Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Week.
submitted to the Council of the Empire . Iu accordance with the articles 13 and 16 ofthe decree , dated 13 th April , 1857 , tho number of members of the Council of the Empire will temporarily be increased for the discussion of this subject . A letter from Zurich says— " The signature of the treaty of peace was attended by a certain degree of pomp on the part of tho S « 'iss Federal authorities . The signature , at their request , took place at the Hotel de VHle . The plenipotentiaries were escorted thither by Siviss delegates ; the troops were under arms to pay military
honours , aud a large ci-OAvd assembled to witness tho passage of the cortege . " Tho King of the Belgian ' s health is reported to be IIOAV in a satisfactory state . In Saturday ' s sitting of tho Federal Diet the affair of the constitution of Hessel Cassel was referred to a committee . Prussia , Thuringen , Oldenburg , ancl tho Hanseafcic Towns votecl fov the re-establishment of the constitution of 1831 ; the representatives of some other governments votecl in favour of tho constitution of 1852 , and others abstained altogether from voting . The committee has
unanimosly adopted the proposal concerning the reorganisation of the Federal military constitution , and has sent its report to the military committee . Advices have been received from Constantinople to the Sth inst . A reduction of the civil list , amounting to 0 , 000 , 000 only , and a diminution of the salaries of the employes has been decided upon . The Porte has addressed a memorandum to tho powers ivhich have signed the treaty of Paris . Bro . Kabuli Effoudi , formerly of the Old Union Lodgo , has returned from Crcta . It is saicl the difficulties there have been settled .
Said Pacha has been appointed governor-general of AVidden . All the reclifs have been dismissed . The apostolic prefect has been murdered by the Khurdes . NOAA-S from Smyrna of the 5 th inst . state that Sir Henry Bulwer has arrived there , en route for Salouiea and Volo , to meet Prince Alfred . Letters from Athens to the 4 th inst . announce that the protecting powers have claimed from the Greek government , on account of interest clue , a yearly payment of 900 , 000 francs .
GENERAL HOME NEWS . —AS every iveek increases the gravity of tho complexion of affairs in tho Italian peninsula , tho part AA'hich this country must eventually take in the settlement is matter of deep and serious consideration , anel accordingly the premier and his colleagues are unremitting in their cabinet consultations , AA'hich have again been frequent during the week . The mortality of the metropolis AA-as less last Aveek by 131 deaths than the previous iveek , tho total being 1051 , or 121 below the estimated average . Bronchitis continues to increase ,
numbering 102 among its victims last week . Scarlatina and diphtheria maintain a high mortality . The births were 18-18 . The Earl De Grey , ICG ., expired at his residence in St . James ' s-square on Monday morning . His lordship IAMS lord lieutenant and custos rolulorum of Bedfordshire , lieut .-eoloncl commandant of tho Yorkshire Hussar Yeomanry , and aide cle camp to Her Majesty . He is succeeded in his title and large estates hy our distinguished brother the Earl of Ripon , P . G . AV .- At tho Court of Aldermen , at ivhich the neiv lord mayor
took the chair for the first time , a vote of thanks to tho late lord mayor , Alderman AVirc , for the able and efficient manner in Avhich he discharged all his duties was carried by acclamation . On Saturday , Dr . Thomas Smethurst , ivho was convicted of poisoning Isabella Banks and sentenced to death , but ivhich sentence ifc has been resolved not to carry into execution , was brought up under a habeas corpus , and charged before Mr . Combe , afc Soutlrwark , with having been guilty of bigamy . The facts of the ease are sufficiently well knoAvn .
