The Week.

debts and outfit . " AVe have to report three sad occurrences , all attended with loss of life . On Thursday week a coalpit was flooded , at Coleorton , in Leicestershire , and two men and a boy appear to have perished . On Friday , an old man , named Gregory , residing at Leicester , was suffocated by foul air in an old cistern , which he had converted into a " grains bin . " His

daughter , on attempting to go to his rescue , met with a similar fate , and two men perished in an effort to reach the prostrate bodies of Gregory and his daughter . On Saturday a steamer went down , off Hartlepool , and all onboard are supposed to have been drowned . FOREIGN INTEELIGEITOE . '—In the hope that the Emperor

Napoleon ' s speech may throw some light on the policy Avhich he intends to pursue regarding Poland , French politicians and stockjobbers are eagerly looking forward to the meeting of the Legislative Body , which is expected to take place on the 5 th of November . Meanwhile the journals seem to have been instructed to publish articles not very coherent or consistent ,

which apparently mean that France will do nothing on behalf of the Poles without the concurrence of England and Austria , but which are filled with vauntings that are not altogether unsusceptible of a different interpretation . M . Billault , we learn by telegraph , died on Tuesday morning . R ? ports of his serious illness prevailed some weeks ago , hut the Monileur

asserted that the hon . gentleman's illness was of a very slight di-scription , and the announcement of his death has therefore fallen upon us unexpectedly . Marshal d'Ornana also died on the same day . He was the last surviving general of division of the First Empire , aud Governor of the Invalides . The Emperor took an affecting last Jarewell of the gallant old officer on Monday . There is a rumour that the death of M . Billault will probably cause the postponement of the opening of the

Legislative Body , but the rumour is scarcely likely to be verified . The AToniteur pays a grateful tribute to the memory of the departed . The Memorial Liplomaliaue affirms that the Emperor Napoleon has expressed complete approval of the Archduke Maximilian ' s reply to the Mexican deputation ; that measures will be taken in Mexico to ensure a national vote in favour of monarchy ; and that the Archduke will probably leave for

Mexico in February or March next . According to the German journals , Earl Russell has addressed to the Frankfort Diet a note , in which he ) condemns alike certain measures of Germany and of Denmark , but declares that England cannot A'iew with indifference a federal occupation of Holstein and its consequences , and suggests that , by the mediation of other

Powers , an attempt " shall be made to settle the disputes between Germany and Denmark on the subject of Schleswig-Holstein . A Berlin despatch affirms that the Swedish Government has ultimately refused to conclude the treaty of alliance between Denmark and Sweden , and that the French and Russian Envoys at Copenhagen have given very pacific

¦ counsels to . the Danish Cabinet . Nevertheless , it does not seem likely that the Danish Government will tamely submit to a "federal execution" in Holstein . Great preparations have been made throughout Prussia to celebrate the 50 th anniversary of the battle of Leipsic , ou the ISth . A royal decree was issued , directing special services on

the occasion in all the churches . Spain is at the present moment engaged in a stormy electoral contest . At the capital the elections are completed , anel have resulted in favour of the Government . Syria is again becoming the scene of disturbance and bloodshed . Several acts of insubordination have of late occurred , but a telegram from Alexandria now announces

that the Kurds in the neighbourhood of Damascus have arisen and attacked the Turkish troops , a hundred of whom were

The Week.

killed . According to Japanese reports conveyed to San Francisco by the officers of a Russian man-of-war , the British squadron under Admiral Kuper had been repulsed by the Japanese batteries which they had attacked after sailing from Yokohama . Rumours of changes in the French diplomatic corps have for some time been current in Paris , and have at length been verified by the official announcement that Baron

Gros has been replaced in the French Embassy iu London by the Prince de la Tour d'Auvergne , hitherto ambassador at Rome , The Austrian Government has succeeded in inducing the Transylvanian Diet to resolve , by a great majority , on sendingdeputies to the Imperial Reichsrath ; but it remains to be seen whether the example of the Transylvanians will have any influence on Hungarians , and produce a constitutional compromise

between the Emperor Francis Joseph and his malcontent Hungarian subjects . AMERICA . —The Arabia , which sailed from Boston on the 30 th ult ., and called at Cape Race , has brought us New York telegrams to the 3 rd inst . According to the . latest telegrams , there were " conflicting rumours " respecting the position of General Rosecrans ; but in despatches dated the afternoon of the 27 th ult . General Rosecrans reported that the Confederates

, had made no attack on his army since the 21 st ult . ; and General Meigs , the quarter-master general of the United States armies , who had been despatched to Chattanooga to inquire into the state of affairs , reported that the Federal army could only be dislodged by a regular siege , which the Confederates did not seem disposed to undertake . It was rumoured that 18 , 000 men drawn from . General Grant ' s army had arrived at Chattanooga , and the Southern journals asserted that , according to

information received by General Lee , two corps , of General Meade's army had been sent to reinforce General Rosecrans . It was known that General Burnside , who was reported to be about to be superseded hy General Hooker , was at or near Knoxville on the 2-lth ult ; but Richmond rumours affirmed that he was retreating from Tennessee into Kentucky . In his report to the Confederate Secretary of War , General Bragg stated that in the battle of the 20 th ult . he captured 7000 prisoners 36

, guns , and 25 stand of colours . Nothing was very certainly known respecting the force or position of the hostile armies in A irginia ; but it was admitted that the Federals had not crossed the Rapidan , though they were said to hold the fords of that stream and to be vigilantly watched by the Confederates , who were also reported to have assembleel some 10 , 000 men at Mount Jackson for a " raid" into the

Shenandoah A ' alley . A very warm reception had been given by the people and municipality of New Y'ork to the officers of the Russian squadron ; and , in speeches at various entertainments , hopes were expressed that , if the United States engaged in a foreign war , Americans and Russians would fight side byside . The City of Washington brings news from New York to the Gth inst . There is great discrepancy in the telegraphic

statements with regard to Rosecrans's position and prospects , hut the latest news is to the effect that considerable skirmishing was taking place in General Rosecrans ' s rear , the Confederates endeavouring to interrupt the communications between Nashville and Chattanooga ; that a large number of troops have reached Rosecrans , who has established lines in front of Chattanooga ; and that General Bragg is fortifying Missionary Ridge . It is also stated that the report that Hooker had reinforced Rosecrans with two corps from Meade ' s army is confirmed .

To Correspondents.

TO CORRESPONDENTS .

CVRIOSO . —January , 1810 . J . D . —AA e are not in the habit of answering questions connected with any of our rituals . Communicate with ' us privately , and , if we feel justified , we will give you the information . S . —We regard your question as purely impertinent . M . M . —AVe never gave any such opinion .

THIRD DEGREE . —Your communication is necessarily postponed , owing to an obvious mission . We will give you an opportunity of correcting it . J . W . —Consult a P . M . of your lodge .