The Week.

death . Captain Corbett , who commanded the Sea King from the time of her departure from the Thames until her arrival at Madeira , where she was renamed the Slwnandoah and taken charge of by a Confederate officer , has been apprehended in Liverpool on a charge of infringing the Foreign Enlistment Act , by engaging a British subject , or causing him to bo engaged , for service in the Southern navy . Tu this case the

Government prosecutes , and the prisoner was examined at Bowstreet on Thursday and remanded . While eight sinkers were being lowered down a pit shaft at Wigan , on Wednesday , a portion of the brickwork , which seems to have been loosened by a blast that had just taken place , fell in , completely burying the poor fellows . Five of them , who were hurled from the

skip in which they were descending , were killed ; the other three , after being entombed for several hours , were brought out alive , but suffering from injuries more or less severe . FOEEIGN INTELLIGENCE . —The Emperor of the French on Wednesday presided over a Privy Council at which Prince Prince Napoleon took his place for the first time . The

Emperor Napoleon , according to custom on New Year's Day , received the Diplomatic Corps , when the Papal Nuncio , in the name of that body , offered his Majesty their felicitations and good wishes for the coming year . The reply of the Emperor was couched in terms of love and peace with all the world . The receptions occupied four hours and a half . M . Baroche ,

the French Minister of Public Worship , has addressed a circular to all the bishops , advising them that portions of the encyclical letter of the Pope contain propositions contrary to the principles on which the constitution is founded , and therefore their publication cannot be authorised . They are further invited to recommend their clergy to abstain from observations on the document which might give rise to any unpleasantness . It appears that

the Superior Council of Commerce has recommended the French Government to gradually abolish the restrictive navigation laws which impede commerce with France . All foreign-built ships are to be admitted to the French register without payment of any duty ; all materials for shipbuilding are to be freed from import duty ; and all differential duties on foreign ships , or on goods imported in foreign bottoms , are to cease after the

lapse of a term of three or six years respectively . A Vienna paper asserts that when the Russian Government became acquainted with the nature of the Pope's Encyclical it communicated by telegraph to the French Cabinet its readiness to support France in any steps which she might think proper to take in order to repel the pretensions of the Papal missive .

The project of the ne > v Danish constitution , arranged to meet the altered circumstances of the State , has just been published . In its principal portions it is the same as the fundamental law of June , 1849 . It adopts the principle of universal suffrage for the elections of the Representative Chamber , and maintains that of full liberty of all citizens . A circular has been Issued by

the Italian Minister of Commerce , cautioning merchants in their transactions with the "United States" against the constant fluctuations in the value of the American paper money . The Prussian Chambers have been convoked by a Royal decree for the 14 th inst .- ——La , France states that advices received from Porto Rico lead to the belief that the prolongation

of the campaign in San Domingo may even endanger the Spanish position at Porto Rico itself , and that therefore it becomes absolutely necessary for the Cabinet of Madrid to resolve on giving up the struggle . WEST INDIES AND THE PACIEIC —There is nothing of much importance iu the news from the West India Islands . With the exception of several severe cases of small-pox in Jamaica , the health of the islands was good , and the yellow fever had

entirely disappeared at Bermuda . The news from the Pacific is of much interest . The South American Congress met on Nov . 14 . Frequent sittings were afterwards held , at which the greatest harmony prevailed , the question of the highest importance being the difficulty with Spain . The Congress closed the conference on the 26 thby resolving—1 st . That the Government of Peru must proceed immediately to give directions for the

recovery of the Chincha Islands , and to account to Congress within eight days . 2 nd . That the President of Peru shall have no power to make a treaty , or enter into any terms with the Cabinet of Madrid until the islands have been given up by-Spain , or have been taken by the forces of the republic . On the 27 th November the President ordered all the fleet to proceed

on a cruise for exercise , including the iron-clad Loa . While the fleet were manoeuvring in Callao Bay , an American vessel from the Chinchas arrived with news that Admiral Pinzon's frigate was totally destroyed by fire at the Chincha Islands on the 25 th . Much excitement prevailed at Callao , and the public impatiently awaited the orders from Lima for the fleet to

proceed to the Chinchas to engage the frigate aud gunboats , and to occupy the islands . AMERICA . —No very important news has been brought by the Canada . Up to the lSfh ult ., at least , there had apparently not been any serious fighting in the neighbourhood of Savannah , though General Sherman was prosecuting his operations for the reduction of the city , and was said to have vainly summoned General Hardee to surrender . Admiral Porter ' s whole' fleet was reported by a Confederate telegram to

have been in sight from Fort 1 ' isher , near Wilmington , on the 21 st ult ., and the Confederate covam . aud . ee , Geacval Bragg , added , in his despatch , a confident declaration that " he could hold Wilmington . " General Hood ' s defeated army had succeeded in passing the Duck River , iu spite of General Thomas's pursuit , and it was said that pontoon bridges had been laid across the Tennessee at a place above the reach of the Federal

gunboats . The Federal accounts estimated General Hood ' s total losses at 17 , 000 men , killed , wounded , or prisoners , and represented General Thomas ' s loss not to have exceeded 5 , 000 men . It was vaguely rumoured that the Confederate General Forrest was not present at the battles near Nashville , but had since been defeated , with the loss of 1 , 500 men , in the

neighbourhood of Murfreesborough . 'The body of Confederates which , under the command of General Lyon , had entered Kentucky , had been " routed" by General M'Cook near Ashbyville . The Federal General Burbridge had found it necessary to retreat from Saltville , in Western Virginia . There was no news whatever from the army of the Potomac or from the

Shenandoah Valley . A resolution for the appointment of commissioners to treat for peace with Federal commissioners had been introduced into the Confederate Congress . The Uilernia brings one day ' s later news from New York , Hood's army was continuing its retreat , and on the 22 ml ult . had reached Pulaski , seventy-five miles south of Nashville , closely followed by the Federal cavalry . He was fortunately joined by Forrest on the 20 th ult . at Columbia . Savannah , according to Southern papers , v ; as safe up to the 10 th ult .

To Correspondents.

TO CORRESPONDENTS .

UNITY . —Apply at the Grand Secretary ' s office . J . G . is thanked . BBO . MANNING . —We are obliged for your communication and the enclosure . P . M . —Never by us . M . S . —tfo .