The Week.

man-street , City . Considerable damage was done before the fire could be extinguished . Tuesday being tbe twenty-fifth anniversary of tbe Princess Royal ' s birth , the Queen prepared for her a pleasant surprise in the shape of a seranade by the choir of the Chapel Royal of St . George ' s , AA'indsor . The choristers took up a position beneath the apartments of the Crown

Prince and Princess of Prussia , and sang some delightful glees , some of which , however , were scarcely in keeping with the lugubrious aspect of the morning . According to late advices from Tiverton Mr . Denman is threatened witli opposition , although the Tories do not appear to havo agreed upon a candidate . In the Court of Queen's Bench on Tuesday tho

proceedings in the important case of Mr . Churchward engrossed the attention of the court . Mr . Churchward seeks to present a petition of right that the Crown may pay him damages for breach of contract in regard to tbe carriage of mails from Dover to the Continent . Sir Hugh Cairns was heard on behalf of the suppliant and tho Attorney-General for tho

Crown . The further hearing was postponed to Friday . The metropolis was visited on AA ' cdnesday by a storm of great severity . The wind blew a hurricane , and the rain was dashed with great violence against windows , and in tbe faces of unhappy pedestrians . According to the reporters great damage was done ; but we always find on these occasions that the vessels in the river have been dragged from their moorings , that the chimney pots have fallen thick and fast in every street , and

tnat the trees m the royal parks have been torn limb from limb . On this occasion , however , they have not exaggerated . Tbe most serious accident occurred at the new City terminus in Cannon-street . A largo quantity of zinc was stripped from the roof , aud some boarding which was bnrled from tbe new City Hotel killed a poor labourer who was passing iu the street below . In the Central Criminal

Court on Wednesday , the trial af Robert Short Waters , late steward to Lord Shaftesbury , was expected to take place ; but Mr . Coleridge , on behalf of the defendant , applied for another adjournment , on the ground that , as the whole question in dispute between the two parties was involved iu certain proceedings which had been instituted in tbe Court of Chancery , it

would be unfair to the defendant to try him on a criminal charge until the civil action had been disposed of . Some discussion on the subject then took place , in the course of which one learned counsel expressed his opinion that the Chancery suit would last for three years . After taking the opinion of Mr . Justice Byles , Mr-Baron Bvamwell consented to tho postponement of tho trial

till'April next . At tbe Southwark police-court , a man named Richards , otherwise Baker , who is said to have been a wine merchant in Mark-lane , was brought up for final examination on a charge of stealing a largo number of articles from the London and Sonth-AA'esteru Railway station , Waterloo-road . The prisoner acknowledged bis guilt , and was committed for trial .

FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE . —The announcement of war between Spain and Chili is confirmed . The Spanish admiral had addressed a most insulting ultimatum to Chilian Government , and this had thoroughly aroused the spirit of the nation . Although tbe entire diplomatic corps had protested against the highhanded conduct of the admiral , the latter had declared the

blockade of all the Chilian ports , and it was expected that he would bombard the coast towns . The Spaniards appear to have acted in a very offensive ami dictatorial manner towards foreign commercial vessels . Tho Chilian Congress has given a hearty support to the Administration , and the people are said to bo unanimous in their determination to resist the aggressions of Spain . The British ship Leaiider was ou its way to A ' alparaiso .

The Week.

The insurrections in Peru and Bolivia are believed to be on the eve of extinction . A Paris despatch states that tbe War Minister has reported in favour of the application of three and a-half millions of francs to raise the pay of officers lieutenants , and sub-lieutenants . Tho Italian . Parliament was opened on Saturday with a speech from the throne . The

King said the negotiations with the Papacy wore broken off when it was judged that they might be prejudicial to the rights of tbe Crown and of tbe nation . " Time and the force o ! events will solve the questions pending between Italy and the Papacy , " said the King ; and he added , " AA ' e must remain faithful to tbe convention of September . Henceforth it will be

easy to wait ; the situation has much improved . " The review of the progress of the nation was favourable , but the finances are not all that could be desired . The Parliament was , however , urged to deliberate upon the separation of Church and State and tbe suppression of tho religious bodies . As to the future the King is sanguine . Tbe recognition of Italy by Bavaria has been officially notified , and the ex-King , Francis , has been invited to withdraw his

ambassador from Munich . Apparently , Denmark has not given up all hope of getting back pn-fc of Schleswig . The Dagblad , writing on the new ministry , distinctly says that its principal mission will be to bring about the restoration of the Danish portion of Schleswig to Denmark , and to induce friendly Powers to co-operate in that work . The affairs

of Greece are now beginning to wear an ugly aspect . Tbo Bulgaria Ministry has resigned , after two days' existence , and great popular excitement prevails iu Athens . ——There is a rumour that France is about to offer mediation in the dispute between Spain and Chili . It is also said that beyond declaring the blockade Admiral Paveja would not attack any part of the Chilian coast until he received

instructions from his Government . This , it is justly observed , if true , may materially facilitate a settlement of the difficulty . A telegram from Madrid says that tbe health of the Queen is fully restored . Tbe Pontificial gendarmes appear to be showing great zeal in the suppression of brigandage . A telegram from Rome says that four encounters had taken place between the gendarmes " and the brigands , but it does not say when or where .

AMERICA . —The A ' ew York Times professes to have information as to the nature of Mr . Seward's reply to Lord Russell ' s despatch declining to refer the questions in dispute between the two countries to arbitration , and proposing to submit the claims of the two Governments to a joint commission , excepting , however , those made in connection with the Alabama . Mr . Seward , fur liis part , ceases to urge arbitration , and will only consent to a commission on the understanding that all claims are to be submitted to it for adjudication . Captain AVirz has beeri executed .

To Correspondents.

TO CORRESPONDENTS .

" uf All communications to be addressed to 19 , Salisbury-street Strand , London , AA ' . C . NOTICE TO SruscninERS IN ARREARS . — Subscribers who ara in arrears are requested to forward without delay the amounts due from them by Post-office Order , payable to the Proprietor , Bro . AViUiam ' Smith , C . E ., 18 , Salisbury-street , Strand , AA ' . C .

J . T . ( llothe'ay ) . —Are you really serious ? Tho trashy if ' iiirish which von apnend to your epistle makes your case worse . H'l-.-.-fcvc-:-, we * divest the subject of the tawdry embellishment you are pleased to add , and have merely to deal with "facts , " which , you will remember , Bro . Robert Burns has stated are " stubborn chiels . " Pray do not give us cause to further demonstrate this .

P . AI . —You will find that , on careful perusal of the article to which vou refer in ours of the 11 th inst ., that it is our Public Charities only , i . e ., those unconnected with Masonic Charities , to which our remarks apply .