ^ the directors to recommend an ad -interim dividend at the rate of 1 h per cent , per annum , free of income taxleaving a balance iu

, hand . A steady and rapid increase of traffic is presented iu each successive voyage , and , under the circumstances , a favourable future is anticipated . The dividend declared at tho meeting of the Ottoman bank was at the rate of 8 per cent , por annum , and after its payments the profit will leave a balance of £ 1030 to bo carried forward to the next account . The reserve fund now amounts to about £ 40 , 000 , and it is stated that the progress has been satisfactory , notwithstanding the adverse stale of affairs existing during the past six monthsThe posi

. - tion of monetary relations in the Ottoman empire , it has been thought , lenders it necessary that a national bank should be established . The connection ofthe Ottoman bank with tho government was satisfactory , but terms had nevertheless been ceded toother parties for organizim ' such au institution , though no result had yet been arrived at . The commission appointed to regulate finances consisted of six persons , with whom was associated Mr . Falconnet , the managing director , and the effect the ivill steadil

upon paper currency y become apparent . Thc Overland advices have not exercised any fresh influence ou the value of Calcutta and China produce in Mluoing-lanc . The little effect that the outbreak of hostilities appears to have had on the tea trade at the principal Chinese ports has tended to cheek the excitement which thc telegrams had induced here ; but the firmness of the market is , on the other handsustained bthe unfavourable tenor of the accounts

, y crop and on the whole rather a large business has been concluded at quite yesterday ' s rates . A better inquiry has prevailed in the rice market in consequence of thc reference which the Calcutta letters make to the continued restriction of shipments for this country . All other articles remain much as they were . The Royal mail , steamer Atrato has arrived Irom tho A \ est Indies with £ 120 , 000 , the particulars of which remain to be ascertained . No transactions occurred in the shares of the Great Steamshi but

p Company ; the quotation was maintained at s - to v 1 'i'om . From the Paris Bourse business continues to present a favourable appearance , and quotations again close rather higher , particularly f . . r tho account . Four per Cent . Rentes , for money , wore at the close Off . 50 c . ; Three per Cents ., for money , OSf . 55 c . and for the account , OSf . 05 c . Bank shares were 27 S 0 f . " On the other Bourses the transactions showed some fluctuation , and tho tendency was not altogether encouraging , the state of business bein" far from active . =

To Correspondents.

TO CORRESPONDENTS .

SI - . . IIO . VSES I'OK LODGE MEETINGS . — - "Inquirer" asks— ' - 'How many days prior to an ordinary meeting of a Lodge should the summons be issued by the Secretary ? There does not appear to be any law upon the subject ; the Book of Constitutions , p . S'J , requiring that a notice of not less than seven days shall be given prior to a Lod go of Emergency only . AVhat is the general practice . Some Lod ges , I am informed , consider three days' notice sufficient ; but , query , is not a notice- of seven days more consonant with the spirit of Masonic law ?"— [ AVe consider that in every case at least seven days' notico of a meeting should bo given . ]