The Week,

reeled average for the last ten years Avould be 1398 ; the actual deaths last week amounted to 1384 . In the Cit y also the average has not been exceeded . The number of births , on the other hand , rises high—2197 children being horn , against 2001 , Avhich is the corrected average Both Houses of Convocation met on Tuesday , at the Jerusalem Chambers , Westminster Abbey . The upper house passed a vote of condolence on the death of Prince Albert , to which

the lower house was invited to agree . It also appointed a committee to inquire into the state of the laAV which reference to the resumption of synodal action . The revised minutes on education were brought before the lower house by Archdeacon Denison , who strongly condemned them . After some discussion , a committee was appointed on the subject . A deputation ^ from , the Central Committee of Schoolmasters Availed on Wednesday , upon Lord Granvilleto present a memorial from

, a large number of certificated teachers , in opposition to the proposed withdrawment of the augmentation grant . Some discussion took place between the deputation , and Lord Granville and Mr . Lowe . The latter simply sought for information , and committed themselves to no opinion . Mr . Milner Gibson addressed his constituents at Ashton-under-Lyne , on Monday , The right lion , gentleman having , in reply to a letter sent to him by the local Church Defence Associationexpressed his

, determination to continue to uphold the principle of religious equality , placed before the meeting a collection of statistics , with the view of showing the position of the trade of the country . Tho total value of the exports from the United Kingdom during 1861 was , he said , £ 125 , 115 , 000 against £ 135 , 891 , 000 in 1860 ; showing a decrease of £ 10 , 771 , 000 . As compared with 1859 , hovrever . the falling-off is only five

millions ; while , as compared with 1858 , last year's exports show an increase of £ 8 , 500 , 000 . The extent to Avhich we have suffered from the civil Avar in America is strikingly shown hy the simple statement : —The value of our exports to the United States in 1861 was £ 9 , 080 , 922 ; but in 1860 it ivas £ 21 , 667 , 065 ; showing a decrease of £ 12 , 686 , 143 , or 42 per cent . " The right hon . gentleman thought that when the returns were fully made up , a decrease would be found to have taken place in our exports to some other countries , but he pointed out

the remarkable results which had flowed from the Commercial Treaty with France . "Comparing , " he said , "the last four months of 18601 with the same period in 1860 , our exports to France show an increase at the rate of 81 per cent . " On the other hand , " our imports from France during 1861 amounted to £ 15 , 443 , 000 , aa against £ 12 , 783 , 000 in 1860 , or very nearly the exact amount of the increase upon our exports . " It is also satisfactory to find that our exports to Italy

exhibit an increase of about a million and a quarter sterling , awl that the liberated kingdom of the Two Siccilies is the chief contributor to this result . The Great Exhibition is attracting all the lesser luminaries of the kingdom to the metropolis this year . Among other institutions it has been determined by the directors of the Social Science Association to hold their annual conference this year in Londonin the hope that the juristsstatistsand

hilan-, , , p thropists of the Continent Avill take advantage of the opportunity and attend their discussions . A preliminary meeting of the friends of the Association , for this purpose , has been held in the Mansion House , when resolutions approving of the object , and appointing a committee for the reception of strangers , _ were agreed to . The piincipal speakers Avere Sir John Pakington , the Recorder , and Sir Francis Goldsmid . It

is understood that Burlington House has been promised for the meetings of the different sections . The road across Hyde Park continues to meet with opposition from the local vestries , or it would be more correct to say that it meets Avith their resolution not to contribute to its cost . There was an influential meeting of the Marylebone A-estry held on Saturdav , at ivhich the subject was discussed in all its bearingsbut in the

, end the resolution come to by the council ivas that the road , if an improvement at all , was one of a merely local character , and that it was not fair to call upon the ratepayers to contribute towards its expense . An order in Council puts an end to the prohibition of the exportation from the United Kingdom of munitions of war . A brief statement in the Times dispels the favourable impression as to the sea-going qualities of the Warrior

, created by a recent telegram announcing the ironside ' s arrival at Lisbon . According to the paragraph published by our contemporary , the Warrior "laboured in a most extraordinary manner , flooding her decks and cabins Avith

