Obituary.

Obituary .

BRO . ALFRED DICKENS . It is with sincere regret that we have announce the death of Bro . Alfred Dickens ( brother to the illustrious English author ) , who expired at Manchester , from a frightfully rapid attack of illness of a pulmonary nature , on Friday night week . Bro . Dickens was the travelling and inspecting engineer under the Local Government

Act , and was on an official tour when he was stricken down . He had been , we believe , a pupil of Brunei , and was in every respect an able and accomplished gentleman . His vocation did not lead him to the pursuit of letters , but his tastes were eminently literary ; and he will long be remembered as a brilliant conversationalist and humourist in those circles of which he was the ornament .

Personally , Bro . Alfred Dickens was one of the warmest and kindest , hearted of men , and dies deeply , as he is extensively regretted . Bro . Dickens , whom , though ive had the pleasure of his acquaintance , we never remember to have met in Masonry , was initiated in the Universal Lodge ( No . 212 ) , on the 25 th April , 1856 , and raised on the 27 th March , 1857- He continued a member to tho time of his death , having only been installed as AV . M . within the last two or three months . Bro . Dickens was in his 38 th year .

The Week.

THE WEEK .

THE COUET . —Her Majesty the Queen and His Royal Highness the Prince Consort , accompanied by their Royal Highnesses Princess Alice , . 'Prince Arthur , Prince Leopold , Princess Helena , and Princess Louisa , left Osborne , at ten o'clock on Monday morning . The Queen and Prince crossed in the Fairy to Of osport , where a special train on the South-AVestern Railway was in readiness , which conveyed the Royal party to town , where it arrived at a quarter to two o ' clock . At halfmast eight o ' clock in the evening ,

the Royal party left Buckingham Palace for the terminus of the Great-Northern Railway , at King's-cross , to proceed to Edinburgh , where they arrived on Tuesday morning . In the afternoon the Queen reviewed not less than 20 , 000 Volunteers at Edinburgh . The line , consisting of 187 corps , was marshalled in two divisions —• the first under Lord Rokeby , the second under Major-General Cameron , the whole being under the commirtld-in-chief of Sir G . A . AVetherall . The whole of the proceedings passed off with the

greatest eclat On the following morning , the Royal party proceeded to Her Majesty ' s mountain home , at Balmoral . —The accounts received by Her Majesty of Her Royal Highness Princess . Frederick AVilliam ( Princess Royal ) contain the satisfactory assurance of Her Royal Highness's convalescence , and of the good health of the young Princess , whose christening is fixed for the 1-fth inst . — I The Royal Squadron bearing the Prince of AVales and suite to Canada , arrived at St . John's , New Brunswick , on the 23 rd ult .

The reception of the Prince of AVales in Newfoundland has been most enthusiastic . —A modest and yet dignified acknowlegment on the part of the Prince of this reception was given in reply to tho addresses presented to him . Tho Prince attended a grand ball at which about 1 , 000 persons were present . A general holiday was observed throughout the province . The Prince embarked for Halifax on the 26 th July , the cheering on his departure being as enthusiastic as on his arrivalThe 16 th anniversary of the

. birthday of His Royal Highness Prince Alfred was celebrated on Tuesday " , at AVindsor , with the customary honours iiaid to the members of the Royal family early in the morning and throughout the day . At the latest advices from the Brazils , the Hurglus with H . R . 1 T . on board , had just arrived at Rio de Janeiro .

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT . —In the HOUSE of LORDS on Thursday August 2 nd . TlieM ' mesRegulationandlnspectionBillwasreadatliird time and passed . The Tenure and Improvement of Land ( Ireland ) Bill was considered in committee . —On Friday Lord Brougham , in moving that the report of tho Commons' committee on public business be reprinted , made some strictures on the conduct of business and the means of forwarding it—Lord Stratford dc

. Redcliffe moved for copies of the ' / lespatches , reports , and instructions which have passed between our Government and our Ambassador and consuls in Syria , in reference to the recent disturbances . Lord AVodehouse detailed the steps which had been taken by the European Powers , in concert with the Sultan , to bring the perpetrators of

the massacres to speedy justice . The noble lord dwelt on the importance of recognising to its full extent the legitimate authority of the Porte in the restoration of order . After a short discussion the motion was withdrawn . On Monday , Lord AATbdehouse said , in reply to the Earl of Shaftesbury , that the intervention of the Great Powers would be strictly limited to the terms of the conven * tion , which applied only to the putting down of the state of anarchy that had prevailed in Syria . On Tuesday , the Earl de Grey and-.

