The Week.

Holiness has despatched a special messenger with an autograph letter , addressed by himself , to Queen Victoria ; and during the last few days repeated interviews have taken place between Mr . Odo Russell and the French ambassador at the Papal Court . Our Paris correspondent informs us ol a frightful steamboat accident . It- happened ou board one of the steamers which

ply to Lyons . Ii appears that just at the vessel in question touched the quay an explosion took place in the machinery department , which literally cut the hull in two . The explosion took place at night . The next morning three corpses were found , and it is said that fifteen persons were dangerously wounded . The King of Prussia has published a letter to his

subjects generally , thanking them for the expressions of loyalty and devotion which he is constantly receiving . The arrangements for the triumphal entry of the troops into Berlin are pretty nearly completed , and it is certain to be a most imposing demonstration . Count Bismarck ' s illness is likely to prevent him from putting in an appearance afc the festivities ; but , even

when well , he has repeatedly held back from anything like a personal ovation . AJIEKICA ASD THE COMITIES . —The insurrection iu Candia grows in seriousness and importance . Tho latest account from the scene of the disturbance announces thafc the Cretan Assembly General had resolved that tbe Island of Candia shall be

annexed to Greece , ancl that the foreign consuls hacl been communicated with to that effect . We have dates from Calcutta to the Sth of August . The mortality occasioned by the famine continues to be frightful . A correspondent of The Englishman , who lias made a tour of the MoAissil , sends a narrative of suffering ancl death which hud rarely been paralleled even in the history of such calamities . In four villages which he visited there were not ten houses thafc did not contain one or

more dead bodies . In another small place there were lour or five hundred dead , most of them uiiburied . The truth appears to be thafc the boasted administrative machinery of tbe Indian Government has completely broken clown . Plenty of food has been brought , but somehow or other ifc does not reach the starving . Ships laden with rice are unable fco discharge their cargoes for want of boats . Much of the misery is attributed

to tbe fact that the authorities have given orders that onl y eight annas' worth of rice shall be sold to one individual afc a time . " Every clay , " writes a correspondent , " there were hundreds of people coining and layinndown their money , prostrating , themselves on their faces and . bands , begging to buy rice ; bufc . the

relieving officers cannot sell it , owing to the orders they have received . " In Calcutta alone twenty thousand persons are subsisting on native charity , which lias proved far more effective than the organisation of the Government . The news from China is interesting . The Chinese Viceroy at Nankin had perpetrated a grim tragedy . Having reason fco suspect the fidelit y

of two generals , who were supposed to be in communication ivith the rebels at Xienfei , he got them into his power by an artifice ivhich exhibited more than Oriental crafc , ancl then decapitated them . It appeared that in the Corea two French bishops and seven priests had been massacred , as is alleged , under circumstances of great barbarity . This looks as if there

would he another opening for French arms in a country which , unfortunately for itself , and for the murdered prelates and their companions in misfortune , is not new to European warfare . ——Prom Victoria we learn that the financial crisis in England and India had excited great alarm , but few failures had occurred , and these were of an unimportant character . Some changes in the Ministry are also reported . The intelligence from New

The Week.

Zealand has been anticipated by the Panama mail . According to a New York telegram , President Johnson continues to receive enthusiastic receptions in his western tour , although , as the plaudits of the Democrats are mixed with sounds of a different character , ancl "traitor "—a cry unprecedented in the history of Presidential tours—is not unfrequently heard , the

statement admits of some qualification . The Chicago Board of Trade have refused the use of their ball for Mr . Johnson's reception , ancl fears of a riot in that city are entertained . If we add to this the fact thafc the republicans have carried the elections in the state of Vermont , the President ' s speeches do nofc appear likely to serve him afc the polls . The Republican

Convention was in full session , and a demand was made for Mr . Johnson's impeachment . Judging from fche telegram , there appears some reason to apprehend that the negro suffrage question may cause some divisions between the Northern and Southern sections of the Convention . By Atlantic telegraph we learn that the Radicals hacl carried the Maine elections .

This is the best possible comment on the President ' s tour , which was intended to influence this and other elections . Mr . Johnson , in the course of his progress westwards , encountered

many manifestations of opposition , which appear sorely to have tried both bis temper ancl discretion . Perhaps the worst as well as the most undignified speech which he has yet made , was that delivered at Detroit , where he denounced Congress in the most vituperative language . At one place he was received with funeral music instead of the exhilarating strains of " Yankee

Doodle , " or " Hail , Columbia . " At Niagara he received a delegation of Canadian officials , to whom he is saicl to have been afc once " gracious and dignified . " From Brazil ive learn that the allied army has sustained a terrible , ancl , if the figures may be credited , an overwhelming defeat . In a battle with the Paraguayans they were repulsed with a loss of 280 officers and

8 , 000 men . Battles in South America , which used fco be very trivial affairs , have now almost assumed European proportions . ——Ifc speaks well for the moderation of the Republican party , that although Chicago is one of their strongholds , they made no organised demonstration against President Johnson during his recent visit . The Eepublican Convention at Philadelphia have decided to support Congress in the most uncompromising manner . The report of the early departure of the Emperor Maximilian from Mexico is confirmed from New Orleans .

To Correspondents.

TO CORRESPONDENTS .

*»* All communications to be addressed to 19 , Salisbury-street " Strand , London , W . C . " SCHUTATOK . "—We have received your letter Avith others , referring to the letter ivhich appeared in our last from " Corner Stone " upon the subject of the reported expulsion of inmates of our Boys' School . We regret we cannot insert the letters referred to , as neither

"Scrutator" or the other correspondent referred to have given us their actual names . We repeat we cannot insert the letters of correspondents unless they favour us with their actual names and addresses . "Corner Stone" opened the subject by fulfilling the customary stipulation , ivhich has also been complied with by the correspondents referred to in our Masonic Mems . We regret to be compelled to request brethren from whom

outstanding amounts are due to respond to the above notice . Some of our Colonial Subscribers are especially reticent iu this respect , aud our exchequer is nofc only im ? poverished through the non-receipt of amounts overdue , but we have also been put to the trouble and expense of writing and postages without even producing' the bare courtesy of a reply . We trust the reticent brethren will not compel us in future issues to specify individual . names of the brethren ancl lodges .