Evidence of the second and illegal marriage was formally adduced and Smethurst fully committed for trial at the Old Bailey . On Tuesday he received a free pardon on tho charge of murder . A frightful murder has been committed in tho streets of Coventry , a militiaman named
Kingston having attacked his wife , and with a clasp knife first stabbed her and then cut her throat . The murderer is in custody . Lord Eleho presided over a meeting held at the Thatched House Tavern on AVednesday , for the purpose of forming a national association for the encouragement of volunteer rifle corps , and the promotion of rifle shooting throughout Great Britain . It is proposed to havo a great national gathering yearly , Avhen prizes to the best shots will be offered for competition . Mr . Sidney Herbert , Minister at AVar , is elected first president
of the association ; three trustees , twelve vice-presidents , and a council of fifteen , have also been chosen . A largo number of members were enrolled there and then , this movement promising to be the topstone to that of the Volunteer Rifle Corps . A largo and influential meetinghas been held in the Egyptian Hall at the Mansion House , for the purpose of considering the best measures to be taken to assist the bishop about to proceed to British Columbia in discharge of the arduous and important duties with ivhich he has been charged . The meeting ivas
convened bj' the Lord Mayor , in pursuance of numerously signed requisitions from merchants , bankers , traders , and others of the City of London . The Lord Mayor opened the proceedings , and stated that the foundation of the mission ivas duo to Miss Burdett Coutts , AA'ho had endowed it Avith the munificent and surprising sum of 25 , 0001 . Tho now bishop , Dr . Hills , addressed the mooting , intimating that his departure from England ivould take place to-day . The meeting was also addressed by the Bishops of London and Oxfordthe Hon . A . KinnairdSir G .
, , Grey , ancl others . Iu the morning a valedictory service AA'as celebrated in St . James ' s Church , Piccadilly , at AA'hich the Bishops of London and Oxford administered the Holy Communion , and the Bishop of Columbia preached the sermon . INDIA , AND COLONIES , —The Calcutta lEtvil of the Sth of October has
The Week.
arrived before ifc was strictly due . Tho news it brings would not , however , have suffered by delay . OAA'ing to the celebration of the great Hindoo holidays , the Doorgah Poojab , business was at a standstill , while the native town was iu a state of demoniac uproar AA'ith the beating of tom-toms and the frantic yells of enthusiastic devotees . The Governorgeneral , as we learn by the telegram to Ceylon , started on his visit to tho Upper Provinces on tho 10 th , escorted by an armed force of three thousand menhorse and footand accompanied by a swarm of locusts
, , , in the form of tiventy thousand followers , who AA' 111 assuredly eat up every green thing . COMMERCIAL ; AND PUBLIC COMPANIES . —The weekly reviews from the manufacturing districts indicate a quicfc business , ivith an appearance of remunerative prospects iu most departments , though the expansion has not been great during the past fortnight . The home demand , both in , the neighbourhood of Birmingham and Huddersfield , is encouraging ,
but the continental branches having again relapsed into comparative tranquillity , an apprehension is entertained that dulness may eventually arise . The reports from Manchester and Leicester speak of a brisk seasonable business , but any further improvement in prices is not mentioned . At Nottingham and Leeds the transactions havo been rather restricted , but the tone of the markets is not asserted to be unsatisfactory . In Sheffield and AVolverhampton trade is moderately active , with expectations of improvement . The accounts from the Irish towns allude to the existence of steady progress . PUBLIC AMUSEMENTS . —Bro . Bradley ' s first masquerade will take place at Bro . Caldwell's Assembly Rooms , on Monday next .
To Correspondents.
TO CORRESPONDENTS .
