The Week.

" delusions" of Hall , and upon an apparently vory cursory " examination" of the alleged lunatic himself , they gave the necessary certificates . The plaintiff was therefore one day forced into a cab , ancl whisked off to an asylum ; but his case was soon brought before the Commissioners , who at once ordered his release . The jury gave a verdict for the plaintiff—damages , £ 150 . The Barnsley coal district has been tho scene of another

disastrous calamity . An explosion occurred at the Edmund ' s Main Colliery , causing a great loss of life . It is believed that 54 men and boys have perished , and 30 widows and 77 orphans have thus been thrown upon the benevolence of the- couiitry . Sixteen of the rescued colliers are stated to be suffering from the effects ofthe choke-damp and from burns ' and contusions .

At the Durham Assizes , a pitman , named Cox , ancl his wife were sentenced to death for the murder of an old woman at Broadmires , near Chester-le-Streot , in August last . The condition of the female convict will , in all probability , however , save her from the full consequences of this sentence . We are not surprised to learn that in the present excited

state of the public , mythical garotte attacks should find their way into print . Several of the alleged deaths aie declared to be mere fabrications , and there appears to have been no foundation for the alarming story that , at an early hour in the evening , a gentleman was knocked clown under the shadow of St . Paul's , ancl was subsequently carried bleeding and insensible to one of

the hospitals . r'fhe Grand Jury at Nottingham , selecting the Speaker as their mouthpiece , made a representation to Mr . Baron Bramwell , on Saturday , on the ticket-of-leave system ancl the treatment of criminals in our convict establishments . In their opinion—an opinion confirmed by the evidence of the Chief Constable of the county ancl Governor of the House of Correction—the ticket-of-leave system , as carried out at present ,

is a failure , while our prison discipline is not effective . Punishment has been rendered uncertain , ancl hardened criminals are let loose to prey upon society and to become leaders in cases of the worst description of violence and outrage . They requested that their views might be submitted to the proper authoritiesa request with which the learned Judge , who expressed no decided opinion upon the main question brought under his

notice , promised to comply . Mr . Baron Bramwell has since given his opinions on the subject of crime and its punishment , with especial reference to the outrages which are now so rife . The learned judge maintains that penal servitude is in many cases scarcely any punishment , and he advocates more painful labour aud greater privations than are now the rule in respect

to our convicts . The men in custody on the charge of having been concerned iu the Ribchester murder , have been re-examined at Blackburn . One of them , William Woods , was discharged , while another—Hartley , the approver—was committed for trial . The three other prisoners were remanded . Hartley's statement or confession is a startling narrative of crime .

The Rev . T . Cartwright , late curate of St . Mary ' s , Nottingham , and formerly a Dissenting preacher , was sentenced at the Nottingham assizes on Saturday to three years' penal servitude for forging a bill of exchange . Mr . Norris Taylor , the registrar of the Rochdale Cemetry , who is accused of having illegally removed bodies from one part of the burial ground to another ,

was , on Saturday , committed for trial . A woman of tbe name of Johns died on Tuesday in a police cell at the Southwark Police-court . She hacl been brought in in a state of insensible drunkenness , but it was stated that in about a quarter of an hour she had partially recovered , so as to be able to speak in a way to be understood . In this state she was left for an hour and then she was found dead . The circumstances of the case appear to demand an inquest .

An inquest has been held relative to the death of a poor little child , 15 months old , who died from starvation and neglect in fche workhouse of St . George ' s-in-the-East . The result is that the cruel " mother" is committed for trial on a verdict of manslaughter . An inquiry was made on Tuesday on the body of Madame Constance V . Allerle , who was found to have committed suicide with oil of almonds . The unfortunate deceased

held a very equivocal position in a house where were several young ladies who each had a " friend , " and who nominally obtained a livelihood by dressmaking . In the course of the enquiry Harding , a surgeon , ancl the coroner Dr . Lankester , announced

that there was no necessity for oil of almonds ( as an essence or a perfume ) to contain prussic acid . A wretched young man has been brought before the Southwark police magistrate charged with attempting to drown himself . He stated that he was starving ancl had no home , no friends , and no employment . A woman has also been rescued from drowning . AVhen brought before the magistrate at Wandsworth , she appeared unable to give any reason for the attempted self-murder . It appears ,

however , to have been induced by nervous illness . Mr . Jonah Andrew , of the Manchester City Bank , was on Wednesday put upon his trial at the Liverpool assizes , on a charge of misappropriating a sum of money which , as was alleged , had been entrusted to him for the purpose of advising a bill payable in London . After the counsel for the prosecution , however , had stated the case , Mr . Commissioner Gurney interposed and asked whether there was any more evidence than that referred to in

the learned Counsel ' s address to show the prisoner ' s knowledge of the receipt of the money at the bank . Having received a reply in the negative , His lordship remarked that in his opinion it would be useless to proceed further with the case . No evidence was , therefore , offered , ancl the prisoner was acquitted . Some time ago the Liverpool Chamber of Chamber of Commerce rejected a memorial put forth by the directors , condemning the practice of blockading commercial ports in time of war

. Afterwards a proposal was made to condemn the seizure of merchant ships of an enemy on the high seas , and this was also met by au opposition , ivhich was headed by Mr Spence a Liverpool merchant . The debate was adjourned till Wednesday last , when it was again , and , after an animated debate of five hours , Mr . Spence ' s amendment was lost , ancl the motion in favour of unrestricted commerce in time of war was carried by a majority of 40 to 21 votes .

FOEEIGN INTELLIGENCE . —The Emperor Napoleon ancl the Empress Eugenie formally opened the Boulevard Prince Eugene , one of the new streets with which Paris has been intersected , on Sunday . There had for some time been rumours thafc the police apprehended a hostile demonstration , or even an attempt to assassinate the Emperor ; but ive < ive informed that nothing of an unusual character took place during the ceremony , and that the Fmperor and Empress were well received by the people . Tbe

Emperor made a speech , which is said to have been enthusiastically received , but ivhich seems to have had no interest for foreigners . In the Spanish senate a speech of some importance has just been made by General Prim , who it will be remembered withdrew from the Mexican expedition on his own responsibility , and published a remarkably frank letter , declaring that he hacl drawn back in consequence of the intrigues of France . General Prim defended before the Senate the course

which he pursued ' with regard to the Mexican expedition . He contended that the conduct of France proved that she designed to inaugurate an exclusively French policy iu Mexico , and that if he had continued to co-operate in the expedition he would have made himself and his Government the tools of a foreign nation ' s ambition . He complained warmly of attacks made upon him in the French Legislative Chamber by M . Billault , the mouthpiece of the Emperor , ancl declared thai he had never been an

enemy of France ; but that his sole mission to Mexico being to vindicate certain claims of Spain , he could not continue to take part in an expedition which was being distorted to purposes entirely different from those for which it was originally arranged . — It is believed that the French Parliamentary session will open on the 12 th of January ; and we are already promised some very exciting debates . The policy of the Government with regard to Italy and Rome is to be vehemently attacked by the few Liberals whom both Chambers contain . In the Senate it is already stated that Prince Napoleon will lead the charge , and that important speeches are expected from Lavalette and from