The Sun.
London, England, 1864-06-14 00:00:00

RED GERANIUMS.

Lady Gwendoline St. Maur and Marquis of Bowmont
Miss Montgomery and Hon. Mr Carrington
Miss Osborne and Hon. Mr Leeson
Miss Steuart Mackenzie and Hon. Captain White
WATER LILIES.
Lady Diana Beaucicrk and Prince Esterhazy
Lady Marion Loftus and Earl of Tyrone
Miss Bagge and Sir Samuel Hayes
Miss Fitzpatrick and Mr Leigh
PINK ROSES.
Lady Harriet Grimston and Viscount Valentia
Miss Dudley Ward and Hon. Norman Grosvenor
Miss Tufnell and Hon. Charles Hanbury-Tracy
Miss Allen and Count Maffie
FORGET-ME-NOTS.
Lady Augusta Yorke and• Viscount Duncan
Miss Watson Taylor and Lord Dunlop
Hon. Miss White and Lord Sandys

Miss Sybil Montgomery and Sir Frederick Johnstone

After this quadrille had been danced, the boys
and girls educated in the asylum marched into the
room and formed in front of the dais, where the
Prince and Princess had an opportunity of admir-
ing their admirable appearance.
At the word of command from Sir Charles Forbes,
the boys gave a general salute, and the juvenile
band played the National Anthem, the company
rising from their seats.
After the children had retired, the officers of the
asylum and hospital were presented to the Princess,
who conversed very graciously with Sir Heron Max-
well and others.

A quadrille was then formed, in which the royal
visitors took part. The Princess of Wales gave her
hand to the Duke of Buccleuch, president of the
asylum. The Prince of Wales danced with the
Duchess of Wellington. Prince Alfred with the
Duchess of Buccleuch.

A valse followed, the Princess of Wales dancing
with Prince Louis of Hesse, and the Prince of Wales
with Lady Agneta Yorke.
At half-past 12 o'clock the royal visiters were
conducted to supper, which was served in the card-
room to a select party of sixteen guests.
The Prince and Princess of Wales retired shortly
after one o'clock.

The ball was a great success, all the arrangements
being perfect, and not the slightest hitch having
occurred.

The Cession of the lonian Islands,

CORFU, June 3.

The curtain has fallen upon the last act of the
British Protectorate—the fair lonia is wedded to
young Greece, and the guardian has given the
happy couple his parting benediction. Long ex-
pected as the event has been, its realization seemed
to take every one by surprise. The dismantling of
the batteries, the embarcation of stores, and the
demolition of the works have been going on steadily
for months past, and yet there were many who
continued to doubt that the cession was near at
hand, and not a few persisted in hoping against
hope that it might yet be averted. The arrival
of the Greek Commissioner Extraordinary came
upon all like the final verdict, and the inter-
change of signatures to the Protocol, which took
place on the 28th of May, was the death warrant
of British dominion in the lonian Islands. On
the day following the promulgation cf the
Protoco!, the Royal arms surmounting the Lord
High Commissioner's palace and the main gate of
the citadel were removed by a party of Royal En gi.
neers, and their fragments (they were of massive
stone carving) were sold to eager competitors at
fancy prices. The removal was effected at the in-
stance of the Greek Commissioner. It is to be
hoped that this sacrifice will propitiate 11-llenic
patriotism, and that the winged lions of Venice
which ornament most of the old works in Corfu may
escape the spoiler's hand.
On the 2d of June Corfu put on its holiday dress
to bid farewell to its English protectors. There was
not a cloud in the bright blue sky, there was not a
ripple on the water—yet more bright and more
blue. A small fleet of troopships and transports
clustered around the majestic Marlborough ; near
them lay a clumsy-looking paddlewheel steamer,
with 800 Greek troops, forming the future garrison
of Corfu, on beard. The harbour was dotted with
yachts and pleasure boats; the shores were lined
with a dense mass of people of all classes. At 11
o'clock the last remaining regiment in the citadel,
the 4th King's Own, marched out, and their
guard at the main gate was relieved by a Greek
guard of gendarmerie. They are not ill-looking
men, and are fairly dressed and set up. The troops
sent to garrison these islands are, however, said to
be picked men, and superior in equipment and in
discipline to the rest of the army. Meanwhile the
approaches to the Palace of St. Michael and St.
George were choked by crowds of townspeople
and villagers from many a mile around, and there
was hardly standing room in the reception-hall, so
eager were the people to pay their parting respects
to the last of the Lords High Commissioners.
When Sir Henry Storks, in a few graceful words
in Italian, and in a voice which betrayed his emo-
tion, bade them farewell, at least three-fourths of his
audience were he tears, and many blubbered out-
right (for the lonian ie much given to the melting
mood), as they Crowded round his Excellency,
shaking him by the hand, embracing him, and con-
ferring upon him not unfrequently those salutations
which Englishmen generally reserve for the other
sex. Nothing could exceed the good temper with
which he bore these inflictions, and even when—
freed at length, as he fondly hoped, from these over-
whelming demonstrations of affection—as ;se was
desceniing the steps of the Palace, an elderly, fat
gentleman approached him from behind, and, fling-
ing his arms about his neck, gave him half a dozen
smacking kisses, there was not a shade of impatience
mingled with the expression of surprise at this un-
expected honour. As he passed to the place of em-
barkation every man in that dense crowd respect-
fully uncovered, and a running fire of " Zito's"
marked his progress—interspersed now and then
with a cordial " Good-bye and God bless you, Sir !"
in an English voice ; and when he entered his
barge and was rowed away under the last English
salute from the batteries, there arose a parting cheer
more loud and more hearty than I should have
believed lonian lungs capable of uttering.
At noon the Commander of the Forces, Sir
Robert Garrett, accompanied by his staff, mounted
to the flagstaff at the citadel, and as the British
red ensign was unfurled at the Marlborough's main,
our colours at Cape Sidero, Port Neuf, and Vido
were simultaneously lowered, and the blue-an d-
white flag of Greece was hoisted in their place. A
very irregular salute was fired by the Greek Artil-
finery from what but a minute before had been our
salutine battery; the Marlborough replied in
splendid style, and the union was consummated.
It was Very touching to behold Sir Robert Garrett,
in person the very beau ideal of an old English
general, reverently, almost tenderly, hearing sway
the colours which had floated over the citadel
for half a century. It will probably have been
the last public act of a long life spent honour-
ably in the service of his country, and, as all un-
covered and bowed, as the old soldier passed along
he was greeted with many a hearty " God bless
you," and many an unspoken wish that he might
yet live long to enjoy in his retirement his well-
earned honours.
There is a signal from the Marlborough ; she
moves; the strains of " God save the Queen" arise
from all the ships as they follow in her wake, bear-
ing away the last representatives of British rule in
the lonian Islands. Until the last ship has be-