The Week.

by some powerful irritant , and sufficient to account for death . Another adjournment till Monday was ordered . Earl Cowley has arrived from Paris , and yesterday had an audience of Her Alajesty at Windsor Castle . The delegates appointed by the various metropolitan districts to consider the question of the gas supply of the metropolis , met yesterday iu the Marylebone Court House , when the draft of a bill to obtain legislative power to regulate , economise , and improve the gas service of

London was considered and approved of . A very able and interesting report , which will well repay attentive perusal , was read by Air . Samuel Hughes , C . E . Air . James Beale , the lion , secretary , and promoter of this important public meeting , submitted a petition to Parliament , which he stated was intended for signature and circulation among all the gas consumers of London , announcing at the same time that on the 30 th instant an influential deputation on tho subject would wait on tho Riht Hon . Alilner Gibson at the Board of Trade . The Court

g of Queen's Bench yesterday [ delivered judgment on the motion made the previous day by Air . James , for a rule for a habeas corpus to bring up the body of AVilliam Perham , on the ground that his conviction under the Combination Act was insufficient . Air . Justice Hill , having reviewed the evidence in connection with tho act in question , said the court was of opinion that the conviction was right , and refused the rule . Perham will , therefore , remain in the House of Correction for the term of the sentence passed on him—viz ., two months . An actioii for breach

of promise of marriage , Harris v . Thomas , was tried in the Court of Exchequer yesterday . The plaintiff was the widow of an innkeeper in AYales , aud the defendant was the son of a large landed proprietor , and on his father ' s death came into £ 3 , 000 a year . AA ealthy as he was he could neither read nor write . Soon after his father ' s death he married his cousin , and thus rendered impossible the fulfilment of the promise he had made to the prepossessing widow . The jury gave .-61 , 000 damages . Thomas Brookswho has been examined at the Alansion House on a

, charge of forging an order for a cheque book from the London Joint Stock Bank , by means of which ho is said to have defrauded many tradesmen , was yesterday committed for trial . A number of the young thieves who infest Covent Garden market have committed a depredation which has brought with it a condign and alarming punishment . It appears that a hamper containing two jars of syrup of belladonna became

an object of plunder , and , under the impression that tho stuff was Spanish juice , they helped themselves freely to it , upwards of eighteen boys having shared iu the booty . Tho consequence is that a number of them are seriously ill , aud there will probably be several deaths . A dreadful fire took place on Tuesday night in the extensive premises , No . 73 , Newgate-street , occupied by several persons engaged in trade , and containing a great deal of valuable property . The fire continued to rage for some hours , and was not extinguished until an advanced

hour on AVednesday . Unfortunately the principal sufferers were not insured . Not much activity was apparent in the market for the various securities yesterday ; but the dealers were inclined to support prices , and they left off at a further slight fractional advance . Foreign stocks and shares also presented a steady appearance , the latter being maintained through the partial increase iu the traffic of the principal lines . The inquiry for money has not experienced much change ; but there was rather a better supply in the later hours of the afternoon , the average

rate being still quoted about 2 j per cent . The arrival of the royal mail steamer Tasmania , from the AVest Indies , was announced in the course of business hours with £ 132 , 000 . INDIA ; CHINA ; AND COLONIES . —The Overland Alail has brought us dates from Bombay to the 26 th ult ., by which we have some more details of the further proceedings in opposition to the Licensing Bill , and an important financial despatch from the Calcutta government' AVe learn that the merest handful of the discharged European soldiers have consented to accept a bounty for going to China—so small a number , indeed , that the offer of the bounty may be pronounced a total failure .

This bounty is £ 5 a man , but it cannot tempt soldiers who believe they have been badly used , and who want to return . Lord Canning has gone on his expensive north western tour . The expedition to tho fortress of Beyt , intended to remove the rebellious AYagheer tribes , seems to have failed in the first-nssault , but the fortress was afterwards abandoned and possession obtained . Whereupon our men proceeded to plunder the temples , and the Bombay government has been compelled to issue a notification which may have the effect of calming down the excitement

which has been necessarily produced among the native populations of India . The execution of Jeyoll Singh , at Lucknow , who was found guilty of murder and treason , has taken place . The Calcutta mail , with dates to the 22 nd ult ., arrived at Aden on the 9 th inst . Only fifty out of one thousand of the discharged Europeans , had engaged for China . AVe have telegraphic news from China , by which we learn that the treaty with America has been rudely broken . In Japan affairs remain in an unsettled state . The dollar question has not yet been decided .

