The Week.

from the eflects of the poison . This is not the first time Bradford has suffered in this way . Most of our readers will remember the " poisoned lozenge " tragedy , of which that borough was the scene a few years ago . The floor of a corn warehouse at the Coburg Dock , Liverpool , gave way a few days ago , and fell into a beershop beneath , killing one man and seriously injuring

a second . A dreadful affair has occurred in Southwark . On Monday morning a cabinet-maker , named Ledbetter , murdered his wife and his son , a cripple of 17 . He seems to have cut the throats of both while they were asleep in their rooms . It is stated that Ledbetter did not retire to rest at bis usual hour ou Sunday night , and it is supposed that he sat up until he thought

lii ' s wife and son were sound asleep . Ledbetter has been committed for trial . He made no attempt to escape , but made a free confession of the terrible work he had done . The body of a woman has been found at Millwall , under circumstances which lead to the suspicion that she . has been murdered . Her throat was cut , and by her side a rope was found , with which it

is supposed strangulation had been attemped . She was the wife of a shipwright named Brown , upon wdiom suspicion at first fell ; but at the inquest he accounted for how he bad spent his time , and the jury returned an open verdict . An inquest has been held relative to the death of James Sully , porter at St . Luke ' s Workhouse , and tlie jury have returned a verdict of manslaughter against Henry Short . Most Londoners must have witnessed the reckless rush of our metropolitan fire-engines towards the scene of a fire , and every time we

should suppose they are filled with surprise that they reach their destination without knocking down man or horse on their route . Such an accident occurred late on Monday night . A young man was attempting to cross Fleet-street near Farringdon-street behind an omnibus , and on coming out from behind it he was knocked down by an engine which , as usual , was madly

galloping to a fire . He was so severely injured that he died in the hospital . A man named Thomas Cox has been committed for trial at Saffron Waldon on a charge of assault . The offence was committed eleven years ago on one of Lord Braybrook ' s gamekeepers . A warrant was issued for the apprehension of the prisoner at the time , but he got out out of the way , aud

has not been captured until now . A painful case of accidental poisoning has taken place at Rusthall , near'Tunbridge Wells . Mrs . Wood , the wife of Captain Wood , of the 29 th Regiment , was staying there , and on Saturday morning asked her maid for some of Dinneford ' s fluid magnesia . The girl , by mistake , took the wrong bottle , and administered Burnett ' s disinfecting fluid .

The unfortunate lady died next day . A coroner's inquest has been held on the body , and a verdict of accidental poisoning returned . FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE . —In Paris the leading topics of political discussion are the rumoured dissolution of the Prussian Chambers and the attitude of France and Russia with regard

to the Polish question . Extensive military preparations are taking place in Paris , but it is said they are merely for the prosecution of the war in Mexico ; but iumours of Avar with Russia are nevertheless afloat . The interest in the French elections is

flagging . The official journal of St . Petersburgh has just published the notes respecting the Polish insurrection which hav e been addressed to the Russian cabinet by the Dutch , Danish , and Portuguese governments , together with Prince Gortchakolf ' s replies to them . The Russian answers are characterised by at least as much courtesy as could be expected by little Kings who

undertake to lecture a great Emperor on his duties ; and , indeed , it is said that even the reply to the Turkish note , notwithstanding the unspeakable mortification which such a remonstrance from the Sublime Porte must have caused to Russian

statesmen , is couched in the most polite terms . Reports of more or less important engagements , some favourable and others disastrous to the Poles , continue to be transmitted to us from Cracow , Lemberg , and Thorn ; and it is again positively affirmed that considerable bodies of insurgents have established themselves in Podolia and Volhynia . It is said , too , that the National

Committee has issued a decree ordaining that on the 1 st of June , there shall he a " general rising , " and that "levies should be made in Poland , Lithunia , and Russia . " It is said that the Polish National Committee , assigning as the reason unwillingness to give umbrage to the Austrian Cabinet , which observes a " neutral and humane attitude" towards

Poland , has formally declined to accept Garibaldi ' s proferred services . The session of the Italian Parliament was opened on Tuesday by a speech delivered by King Victor Emmanuel himself . In this speech he said that most of the European Powers had recognised the new kingdom of Italy , which would raise its voice among theirs in defence of the principles of

liberty and nationality . He congratulated the deputies on the organisation and discipline of the Italian array , and expressed his earnest desire " that the nation may reckon with security upon the force of its own arms , and that Europe may recognise this fact . " All needful measures will be taken for the maintenance of order in certain provinces ; and the French

Government is ready to concert military arrangements for that purpose " whenever it perceives the opportunity . " The deputies are specially exhorted to attend to the national finances , as good faith requires that the Italians should impose on themselves pecuniary sacrifices . Finally , the King is confident that no one can undo the work which the Italians have done , and " it is with entire security and faith that he anticipates the hour of the accomplishment of the destinies of Italy , " The Turin

journals state that the recent search wade in the house of the Austrian consul at Vallona , in Albania , led to the seizure of a quantity of powder , 455 muskets , 300 pistols , and 780 poniards , all destined for an expedition of brigands into the southern provinces of Italy . The Opinione states positively that this expedition was concocted at Rome between General Hoseo and

two Albanians , one of whom has been arrested at Messina . The latter had engaged to arm 500 men and to conduct them to the Neapolitan territory . It is also stated in some of the Italian papers that Menotti Garibaldi has positively left for the purpose of lending his aid to the Polish insurgents . The Paris journals publish a report , which men are perhaps more likely to

hope than they are to believe to be . true , that the King of Prussia intends to abdicate " on account of the state of his health . " The Prussian Chambers are closed . On Wednesday , the King ' s reply to the address was despatched to the Lower Chamber , and consisted merely of a reiteration of the Ministerial claims , and a sharp lecture to the deputies for their

general conduct . At a later hour of the day the deputies were summoned to the wdiito saloon of the palace , and there Herr von Bismarck read a srieech from the King , which accused the Chamber of having by its debates upon foreign politics , endeavoured to paralyse the action of the Government , and en . dangered the safety of the State ; of having in its recent

address refused all co-operation with the Government , and committed sundry other crimes and misdemeanours which rendered the close of its deliberations absolutely necessary . The Chamber was therefore informed that its session has come to an end . Tho King announced that his Government reserves to itself the power of determining the manner iu which the

unsettled financial measures are to be arranged . The sentence on the Spanish Protestants who were lately condemned to imprisonment and hard labour has been commuted for one of