The Week.

as to afford relief to the largest possible number of distressed cotton operatives ; and , if necessary , to postpone improvements upon which labour of this description cannot be employed . Mr . Ward , who has been associated with our Ambassador at Berlin in attending to the interests of British commerce during the negociations between Prance on the one hand , and Prussia

and the other states of the Zollverein on the other , attended a meeting of the directors of the Manchester Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday . He explained at some length the position in which this country stands towards the newly-constituted Zollverein , and pointed out the main features of the revised ariff which will come into operation in July next . In the

course of his remarks he stated that there was a fair prospect of a commercial reform in Russia , which would be productive of important advantages to England . A resolution was assed thanking Lord Russell for the opportunity of conferring with Mr . Ward , and expressing satisfaction at the " important

concessions , especially as regards the staple manufactures of this district which bave been made by thc Zollverein . " A very numerous deputation , introduced by Lord Calthorpe , and composed mainly of the Evangelical Alliance , have presented a memorial to Earl Russell at the Foreign Office , inviting his attention to certain recent proceedings of the Turkish Government at Constantinople , which they allege constitute a violation

of religious liberty . Earl Russell , in reply , explained that the subject was one of considerable difficulty as to the facts , the Turkish Government alleging that the steps they bad taken were the result of indiscretion on tho part of the missionaries in performing their services in places where they were likely to cause a disturbance of the public peace . He could not agree in the view the Turkish authorities took , that the converts must not communicate their convictions to others lest they should

induce them also to become Protestants . That was a natural exercise of their religion , in which the Hatti Huma 3 oun said they should not be molested . Whilst they should firmly insist on that agreement being carried out , it behoved those who went out as missionaries to treat the national religion with that respect which they would expect to have their own treated by

people of all creeds living in this country . He understood that the three men who had been imprisoned for embracing the Protestant faith had been released , but he would make inquiry as to the statement that banishment followed their release from prison . The Select Committee appointed to inquire into the working of the new Bankruptcy Act , have presented their

report . They counsel " great circumspection and deliberation " in all future proceedings in this matter , and express-a hope that in the next session * ' sufficient time may be afforded for a due consideration of the many intricate questions that have to be decided before efficient legislation is possible . " M . Berryer , the great French advocate , is about to be entertained at a public dinner by the members of the Inns of Court .

Mr . Bernal Osborne has addressed a meeting of his constituents at Liskeard . He condemned the Government for plunging into controversies with foreign nations while important domestic questions were wholly neglected . He was so anxious to be neutral with regard to the American war that he would " give no opinion as to the result" of the struggle ; nevertheless he

was free to express his belief that " the North will eventually make a solitude , and call it peace . " He deplored the apath y which prevailed both inside aud outside the House of Commons , and said the Liberal party was now without a leader and without a flag . As to the Tories , they had become almost extinct . Addressing a numerously attended meeting of his constituents at Plymouth , Sir Robert Collier took occasion to say a good word for the Federal Prize Courts and [ their decisions . " On

the whole , " he said , the judgments of those tribunals " had been well considered , and given with a desire to do justice . " A serious state of things has been disclosed by a partial examination of the accounts of the District Bankruptcy Courts . Iu April last , the Lord Chancellor directed Mr . Commissioner Ayrton and Mr . Harding , the London

accountant , to examine the books of the official assignees and messengers at Leeds ; and , in consequence of the revelations made in their report , a similar investigation was ordered to be instituted at Birmingham , Liverpool , Bristol , Exeter , Liverpool , Manchester , and Newcastle . The inquiry has been completed so far as regards the Courts at Leeds , Birmingham ,

Manchester , and Liverpool , and the result is that , " besides the discovery of many gross irregularities , " it has been found that upwards of £ 14 , 000 has been " improperly retained " by the official assignees and the messengers , instead of being paid paid over to the Chief Registrar's account . This investigation will , it is said , be extended to the courts in London . At

the last meeting of the Court of Common Council the question of opening Southwark Bridge free of toll , for six mouths , by way of experiment , was under consideration , and led to rather a sharp discussion . On the advantage to the public of opening the bridge there was but one opinion ; indeed , the opposition arose from the opinion of members that if the bridgewereon . ee opened it could never be closed again ; the bridge must be

purchased , and the corporation had no funds for the purpose . The motion to open the bridge was , in the end , carried by a large majority , but in consequence of some technical point that was raised the matter was referred to the coal , corn , and finance committee before being finally carried out . The gunnery experiments at Boxhill , last week , assumed the form of a bombardment , salvoes of live shells being at the close

fired at the Martello tower . The general results of the experiments are—first , equal penetration into brickwork of the Armstrong and Whitworth projectiles ; and , second , the superior destructive effect of the Armstrong shell . As a . whole , the experiments verify those of August , 18 G 0 , which established the advantages of rifled guns over smooth-bore guns . The firing was watched with great interest by great numbers of the Sussex

gentry . The commission to whom was entrusted some time ago the duty of inquiring into and reporting upon the state of metalliferous mines , which are now under the same regulations as coal mines , have just made their report . Tbey say that the health of the workmen in these mines is unsatisfactory , and they make several recommendations , the general effect of which may be described to be the conforming of the metalliferous to

the regulations of the coal mines . The colliers in the Wigan district have decided to demand an increase of wages . Meanwhile , they are rendering important aid to the pitmen on strike in South Staffordshire . A troop of Lancers has been posted at Tipton , to overawe the colliers on strike , whose outrageous acts of intimidation have filled the district with alarm . A

storm of great violence raged on Saturday and Sunday in the Irish Channel and on the north-east coast . Several fatal cases of shipwreck are reported . A young man was killed- in a prize-fight , at Sheffield , on Sunday . A German has been apprehended in London while attempting to pass off one of the new counterfeit sovereigns . He had previously paid one of

these coins at a shop in another part of the metropolis . He describes himself as a watchmaker . A man named Charles Eton De Witt , who is in custody on a charge of having defrauded certain parties out of wine to the extent of nearly £ 5 , 000 , was brought up on remand before the Lord Mayor on Saturday last . Mr . Stanner , to whom he had made over tho dock warrants for this amount of wine , now produced them all