The Week.

is attached , and which was intended to show that the apprehensions of American aggression iu Mexico are wholly unfounded , ancl that the relations between France and the United States have always been of the most satisfactory character . The Austrian Gazelle of Vienna states that the negotiations in Washington between the agents of the Emperor Maximilian and Mr . Seward are going on satisfactorily , and that Mr .

Lincoln has promised to recognise tbe Mexican Empire on the termination of the present war . King Victor Emmanuel arrived in Turin on Tuesday , and was received by the Ministry . A telegram from the same city announces that brigandage has fallen off so much in the southern provinces of the kingdom that it has been found

convenient to suppress the military department at Benevento . Pins IX . has addressed to the Bishop of Orleans a letter thanking him , not only for having circulated and vindicated the Papal Encyclical , but for having " severely reproved the injurious prohibition by which , leaving to . presumptuous and inimical writers licence of discussion , it is sought to deprive

the sole legitimate interpreters of our letters , to whom besides they were addressed , of the faculty of publishing and explaining the same . " The Pope ' s letter is the more affronting to the Emperor Napoleon ' s Government as ifc further expresses the Pontiff ' s gratification , because Bishop Dupanloup has exposed the " wicked ancl arrogant machinations ancl frauds" which , as

tbe Pope says , " manifest the intentions of those to whose illustrious guardianship , under the convention of the 15 th of September last , ifc was thought proper to confide the rest of tho spoil and sacreclness of our rights . " The Prussian Minister of War , in a sitting of a Committee of the House of Deputies on Saturday , made declarations which are hardly likely to conduce to a settlement of the dispute

between the Government and the Lower House of the Legislature , lie said that the Ministry would agree to " fix the strength of the army hy law , " upon condition that the Government should be authorised to "increase the strength of the military force in times of danger , " ancl that the House of Deputies should agree to all the other " Government proposals relative to the military re-organisation . " He added that the

army must be maintained at its present strength , that an establishment of 180 , 000 men would be insufficient , and that a limitation of the term of military service to two years , and the acceptance of substitutes for recruits , were equally inadmissible . The semi-official Journal de St . Fetersbourg seems to have been instructed to declare that tho object of recent conquests

in Central Asia was not to " extend , " but to " rectify , " the Russian frontier ; but no attempt is made to explain how there is any difference between an " extension" and a " rectification . " — - —There are several indications in Madrid of opposition to tbe Government measures . The editors of twenty-two journals have signed a protest against the new press law , and the

Democratic Committee have put forward a manifesto demanding a large extension of civil and religious liberty . From Algeria ifc is reported that the disturbances in the district of Babor have increased . Owing to the snow tho soldiers are not able to get into the district . Advices from St . Petersburg state that legal proceedings have been taken against eighteen members of the Assembly of Nobles

in the Government of Pskoff who hacked up the request of the nobility of Moscow for a national representation to be granted to Russia . The Tribunal of First Instance has delivered its judgment in the case of the Moscow newspaper which published the address of the nobility in that city . The two editors of tho paper have been sentenced to be imprisoned for two months . It is thought likely , however , that the superior court will change this sentence into a fine . The Duke de Persigny

The Week.

is about to visit Rome . He goes , ifc is understood , in order to examine into the political and social condition of the city , and to report thereon to tbe Emperor . Intelligence received in Paris from Monte Video up to the 7 th February states that the garrison of that city had agreed to capitulate to the Brazilian admiral , and that , therefore , a bloodless occupation

would take place . The Spanish army is to be reduced by 10 , 000 men . During the last few days great inundations have taken place in ancl around Bucharest . One-third of the town itself is under water , which in some places is more than five feet deep . The rivers have overflowed their banks , sweeping away the bridges and destroying the roads . Galatz , Jassy ,

and other towns have also suffered severely . AMERICA . —No authentic news respecting the movements of General Sherman had reached New York up to the 8 fch inst ., the date of the sailing of the China . There were sundry conflicting rumours respecting his march and position ; but all these reports were evidently altogether untrustworthy . A

strong body of Federal troops , under General Sheridan , had marched up tho Shenandoah Valley from Winchester , on the 27 th ult ., with the supposed purpose of operating ultimately against the Confederate communications with Lynchburg . Nothing was certainly known regarding General Sheridan's

progress ; but on the 6 th inst . Secretary Stanton published a report from General Grant , to the effect that Confederate deserters concurred in asserting that General Sheridan had taken Charlottesville , ancl had completely defeated the Confederate General Early , whom he had captured , together with nearly his whole corps , said to bo 18 , 000 strong . No

confirmation of this report had been received up to the date of tbo China ' s departure , and the rumour was apparently disbelieved in New York . No movement had been made by General Grant ' s army ; but it was still asserted that the Confederates were preparing to evacuate Richmond and Petersburg . Georgetown , iu South Carolina , had been captured by a Federal

expedition under Admiral Dahlgren , whose flagship was destroyed by tbe explosion of a torpedo , though all her crew were saved . The Federal Senate had confirmed President Lincoln's appointment of Mr . M'Culloch to the secretaryship of the Treasury . The Moravian brings intelligence from New York to the llth inst . It was reported that Sherman had occupied

Fayetteville , and was approaching Raleigh . The Confederates were arming their slaves . Sheridan ' s victory is confirmed . Ifc is expected by the Federal Secretary to the Treasury that specie payments will soon be resumed . The Confederation scheme has been adopted by the Canadian Parliament .

To Correspondents.

TO CORRESPONDENTS .

S . L . —The Royal Arch is not a part of Craft Masonry , though , by the English "Book of Constitutions" ancl the ceremony , it is declared to be only a completion of the third degree , with which it has . no more connection than with the man iu the moon . J . B . —We have not the honour of the brother ' s acquaintance ,

and must , therefore , decline to ask him any such question . W . W . —Where the Director of Ceremonies places you . D . R . W . M . —Salute your visitors according to the degree iu which the lodge is opened . If tbe brethren are present at the opening , immediately afterwards . It is not usual to salute visitors in private lodges , excepting they are very

distinguished . G . L . —His Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex was elected Grand Master in 1813 .