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NOTICE . —BACK NUMBERS . Brethren who desire to complete their sots of the FREEMASON ' CHRONICLE , should mako early application for Back Numbers . At present all are in print , but of some we have only a few copies left . Cases for binding the several volumos can be had at the Office , 67 Barbican .

Our Weekly Budget.

OUR WEEKLY BUDGET .

NO time has been lost by the Opposition in questioning the policy of Ministers in reference to the Eastern question . On Friday last , in the House of Commons , certain questions propounded by Mr , Gladstone led to a long and interesting , and towards the latter part of the

evening , a somewhat stormy debate . Tho excitement began when Mr . Henry Chaplin discharged a whole volley of inquiries at the devoted head of Mr . Gladstone , and urged that the latter gentleman -was bonnd to give them full and categorical replies . The ex-Premier took a wholly

different view of his duty , and called Mr . Chaplin severely to task for the manner in which he had urged his inquiries . Lord G . Hamilton likewise received some sharp castigation at the hands of the right honourable gentleman . All this ,

however , could only be done in accordance with the rules of the House on a motion for the adjournment of tho debate , and this , of course , enabled the Chancellor of the Exchequer to rise in his place and challenge Mr . Gladstone to raise a definite issue as to the conduct of the Ministers

on their foreign policy . The Marquis of Hartington also rose , ^ and suggested the continuation of the debate . In the and it was adjourned till yesterday afternoon . On Tuesday , the House of Lords was the scene of tho grandest fieldday we have latterly had in the Upper House , the subject

being , as a matter of course , the interminable Eastern difficulty . The Duke of Argyll , ex-Secretary of State for India , asked several questions , and these , " of course , induced a discussion of the whole Ministerial policy . * The Earl of Derb y replied at great length , and Earl Granville ,

Mr . Gladstone ' s Foreign Secretary , as in duty bound , had his say ; other Peers took part in the debate . Tho Marquis of Salisbury ' s speech was a yery effective one , and so , too , was that of the Premier , the Earl of Beaconsfield ; and , indeed , the speech of the latter , as it was his first

appearance m any important debate , would alone suffice to make this evening a memorable one in the annals of the Hereditary House of Parliament , The House was , of course , well filled , and it is very possible that the " counting out " of the Commons at the early hour of half-past seven , on

one of their usually long evenings , may bo accounted for by the eagerness of its members to hear what Ministers and Opposition had respectively to say for themselves . In the

Commons , the remainder of the week has been devoted chiefly to the consideration of various Government Bills , which have been advanced a further stage in their progress towards becoming- law .

The first Levee of the season was held at St . James ' s Palace on Thursday of last week by H . K . H . the Prince- of Wales , on behalf of Her Majesty , presentations to his Royal Highness on this occasion being , as usual , considered equivalent to presentations to the Queen . The Prince and Princess Christian have been again iu London—this time

Our Weekly Budget.

at Marlborough House , on a visit to tho Prince and Princess of Wales . It may be added that the members of the Royal Family now in London have been frequent visitors at our theatres . In tho early part of tho week * strong north-westerly

gale burst over the metropolis , causing a considerable amount of damage to house and other property , and it is feared also that some lives have been lost on the river . Several collisions occurred in tho Pool , in two cases vessels having broken from their moorings . In other parts of the country ,

also , the weather has been very stormy , and the services of more than one life-boat have been put in requisition , in order to rescue both lives and property from imminent peril . In tho North Sea , however , one casualty , resulting in tho loss of four lives , unfortunately occurred . A brig

was run into by the s . s . Gilston , of London . The master aud mato of the former succeeded in getting on board the steamer , but the remainder of the crew , to tho number of four , do not appear to have had time to save themselves , and went down with their vessel . A wreck also occurred

off Cape Grisnez , two out of a crew of twenty-six having been drowned . Tho vessel , however , is well sheltered , aud may possibly be saved , unless a South-west wind should blow , when it would break up in a short time . A singular meeting was held on Tuesday , in the Mission

Chapel in Little Wild-street , Drary-lane . About 150 thieves assembled in response to one " Fiddler Joss , " who , some years ago , spent six months of his life in Wakefield Gaol , and since then has struggled hard , and , we rejoice to say , successfully , in converting himself into an honest man .

Tea and bread and butter were provided in huge quantities , after which there were handed about plentiful scraps of plum-pudding . A hymn was then sung , and then , after an appropriate prayer by Mr . Hutton , " Fiddler Joss " stood up on the platform , and addressed the "thieves assembled to

hear him . He spoke earnestly , exhorting them to give up their evil ways , and strive to earn for themselves an honest livelihood . In order to encourage them to this step , he narrated the experience of his own life , and pointed out

how , on leaving prison , he had resolved to turn honest , and in due time had succeeded in earning for himself a pound a week , as wages of his honest labonr . He warned them especially against drunkenness , and pressed upon the notice of his hearers the value of the New Testament as a moral

as well as religious book . After this , and after some of the audience had ascended the platform , and given an account of their evil ways , tho strange assembly dispersed . The police had previously undertaken in no way to molest thoso who attended on this particular occasion , and

accordingly every variety of tho thief , area sneaks , kinchin prigs , counterfeiters , burglars , & c , were fully represented . " An influential deputation from Hull had an interview on Tuesday afternoon with the Duke of Richmond and Gordon , on the subject of the restrictions proposed by the Privy

Council to be placed on the landing of cattle at Hull . They represented that the restrictions , if carried out , would cause a serious loss to the town , and submitted a plan , in which it was shown that all danger of contagion would be avoided . His Grace pointed out that this was by no means

a new kind of proposition , but while he was prepared to consult their interests as far as possible with , of course , a due regard to the general welfare , he must first of all have the full nature of their proposal distinctly explained to him in black and white . The deputation retired , after thanking his Grace for the courtesy of their reception .

On Wednesday a special meeting of the Royal Agricultural Society was convened at their offices , 12 Hanoversquare , for the purpose of considering what steps should be taken in connection with the threatened spread of the cattle plague . Lord Skelmersdale , tho President of the

Society , occupied the chair , and Professor Brown , chief of the Veterinary Department , was in attendance , and gave the meeting the very latest information in possession of the

Government . A series of resolutions was passed , aud after the veterinary officer of the Society had expressed his readiness to place his services at the disposal of the Veterinary Department , the meeting dispersed .

The news from the East JS still of the same disquieting character as last week . Tho Russian army at Kischeneff is said to be girding up its loins for an attack on Turkey . It is said to be little , if at all , short of 300 , 000 men , well

provided with all the needful appliances of war . Many , indeed , go so far as to say that the passage of the Pruth will be attempted at an early date . To meet this threatened attack , Turkey , as a matter of course , is also preparing herself j but