The Week.

THE WEEK .

THE C OURT . —Her Majesty and Family have returned to Windsor . It is stated that Her Majesty will shortly hold a Court , at which she Avill receive the whole of the Corps dialomatiqiie . The Prince and Princess of AVales are at Marlborough House , where they on Tuesday evening gave a dinner party to a large circle of the nobility . On AVednesday , Her

Eoyal Highness presided ut a meeting of the Council of the Wellington College . I MPEBIAE PAEHAMENT . —The HOUSE OE LOSDS met on Thursday , 16 fch inst ., but the business transacted was unimportant . —On Friday , Lord Granville laid on the table two minutes of the Committee of Council on Education , —the first

apparently sanctioning Miss Burdett Coutts's plan for uniting small schools , with the view of securing the advantage of Government inspection , and the second providing for the more efficient examination of evening schools . Lord Lyveden raised a discussion on the subject of the defences of Canada . He thought Ave ought not to rely upon the conciliatory temper

of the American people , for ifc is well understood when , a few weeks ago , there was a prospect of peace between the Northern and Southern States , that reunion meant war with England . He urged that we ought either to Avithdraw our troops , and leave the colonists to defend themselves , or take immediate measures for placing the territory in an adequate state of

defence . Lord cle Grey said the army estimates would this year include a vote of £ 50 , 000 for improving the fortifications of Quebec , and ifc was proposed that the fortification of Montreal and the important western territory should be undertaken by the Canadian Government . In addition to this , 88 , 000 militiamen were to be balloted for , and the Home Government would offer every facility for the establishment ; of schools for the

training of officers . Lord Derby strongly censured the Government for having so long neglected the defences of Canada , and both ho and Lord Malmesbury ridiculed the smallness of the sum proposed to be voted for strengthening the fortifications of Quebec . Lord Ellenborough also urged that we were bound in honour to dp all we could to defend Canada , but at the same time ho would impress upon the colonists that the assistance of

the mother country would be comparatively useless unless they themselves displayed that spirit of vigour by which the brief history of the Confederate States had been marked . Lord Granville , Lord Russell , Lord de Grey , and the Duke of Somerset replied to the various points which had been raised by the Opposition speakers . It was pointed out that ifc was impossible

for the Home Government to have acted earlier in this matter , as ifc Avas hut recently that the colony showed a disposition to take any steps for its own defence ; that the vote of £ 50 , 000 was about as much as could be got through in the Avorking season at Quebec , and that , as the United States had only given notice in November of their intention to terminate the Lakes

Convention , there had not been sufficient time for deciding upon the proper measures to be adopted in view of the appearance of a Federal flotilla in those waters . On Tuesday , the Lord Chancellor introduced a Bill conferring on County Courts a limited jurisdiction in equity , —enabling them , for instance , to deal with cases of intestacy Avhere the property Avas

of small amount . He also intimated his intention of bringing in a Bill for shortening the period during which debts could be recovered , anil prohibiting the recovery of any " score " for intoxicating liquors drunk on the premises . In the HOUSE OE COMMONS on Thursday , the 16 th inst ., the motion for the second reading of the Central Wales and Staffordshire Junction Railway Bill led to a division , which resulted in

the second reading been carried by a majority of 29 . —On the bringing up of a report relating to private bills , Lord Palmerston took the opportunity of paying a warm tribute to the services of the late Mr . Gregson , who was several years chairman of the Public Petitions Committee . —Colonel Clifford gave notice of his intention to introduce a Bill to abolish fines for non-attendance at places of worship on Sundays , —In reply to

a question from Mr . Arthur Mills , Mr . Cardwell stated that he had received despatches from New Zealand which led him to hope that the imperial troops might soon be withdrawn from tbe colony . — After some discussion , the Courts of Justice Building Bill was read a second time . —Mr . Whitehouse obtained leave to bring in a Bill for the reform of the Irish Court

of Chancery , and Mr . Cardwell to bring in a Bill for the annexation of British Kaffraria to the Cape Colony . On Friday , Mr . Layard , in answer to a question from Mr . Watkin , spoke in the Avarmest terms of the ability with which Lord Lyons had performed the duties of his office at Washington , and said the noble lord had broken down under the weight of

the Avork which had devolved upon him . The Government , however , did not wish to press him to decide whether he would return to Washington or not , and in the meantime the business of the Embassy was being satisfactorily performed by Mr . Hume Burnley . —In answer to a question , Mr . Milner Gibson said the Government intended to bring in a Bill for the protection of

the inventions displayed at Ind ustrial Exhibitions . —Mr . Card-Avell , in reply to Sir John Hay , said the governor of the Gold Coast had not been instructed to take the field against the Ashantees . —Sir Hugh Cairns condemned at great length the manner in wliich the Party Emblems Act was carried out in Ireland , contending that if the Government took no notice of the procession on the occasion of the laying of the first stone of

the O'Connell monument in Dublin , it Avould be impossible to resist the conclusion that the law was directed against one community only . He also strongly censured the manner in which the inquiry into the Belfast riots had been conducted . Sir Robert Peel defended the Government against the attack of Sir II . Cairns ; and the debate was 'continued

by Mr . Whiteside and other members , leading , however , to no result . On Monday Sir George Grey , in answer to a question , said ifc was proposed to appoint a commission to inquire into the marriage laws of the United Kingdom . —Mr . Hibbert obtained leave to bring in a Bill to permit executions to be carried out Avithin the prison walls ; Sir George Grey ,

however , remarking that , as the subject would be considered by the Commission on Capital Punishment , it would be desirable to defer tbe second reading until tlie Commissioners had presented their report . —A resolution , moved hy Mr . Augustus Smith , declaring that the office of Parliamentary Secretary to the Poor-law Board ought to be abolished , was negatived by

193 to 107 . —Mr . Villiers obtained leave to bring in a Bill substituting the union for the parish in the maintenance of the poor . On Tuesday , the second reading ot the Cheltenham and Gloucestershire Water Company ' s Bill ^ -a Bill Avhich proposed to enable the Company to pump the Avater from the Cerney Springs which now supply the Thames—was opposed by

Lord Robert Montagu and other members , Avho apparently dreaded the drying up of our great river ; and on a division the Bill was thrown out , hy a majority of 30 . —Mr . O'Reilly moved an address for the appointment of a Commission to inquire into the present system of recruiting , which he held to he most unsatisfactory . He suggested that the period of service

should be twelve instead of ten years , that local enlistments arising from local associations should be encouraged , and that old soldiers of good character should receive higher pay . After