Our Weekly Budget.

that the Speaker leave the chair , and in tho long ran the Government received a majority , the numbers being , in favour of the motion 195 and against it 99 . On Friday , the House went into Committee , and the vote of six millions was moved . The leaders of the

Opposition declined to oppose the Government , thongh they withheld their support , but Mr . Gladstone joined the members below the gangway on the Opposition side of the House . At length the division was taken , when there appeared for the Government 328 , against 124 . On Monday ,

on the Report of Supply being brought np , there was a further discussion , in the course of which Mr . Cowen , one of the members for Newcastle-on-Tyne , rose and delivered a speech which is said to have been one of the most eloquent , as it certainly was one of the most patriotic , to which the

House had ever listened . The honourable gentleman was so carried away by the intense excitement of his feelings that in one vehement passage of his speech he nearly demolished with his fist the hat of Mr . G . 0 . Trevelyan . The cheers amid which Mr . Cowan resumed his seat were

prolonged and most enthusiastic . Ultimately the resolution was put from the chair , and the House went into Committee of Ways and Means , and the Chancellor of the Exchequer moved the necessary resolutions for raising the money just voted , by means of Exchequer Bonds and Exchequer Bills .

These resolutions were agreed to almost without question , and the House then resumed , and devoted the rest of the sitting to discussing the second reading of the Factories and Workshops Bill . This having been agreed to , the House was not long afterwards counted out . On Tuesday ,

the Manchester Corporation Water Bill passed its second reading . Sundry questions about Eastern affairs were asked , and then the subject of traffic in Church Livings was brought under notice b y Mr . Leatham ; but the subject was too dry , and the House was for tho second time counted out , at a

little after eight o ' clock . On Wednesday , Mr . Biggar moved the second reading of the Voters ( Ireland ) Bill , but it was opposed by the Government , and thrown out by 134 to 96 . The Valuation Bill was discussed and the House was shortly after adjourned .

The Queen is expected to leave . Osborne for Windsor Castle on Tuesday next . On Saturday , by her command , the Prince of Wales held a levee at St . James ' s Palace , presentations to His Royal Highness being , by Her Majesty ' s orders , considered equivalent to presentations to Her

Majesty . The Duke of Cambridge , Prince Christian , the Duke of Teck , and the Prince of Lenningen were present . The diplomatic and general circles were numerously attended , and a large number of gentlemeu were present . The evening of the same day the Prince and Princess of

Wales dined with the Austrian Ambassader , Count Benet , who had issued invitations for a grand entertainment in honour of the Crown Prince of Austria . On Saturday , the Crown Prince himself dined with the Prince and Princess of Wales at Clarence House . On Tuesday , the

Prince , with the Duke of Connaught , the Prince Imperial , and Princo Esterhazy hunted with the Royal Buckhounds . The meet was near Beaconsfield , and the Royal party enjoyed a good run . On Wednesday , the Prince and Princess of Wales , with three of their children , were

present at the Gaiet y Theatre , where an amateur pantomime was given , in aid of the funds of the Royal Dramatic Fund . The house was crowded . It is announced that Her Majesty will hold a drawing room at St . James ' s Palace on the 28 th inst .

Meetings continue to be held in various parts of the country in connection with the political crisis . The most important came off on Saturday , at the Cremorne Gardens , when it is estimated there were from 6 , 000 to 9 , 000 persons present . Sir Coutts Lindsay presided , and on the platform

were many members of Parliament and other influential gentlemen . The meeting did not pass off without disturbance , for the rough element mustered with a certain show of force , and there were many free fights ; but the resolutions which expressed confidence in Her Majesty ' s Ministers

were passed almost unanimously . The same day a meeting was held at the Corn Exchange , Oxford , at which Mr . A . W . Hall , the Conservative member for the City , took part . About 3 , 000 people were present , and resolutions ir . support

of the Government were carried with acclamation . At Birmingham , too , there have been Conservative gatherings , but the Liberals mustered in force , and both parties passed resolutions , the former in favour of the Ministerial policy , and the latter against it . ISov is this the only evidence of the agitation which pre-