Bipon , in moving the second reading of the Royal Volunteer Corps Bill , explained that the object of the measure was to facilitate the obtaining of land for training volunteers in the use of the ride-The motion was agreed to . In reply to the Earl of Derby , Earl Granville stated that the Government intennded to proceed with the Poor-law ( Ireland ) Continuance Bill , the Ecclesiastical Commission Bill , the Friendly Societies Bill , the East India Transfer of Stock Bill , the Fortifications Bill , the Indian Army Bill , the

Land Improvement ( Ireland ) Bill , the Roman Catholic Charities Bill , and the Industrial Schools Bill . The HOUSE of COMMONS , on Thursday August 2 nd , went into committee on fortifications and works , and Mr . Lindsay moved as an amendment on the proposed resolution of the Government ' That as the main defence of Great Britain against aggression depends on an efficient navy , it is not now expedient to enter into a large expenditure on permanent land fortifications . " On a division the amendment was negatived by

268 to 39 . The resolution granting £ 2 , 000 , 000 on account of fortifications having been put from the chair , Mr . MonseH proposed , by way of addendum , that in the absence of any sufficient engineering or artillery information , it was not expedient to incur any extraordinary expenditure in the construction of works on Portsdown-hill . This was negatived by 165 , and the original resolution agreed to . On Friday , in reply to a question , Sir Charles Wood said that several plans had been suggested for the

distribution of the Indian prize money , but objections having been raised to the various scales , a commission of officers had been appointed to inquire into the report upon the subject . The report on Fortifications and AA"brks was brought up , and , after a , short

discussion , agreed to . Leave was then given to bring in a bill to carry the resolution into effect . On Monday , the Chancellor of I the Exchequer moved the two resolutions , of which he had given notice , for reducing the duties upon the importation of paper to the level of the excise duties ; the first applying to France and . Algeria , and the second to other foreign countries generally . The right lion , gentleman explained that the former had considerations attaching to it which grew out of the late Treaty , in addition to

those which were matter of commercial policy ; whilst the latter was proposed on the grounds of policy only . Mr . Puller moved as an amendment to the first resolution for reducing the duty oiv books and papers imported from France and Algeria , " That , without desiring to prejudice the question of a reduction at a futureperiod of the customs duty on French hooks and papers , this committee does not think fit at present to assent to such reduction" . On a division the resolution was negatived by a majority of 33 , the number

being 266 against 33 . The first resolution of the Chancellor of the Exchequer was then agreed to . On the second resolution being put , Mr . Puller moved a similar amendment with respect to it , but Mr . Disraeli declining to give his support , it was negatived without a division . On Tuesday , the Indian Army Bill was read a third time and passed . The report of the Committee on Customs having been taken into consideration , Sir Fitzroy Kelly proposed as an amendment to recommit the resolution concerning maltin

order-, to move that the duty on the importation of foreign malt should , instead of 25 s . per quarter , be 20 s ., which was the minimum rate of duty which would place the native producer on a level with his foreign competitor . On a division the amendment was negatived by SO to 49 . The report of resolutions on the Customs Duties on Paper was brought up and agreed to . On A \ ednesday , the Union , of Benefices Bill was considered in Committee , and the first thirteen clauses agreed to . On clause 14 Sir Morton Peto moved the

, insertion of words giving power to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners to sell the churches to other denominations for purposes of public worship . Lord John Manners and other lion , members objected , but Mr . Bouvevio promised to consider the subject , and bring up a clause on the report .

GENERAL HOME NEWS . —The report of the committee appointedto inquire into tho condition of the South Kensington Museum has just been published . During the last 22 years nearly £ 50 , 000 of the public money has been spent on purchases of art specimens , and books now kept in that museum . It is necessary to provide additional accommodation , and the committee urge the adoption of a plan sent in by Captain T'owke , the cost of which has been estimated at , £ 27 , 000 . —¦—The Great Eastern is about to return to England . Tho voyage to lie United States has not been so satisfactory in a commercial point of view as could have been desired . Up to the latest date the sum received for viewing .