The Week.

some discussion , in the course of which Colonel North stated that recruiting had come to a dead lock , Lord Hartington opposed the motion , reminding Mr . O'Reilly that the subject had only very recently been reported upon . He denied the statement of Colonel North , and said that recruiting had been going on with great regularity . The Government did not intend this year to propose an increase of pay or an alteration

in the mode of recruiting , but both subjects were under consideration . Mr . Vincenfc Scully advised Irishmen to abstain from enlisting , as there was no chance of their getting fair play ; while Mr . Whalley declared that Roman Catholic troops could not be relied upon in a case of emergency , as they gave their allegiance to the Pope instead of to the Queen . The

motion was ultimately withdrawn . —Mr . Adderley moved for a Select Committee on the British establishments on the West Coasfof Africa . He submitted that our four settlements were mere hotbeds of disease , and instead of proving of any advantage to our commerce , they only led us into potty wars with the natives . Mr . Cave seconded the motion , which was supported by Lord A . Churchill . Lord Stanley suggested that the inquiry should embrace the question as to whether the African squadron should be maintained . He considered that

Ave had met any claims that the African race might have had upon us , and that we had sufficient scope at home for our philanthropic exertions . Mr . Cardwell assented to the motion , wliich was agreed to . —Mr . Baines obtained leave to bring in his Borough Franchise Bill , which was read a first time . On Wednesday , Mr . Scorn-field moved the second reading of the

Private Bills Costs Bill . The object of this measure Avas to provide that where the proceedings of parties in reference to a railway bill appeared to have been vexatious , costs should be awarded against them . Mr . Denham thought the terms of the Bill were a little too large , but he should support it . Mr . Roebuck said in committee he should move that the provisions

of the Bill be extended to all private Bills . Mr . M . Gibson thought the principle of the Bill was very doubtful , but after the expression of opinion by the House he should not oppose it . He would , however , suggest that it should be referred to a select committee . The Bill was read a second time , and was ordered to be referred to a select committee . —Mr . Denham

moved the second reading of the Felony and Misdemeanour Evidence and Practice Bill , the object of which was to assimilate the practice in civil and criminal cases . Sir G . Grey , on the part of the Government gave his assent to the Bill . The Bill was read a second time .

GENERAL HOME NEWS . —The is a general decrease in the rate of mortality of the kingdom , though ifc is still above the average of the last ten years . At least that is so within the bills of mortality of the metropolis , where those averages have been most carefully preserved . There the deaths for the week were 1 , 567 , which is a considerable diminution since January , though it is 112 above the ten years' average . In the ten principal towns of the kingdom the deaths were 3 , 319 , or at the rate of 32 in the thousand . The births over the same area

were 3 , 803 , to which London contributed 2 , 03-1 . The return of pauperism in the cotton districts exhibits another increase this week . Eighteen unions in the aggregate relieved 2 , 000 more persons than last week , and seven unions fewer by 7-10 ; this leaves a net increase of 1 , 260 . Three unions experienced no change in their relief lists . The following unions increased by the numbers respectively stated , viz .: —Ashfcoii-under-Lyiie ,

300 ; Blackburn , 290 ; Bolton , 100 ; Chorlton , 130 ; Glossop , 2-10 ; Saddleworth , 200 ; and Todmorden , 210 . Manchester decreased 4-SO , which , within 10 , is the amount of last week ' s increase . The number of able-bodied increased 510 . The

guardians distributed £ 2 , 937 in out-door relief , or £ 102 more than in the first week in February ; at the same time it is to be observed that this item is now nearly £ 3 , 000 less than in the corresponding week of 1864 . The army estimates for the year show a total diminution of charge for 1865-6 , as compared with 1 S 61-5 , of £ 873 , 639 . The reduction in the strength of the service is very small . The navy estimates , as compared

with those for the year about to expire , show a net decrease of £ 35-1 , 000 . The controversy respecting the endowment of the Greek chair at Oxford has been settled by a . resolution of the Dean and Chapter of Christ ; Church , to raise the stipend from £ 10 to £ 500 . —¦—The Syndicate appointed at Cambridge to consider the proposal to extend the local

examinations to girls , have reported in favour of giving the scheme a three years' trial . They recommend that no " attempt be made to examine in such subjects as are peculiar to female education . " In the Upper House of Convocation ' cn Friday , the Bishop of Oxford stated his views on tho subject of admitting clergymen to the bar . He said he considered the decision

arrived at by the Inns of Court " rather a good thing ,- " but , to meet any possible evils that might arise from it , he suggested that when a clergyman was admitted to practise at the Bar , ifc should be iu the power of the Bishop to enter in his register an affidavit to that effect , and that it should amount to a sentence of suspension from all spiritual offices until that suspension was

removed . He moved that the subject should be referred to the joint committee of the two provinces—a proposition which was unanimously adopted . The annual meeting of delegates from various chambers of commerce was held on Tuesday , at the Westminster Palace Hotel , Jlr . Sampson Lloyd presiding . The principal business of the day was a discussion on the state of tlie Bankruptcy Law , for which no one appeared to have a

good vvo .-d ; and a motion recommending tho adoption of the Scotch system was unanimously agreed to . The members met again on Wednesday , and discussed several important questions . With reference to a commercial treaty with Austria , a letter from the Foreign Office was read . It stated that the Austrian Government had suggested the appointment of a commission , consisting of Austrians and Englishmen , to

agree upon the bases for a commercial treaty . Her Majesty ' s Government has agreed to the proposition . An Art Workmen's Industrial Exhibition was opened at the Royal Institution , Manchester , on Tuesday . Addresses were delivered on the occasion by Sir James Ivuy-Shuttleivorth , who presided , the Dean of Manchester , and other gentlemen . At

the commencement of the present month there was a deficiency of about 180 officers in the various volunteer brigades and regiments of Lancashire . This is a serious fact , and deserves the attention ifc received at a meeting held at the Town Hail , Manchester , under the presidency of the Mayor . This falling off in the number of officers , while the rank and file is steadily gaining

strength , was attributed to various causes , and notably to the expenses to which the officers are now subjected . In order , to some extent , to remove this source of complaint , the meeting decided to recommend " the formation of a council of honorary members in connection with each corps , to undertake the enrolment of new honorary members , and the collection of

subscriptions . " A committee was also appointed to bring the question of the military and legal rank and status of volunteer officers under the attention of the Government . Experiments were made on Wednesday on the South-Western Railway with an invention for permitting communication between passengers aud guard and driver iu any train . Electricity is the chief agent . The result appears to have been most satisfactory . Lord Harris laid the foundation stone of a new bridge across the Thames on