The Week.

one to the effect that the amount of £ 1 per man should be asked to enable the Volunteers to defray some portion of their expenses . On AVednesday , fche Lord Mayor gave fche usual banquet to her Majesty ' s Ministers . There was a large attendance of Ministers , among them being Lord Palmerston , Mr . Gladstone , aucl the Duke of Somerset . The proceedings were nofc of any special political importance . AVestminster was the scene of some excitement on Monday morning bthe opening of Mr . Train's street tramway

y from AVestminster Abbey to A'ictoria Station . AVe are glad to say that there ivas no attempt to repeat the unseemly obstructions ivhich took place on the Marble Arch line . The inquiry into Lord Kingston's alleged lunacy has terminated . Mr . Digby Seymour decided that he would no longer attempt to struggle against the evidence which hacl been submitted for the petitioners . Mr . AVarren then gave his judgment , which was

that the earl was in a state of mental derangement , and incapable of managing his own affairs . The commissioner expressed a hope that the unhappy nobleman ivould not be placed in an asylum . ——In the Court of Exchequer , on AA ' ednesday , Mrs . Anne Billing , widow ancl greengrocer , brought a two-fold action against George Browne Smith , publican , for breach of promise of marriage , and for a sum of money lent . The evidence of a matrimonial

engagement , as deduced from the forms and ceremonies attending what was considered the courtship , was of the most prosaic description , probably Giving to the alloy of £ s . d . with which the tender sentiment had got mixed up . One witness had seen hirn put his hand upon her shoulder , another heard him call her "Anne , dear , " ancl a third had seen them " werry deep in conversation . " In the end , the jury found a verdict for the injured lady—damages 501 .

, FOREIGN INTELLIG-ENCE . —M . de Persigny , French Minister of the Interior , has announced an administrative decentralisation of considerable importance . Henceforward the prefects and subprefects are to decide on certain affairs of the departments and communes and other subjects , ivhich up to the present time had come under the direct control of the Central Government . The Duke de Aumale has published , in the form of a letter to Prince

Napoleon , a fiarce denunciation of the Buonaparte family . Thafc such an attack on the empire and the Emperor should have been allowed to appear caused immense astonishment . The pamphiefc was seized , but nofc till the whole edition , minus some dozen copies , had been sold and distributed . The agitation resulting from the AA arsaw massacre has extended to the Ukraine . Disturbances have broken out at Kiew , the capital , in consequence of a funeral service for the victims of AVarsawwith ivhich the Russian troops interfered

, , and a conflict ensued , and several persons ivere killed and wounded . The Paris Presse gives the numbers at 150 . At AVarsaw , the Government are trying to appease the ferment by the appointment of popular Polish officers . M . Lewinski has been named as Minister of the Interior for Poland , ancl Count Zamoyski as Vice-President of the Council of State . Both these gentlemen have laid clown as conditions on which they will " accept '

the saicl offices , that the military be withdrawn to their barracks , and a civic guard established throughout the country . It is thought that the Government will reject these conditions . The Austrian Gazette denies in the most positive terms that there is any truth in the statement made by several Alennese papers to the effect that the Government [ intend to grant an independent Ministry to Hungary , and no longer require the Hungarians to send representatives to the Council of the Empire . Meanwhile the majority of the Upper House of the Hungarian Diet appear

determined to demand the re-establishment of the laws which existed up to 1848 . The liberal party of the country go for the maintenance of the laws adopted in 1848 by the Hungarian Diet . The sittings of the Loiver House have been adjourned for eight days . Another failure has taken place in the attempts of Austria to arrange her internal affairs . The voting in the Istrian Diet for the election of deputies to the Council of the Empire took place and ended in nothing . The number of votes given was not legall

y sufficient to elect a representative , ancl the Diet had accordingly to be prorogued . Garibaldi , it is stated , is about to inaugurate his entrance upon Parliamentary duties in the Italian Chamber of Deputies by a question addressed to the Ministry on the subject of Venetia . The dread of an immmecliate outbreak of Avar continues to diminish . —Count Cavour is determined to make every effort to prevent even the appearance of provocation to Austria . It is stated , moreover , that the Italian Minister has addressed circular

a to the European Cabinets , complaining of tbe practices adopted by Austria to get up something like the semblance of aggression from the Italian side . The health of Garibaldi continues to improve . A correspondene states that General Klapka has had several interviews with Garibaldi , and that both are perfectly in accord with regard to the Hungarian question . General Klapka's views are stated to be that so long as there remains a chance of Hungary being able to come to terms with Austria upon the basis of the laws of 1848 , no movement from without , by which the future of the country might be