Avater . " It is added that "in nine cases out of ten " she failed to answer her helm . AVe learn from an official document that during the ten years ending 1860 , no less than 8 , 466 persons were killed while working in the coal mines of the United Kingdom . A meeting of Avorking coal miners was held at Newcastle on Saturday , Avhen resolutions were agreed to condemning the single-shaft systemand a petition to Parliament against the

, practice was unanimously adopted . At the same time it was agreed to represent to the Government that the inspectors had too many mines placed under their charge , and were , therefore , unable adequately to discharge their duty . We are gratified to learn that the subscriptions for the relief of the sufferers amount to close upon £ 40 , 000 , of which £ 14 , 000 has heen contributed by the metropolis . This is rather more than twice as

much as was calculated to be necessary for the support of the widows and orphans . The Hartley inquest has been brought to a close , the jury returning a verdict of accidental death . They , however , acid a strong impression of opinion as to the " imperitive necessity of all working collieries having at least a second shaft or outlet , to afford the workmen the means ot escape in the event of an obstruction such as that which occurred in the case of the Hartley calamit . Three out of

y the five Polish Jews who were some time ago apprehended on a charge of fabricating the notes on the Bank of Russia , have been committed for trial hy the Lord Mayor ; the other two , Avho Avere apprehended at Birmingham , were brought before the Lord Mayor on Saturday ; and the principal witness against them Avas the engraver whom they employed at Birmingham , and who when the work was first brought to him ,

communicated with the police , hy whose instruction he took them in hand , and pretended to execute their orders till the case was ripe for their apprehension . The prisoners were again remanded . An action was brought in the Court of Exchequer on Saturday , when a gentleman named Day proceeded against the assignees of a bankrupt named Jones , for having seized on certain portions of the property of the bankrupt which he contended the bankrupt had transferred to him . The bankrupt himself Avas brought from Holloway Prison to the witness-box , and detailed the mode in which he had made over his property .

In the end the jury found for the plaintiff , with £ 7 damages on one of the questions , and on all the othersfor the defendants . A case of some interest in the neivspaper Avorld has been before Mr . Baron Martin . Mr . Steele , Avho had acted for several years as solicitor to the Sun newspaper , brought an action against the gentlemen who aat as trustees for the creditors for the sum of 1400 Z . "for work nnd labour performed , " His acting as solicitor—the proof of which brought up some topics of newspaper

libel that made great noise in their day though they are all forgotten now—was not disputed ; but it was contended that the trustees were not liable . Mr . Baron Martin held that there was no case of liability to go to a jury , and the plaintiff was nonsuited Another case of compensation arising out of the shocking railway accident at Kentish Toivn , in September last , has been tried . A man named English , with his Avife and inf-ict childAvan in the train on the occasion of tne accident .

, He ivas severely injured ; his ivife died of her wounds ; the infant escaped unhurt . He now sought compensation for his own hurts , and , as uclminsrator for his children , compensation to them for the loss of their mother ' s services . The jury were two hours over their finding , and in the end a verdict was taken by consent of the parties—English received £ 1000 for his injuries , and £ 200 for his children for their mother's loss .

Devereux , the Irish sailor , Avho stabbed the lodging-house keeper in Ratcliffe-Highway , an as been fully committed to take his trial on the charge of wilful murder . Joseph Issot charged with the attempted murder of his wife at Rochdale , has been committed for trial . AVilliam Turner , charged with attempting to shoot his stepmotherat Hull has been remanded . A letter from the accused shows to plainly

what were the intentions of the unhappy man . A coroner's jury , on the body of Mr . J . AVincot , " butcher , of Marylebone , has been held , and the jury have returned a verdict of wilful murder against fourmen , Quaill , Cox , Walsh , and Poulton . The prisoner Quaill ivas removed to the police-court . The three other men are undergoing short terms of imprisonment connected with the riot . A shocking accident occurred at the lower end of the Waterloo-road , near the bridge , on Monday afternoon . It will he remembered that the road there is high above the natural elevation of the low , swampy marsh of the south shore , and is carried over the low-laying Commercial-