COMMERCIAL ; AND PUBLIC COMPANIES . —Tho weekly reviews from the manufacturing districts speak favourably of the steady condition of business . Prospects were viewed as generally favourable if peace could bo preserved in Europe , the money market being in a satisfactory state , and the disposition to encourage trade having increased . The home departments at Birmingham , Huddersfield , and Atanchester , were in a tolerably good situation , and there was some animation among the principal interests , but the export branches were not so thoroughly employed as was desired . At Bradford and Halifax business was not very extensive , though it bad gradually improved with the approach of

the winter season . In the neighbourhood of Wolverhampton some branches showed a greater amount of business , yet room existed for further development . The report from Nottingham announced a quiet trade in most departments , but especially among the lighter class of fabrics . The Irish accounts have not proved discouraging , the linen trade of Belfast being on the whole satisfactory . Business in the port of London during the past week has been moderatelactivethe

y , number of vessels announced inwards at the Custom House as having arrived from foreign ports representing 1 S 3 . There were 4 from Ireland and 374 colliers . The entries outwards amounted to 98 , and the clearances to 87 , besides IS in ballast . Tho departures for the Australian colonies have been 7 vessels , viz . —2 to Port Phillip , of 2002 tons ; 3 to Sydney , of 1858 tons ; 1 to Adelaide , of 675 tons ; and 1 to New Zealandof 622 tons . The report of the Trust aud Loan Company of

, Upper Canada has been issued , preparatory to the meeting to be held on the 30 th inst ., the dividend proposed to be declared being at the rate of S per cent , per annum , free of income tax . The net profits for the six months ending 30 th September amount to £ 13 , S 31 , which , added to the sum brought forward from March , gives a balance at credit of revenue of , £ 13 , 960 . After the payment of the rate proposed and the appropriation of one-half of surplus profits over 6 per cent , and the usual for interest

charge , amounting together to £ 326 S for the reserve fund and carrying £ 250 to tho redemption of preliminary expenses , the sum of £ 455 remains to the credit of tho next half-year ' s account ; the reserve fund now represents £ 23 , 289 . The report of the African Steam Ship Company for the six mouths ending the 31 st October has been published , preparatory to the half-yearly meeting on the 1 st of December . The accounts , after making the usual reserve of 7-J per cent for

, per annum depreciation , amounting to £ 4 , 393 , charging £ 2 , 500 to meet the cost of the inter-colonial service , and defraying the expenses of navigating the ships , including insurance and repairs , exhibit to the credit of revenue a balance of £ o , 914 , out of which it is proposed to pay a dividend of 7 s . per share , being at tho rate of 7 per cent , per annum on the company ' s capital , free of income tax . BENEVOLENT INSTITUTIONS . —The committee of the Refuge for Shipwrecked Fishermen at Yarmouth

are applying to the benevolent for support hi the shape of subscriptions to increase its effectiveness . The cost of a building to contain all the required accommodation is estimated at £ 2 , 000 , of which tho sum of £ 800 , besides the site , has been obtained ; aud we entertain the earnest hope that the appeal of the shipwrecked mariners may not bo iu vain At tho Afetropolitan Free Hospital , Devonshire-square , City , the aggregate number of patients relieved during the week ending November 19 tb was , medical , 604 ; surgical , 368 ; total , 1 , 032 , of which 311 were new cases .

Public Amusements.

PUBLIC AMUSEMENTS .

. DEUEY LANE . —A scries of Promenade Concerts is to commence here on Monday next , under the direction of Mr . Maims , of the Crystal Palace Bro . F . Strange will superintend tho refreshments . LYCEUM . —That esteemed public favourite and excellent actress Aladame Celeste , will open this theatre to-night , with a new tlram ' c fantasliquc , of which report speaks in the highest terms . If taste and good management can command success , Mdrae . Celeste will be ' sure to secure it .

To Correspondents

TO CORRESPONDENTS

"R . A . R . "—1 . A candidate may be withdrawn after he has been balloted for and approved . It remains . with the Lod ge whether the deposit shall be returned . The usual course would be not to do so as it would become a forfeit to the Lodge . 2 . A brother can bo passed aud raised at a Lodge of emergency without his name having been inserted in tho circular calling the Lodge .

3 . AVo do not know the publishers in questian . It is against the law to print or be possessed of Rituals , all of wliich are unauthorized . « P . AI . "—AVe have replied by letter . " FIDELITAS . "—We have received an interesting communication under this signature which will appear in our next .

TRINIDAD . —Tho last AVest Indian mail has brought us a report of Alasonic proceedings in this island , which shall be laid before our readers . AVe are compelled , through want of space , to defer some interesting American news till our next publication .