The Week.

imperilled , ought to be attempted . Further revelations relative to the late conspiracy in Naples are continually being made ; amongst the last is the discovery of a depot of arms , and some very important papers . Forty persons coining from Rome , the focus of the insurrectionary moA'ements , have been arrested . The Estates of Holstein have definitively declared that the proposals made by Denmark cannot be accepted . The insurrectionary

struggle in the Herzegoi'ina is still going on . In some districts the people have proclaimed the Prince of Montenegro . A very extensive emigration ivas taking place from Bulgaria into Serviii , despite fche violent measures by ivhich the Turks were endeavouring to prevent it . Ninety-one Bulgarian families , numbering over 560 persons , quitted their dwelling-places in one day . A large meeting , consisting of representatives from all parts of the kingdom ,

assembled at Hanover on the Sth inst ., and agreed on an address to the King , expressive ofthe wish of the country for the abolition of fche present administrative system of government , and the re-establishment of the old constitution .

AMERICA . —By the accounts from America , ifc appears that Mr . Trumbull hacl made a distinct proposition to the Senate that the authority of the Federal Government should be enforced in the seceding States . The democrats , who are known to be most hostile to coercion , expressed their willingness to allow a vote to be taken upon the direct issue of peace or war ; but the Republicans were divided in opinion , ancl the proposal , therefore , fell to the ground . They ivere in favour of a special executive session for the

adjustment of the national difficulties ; ancl almost immediately afterwards the Senate adjourned sine die . Fort Sumter was " on the point " of being evacuated , but Fort Pickens was to be reinforced at all hazards . President Lincoln ivas severely indisposed , owing to incessant labour and anxiety ; ancl the Southern commissioners embarked for England on the 3 lsfc ult . The Morrill tariff came into operation on the 1 st April , creating , it is saicl , terrible annoyance and confusion .

The discussion on the proposal made by Great Britain , to submit the San Juan dispute to arbitration , appears fco have been prematurely cut short by the adjournment of the Senate . Mr . Nesmith opposed the scheme , and Mr . Sumner , the chairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations , who adopted a report in its favour , ivas to have replied , but the delivery of his speech must now be posponed till the next session . Letters from Canada report the

discovery in AVestern Canada of valuable oil wells , similar to those which have been the source of so much profit in Pennsylvania . WEST INDIES . —By fche arrival of the AA ' esfc India ancl Pacific mails we receive a comfirmation of the report which first reached this country from the United States , that the Spanish Government hacl taken possession of the eastern section of the island of Sfc . Domingo . It appears thafc a system of emigration to that section

of the island has been encouraged for a considerable time past , and that the emigrants received instructions to hoist the Spanish flag at a suitable moment , ancl then to appeal to Spain for assistance . The native inhabitants are described as being " astonished , " by this cruel and unscrupulous act of conquest . Immediately on the ' news reaching Havamia , a steamer containing troops was dispatched , and two others , which ivere fco convey 5000 men , were being fitted out .

To Correspondents.

TO CORRESPONDENTS .

H . H . ivritcs—We have in the By-laws of our loclge one as follows : — " Wardens or Past AVardens of other lod ges are not eligible for the Master ' s chair , unless they have helcl the same office in this loclge for a year ; neither shall any brother be eligible who has not been a subscribing member for full twelve months . " Your opinion as to the legality of this will oblige . —[ Perfectly legal . — ED . ]

ERRATA . —In onr last number ( Notes and Queries , "Roman Catholic Clergy " ) , the Bishop ol Winchester ' s name , for Poqxiel read Foj / nel . H . C . L . — " If a W . M ., after his installation , systematically absents himself from the lodge without just cause , ' leaving his duties to be performed by any P . M . who may happen to be present , have the brethren any remedy save that of patiently awaiting the

expiration of his term of office ?"—[ None . ] K' Ii- —It would lie impossible to trace the family of every Freemason , but ive can so far gratify your curiosity as to inform you that Bro . John Cuff , the son of a former proprietor of the Freemasons' Tavern , is now the Secretary of the Sfc . Augustine ' s Lodge ( No . 885 ) , Canterbury , Neiv Zealand . A . —The first stone of Freemasons' Hall was laid in 1775

. A YOUNG BROTHER . —AVilliam III . was initiated in 1693 . GRAND STEWARDS' LODGE . —The first Grand Stewards , then consisting of twelve , were appointed in 1728 . The Grand Stewards ' Lodge ivas constituted seven years afterwards . ANTIQUARIAN . —Masonic processions in London ivere discontinued in 1747 .