The Week.

on the ascending scale . In the eleven towns selected as specimens the deaths have fallen from 25 in the thousand , which they wero a fortnight ago , to 22 . And the mortality of London is two less than even this low rate of average . The highest is , as usual , Liverpool ( 31 ); the lowest , Birmingham ( 18 ) . The total number of deaths in all the towns was 2 , 453 , of which

those in London were 1 , 167 , or less by the large number of 139 than the average of the previous ten years . The births were 3 , 967 , of which 1 , 999 belong to London , a little over the average number . The long-continued cotton distress seems at last to be on the point of being brought to a happy close . Blackburn was one of the most distressed districts , and from

Blackburn we now learn that the applicants for relief are so few that the Relief Committee have determined to bring their labours to a close in the course of the present week . In consequence " of the improved circumstances of the district , the Poor-Law Board have signified their intention to discontinue the weekly publication of the return of pauperism in the

cotton manufacturing unions . These statistics have been now laid before our readers , with few intermissions , during the past three years , and in parting with them we take the occasion of pointing out , very briefly , a fe \ r of their more marked results . The area affected by the cotton famine contained a population of rather more than 2 , 000 , 000 persons . The distress , which

began early in 1862 , rose to its maximum at Christmas , when the Guardians relieved from the poor rates 275 , 000 poor , or between four and five times the number that was on the relief lists in the corresponding season of 1861 . From that point the pauperism slowly declined , and at the end of last August the number was 79 , 000 , when a general increase was experienced , which by the middle of November brought 33 , 000 more claimants on the rates . Since November the distress , with

some slight checks , has diminished . According to Mr . Purdy ' s latest report the Guardians had 86 , 000 paupers on their books , or about 1 in 21 of the population . 'The Convocation of Canterbury resumed its session on Tuesday , when both Houses entered on business . The attention of the Upper House was mainly occupied with the report of the commission on clerical subscription . Convocation met again on Wednesday , aud the

Upper House continued the discussion upon the motion to petition the Crown in favour of the report on clerical subscription . The resolutions were agreed to , and their lordships then adjourned to meet the Prince of Wales at the Festival of the Sons of the Clergy . The Lower House continued the discussion on the Court of Final Appeal , aud iu a succession of divisions

they negatived all the amendments that were moved , and finally the resolution itself , so that the long rn'otraeted discussion has not been productive of any results . The 211 th anniversary Festival of the Sons of the Clergy was held the other day in St . Paul ' s Cathedral as usual , and was graced by the presence of his

Hoyal Highness the Prince of Wales , the Archbishop of Canterbury , and several of the bishops and other dignitaries of the church . The sermon was preached by Dr . Goodwin , the Dean of Ely . In the evening the Prince took the chair at the dinner , where a brilliant company was assembled . The annual meeting of the National Rifle Association was held at Willis ' s Rooms ,

on Wednesday . As the Duke of Cambridge was prevented from taking the chair by an attack of gout , Lord Elcho presided in his place , and briefly called the attention of the meeting to the business before it . The funds of the association are in a flourishing condition ; there is no point of dispute arising among them to diturb their harmony ; the prospects for the next Wimbledon competition are most encouraging ; and there is a disposition to unite , on certain conditions , with the Artillery Association which

has been lately formed . Iu a despatch dated the 11 th inst . Lord Russell intimates to the heads of the various Government departments that , " in the existing state of the civil war in America , and the uncertainty which may be felt as to -its continuance , " it has been deemed expedient to withdraw the order issued three years ago requiring Federal or Confederate cruisers

calling at British ports for repair or stores to put to sea again within a given time . The regulations limiting the quantity of coal to be supplied to such ships and the period within which it mig ht he obtained are also cancelled . The Russian squadron , with the remains of the late Czarewitch , anchored in Plymouth Sound on Wednesday morning . Every mark of respect was

paid—flags were hoisted half-mast high on all the ships in commission , on the forts , and at the public departments ; and a salute of 22 guns fired from the Liverpool and Moyal Adelaide . — At the last meeting of the Metropolitan Board of Works a report was read from a committee , recommending that a gratuity of £ 6 , 000 should be given to Mr . Bazalgette , and that £ 1 , 000

should be distributed among the other engineers employed under him , as an acknowledgment of the ability and skill displayed by them in the construction of the main drainage . At the same time protests against this waste of the money of the ratepayers were presented from several parishes , and the question was raised whether the funds of the board could legally be applied

to such a purpose . A discussion on this subject was adjourned . ——A "National Reform Conference" was held at the Freetrade Hall , Manchester , on Monday , Mr . George Wilson occupying the chair . Resolutions were passed affirming the right of the working classes to the franchise , and expressing disappointment at the course taken by the Government upon this question . There appears to be no disposition on the part of the men engaged in the building trades of Plymouth and its

neighbourhood , to accept the proposition of the employers , and between three and four thousand men were expected to leave their employments on Saturday . In addition to these , during the present week some fifteen hundred men , it is calculated , in various callings dependent on the building trade will have to be dismissed by their masters , as the result of the cessation of the

demand for materials . Virtually , the building trade of Plymouth will be at a standstill in all its branches . The Ven . John Sinclair , M . A ., archdeacon of Middlesex , held a visitation of the clergy of that part of the London diocese which is under his jurisdiction on Tuesday . The visitation was held at St . Paul's Church , Covent-garden . The main topic of the archdeacon ' s

address was the recent theological decisions of the Committea of Privy Council ; the piinciples laid down in these cases , he said , would justify the most infidel propositions in Hume's Essays if they had been put forth by a clergyman of the Church . He was , therefore , in favour of a change in the Court , but he was afraid , after the recent decisions , there must also be a change

in the law . But if the law would not allow infidels to be driven out of the Church , let them keep their emoluments but cease to take part in the celebration of services in which they did not believe . The preliminary list of prices of the National Rifle Association lias been issued . The gross money value of the prize is understood to bo nearly £ 16 , 000 .

The Toor-law Board has given its decision in tho case of the pauper , Richard Gibson , who died in St . Giles ' s Workhouse , under circumstances that led to an inquiry , which it will be remembered was conducted by Mr . Farnall . The hoard having considered the evidence , are satisfied that Gibson was shamefully neglected during his illness , and while they bear in mind that

tho doctor who made the post mortem examination gave it as his opinion that death was not cacsed by neglect , still they are of opinion that the assistant surgeon and the head nurse shoul