The Week.

the Christians were on the AA-hole bettor treated while Syria was under the rule of the Pasha of Egypt than at present . — Lord AA'odohouse said that Her Majesty ' s government hael received information of a most deplorable character , but that he had reason to believe that the number of persons massacred was not So great as had been stated . — Jn the HOUSE of COMMONS , on Thursday , Lord John Russell stated that , iu consequence of the proceedings of General Harney at San Juan , the President of the United States had directed that General Harney should

be immediately recalled , and that the matter should be placed upon the footing on ivhieh it had been arranged by General Scott . Lord Palmerston then brought forward his resolutions on the subject of the privileges ofthe House of Commons , ivhieh , after some discussion , were carried unanimously on the Friday . —On Alonday the Chancellor of the Exchequer stated that it was his intention to move a resolution for equalising the customs and excise duties on paper ; and that ho should ive full notice of the form in ivhich he AA-OUICI make the proposal .

g The house then went into committee on tho Bankruptcy and Insolvency Bill . Progress having been made to clause 77 inclusive , the debate was adjourned . On Tuesday Air . Cochrane submitted a motion that the house would resolve itself into a committee to consider an address to her Alajesty to place the officers , marines , and seamen of tlie fleet serving ; in China ou the same footing as hev Alajesty ' s troops ivith respect to extra pay and allowances , and to assure her Alajesty that tho house would make good the same . A ffcer some discussion the motion

was withdrawn , and various bills advanced a stage . —AVednesday was devoted to passing the Census Bills for England and Ireland , the clause making it compulsory to return the religious profession of individuals being Avithdrawn . On Thursday some progress AVUS made in committee on the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Bill .

GENERAL HOIIE N EWS . —The rifle competition at AVimbledon was brought to a close on Saturdaj-, when Afr . Ross , a young Scotsman , of the Teesdale Rifles , won the Queen ' s prize , making twenty-four points out of thirty , and displaying a calmness of nerve aud a steadiness of hand that could have been little expected in tbe midst of so much excitement . The second prize was taken by AL Thovol , a Swiss . On Alonday , the prizes were distributed at the Crystal Palace to the successful competitors by Lord Elcho , in the absence of the Secretary for AA ' ar ,

amidst a large and enthusiastic crowd of spectators aud sympathizers , who numbered upwards of 20 , 000 . After the ceremony athletic sports wore practised which brought to a close the proceedings of tho day . A conrersazione was held on AA ' ednesday evening in tho large library of the college of physicians , Pall Mall , by the president and fellows . Upwards of 200 visitors AA'ere present . ——Air . James AA ' eston , the celebrated Government contractor , and manufacturer of Roman and Portland cement anel English and French plaster ing ou one of the largest

, carry trades in London , at Alillivall , Poplar , and St . Andreiv ' s AA'harf , Blackfriars , poisoned himself ou Saturday last . Tbe Union Bank proprietors have helel their half-yearly meeting , and declared a dividend of 12 s . per share , making 12 j por cent , for the half-year , notwithstanding the Pullingcr frauds . On AA'ednesday , the interesting ceremony of opening a new drinking fountain , erected at the expense of Sir James Duke , Bart ., ALP ., and alderman of the ward of Farringdon AVithout , in

front of the parish church of St . Dunstans-in-the-AA ' est , took place , in the presence of Sir James Duke , Bart ., the Rev . Air . Auriol , tho rector , anel numerous other gentlemen . A mysterious murder has taken p lace in the family of a Air . King , at Frame , in Somersetshire , a child , four years of age , having been taken out of its bed , at night , and carried to aouthouse at the bottom of a garden past a watch clog , aud its throat cut . 'Ike last accounts state that the nurse , Elizabeth Gough , has been apprehended and lodged in gaol . The French commercial treaty is

likely to be productive of serious disturbances iu Coventry . More than 13 000 weavers are out of employment there , every loom being stopped , and are assuming a i-ery determined attitude . They arc demanding ivhat the masters , under the new treaty , say they cannot give , and riots are anticipated . At Guildhall police-court several publishers have been fined , with costs , for not complying ivith the British Museum rcnilations , AA'liieh provide for the depositing in that establishment of ies of all booksmapsSo . published . A ladyAirs . E . H . AL

cop , , , , Feltham , has been taken on the extraordinary charge of having stolen certain specified articles from the stall of Lady Emily Peel , at the bazaar held at the Crystal Palace on the 9 th of June last . The chief Avitnesses for the prosecution wore Robert Boll , a Serjeant of police , who was on duty in the Crystal Palace that clay in plain clothes , and Stephen Baldwin also a member of the police force . After deliberating for two hours the jury returned a verdict of guilty , with a recommendation to mercy . The prisoner was conelemusd to six months' imprisonment .

