The Week.

been utterly routed and reduced to submission . By the latest advices it was thought the Taepings would attempt to recover their lost ground , but the Imperialists were on tbe alert to receive them . A large quantity of cotton is about to be sent to this country . The Duke of Lancaster was wrecked off Formosa ; captain and crew saved . The news from Japan is unsatisfactory . The Tycoon confesses his inability to avenge the recent murder of an Englishman , and has applied to the British

Minister for assistance . It is said that a revolution is going on in Jeddo . The cholera is also virulent in that capital . AUSTRALIA . —Accounts from Melbourne state that the Murray River and Sandhurst Railway was opened on the loth of October . A meeting was about to be held of deputies from all the colonies to establish a common tariff and free trade . AMERICA . —By the arrival of the Persia ancl Jura we have intelligence to the Sth inst . including President Lincoln ' s speech

, on opening Congress . The President congratulates Congress that the foreign relations of the Government of Washington , if "less gratifying than at former periods , " are at all events " certainly more satisfactory than a nation so unhappily distracted might have apprehended . " America has " attempted no

propagandism and acknowledged no revolution , and has left other nations to settle their own affairs . Foreigners have regarded the American struggle with reference only to their own interests , real or supposed ; but " complaint on the part of the Federal Government , even if it were just , would certainly be unwise . " The blockade of the Southern ports has been unavoidably accompanied by mistakes ancl unintentional injuries to foreigners . The President has redressed complaints on such subjects whenever

they were manifestly well founded ; but there are many cases respecting which the Federal ancl foreign Governments cannot come to an agreement . He has consequently proposed to England , France , Spain , aud Prussia , to conclude mutual conventions for the investigation and decision of such eases ; but the proposal , though " kindly received , " has not yet been formally accepted . Having thus referred to the foreign relations of his Government , President Lincoln proceeds to the consideration of domestic affairs . The public expenditure has , he says , been promptly dsfrayed , and " the public credit is fully maintained . " The issues of Treasury notes have " satisfied partially for the time a

longfelt want of a uniform circulating medium ; " but he recommends Congress to pass an act for the incorporation of banks , to ivhich the Government " might furnish circulating notes on the securit y of United States bonds deposited in the Treasury . " After urging an early completion of the Pacific Railway , and recommending on military and commercial grounds , an enlargement of the canals communicating with the great lakes , the President proceeds to advert to the subject of slavery . He declares that " there is no

line , straight or crooked , suitable for a national boundary upon which to divide ; " and the existing strife must be settled by the existing generation . He consequently recommends that Congress shall propose to the legislatures of the several states , as amendments to the Federal Constitution , enactments declaring tbat ani state which may abolish slavery before the 1 st January , 1900 , shall receive Federal interest-bearing bonds for each slave

shown by the last census to have existed in the state ; that all slaves whom the chances of war may have set at liberty before the end ofthe " rebellion" shall be for ever free , although "loyal" owners shall be compensated ; and that Congress may appropriate money for the colonisation of negroes beyond the borders of the Union . This plan President Lincoln thinks cannot fail to restore the Union , and is "plain , peaceful , generous , and just . " Its adoption will not stay the prosecution

of the war , or revoke his emancipation proclamation , and will secure a speedier ancl cheaper restoration of peace than a reliance upoti force alone can ensure . The message was accompanied by the customary reports from the Secretaries of War and of the Navy ; but the presentation of the Treasury Secretary ' s report had been delayed . Mr . Stanton states tho Federal army now numbers 800 , 000 " fully armed and equipped" and that it will be raised to 1000000

, ,, men when the quotas are filled . " Mr . AVelles reports that the Federal navy consists of 323 steamers and 104 sailing vessels , carrying altogether 3268 guns . He adverts to the cruise of the Alabama , and says that , as she sailed from England to destroy American shipping it is matter for grave consideration how far and to what results this abuse may be carried with impunity to the government which tolerates it . " The British

