The Week.

sistenfc with the judicial office against Sir George Marcoran and Sir Anastatus Xidian , judges of the Supreme Court of the Ionian Islands , who , he contended , had been removed in a most arbitrary and unconstitutional manner : The Duke of Newcastle warmly protested against re-opening the question , and observed that he had impartially considered the appeal of those gentlemen , but felt that be had no alternative but to confirm the

decision of Sir Henry Storks , who had acted properly in removing them . After some discussion the motion was agreed to in a modified form . On Friday Lord Russell said the Russian reply to the proposals made by Her Majesty ' s Government , in concert with the Governments of France and Austria , relating to Poland , would not be despatched from St . Petersburgh until

the llth or 15 th inst . and as it might be inconvenient any longer to postpone Lord Grey ' s motion on the subject , lie did not object to the debate being taken ou Monday next , when he would lay on the table a copy of the despatch transmitted to Prince Govfcchakoff . Lord Carnarvon and Lord Grey strongly condemned the policy of Her Majesty ' s Government in Japan , while Lord Russell and the Duke of Somerset contended

that the Japanese Government had been treated with the greatest consideration , and that it was now impossible to withdraw the demands which had been made for reparation for the outrages committed on British subjects . —The Public Works Bill was read a third time , and passed . On Monday , Earl Russell denied that there was the smallest foundation for the story which had got abroad that the Channel

Fleet had been ordered to cruise in the Baltic . —Lord Ebury asked what steps had been taken to devise a remedy for the evils arising from the compulsory and indiscriminate use of the burial service . The Archbishop of Canterbury said the matter had been considered by the bishops , and he hoped that shortly after Parliament met again he should able to announce what were the

wishes of the clergy on the subject . Tbe Archbishop of York had no hopes that any agreement could be come to , an opinion in which the Bishop of Exeter coincided . —Earl Grey then drew attention to the affairs of Poland . Every one would admit that a war arising out of the negociations in reference to Poland would be a great calamity , and yet he could not hut fear that step by step they might be led to that calamity . Nothing could avert the danger but extreme prudence on the part of the Government . Reviewing the whole of the circumstances of

the Polish insurrection , and the diplomatic action in reference to it , he demanded from the Government an explicit declaration of their policy on the matter . Earl Russell , in a comprehensive speech , declared that to maintain an apathetic attitude with respect to Poland would be the surest way to lead to war . He pointed out what had been done , and said that in every step

which had been taken the three Governments of England , France , and Austria were in complete accord . An interesting -discussion followed , in the course of which Earl Russell promised to lay the reply of Russia on the table as soon as it arrived . On Tuesday , Lord Russell stated , in reply to a question from Lord Airlie , that the Governor of the Bahamas had sent

home no official report of the alleged attack upon the shi p Margaret and Jessie by a Federal cruiser in British waters . If such an attack had been made , Lord Russell had no doubt that reparation would be made . The noble earl had received no official confirmation , of the statement which had appeared in the newspapers , that the Federal cruisers would no longer carry

suspected blockade runners into port , but would at once sink them when caught . —Lord Chelmsford and Lord Malmesbury warml y attacked the conduct of Lord Russell in ordering reprisals to be made in Brazil . Lord Russell defended the course he had taken , and said the Government ivas now awaiting

theresultof an effort which was being made by Portugal to smoothover the difference wliich had arisen between the two countries ; —In answer to a question from Lord Hardwicke , tlle Postmaster-General said the newGalway contract , which was identical with * the one previously cancelled , had been sent to the company . In the HOUSE OU COMMONS on Thursday , July 9 th , Lord Palmerston moved the second reading of the

Fortifications-( Provision for Expenses ) Bill , and in doing so stated that a great portion of the works already sanctioned by Parliamentwere either completed or nearly so , and that on the whole they ; "had been constructed under the estimates . Sir F , Smith moved as an amendment— "That no further expenditure be incurred for the present upon that part of the project for fortifications *

which is based on the assumption that an enemy might land in force and attempt to besiege Portsmouth and Plymouth , exception such works as are in a very advanced state of progress . " He considered that the invasion of a place like Portsmouth was a total chimera , and that there was no ground for such an apprehension . The amendment was seconded by Sir J . D . Hay .

On a division , the amendment of Sir F . Smith was negatived by-132 to 61 , and the bill was read a second time . —Lord Palmerston moved the second reading of the Augmentation of Benefices . Bill , the object of which is to authorise the Lord Chancellor to : dispose of 320 of the smallest livings in his gift , and to apply ? the purchase-money to tho augmentation of other small livings .

Mr . Barnes proposed as an amendment that the bill be read a second time that day three months . Lord Henley seconded the amendment . After some discussion the House divided , and the amendment was rejected by 179 to 29 , and the bill read a second time . On Friday Mr . Layard , in reply to a question front Mr . Blake , stated that the Confederate Government had expressed its regret for the outrage committed on Mr . Belsham , a

British subject , who had been treated m the most cruel manner at Montgomery , Alabama , in order to force him to serve in the Southern army . —Sir James Fergusson appealed to Mr . Roebuck to withdraw his motion in favour of the recognition of the : Southern States . Lord Palmerston joined in the appeal of thehon . baronet , remarking that it would be most undesirable at a time like the present , when events of the utmost importance

were taking place in America , to call upon Her Majesty ' s Government to pledge themselves to any particular line of action . There was another circumstance which made compliance with Sir J . Fergusson ' s suggestion still more advisable . It would be impossible to resume the debate without taking notice of what passed at the interview between Mr . Roebuck and Mr . Lindsay

and the Emperor of the French , and he submitted that what took place at that interview was not a fit subject for discussion , in that House . Mr . Lindsay declared that Mr . Roebuck had given a perfectly accurate account of what was said at the Fonta ' mebleau interview . Mr . Coningham and Mr . W . E . Forster urged that the debate should go on , but Mr . Gregory expressed

a hope that the motion would be allowed to drop . If pressed to a division it wouldd , he believe , be rejected by a large majority , a result which mig ht lead many to suppose , what was really not the fact , that the House was opposed to Southern independence . Mr . Roebuck took time to consider his decision , and Mr . Layard repeated his previous statement that there had been ho

breach of confidence by Her Majesty ' s Government with reference to communications received from the Government of France . On Monday Mr . Layard stated , in reply to a question from Mr . Long , that the Government had received no information respecting the reported re-construction of the Bomarsund fortifications by Russia . —In reply to Sir J . Hay , the Marquis of Hartingtonsa ' ul that , in consequence of some delay in completing the guns , it was impossible to state when the artillery match between Sir