EXALTATION BY DISPENSATION . — "P . Z ., " Leicester , writes : — "Does the Grand Superintendent of a province , or the First Grand Principal of the Order , possess the poiver of granting dispensations for the exaltation of serving brethren , as Janitors of Royal Arch Chapters , AA'ithout the payment of fees ? The letter of the Royal Arch Constitutions AA-OUIC ! appear to deny the existence of their poiver , it being expressly provided ( p . IS , art . 21 ) , that 'no person shall , under any pretence , be exalted
for a less sum than three guineas , ' and there is no dispensing clause , unless , as appears reasonable , the preamble can be taken in that sense . In this toAA'n several serving companions have been exalted at various times by dispensation—two of them by authority from the First Grand Principal , under the signature of Comp . AVhite , the late G . S . E ., who , it would be supposed , would not do anything contrary to Masonic law . The present Grand Scribe E ., hoAvever , has recently objected to the
validity of the exaltation of a serving companion , by authority of a dispensation from the Grand Superintendent of the province , basing his objection on the article above referred to . The Constitutions are certainly not clear on tho point , and ifc is very desirable that the existence or non-existence of this dispensing poiver should be decided . AVhat is your opinion , Bro . Editor 1 Ifc does not seem reasonable that a serving companion should be required to pay the customary fees more than a serving brother . ' - —[ AVe believe the power does exist , so far as companions intended for waiters or Janitors aro concerned—the laws of Grand Lodge ruling Grand Chapter , where no provision is made to the
contrary . —ED . ] " BI ; O . N . N . BARRETT , GRAND MASTEE OF CONNECTICUT , U . S . " —AVe have received an excellent photograph of this Avorthy brother , and also of an old Alasonic carpet , published in that State in 1812 , and IIOAV hanging in the Lodge room of St . John ' s ( No .
Zetland [ issued with the Freemasons' Magazine of the 15 th ] . Many thanks to you , Bro . AVarren . This is indeed a valuable present , and just fills a gap in our portrait gallery of bright lights . " " L . S . ' "—A Past AVarden is not entitled to a seat iu Grand Lodge . He is always eligible for the Alas tor's chair if he can got elected . " R . R . "—AVe do not give up the names of our correspondents . " A " —AVe do not consider that a Past AVarden of a Scotch or Irish
Lodge should be ailoivod to take the chair of an English Lodge until he has again served tho office of AVarden—but the letter of tho LAV will not exclude him . Great care however must be taken to ascertain tho real rank of such Masons , as they are ap t to style themselves P . Sis . iu virtue of the Past Master's degree , ivhich is not ackuoivledged in England . Moreover , the officers of Irish Lodges are elected only for six monthswhilst our law requires that a brother should bo a AVarden for
, the full period of twelve months before he is eligible to be elected as Aiaster . " p . z . " —AVe do nofc think it Alasonic to give such information . He * member thafc excellent virtue—silence .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Week.
submitted to the Council of the Empire . Iu accordance with the articles 13 and 16 ofthe decree , dated 13 th April , 1857 , tho number of members of the Council of the Empire will temporarily be increased for the discussion of this subject . A letter from Zurich says— " The signature of the treaty of peace was attended by a certain degree of pomp on the part of tho S « 'iss Federal authorities . The signature , at their request , took place at the Hotel de VHle . The plenipotentiaries were escorted thither by Siviss delegates ; the troops were under arms to pay military
honours , aud a large ci-OAvd assembled to witness tho passage of the cortege . " Tho King of the Belgian ' s health is reported to be IIOAV in a satisfactory state . In Saturday ' s sitting of tho Federal Diet the affair of the constitution of Hessel Cassel was referred to a committee . Prussia , Thuringen , Oldenburg , ancl tho Hanseafcic Towns votecl fov the re-establishment of the constitution of 1831 ; the representatives of some other governments votecl in favour of tho constitution of 1852 , and others abstained altogether from voting . The committee has
unanimosly adopted the proposal concerning the reorganisation of the Federal military constitution , and has sent its report to the military committee . Advices have been received from Constantinople to the Sth inst . A reduction of the civil list , amounting to 0 , 000 , 000 only , and a diminution of the salaries of the employes has been decided upon . The Porte has addressed a memorandum to tho powers ivhich have signed the treaty of Paris . Bro . Kabuli Effoudi , formerly of the Old Union Lodgo , has returned from Crcta . It is saicl the difficulties there have been settled .
Said Pacha has been appointed governor-general of AVidden . All the reclifs have been dismissed . The apostolic prefect has been murdered by the Khurdes . NOAA-S from Smyrna of the 5 th inst . state that Sir Henry Bulwer has arrived there , en route for Salouiea and Volo , to meet Prince Alfred . Letters from Athens to the 4 th inst . announce that the protecting powers have claimed from the Greek government , on account of interest clue , a yearly payment of 900 , 000 francs .
