The Week.

under the Act of 1844 . All they proposed to do at present was to issue a Commission of Inquiry with a view to bring the facts and all the information bearing on the question in a state to he thoroughly available for Parliament and the public at large . —In answer to a question from Mr . Long , Mr . Villiers said he did not intend to ask for the reappointment of the

Select Committee on the position and grievances of union medical officers . —Mr . Cardwell stated , in answer to a question that the bill authorising the annexation of British ICaffraria to ihe Cape colony would be introduced without delay . —In reply to Mr . W . Forster , Mr . Gladstone saiel the Government Annuities Act would come into operation in about a month

unless Parliament thought fit to object to the life tables , which had been laid upon the tables . —Mr . Cox obtained leave to bring in a bill for a modification of the Public-houses Closing Act . On Wednesday , Lord Niias moved the second reading of the Mortgage Debentures Bill . He described the measure as being the result of inquiries instituted by the House of Lords . It

proposed to allow companies to advance money on real estate , and to issue debentures to a certain extent on the mortgages . He explained at great length the provisions of the hill , and concluded by expressing his willingness that the measure should be referred to a select committee . Sir George Grey on that understanding woulel agree to the second reading , but it must be

understood that in doing so ho by no means pledged himself to the principle of tho bill . The bill was read a second time and ordered to be referred to a select committee . —Two other bills on the same subject were also read a second time , and referred to a select committee . GENEEAH HOAIE NEWS . —The rate of mortality decreased in the course of last week , though ifc is still above the average . In London the excess is 85 , viz ., 1 , 589 in place of 1 , 504 . In the

ten cities of the kingdom the deaths were 3 , 299 , while tbe births were 4 , 428 . In two of the cities , Liverpool and Dublin , the deaths exceeded the births ; and it is remarkable that the rate of mortality per thousand was smaller in London than in any other town , with the exception of Birmingham . The highest rate was in Liverpool . The births in Loudon alone were 2 , 336 , which was aboufc 100 in excess of the average . The Duke of

Northumberland died at Alnwick Castle on Sunday morning . He is succeeded in the dukedom by his relative , Lord Beverley . The death of Cardinal Wiseman took place on Tuesday morning . His Eminence had been in a hopeless state for many days past . His death will excite a feeling of sorrow far beyond the limits of his own Church . Convocation

met afc Westminster on Wednesday for the despatch of business . The Archbishop of Canterbury presided in the one House and Archdeacon Bickerstefch in the other . In the Upper House the Bishop of London presented a petition in favour of an extension of lay agency in the Church . The Bishop of Oxford moved an address to the Crown in favour of

an extension of the episcopate . Several of the Bishops spoke in favour of tho motion , anel it was agreed to . In the Lower House , the subjects discussed were the judgment on " Essays and Reviews" anel the Burial Service . Mr . Purely reports this week a net increase of 1 , 800 paupers in the cotton manufacturing unions . Seventeen unions have more , and only three

have fewer , paupers . Eight remain without change . The most marked increase took place in tlie seven following unions , viz .: —Chorlton , 270 ; Haslingden , 160 ; Manchester , 470 ; Oldham , 280 ; Preston , 200 ; Saddleworth , ISO ; and AVarrington , 130 . The union of Ashfcon-under-Lyne , however , has decreased hy 210 . The adult able-bodied have decreased upwards of 700 during the week . The total is now 24 , 850 for the district . The Guardians expended in outdoor relief , £ 6 , 0 G 2 , or £ 132

more than in the previous week . Some increase of pauperism is clue to the state of the weather , which has recently diminished the employment on the public works , and some to the closing of the relief committees . It appears , from Mr . Maclure ' s last report , that of the original 180 only 53 of thesa bodies are " still in active operation . " The Mark Lane Express gives

a very favourable estimate—based upon information collected from all parts of the country—of the cereal crops of 1864 . The negotiation of a commercial treaty between this country and Austria has been entrusted to the Vice President of the Board of Trade , who will immediately proceed to Vienna to complete the work in which Mr . Beaumont has for some time

past been actively engaged . At the Metropolitan Board of AVorks a discussion of some importance took place with respect to the cost of the main drainage scheme . Mr . Furness , the contractor for the northern outfall , has sent in a bill of costs considerably exceeding the terms of his contract , and Mr . Bazalgette proposed to the Board that , as suspicions had gone

abroad respecting his relations with Mr . Furness , an independent engineer should be called in to examine and report on the accounts , and he ( Mr . Bazalgefcfce ) would pay the fee . A seance given by the Brothers Davenport at Liverpool , on Wednesday , terminated rather abruptly . Before the rope-tying commenced the performers objected to Mr . Cummins , one of

the " committee " selected by the audience . They ultimately , however , gave way , but on Mr . Cummings proceeding to bind him , one of the Davenports complained thafc his wrist was being injured . The "lecturer , " Dr . Ferguson , thereupon cut the rope , and Davenport showed a w-ound on his wrist . Mr . Cummins' declared that the wound had been caused by the knife Dr . Ferguson had used—an allegation which gave rise to great uproar , amidst which the Brothers retired . The audience

then rushed upon the stage , pushed Dr . Ferguson into the cabinet , and finally smashed the " structure" to pieces . The Morning Post was last week cast in an action for libel , and was awarded to pay £ 1 , 000 damages to the plaintiff . The case arose out of the extraordinary legal proceedings respecting the Egmonfc estates in Ireland . The last Earl of Egmont left the estates to a friend of his . The present earl , on coming to the

title many years afterwards , challenged the will , and it was for some comments on the conduct of fche plaintiff , who was mixed up in the cause , and while the matter was still in dependence , that the action was brought . A case of breach of promise of marriage , possessing some features of unusual interest , was tried on Saturday before the Lord Chief Justice and a jury . Colonel

Powell , the member for Cardiganshire , hael promised to marry a Miss Lewis , the sister of his private secretary . He is only 49 years of age , and tho lady is 41 ; but it appears that lie suffers from a paralytic affection ; and it was explained to the lady that he wanted a . nurse rather than a wife . Eventually , however , he changed his mind , anel nofc only declined to carry out his

promise , but cast imputations on the plaintiff ' s character . These imputations , it was said , led to the bringing of the action , and before the trial they were withdrawn , as utterly unfounded . The jury awarded fche plaintiff damages to fche extent of £ 2 , 000 . An Italian , named Gregorio Mogni , has come forward and declared that he was the person who committed the Saffron Hill

murder—the crime for which Polizzioni is now lying under sentence of death . Gregorio has been examined before the police magistrate at Clerkenwell . Several of the witnesses who were examined on Polizzioni ' s trial were examined again , and their evidence went to the fact thafc Gregorio was not the criminal . It was plain , however , that the public-house where the murder was committed was and had for some considerable time been in a state of great uproar and confusion , and some of the witnesses