FOREIGN NEWS . —The official Wiener Zcilung publishes a report , dated June 1 , of the Austrian National Debt Committee upon the state ofthe entire national debt from the beginning of 1 SG 0 . According to the report of thc committee , the entire national debt amounted , afc the beginning of 1800 to 2 , 2 GS millions of florins , Austrian currency . Thc annual interest required amounts to 09 J millions of florins . The committee proposes the gradual conversion into 5 per Cent . Securities , Austrian currency , of all bonds inc 7 r / in'e »/' o ) isW 77 » .: ciiotbelongiiig to lottery shares . of land has deelaved to flic of tlie 1 felveti

. The minister Eng - , president c Confederation , in the name of Lord John Russell , that England has given in her adhesion to the proposal of a European conference . Count Reehberg has instructed Prince Alettcrnicli to declare to Af . Thoiivenel ,

The Week.

in . the name ofthe Austrian Government , that Austria intends to maintain that Piedmont can shoiv no title to be admitted to the conference . The Madrid journals of the 0 th have arrived . The senate , on the preceding clay , after a brief discussion , adopted the bill for giving recompences to officers and soldiers wounded in thc war in Africa . The new Portuguese Ministry has been formed by the Alarquis do Louie as follows : —Marquis cle Louie , President ; Senov IComo M'ixaos , Justice ; Senor " I ) 'Avila , Foreign Affairs ; Sonor ( "farcins , AVar ; Sonor Rcnto da Silva , Afaiiire : Sonor Horta , Public AVorks .

Public Amusements.

PUBLIC AMUSEMENTS .

I HE annual benefit of that universal public favourite , Bro . Buckstone , was helel at the Haymarket Theatre on Thursday , when ho made a most characteristic address , in ivhich he said , " According to custom , on these occasions , I appear before you , not only to give an account of my stewardship , but to touch upon various topics connected ivith Mr is theatre , anel ivhieh I think may interest you ; but when I begin In consider my various topics , I find that I have very few to touch upon , and therefore feel liko tho celebrated needy knife-grinder , who hail no to tell

story , or his cousin , the Avell-knoAvn New Zcalandcr , but Avith no dramatic ruins to contemplate . The volunteer movement has already been ivell and deservedly expatiated on by the press ; the exploits ol Garibaldi aro not exactly suitable themes for the address of a theatrical manager ; aud although tho recent state ofthe iveathev might afford mo a very fruitful subject , yet we only talk about the weather when we have really nothing else to say ; and I elo not think you would he particularly interested if I were to discuss the epiestion of

church rates ; still there is one gratif ying subject that I can dwell upon , and that is the constant success ivhieh attends this theatre . AA'hatevcr may be the cause of such success—whether it may be the skill and enterprise of the management , the good character of the house , the popularity of the actors , or the talent of the authors , it will not become mo to assert . I can only say that AVO are always successful here , and I am quite satisfied ivith knowing that pleasant fact . And noiv , ladies and gentlemen , for want of any particular

topic on ivhieh to discourse , I ivill endeavour to explain one thing to you , and thafc is a manager ' s benefit . The question has often been put to me ; some saying— "AA'hatclo yon mean by taking a benefit ; isn't it your benefit every night ? " I believe there are a few managers in town and

country AVIIO ivould say , " Decidedly not . " ( Cheers . ) But a manager ' s benefit may be thus explained : —He pays throughout the year large sums of money to his tradespeople—to his gas company , timber merchant , rope maker , draper , ironmonger , basket worker , upholsterer , cabinet maker , stationer , printer , modeller , tailor * , milliner , dyer , hairdresser , and many other tradespeople that I cannot just now remember '—though I shall recollect them ivhen their bills eome iu . These tradespeople make the manager some return by patronising his

night . Then there are his personal friends , to whom he . occasionally gives an ordor or a private box ; they think it but right and -proper to be paying parties on such an occasion ; then there aro the manager ' s unknown friends amongst the public , and I am happy to see by the attendance of to-night that ( his manager numbers many such . Thoy also Hock on these occasions to prove their regard , and to hear what tlie manager has to say for himself . Sometimes members of tho dramatic profession ivill show their unanimity by patronising a brother or sister

performer , and I foci much gratified in informing you that to-ni ght a celebrated brother actor—attached to this theatre—has not only taken a box , but has paid for it handsomely . This combination secures a good house and a good . sum of money for the manager ' s pocket . Then why should he refuse to take it ; whoever refuses to take money ? I am sure you ivill believe me when I tell you in confidence , that from the politician to the player , it is an objection that I never knew insisted on . Nowladies and gentlemenin thanking you for the brilliant assembl

, , y of this evening , I bid you farewell , but only till to-morroiv , anel beg to say that during our recess of twenty-four hours we shall be diligently occupied in sleeping , dining , and reading the newspapers ; we shall be quite ready to face our audience again at the " ringing in " of the overture at seven o ' clock to-morrow night .

To Correspondents.

TO CORRESPONDENTS .

"It . S . "—AVhy ask us such questions—the . merest tyro ought folio able to answer them . " J . AA ' . "—AVe have repeatedly replied that ivhen presiding mv . v n Lodge the AVarden should sit to the ri ght ofthe Alaster ' s chair-. "J . BELL . "—A ' orses are not ahvays poetry—and certainly the specimen you havo sent us contains neither rhyme nor reason . AVe cannot even

recommend you to try again . "AN Or / D AIASON . "—Although the reunion of Freemasons look place in 1 S 13 , ifc was nofc until 1810 ' that tho Constitutions of the United Grand Lodge were published . "ONE IiiN'on . ixT or- AIASONRV" will remain -. ' 0 as far as AA ' are concerned .