GENERAL HOME NEWS . —AS every iveek increases the gravity of tho complexion of affairs in tho Italian peninsula , tho part AA'hich this country must eventually take in the settlement is matter of deep and serious consideration , anel accordingly the premier and his colleagues are unremitting in their cabinet consultations , AA'hich have again been frequent during the week . The mortality of the metropolis AA-as less last Aveek by 131 deaths than the previous iveek , tho total being 1051 , or 121 below the estimated average . Bronchitis continues to increase ,
numbering 102 among its victims last week . Scarlatina and diphtheria maintain a high mortality . The births were 18-18 . The Earl De Grey , ICG ., expired at his residence in St . James ' s-square on Monday morning . His lordship IAMS lord lieutenant and custos rolulorum of Bedfordshire , lieut .-eoloncl commandant of tho Yorkshire Hussar Yeomanry , and aide cle camp to Her Majesty . He is succeeded in his title and large estates hy our distinguished brother the Earl of Ripon , P . G . AV .- At tho Court of Aldermen , at ivhich the neiv lord mayor
took the chair for the first time , a vote of thanks to tho late lord mayor , Alderman AVirc , for the able and efficient manner in Avhich he discharged all his duties was carried by acclamation . On Saturday , Dr . Thomas Smethurst , ivho was convicted of poisoning Isabella Banks and sentenced to death , but ivhich sentence ifc has been resolved not to carry into execution , was brought up under a habeas corpus , and charged before Mr . Combe , afc Soutlrwark , with having been guilty of bigamy . The facts of the ease are sufficiently well knoAvn .
Evidence of the second and illegal marriage was formally adduced and Smethurst fully committed for trial at the Old Bailey . On Tuesday he received a free pardon on tho charge of murder . A frightful murder has been committed in tho streets of Coventry , a militiaman named
Kingston having attacked his wife , and with a clasp knife first stabbed her and then cut her throat . The murderer is in custody . Lord Eleho presided over a meeting held at the Thatched House Tavern on AVednesday , for the purpose of forming a national association for the encouragement of volunteer rifle corps , and the promotion of rifle shooting throughout Great Britain . It is proposed to havo a great national gathering yearly , Avhen prizes to the best shots will be offered for competition . Mr . Sidney Herbert , Minister at AVar , is elected first president
of the association ; three trustees , twelve vice-presidents , and a council of fifteen , have also been chosen . A largo number of members were enrolled there and then , this movement promising to be the topstone to that of the Volunteer Rifle Corps . A largo and influential meetinghas been held in the Egyptian Hall at the Mansion House , for the purpose of considering the best measures to be taken to assist the bishop about to proceed to British Columbia in discharge of the arduous and important duties with ivhich he has been charged . The meeting ivas
convened bj' the Lord Mayor , in pursuance of numerously signed requisitions from merchants , bankers , traders , and others of the City of London . The Lord Mayor opened the proceedings , and stated that the foundation of the mission ivas duo to Miss Burdett Coutts , AA'ho had endowed it Avith the munificent and surprising sum of 25 , 0001 . Tho now bishop , Dr . Hills , addressed the mooting , intimating that his departure from England ivould take place to-day . The meeting was also addressed by the Bishops of London and Oxfordthe Hon . A . KinnairdSir G .
, , Grey , ancl others . Iu the morning a valedictory service AA'as celebrated in St . James ' s Church , Piccadilly , at AA'hich the Bishops of London and Oxford administered the Holy Communion , and the Bishop of Columbia preached the sermon . INDIA , AND COLONIES , —The Calcutta lEtvil of the Sth of October has
The Week.