Our Weekly Budget.

vails throughout the country . In all tho dockyards there is the greatest activity . Fresh hands have been taken on , and orders have been sent down from the Admiralty to use the utmost dispatch in getting ready for sea all the ships under repair . At Woolwich , warlike stores of every

description , rifle and revolver cartridges , heavy 12 ^ ton shot and shell , are being sent off in successive transport ships to the Mediterranean . The Government havo bought two new ironclads , which had been built on the Thames for the Turkish Government , but which , owing to the war ,

were detained . Messrs . Laird have received orders to hasten forward the Iron Duke . In short , everything is being done to place our Fleet in a state sufficient for active warfare in the event of its services being needed . The same is doubtless the case with the Army , for the

Government , warned by the terrible experiences of tho Crimean War , are rightly resolved that if we are compelled to maintain our position by force of arms , there shall be nothing wanting in the equipment of our forces . A meeting of the Executive Committee of the Indian

Famine Relief Fund was held at the Mansion House on Monday , under the presidency of Sir Thomas White , in whose mayoralty the Fund was started . It was reported that the sum of £ 510 , 000 had been received to date , of which £ 490 , 000 had been sent to India . It was then

resolved that a further £ 10 , 000 should be remitted , and that the Committee should meet again on that day four weeks . Of the sum mentioned as having been received since the last Committee meeting , £ 4 , 000 had arrived from Australia .

The Annual Festival of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution was held , on Wednesday evening , under the presidency of the Duke of Manchester , Provincial Grand Master for Northamptonshire and Hunts . There was a large gathering of the Stewards and their friends on the

occasion ; and , m the course of the evening , it was announced that the subscriptions amounted to £ 11 , 090 9 s 6 d , with nine lists still outstanding . We congratulate

Bro . Terry on a result which , m the prevalent depression of trade , and amid the overwhelming political anxieties of the moment , must be deemed eminently satisfactory . Full particulars will be found elsewhere .

The case against Bradlaugh and Mrs . Besant has broken down in the Court of Appeal , and the judgment of the Court below has been reversed . The grounds of this failure of justice are owing to a purely technical matter , and have

no reference to the merits of the question . Indeed , Lord Justice Brett , in the course of his remarks , stated that if the offence were repeated , and conviction followed , the punishment which the appellants have contrived to escape on this occasion would be far more severe .

The new King of Italy has scarcely taken the oath of allegiance to the Constitution , when the most determined opponent of Italian unity is stricken down . Pope Pius IX . has passed away , at the ripe old age of 85 , having retained his faculties till within an hour or two of his death . After

the body had been embalmed , it was removed to the church of St . Peter ' s , where it lay in state for several days , thousands and thousands of people taking the opportunity of showing their respect for the late Pontiff by passing in files round the place where the body lav . Meanwhile , the

members of the College of Cardinals who were not in Rome at the time of the sad occurrence , are hastening thither as fast as possible , in order to take part in the election of a successor of Pius IX ., but who that successor will be there is no opinion expressed at the moment , at least , no opinion

which seems to be at all definite . Rumours , however , points to Cardinal Prince Schwartzenburgh as the likeliest candidate . As regards the late Pope , it has been oftentimes our duty to resent the attacks on Freemasonry made by him or with his authority , but no doubt he acted upon

conscientious motives , and on erroneous information . All these things we readily consign to oblivion at this moment ; all we remember is that the deceased Pontiff was one of tho kindliest and best of men , and it will be difficult to find another ecclesiastic whoso fame was as pure and spotless as

that of tho late Pius IX . May his virtues have their reward , and as to his faults , may they be buried with him ! The royal family of Italy are deeply sensible of the kind sympathy of our Queen at the death of Victor Emmanuel ;

and King Humbert , to show his senso of Her Majesty s sympathy , has despatched a Special Ambassador , in tho person of General della Rocca , not only to notify his accession to the throne , but also to present Her Majesty with , some memento of liisj late , father . Wo . \> CUOYC this