The Week.

A prevailing rumour m Paris , says onr correspondent , is that Prince De la Tour D'Auvergne has been instructed to propose a plan for a general disarmament—a rumour that , for the moment , appears to gain credence despite its improbability . Another rumour is to the effect that Prussia and Denmark will severally oppose the project of an armistice . The Memorial Diplomatique affirms that the English and

French Cabinets have agreed to enforce an immediate armistice between the Danes and their assailants , upon the basis that each belligerent army shall retain its present positions , or that Alsen shall bo evacuated by the Danes and Jutland hy the Prussians and Austrians . The King of Prussia has returned to Berlin , after visiting his army on the field ot its triumph .

The Prussians are at Avork on the batteries which are , if possible , to repeat on the Island of Alsen the feats achieved on the main land . The King of Denmark has issued a proclation declaring that the sufferings of the army will not be without fruit in the struggle for national existence . The total loss of the Danes in killed , Avounded , and prisoners , during the

assault on the Duppel lines is estimated by the Prussians at 5 , 500 men , of whom 3 , 790 are wounded or unwonncled prisoners now in the Prussians' hands . A strong body of Prussian troops , drawn from the army at Duppel immediately after the successful assault on that position , has entered Jutland , and has already occupied Horsens . There have been encounters between

its advance and the Danish outposts ; but none of them seem to have teen important . The Italian Government havo sent three frigates more to Tunis . It is believed that the English and French Admirals are instructed to act in concert there . The insurrection is now stated to have assumed very serious proportions . Considerable alarm on the subject is felt by the French Government lest the movement should spread among

the Algerian tribes , some of Avhom are already in an insurrectionary state . It is therefore believed that if these latter continue to menace , the Duke of Malakoff will himself proceed at once to the disturbed districts to take measures for the restoration of tranquility . Despatches received in Corfu stato that the Canaris Ministry in Athens has resigned . The Bucharest Chamber has passed a vote of censure on the

Government for introducing a bill ' rendering all the peasants landed proprietors . The English and French banquets in Paris having boon prohibited , the Temps has ventured to comment on the puerility of such prohibitions ; and the journal accordingly received a second warning . At the eleventh hour the prohibition of the English banquet was withdrawn , but it

Avas too late , the Committee having stopped all the arrangements . To add to the anomalies connected with the desire for celebrating the memory of Shakespeare in Paris , we now learn that , while the French and English banquets were prohibited ( though the prohibition of tlie latter was withdrawn ) , tho Germans havo been allowed to have their celebration of tho bard ' s birthday .

Perhaps the Minister of the Interior thought there could bo no treason if Dick Swiveller ' s advice were followed—" putting it delicately in German . " A telegram from Vienna states on the authority of the Austrian Gazette , that Austria and Prussia have refused the proposal of an armistice . From Lemberg we hear that two engagements have taken place between the

Russians and Poles , and that fresh bands of insurgents have taken place . AMERICA . —The military news brought by the Africa is not of very great importance . No operation had been undertaken by the Federal army in Virginia , a great storm having put the roads in such a horrible condition that no advance was possible for the present . The Confederates were said to be actively pre paring for a great campaign iu the south-Avest , and to have

The Week.

strengthened General Johnston's army by draughts from the corps of General Polk and General Beauregard . General Forrest , who was believed to have been reinforced , Avas apparently endeavouring to establish himself at som e point Avhere , at least for a time , he could impede the progress of the Mississippi . On the 13 th inst ., he demanded the surrender of Fort Halleck , at

Columbus , Kentucky , and also of Fort Pillow , above Memphis . Tbe demand Avas rejected by the Federal commanders ; ancl we are told by the latest telegrams that reinforcements have reached Columbus , Avhere fighting continues . After the main body of the Federal expedition up the Red river had quitted Alexandria , the Confederates attacked the intrenchments at that place , but

Avere opposed by four Federal regiments , and the loss was heavy on both sides . The Federals had occupied Corpus Christ ! , on the coast of Texas , and had there taken 800 prisoners . A body of Federal cavalry had occupied Eagle Pass , on the Rio Grande , 400 miles below Brownsville , and had thus stopped a considerable export of cottou from Texas into Mexico . The

Confederates had made a daring attempt to blow up with a torpedo the frigate Minnesota , Admiral Lee's flagship , at the month of the James river ; but they had only succeeded in doing her some damage . The report of the foundering of the Confederate ironclad steamer Tennessee , near Mobile , was declared to bo untrue ; The Federal Senate ' s Committee on Foreign Affairs , at the

instance of the Cabinet , had indefinitely postponed taking into consideration the resolution passed by the House of Representatives respecting the establishment of a monarchy in-Mexico . There had been a warm debate in the House of Representatives on a proposal to expel two members—one

for declaring his belief that the Southern Confederacy could not be subjugated and should be recognised ,, and the other for expressing a hope that the Federal armies would fail to conquer the South . The Hibernian has brought us a clay ' s later news from New York . On the 12 th inst , the Confederates , under General Forrest , attacked Fort Pillow , a few miles higher up the Mississippi than Memphis ; and after some fighting , they compelled

the garrison of 600 men to surrender . It is alleged that immediately after the surrender they began au " indiscriminate butchery , " and that of 350 negro soldiers only 50 were spared . The Confederate General Marmaduke , with 3 , 000 men , had made an unsuccessful attack on the Federal General Steele ' s division , near the Little Missouri river . The premium on gold at New York had fallen about 3 per cent , on the loth inst . INDIACHINAAND JAPAN . —There is nothing of striking

, , interest in the news from Calcutta by the overland mail . In China , Major Gordon had taken the field and captured a place called Yehsing . He had also effected a junction Avith the Futai ' s troops , and the combined forces Avere acting together against the rebels . The Taeping cause , for the moment , looked better , the siege of Nanking rather languished , ancl at Chang-Chow the rebels are said to have beaten off the Imperialists . In the

end , however , little doubt is entertained but that the combined Imperial and British ancl French contingents would be more than a match for them . There is very little news from Japan . It is generally considered the Government is only temporising Avith foreigners , as they have lately received a supply of great guns from Macao , ancl the Ambassadors to Europe have taken with them large sums to purchase munitions of war .

To Correspondents.

TO CORRESPONDENTS .

BRO . H . H . AA' 111 please receive our thanks for the seal . SEVEN STARS . —An English Mason , who has been installed Knight of the P . and E . and Sov . Rose Croix in a French Chapter will have no difficulty in being affiliated in an English Chapter , on his return to his native country—notwithstanding the differeiies in working . AVe thank you for your good opinion of our efforts , and shall be always happy to hear from you . J . B . —AVe cannot interfere . R . S . —Consult the Book of Constitutions .