The Week.

vindicated the act as wise and salutary . On Monday , the Duke of Somerset , in reply to a question from Lord Ellenborough made the startling statement that lie had been informed by one of the surviving officers of the Orpheus , that at the time Commodore Burnett was taking the Manukau bar , he held in his hand the official notice pointing out that the bar had shifted ,

and that the old channel marked down in the charts , was therefore unsafe . A long discussion followed , nominally on the secret character of naval Courts of Inquiry , but really , as it would seem , on the fairness of a decision of one of these tribunals . Some time ago , her Majesty ' s ship Vigilant , ran in broad daylight on the Gunflcet Sands , ancl a Court of Inquiry passed a

censure on Hord Elpliinstone , her commander . A copy of the evidence upon which this censure was based was forwarded to Lord Elpliinstone , with the remark that he might , if he thought proper , demand a court martial . Upon this suggestion he did not act , but his friends in the Upper House—Lords Derby , Hardwicke , Colchester , and Chelmsford , all members of the

Opposition—urged that he had been harshly and unjustly treated . The conduct of the Admiralty was , on the other hand , defended by the First Lord , Lord Russell , and Lord Granville . On Tuesday the Local Government Act Amendment Bill was read a second time .- On Thursday , the 16 th insfc ., the HOUSE OE COMMONS presented an animated ' appearance ; and among

those attracted to the Peers' Gallery by the prospect of a great speech from the Chancellor of the Exchequer , wore Prince Alfred and Prince Louis of Hesse . Mr . Gladstone , taking the sources of revenue as they now stand , estimates that he has a surplus of about £ 3 , 700 , 000 to dispose of . He proposes various changes—including a reduction of 2 d . in the income tax , and of 5 d . in the tea duty , and the extending of public house licences to clubs—anil he calculates that at the close of the current

financial year he will still have a surplus of upwards of half a million . On Friday Mr . Cobdon gave notice of his intention to invito the attention of the House to " the motives of national self-interest and to the obligations of implied international engagements by which the British Government is called upon for a vigilant and rigid enforcement of those provisions of the

Foreign Enlistment Act which forbids the furnishing ships of war to a belligerent Power , to be employed against another Power with which this country is at peace . " Sir F . Smith moved a resolution to the effect that harbours of refuge should , in compliance with the recommendations of a Royal Commission , be constructed at Waterford , Wick , and Padstow . Sir John

Hay and Sir James Elpliinstone urged the claims of . the Filey , but Mr . Milner Gibson , on behalf of the Government , argued that such works should be left to he carried out by the localities interested . The motion was negatived without a division . On Monday Mr . Bayard stated , in reply to a question from Mr . Peaeocke , that the Government had under their consideration

the " ticket of leave " given by Mr . Adams , the American minister , to a ship bound for Matamoras , and reported to bo laden with munitions of livar for the Mexicans . —Sir George Grey liaving moved the second reading of the Prison Ministers Bill —a measure mainly intended to give additional facilities for the religious instruction of Roman Catholic prisoners—Mr . Gori ;

Langton moved , as an amendment , that the bill be read a second time that day six months . A long and and animated debate followed , in the course of which Mr . Disraeli and Mr . Henley spoke warmly in favour of the bill ; while " other members of the opposition as warmly denounced it After a vigorous but unsuccessful effort on the part of Mr . Whalley to obtain a

hearingthe House divided , when the second reading was carried by a majority of thirty . On Tuesday Mr . Whalley named the day for his annual attack on the grant to Maynooth College , and

Mr . Roebuck intimated his intention—when the Chancellor of the Exchequer asked the House to sanction his income tax scheme—of moving a resolution to the effect that precarious incomes should be taxed at a lower rate than permanent incomes . Sir Charles AVood , in answer to a question , stated that the expenses of Sir James Outram ' s funeral would be defrayed by the Indian government . In reply to a question from Mr .

Denman , Lord Pahnerston said Her Majesty's Government had received no correct information as to the exact scope of the Emperor of Russia's amnesty to the Poles . Different interpretations were put upon that document , but he trusted that after the " ferocious violence " which the Russian troops had recently exhibited iu Poland , the Czar ' s government would set themselves

right with the public opinion of Europe by a policy of indulgence and mercy . Mr . Roebuck gave notice of a question with reference to the course to be pursued by the Government iu consequence of the reckless proceedings of Admiral Wilkes in the West Indies . Sir George Grey obtained leave to bring in a bill for the amalgamation of tbe metropolitan and . city police ;

but the right lion . Baronet was warned that the measure would be opposed by the champions of local self-government . On Wednesday Lord A . Churchill gave notice of his intention to ask whether merchant ships in the prosecution of a voyage between neutral ports would be justified in defending themselves by arms against capture by Federal cruisers . The

Innkeepers Liability Bill was , after some discussion , read a second time , as were also the Elections during the Recess Bill and the Borough Residence Uniform Measurement Bill . With regard to the latter measure a division took place , the second reading being carried by 171 votes to 137 . The Marriages , & c , Ireland Bill passed through committee . GENERAL HOME NEvre . —A dinner was given on Saturday

by the members of the United Service Institution to the Hon . General Lindsay , M . P ., president of that institution , on the occasion of his departure to take command of the Guards in Canada . Sir John Pakington occupied the chair , and the dinner was attended by Colonel North , M . P ., Colonel Dunne , M . P ., and other gentlemen , who were colleagues of the gallant officer

in Parliament , as well as members with him of the institution . The services of the gallant General were amply and gracefully set forth by the rig ht , hon . chairman , ancl the General , in returning thanks , said his great object had been to render the institution practically useful to the officers of the army and navy . Lord de Grey has been appointed Secretary of State

for War . The noble lord , it is understood , has had tho heavywork of the department to do during the period he has acted as Under Secretary . Lord Hartington , who was recently appointed a Lord of the Admiralty , will succeed Lord de Grey as Under Secretary ; but this change in the official position of the noble marquis will not necessitate another appeal to his constituents

-It is reported that Mr . Stansfield will be the new Lord of the Admiralty , and , in that case , the hon . gentleman would , of course , be obliged to seek re-election .- Mr . Gladstone , in the course of his financial statement , said he intended to submit a resolution for paying off £ 1 , 000 , 000 of Exchequer Bonds falling due in May . Ho added , however : — " It is also my intention ,

in view of the state of things in Lancashire and the country , to ask for power to re-borrow that money in case of need during the year , but I hope there will be no occasion for the exercise . of such power . The Mansion-house Committee for the Relief of Distress in Lancashire have at last resolved to apply a portion of the funds entrusted to them in assisting emigration . A

meeting ofthe committee was held at the Mansion-house , when , a deputation from a society of gentlemen newly formed for that purpose , headed by Mr . Childers . M . P ., waited on the committee