The Press.
London, England, 1857-08-22 00:00:00

FINANCES OF GREECE.

Lord PALMERSTON, in reply to Mr. Spooner, stated
that the commissioners appointed by the protecting
powers to inquire into the finances of Greece had not
yet made a report ; but he was afraid be could not
hold out any expectation that the result would
relieve the British Government from the obligation

to pay the interest on the loan.
TNDIAN COMPENS.

Mr. V. Sweat, in answer to inquiries by Mr. Dis-
raeli, said the scheme of compensation to which he
referred on Tuesday did not extend to property in-
jured or destroyed belonging to all British sub-
jects, which would open a wide field.

MILITIA BILL.

On the order for the third reading of the Militia
Bill, a discussion of much interest arose, in which
Colonel North, Sir F. Smith, Sir De Lacy Evans, Sir
W. Williams, Sir H. Verney, and Sir J. Ramsden
participated, and which gradually embraced a great
variety of topics, including the seige of Delhi, the
expediency of sending Sappers and Miners to India,
and of employing a steam flotilla on the Ganges,
recruiting for the native army of Bombay, the
electric telegraph, the conveyance of troops to India
through Egj pt, and sending them in screw line-of-
battle ships.
Lord PALMERSTON, in the course of a general reply,
pointed out the inexpediency of sending a large
portion of our naval force so far as India, and re-
peated the objections he had previously urged to the
conveying troops across Egypt. As for the re-
proaches cast upon Government for being unpre-
pared to meet the Indian crisis, and having too
hastily reduced the military forces of this empire,
the noble lord justified the step upon the ground of
the weakness and inability of the Government to
resist the pressure from without at the conclusion of
peace. As to the employing of a flotilla on the
Ganges, he reminded the house that the rivers of
India were thickly studded with sandbanks and
abounded with shallows. He assured the house,
however, that the suggestions made would receive
the utmost attention of the Government, which
was most anxiously directed to the sad events in
India.

Mr. DISRAELI said he wished to see a nearer

relation established between the regular regiments
of the line and the militia, which would be of advan-
tage to both. Adverting to the operations in India,
be observed that much depended upon the fate of
Cawnpore, the defence of which was, in his opinion,
a more important point than the recapture of Delhi.
He wished to know what portion of his garrison the
Governor of the Cape was prepared to contribute to
the European force in India, there being, he believed,
no danger of a Kaffir war. With respect to the
reduction of the army in the spring, in reply to Lord
Palmerston, the right hon. gentleman considered
what were the duties of Government, in questions
of retrenchment, with relation to the exigencies of
the country, and pointed out the general advantages
of reduction in time of peace :

I say, therefore, so far as the House of Commons was
concerned, that we acted most wisely in the course we took ;
because, what excites in emergencies a prompt and pas•
sionate response to the appeals of the Government on the