The Week.

given . These ivould seem to show that there are other so-called Liberals than those who have put themselves forward hitherto who are endeavouring to join the Tories , ivhile keeping up the profession of Liberalism . Earl Grosvenor , who represents Chester , and is described in " Dod " as a Whig and a member of Brooks' Club , gave notice that on the motion for the second reading of the Reform Bill he should move an amendment to

the effect that no bill for dealing with the franchise can be ¦ satisfactory that does not deal with the whole question of distribution of seats and other matters . Of course fctie Opposition cheered . They thought they had got another assistant . Then Sir W . Hufct , of whom better things might have been expected , gave . notice that in the event of Earl Grosvenor ' s

amendment being lost , he should move an amendment to the effect that the alterations made by the bill in the franchise should not take effect until a measure for redistributing the seats should have been passed . This may not he intended to harass the Government , but it looks very much as if it were . Later , Mr . Gladstone , in reply to Sir A . Buller , said the

Government ivould in its own good time bring in a bill for the better prevention of corrupt practices at elections . Among the subjects subsequently discussed were Scotch Fisheries , the Standing Orders as to grants of money , the Australian difficulty as to the tariff , and other topics . On the 21 st inst . the House of Commons resolved , after some

discussion , that the bills promoted by the Metropolitan Board of Works be referred to a select committee . —Mr . Oliphant seems disposed to forestall the Government in the matter of Reform . He gave notice that on tbe 10 th of April he should move for a commission to inquire into the boundaries of boroughs and the ivhole question of the distribution of seats . If that motion be carried on the Tuesday , how will the debate on the Thursday

stand ?—Mr . Coleridge subsequently moved the second reading of the Oxford Tests Bill in an admirable speech . The opposition was led by Sir Stafford Northcote , and all the stock arguments against tbe measure were brought out . They did not avail , however , to defeat the bill , for on a division the second reading was carried by 217 votes to 103 . —Sir Stafford Northcote tried

to argue the majority away by declaring that he had told many of his friends there ivould be no division that afternoon ; whereupon Mr . Coleridge pithily answered that he was perfectly satisfied with the position of the affair . GENERAL HOME JNJE . VS , —From the Registrar-General ' s returns we extract the following : —The mortality still continues

at a high rate . The deaths in the principal towns last week amounted to 3 , 983 , which was at the rate of 34 in the thousand . The honour of being lowest on the list belongs to Newcastle , which is 26 ; London and several other towns stand at 30 . Liverpool is as high as 57 . The London deaths amount to 1 , 738 , which is 227 above the average . It is , however , a

considerable reduction from the previous week . Tho births were 4 , 582 , of which 2 , 213 belong to London , which is a little above the average . The aggregate number of patients relieved at the Metropolitan Free Hospital during the week ending l 7 tti March was , medical 970 , surgical 575 ; total 1 , 545 , of which 57 ' 1 were new cases . The election committees in the cases of

Yarmouth , . Nottingham , Bridgnorth , Tofcnes , and Boston , were constituted on the 15 th inst ., and began business forthwith . In the Nottingham case there were cross petitions—one against Sir R . Clifton , the other against Mr . Samuel Morley . Mr . William Gardner , an exhibitor in the Guildhall Exhibition , was with two of his workmen , brought up at the Mansion House Police-court charged with assault . Ifc appeared that Mr . Gardner , who is a patent safe manufacturer , purchased from

Mr . C . J . Sharpe a number of locks to be shown at the exhibition with his wares . When Mr . Sharpe went to assist the exhibitor in placing the locks in a show-case , the latter asked and received from Mr . Sharpe a cheque for £ 12 10 s ., which had been paid for the locks , and which he offered to get cashed . The defendant Gardner then refused to return either cheque or money , and

finally , with his workmen , committed tho assault with which they were charged . Gardner was fined £ 3 , and each of his workmen £ 1 , with an alternative of imprisonment . —Another great commercial disaster has taken place . The Joint Stock Discount Company is a failure , and its failure will involve many of its shareholders in ruin . The statements made at the

meeting were extraordinary , and seem to show that there has been gross mismanagement if not worse . At a meeting of the Metropolitan Board of Works ou the 16 th inst ., a report of the Thames Embankment Committee stated that steps had been taken with respect to the arrangement with the Waterloo and Whitehall Railway Company for carrying their works under

the Thames Embankment North , and submitting the agreement for arbitration for sealing . The report was agreed to The board then adjourned . At the Bow-street Police-court Mr . John Wainwright was again brought up , charged with vitriol throwing . The prosecutrix , Mrs . Peacock , attended , and gave evidenae as to the circumstances of the outrage ;

while she still adhered to her former statement as to Wainwright being tho guilty person . Wainwright was then committed for trial . Subsequently another man who had had vitriol thrown in his face near the same locality was brought into court , but failed to recognise in tbe prisoner the person who had committed the outrage . A fire of considerable magnitude took place near the docks in an extensive pile of warehouses occupied by Messrs . Watkins and Metcalf , wharfingers . The fire broke

out among the jute which was deposited in tbe upper floors of one of the warehouses . The official report shows a great amount of damage . There was a brilliant assemblage at Millwall on Saturday , the 17 ch . inst ., to see the launch , of the Northumberland , one of the largest class of ironclads . The Prince of Wales , Prince Alfred , and the Prince of Hohenlohe were present . The Countess Percy christened the ship . But an

unfortunate hitch occurred . The splendid ship , after gliding eighty or one hundred feet down the ways , came to a standstill , and all efforts to move her were unavailing . She is still stuck fast . Ifc is feared the ways have sunk a little . Tbe vessel is we believe , in no immediate danger . A curious story comes from Sfc . Pancras workhouse . Ifc is to the effect that the Rev .

J . Hillock , in passing through the infirmary of the workhouse , saw a child laid out , as if dead , for interment . But the child was still alive , and he called attention to the fact , but was desired not to interfere . He baa written to the Poor-law Board , and his letter has been referred to the St . Pancras guardians . Some ingenious thieves have found a way of plundering

pillar lefcfcer boxes . A bag fitted with a spring is fitted into the slit of the box , and into this instead of into the proper receptacle the letters which are posted fall . A postman found one of these ingenious appliances in a pillar-post near Belgravesquare . The spring had broken , or become disordered , so that the bag could not be withdrawn . A brutal attack was made

upon a widow named Pellington , at Brighton , on Friday nig ht , the 16 th inst . She keeps a small shop near the Level , and , just as she was closing , a man came iu and asked for some small articles . As she was getting them he felled her by a blowon the head , She screamed "murder , " when he struck her again . Still she screamed , and he ran off . Ifc is supposed that he intended to murder her , and then rob the house . Nothing