arrived before ifc was strictly due . Tho news it brings would not , however , have suffered by delay . OAA'ing to the celebration of the great Hindoo holidays , the Doorgah Poojab , business was at a standstill , while the native town was iu a state of demoniac uproar AA'ith the beating of tom-toms and the frantic yells of enthusiastic devotees . The Governorgeneral , as we learn by the telegram to Ceylon , started on his visit to tho Upper Provinces on tho 10 th , escorted by an armed force of three thousand menhorse and footand accompanied by a swarm of locusts
, , , in the form of tiventy thousand followers , who AA' 111 assuredly eat up every green thing . COMMERCIAL ; AND PUBLIC COMPANIES . —The weekly reviews from the manufacturing districts indicate a quicfc business , ivith an appearance of remunerative prospects iu most departments , though the expansion has not been great during the past fortnight . The home demand , both in , the neighbourhood of Birmingham and Huddersfield , is encouraging ,
but the continental branches having again relapsed into comparative tranquillity , an apprehension is entertained that dulness may eventually arise . The reports from Manchester and Leicester speak of a brisk seasonable business , but any further improvement in prices is not mentioned . At Nottingham and Leeds the transactions havo been rather restricted , but the tone of the markets is not asserted to be unsatisfactory . In Sheffield and AVolverhampton trade is moderately active , with expectations of improvement . The accounts from the Irish towns allude to the existence of steady progress . PUBLIC AMUSEMENTS . —Bro . Bradley ' s first masquerade will take place at Bro . Caldwell's Assembly Rooms , on Monday next .
To Correspondents.
TO CORRESPONDENTS .
EXALTATION BY DISPENSATION . — "P . Z ., " Leicester , writes : — "Does the Grand Superintendent of a province , or the First Grand Principal of the Order , possess the poiver of granting dispensations for the exaltation of serving brethren , as Janitors of Royal Arch Chapters , AA'ithout the payment of fees ? The letter of the Royal Arch Constitutions AA-OUIC ! appear to deny the existence of their poiver , it being expressly provided ( p . IS , art . 21 ) , that 'no person shall , under any pretence , be exalted
for a less sum than three guineas , ' and there is no dispensing clause , unless , as appears reasonable , the preamble can be taken in that sense . In this toAA'n several serving companions have been exalted at various times by dispensation—two of them by authority from the First Grand Principal , under the signature of Comp . AVhite , the late G . S . E ., who , it would be supposed , would not do anything contrary to Masonic law . The present Grand Scribe E ., hoAvever , has recently objected to the
validity of the exaltation of a serving companion , by authority of a dispensation from the Grand Superintendent of the province , basing his objection on the article above referred to . The Constitutions are certainly not clear on tho point , and ifc is very desirable that the existence or non-existence of this dispensing poiver should be decided . AVhat is your opinion , Bro . Editor 1 Ifc does not seem reasonable that a serving companion should be required to pay the customary fees more than a serving brother . ' - —[ AVe believe the power does exist , so far as companions intended for waiters or Janitors aro concerned—the laws of Grand Lodge ruling Grand Chapter , where no provision is made to the
contrary . —ED . ] " BI ; O . N . N . BARRETT , GRAND MASTEE OF CONNECTICUT , U . S . " —AVe have received an excellent photograph of this Avorthy brother , and also of an old Alasonic carpet , published in that State in 1812 , and IIOAV hanging in the Lodge room of St . John ' s ( No .
Zetland [ issued with the Freemasons' Magazine of the 15 th ] . Many thanks to you , Bro . AVarren . This is indeed a valuable present , and just fills a gap in our portrait gallery of bright lights . " " L . S . ' "—A Past AVarden is not entitled to a seat iu Grand Lodge . He is always eligible for the Alas tor's chair if he can got elected . " R . R . "—AVe do not give up the names of our correspondents . " A " —AVe do not consider that a Past AVarden of a Scotch or Irish
Lodge should be ailoivod to take the chair of an English Lodge until he has again served tho office of AVarden—but the letter of tho LAV will not exclude him . Great care however must be taken to ascertain tho real rank of such Masons , as they are ap t to style themselves P . Sis . iu virtue of the Past Master's degree , ivhich is not ackuoivledged in England . Moreover , the officers of Irish Lodges are elected only for six monthswhilst our law requires that a brother should bo a AVarden for
, the full period of twelve months before he is eligible to be elected as Aiaster . " p . z . " —AVe do nofc think it Alasonic to give such information . He * member thafc excellent virtue—silence .