Government was informed ofthe Alabama's character , but came too late to prevent her sailing ; and , to what extent , under these circumstances , the British Government is bound , in hononr and

The Week.

justice , to make indemnification for the destruction of private property , is a question which may present itself for disposal . No important debate seems to hove occurred in the Federal Congress up to the Sth inst ., though resolntions approving President Lincoln ' s emancipation 'proclamation , and ° denouncing any proposal for peace " on any other basis than the integrity of the Union as it existed before the rebellion , " had been introduced . The Treasury Secretary ' s reportwhich had been presented to

, Congress , estimated that for the current year he should require loans to the amount of 220 , 000 , 000 dollars , and proposed to raise 50 , 000 , 000 dollars by a tax on the issues of notes by banks . Mr . Chase , we are told , recommends no more paper money schemes , though he proposed that the banks should issue notes based on the security of Federal stocks . He estimated that on the list of July next the Federal debt would amount to

1 , 120 , 000 , 000 dollajs , and that if the war should continue with undiminished disbursements , it would attain the sum of 1 , 744 , 000 , 000 dollars in 1864 . He recommended that the issues of treasury notes should not be increased , and that any requisite funds , beyond the receipts from taxation , should be obtained by loans . No important movement had been made by either belligerent arineis in Virginia , and the Confederates and Federals were alike engaged in

fortifying their positions on the banks of the Rappahannock . General Banks's expedition , which had sailed from New York , was composed of land forces estimated at 20 , 000 to 40 , 000 men ; and some transports and iron-clad steamers had also sailed from Fort Monroe " under sealed orders . " The Southern journals asserted that 30 , 000 Federals were at Suffolk , and were preparing to move against Petersburg , and tbat the Federal forces at NewbernNorth Carolinawere to operate against AVeldon

, , . They likewise expected an attack on Wilmington or Georgetown , and on Mobile . There had been a sharp engagement in Tennesse , at a place called Hartsville , between the vanguard of the Federal forces from Nashville and the Confederates under General Morgan . The Federals wore worsted , ancl a whole brigade was captured by General Morgan , who was subsequently , however , defeated in an attack on Gallatin . General Grant

continued to advance in Mississippi , ancl had occupied Abbeville , which had been abandoned by the Confederates . " The Federal expedition which went up the Mississippi , " we are told , has discovered that the crop of cotton remaining in the states of Mississippi , Louisiana , and Arkansas "has been over-estimated . The destruction of cotton having been very considerable , only a few thousand bales remain in the counties bordering the river . The new crop will be very small . " In New York measures had been taken to raise contributions for the relief of the Lancashire .

operatives ; and some 40 , 000 dollars liad already been subscribed . The AA ' est India mail steamer brings us some intelligence respecting the proceedings of the Confederate cruiser Alabama and her audacious commander , Captain Semmes . It appears that the Alabama had been " doing mischief , " and that she had arrived at Martinique , after having captured and destroyed a Federal East Indiaman , laden witli a valuable cargo . She landed her prisoners at Martini and while sho was there the

que , Federal steam-frigate San Jacinto arrived , and ran alongside of her , in the harbour , but was " ordered off" by the Frenc Governor . Captain Semmes , repeating the exploit which h performed at the same place in the Sumter , " managed to escape during the night ; " and the San Jacinto , which went in pursuit of him , could not fall in with him , and was afterwards compelled to touch at St . Thomas ' s for coals .

To Correspondents.

TO CORRESPONDENTS .

SPECIAL NOTICE . —Next Thursday being Christmas-day , we shall be obliged by our correspondents forwarding their communications so as to come to hand not later than Wednesday , as otherwise they will be unavoidably postponed . J . S . —A Master can only be installed at the regular meeting of a lodge .

J . J . T . —We shall he always glad to hear from you . J . R . —A notice given at a meeting of the lodge , emergency or otherwise , that a lodge will he held on a given day , to pass a brother , will not be sufficient . Every brother must receive notice by summons . H . H . —Your request has been attended to .