The Week.

and that Marshal Serrano had gone to the defeated general's assistance . A correspondent at Madrid says that the impression there was that if Prim coulcl succeed in defeating one of his opponents he would rally numbers of the soldiery round the insurgent standard . The probability is that this result will follow on the battle with Concha , and that the insurrection will become much more formidable . Already it is clear that there

are more than one band of insurgents in the field , and it will not be matter of much surprise if we should hear shortly of other victories over the government forces . A state of siege has been proclaimed in Arragon . At Barcelona the people who gathered together for a demonstration against the government were dispersed hy the firing upon them by the military . A telegram

from Rome asserts that , owing to the measures taken by the Papal Government , brigandage is entirely put clown . The brigands have , it seems , acted a good deal like Colonel Crockett ' s 'coon . . " Are you in airnest , Colonel , " saicl the sagacious animal , when that hero pointed his gun at him . "I guess I am , " was the reply . " Then I'll just come down ancl save you the trouble

of shooting . " It we may believe the reports that have come to hand , this is just the course the brigands have taken . When once they were convinced that the papal authorities were in earnest , they " came down . " Owing to the very stormy weather , Earl Cowley , who had been on a visit to England , was unable to cross the channel in time to be present at the New

Year ' s Day reception by the Emperor of the ambassadors . His lordship , on arriving in Paris , solicited a special audience to express to the Emperor the good wishes of the Queen for the new year . The audience was granted , and took place on Saturday afternoon .- —¦—We understand that Mr . Ingham , of Palermo , has generously subscribed the handsome amount of £ 3 , 000 towards the erection of Himslet Moor Church , Leeds , the

total estimated cost of the church being £ 5 , 000 . The design of the church is by Messrs . Perkin and Son , of Leeds . Mr . Ingham has taken great interest in the subject of church buildings both in Sicily and at home . The Emperor Napoleon on Wednesday received M . Van Praet , whose duty it was to notify to his Majesty the accession of Leopold II . to the Belgian throne . Of this fact , of course , the Emperor was long ago

aware ; but emperors must make sacrifices at the diplomatic and state altar . Hence this audience . It meant nothing but a form , though we should be sorry to say that the friendly things which the Emperor said to M . Van Praet were merely formal . Ifc seems as if the union between Transylvania and Hungary would really be accomplished . An Imperial rescript has

prorogued the Traiisylvanian Diet , and ordered the deputies to appear at the Diet of Pesth . There is no doubt the question of union will be discussed . AMERICA . —The Java brings news from New York to Dec . 27 . The telegram of that news speaks again of fears in the Southern States of a negro rising about Christmas , and as if to give

support to these fears mention is made of two negro disturbances in Virginia . There is not much ground , wo imagine , for these reports . The slaveholders were always fearing negro insurrections , and they are not yet so well accustomed to the new order of things as to have mastered their fears . It is stated that General Grant is to visit the Rio Grande in the flagship of

the Gulf squadron . From Mexico there comes a report of a rising against the Emperor Maximilian . We are told , however , that the report is " doubtful . " Another rumour whicli has reached New York , was that Juarez had resigned his presidency . Gold on the morning of the 27 th of December was quoted at 145 +. We have news from the United States to the 30 th of December last . The Radicals were dissatisfied with Mr . Johnson's reconstruction policy , and through General

The Week.

Wilson , one of the most trusty of their leaders , had notified to him their want of confidence . The President , however , who is sustained by the Democrats and the Conservative Republicans , expressed his determination to adhere to his views . Various rumours relative to Mexico are current at Washington . One attributing to the great European Powers an alliance for keeping Maximilian on the throne is too absurd to be more than

mentioned . Another rumour , to the effect that France has promised to withdraw her troops from Mexico if the United States will undertake to abstain from attacking the Emperor * is more probable . INDIA ; CHINA , & C . —We have a telegram from Bombay by way of Alexandria . The news is to December 13 . There were rumours of disturbances in the Affghan States , but not of a nature to affect British interests . Some fears were felt as to

the stability of the Bhootan peace . Sir Bartle Frere had met the South Mahratta chiefs in Durbar and addressed them in their own language . Money was in demand at Bombay , and the cotton and piece goods markets were steady . Several shipping disasters are reported ' . A telegram from Shanghai tells us that the Mikado of Japan has given his formal sanction to the ratification of the commercial treaty , and that the ports

of Ossaca and Hiogo were to be opened for trade on the 1 st of January . The anti-foreign party at Pekin were gaining power and endeavouring to carry out an exclusive policy . Articles of war were being manufactured in large quantities . Sir Rutherford Alcock had , however , arrived at Pekin , and it is to be hoped that he will be able to settle all difficulties . Trade was brisk .

The cotton crop had failed . From Japan we have news directly contradicting that contained in a recent telegram . It was stated that the Mikado had consented to the opening of the ports of Osacca ancl Hiogo . We are now assured that he has positively refused to open these ports . A Chamber of Commerce has been established at Yokohama . AUSTRALIA . —The difficulty between the Government and the Legislative Council of Victoria appears to be no nearer

settlement . A . telegram from Melbourne , dated November 26 tb , informs us that the Legislative Council had refused to pass the Tariff Bill . The Ministers , who had received a majority on a vote of want of confidence in the Legislative Assembly , had hereupon refused to bring iu the Approximation Bill , had prorogued Parliament , and had announced that they would appeal to the country . A petition praying for the removal of the Governor bad been very numerously signed ,

and , as may be readily conceived , great dissatisfactionjprevailed . By way of Sydney we have news from New Zealand later than lhat already published . It tells of many fights with the natives . At Opotiki several of the Maories bad been shot , and among them one of the murderers of Mr . Volkeur . The Kawa Pah had been captured , the rebels suffering great loss . At Poverty ancl Hawkes Bays tbe natives were laying down their arms .

To Correspondents.

TO CORRESPONDENTS .

* * All communications to he addressed to 19 , Salisbury-street , Strand , London , W . C . NOTICE TO SUBSCRIBERS IN ARREARS . — Subscribers who are in arrears are requested to forward without delay the amounts clue from them by Post-office Order , payable to the Proprietor , Bro . William Smith , C . E ., 19 , Salisbury-street , Strand , London , W . C . ERRATUM . —In the report which appeared in our last issue of

the meeting of the Lodge of Perseverance ( No . 345 ) , Blackburn , it should have been stated that about ninety brethren , ' instead of about thirty brethren , sat down to banquet . P . M . —Tbe " Book of Constitutions , " you will find , clearly provides for the contingency to which you refer . Our opinion coincides with what is therein stated . A MARK MASON IN TURKEY will he answered in our next . T . —The remark was an uncharitable one on the part of th brother , but we advise you to forget it rather than make it a grievance .