The Sun.
London, England, 1863-07-28 00:00:00

THE lONIAN ISLANDS.

Lord STRATFORD DE RED CLIFFE called attention
to the proposed guaranty ot' the lonian Islands when trans•
ferred to Greece, as appearing from the first article of the
fourth Protocol of the Conference held at the Foreign
Office, relating to Greek affairs, and recently presented to
the house by command of her Majesty. The noble lord
doubted whether the annexation of the islands to Greece
would be followed by the generous expectations enter-
tained by his noble friend, Earl Russell, and, in support
of his opinions, quoted from the I,tter of a correspon-
dent of his relating a few of the incidents occurring
in the recent disturbances at Athens. The noble lord
hoped that sinco the cession of the islands was not fully
completed the subject might be further considered.
Earl RUSSELL considered that as the negotiations ;n
reference to the cession of the lonian Islands had corn •
menced with the opening of the session, and been continued
with mire or less activity from that time to the present,
the conduct of her Majesty's Government had been virtually
endorsed by their lorrishit s, for no objection had been raised
to it either by the noble lord who drew attention to it,
or by any other member of their lordships' house. The noble
earl thought he had good grounds for the sanguine hopes
he entertained for the future of Greece. The young Prince,
George 1., was full of courage, and he was well advised by a
Minister of experience, who entered on his new mission
with spirit and hop-fulness equal to that exhibited by the
young Prince ; and perhaps by the time their lordships met
again they would see whose expectations were nearer the
truth.

The Earl of DERBY said that although it was ttue that
Parliament had not made any objection to the cession of the
lonian Islands, it must also be remembered that it was a
subjec; with which Parliament had nothing to do. He (the
Earl o:Derby) thought.the cession of the protectorate of the
lonian Islands was the most gratuitous cession he had ever
heard of ; and if anything could add to the impolicy of such
a step, it was the condition of the country to which they
were going to cede it, (Oh,) The noble earl, at the begin-
ning of the correspondence which took place on the sub-
ject, proposed to make the cession of the lonian Islands to
Greece dependent upon certain contingencies, such as the
establishment of a constitutional monarchy, the prevalence
of a state of peace and order, and the like ; and that when
these things were proved to exist, her Majesty's Govern-
ment would then consult the wishes of the lonian people,
and if they were willing to have the concession take place, a
conference would be assembled for the purpose. But now it
seemed that this course was to be reversed, for it was after
the conference the people of the lonian Islands were to be
consulted. But there was a more important question, viz.,
whether the people of the lonian Islands were willing, in
the present condition of Greece, to have the protectorate
given up. The noble earl opposite had spoken very sari.
guiirely with regard to the political prospects of Greece, and
had admired—justly admired—the courage of the y.,ung
prince who had undertaken to secure for himself what the
noble earl had termed a splendid prise. But however much
the young prince was to be admired for his courage, he could
not give him so much credit for discretion in undertaking
the difficult task he had done of establishing constitutional
monarchy in Greece. Some papers had been laid upon the
table in the early part of the evening, which they were led
to expect contained valuable information with regard to this
question of the acceptance of the crown of Greece by the
young Prince. He took up the papers with a view of learn-
ing something, but he confessed he was unable to discover
anything to add to the information he already possessed. The
noble earl then referred to the grave disturbances which had
taken place in Greece, and which had only been suppressed
by the landing of a number of marines from the fleets of the
protecting Powers; and said he wished to know whether
the protest which be held in his hand was genuine, which
purported to have emanated from the Ministers of the three
protecting Powers. This protest, which the noble read in
extenBo, was directed to the National Assembly, and con-
tained a very strong censure on the disturbances which had
taken place.
Earl RUSSELL said he could not answer for every word,
but it was cot rect in substance.
The Earl of DERBY said he was justified in inferring
that, in the present state of personal intrigues in Greece,
the problem of establishing constitutional monarchy there
was a difficult one. (Hear.) But that was not the question
for their lordships ; it was a question for Denmark. But
the question for this country was, not to add to the respon-
sibilities of the Government fresh elements of confusion and
difficulty by giving up the protectorate of the lonian
Islands, which they held for the benefit of the people of
those islands. Whatever might be the policy under other
circumstances of ceding to Greece the protectorate of the
lonian Islands, he could not but regard it as a crime of the
deepest dye to do so at a time when Greece was in a state
of convulsion, according to the declaration of the Ministers
of the three protecting Powers. The noble earl opposite
had said, if the country were polled through, the people
would be in favour of the cession or the lonian Islands.
It might be that the people, only looking to the troubles
and expenses which the protectorate cost this country,
might say, " We are glad to be rid of the lonian Islands."
But thet was not the light in which a statesman should
regard the question. • statesman ought to look whether
the cession was for the benefit of the people of the
islands , and whether the country to which they were to
be ceded had an established form of government, or
whether it was not likely to be overborne by some other
Power; in which event, the lonian Islands might pass
into the possession of some other Power, or might lead to
the necessity of enforcing the present possession. He had
been told that when the lonian people had lately asked for
the protection of Great Britain, they were told that, being
under the protection of the King of Greece, they were no
longer entitled to the protection of Great Britain. He,
moreover, thought the cession of the lonian Islands was
likely to lead to the embarrassment of Greece itself, and he
was glad to have the opportunity of recording his disap-
proval of the policy of ceding the protectorate of the lonian
Islands to Greece. (Hear, hear.)
earl RUSSELL explained that it was a misapprehen-
sion of the meaning of his noble friend at the head of the
Government; to suppose that he had said the question of the
lonian Islands tips one with which Parliament had nothing
to do. What his noble friend wanted to establish was that
the lonian Islands not being a possession of the Crown, the
Crown had the right to dispe;.se of the protectorate, and he
hoped that those who before were in doubt of the fact would
now understand it. As to the fact of the petition from the
lonian people praying for the protection of Great Britain,
no such document had come before him, although be had
heard a rumour about it.

The matter then dropped.
METROPOLITAN RAILWAYS.
Lord STRATREDEN moved for a humble address to
her Majesty praying her Majesty to appoint a commission
to inquire into and report upon the principle which ought to
guide further legislation on the subject of metropolitan rail-
ways.
Lord STANLEY of ALDERLEY said that the question
of a committee or a commission had occupied their lordships'
attention during the session, and they had finally decided
upon a committee. The report of that committee, after anxi-
ous consideration, was against the appointment of a commis-
sion. There were several suggestions in the report, which
it would have been desirable to have laid before Parliament,
but the report was presented too late for that purpose this
session. Next session measures, in pursuance of the sug-
gestions in the report, would be laid before Parliament. Tne
chief suggestions were in favour of one central station and
one management of all the metropolitan railways.
The discussion was carried on by the Marquis of Clanri-
carde, Lord Redesdale, and Earl Fortescue.
Lord STRATHEDEN replied, and appealed to the Earl
of Derby for his opinion.

The Earl of DERBY said that he really had not attended I
much to the debate; but it appeared to him that as the
question had been referred to a committee, they ought to
accept the decision of that committee ; and he would advise
the noble lord not to press his motion.
Lord STRATHEDEN then withdrew the motion.
EDUCATION.
Lord REDESDALE called attention to the minute of the
Committee of Council on Education of May 19 last, and the
memorandum of the committee of the National Society to
the Committee of Council thereon. He complained that the
intention was to make public charity come in aid of the
public expenditure, and it was the more reprehensible see-
ing that it came in the same session in which the Chancellor
of the Exchequer had been defeated in an attempt to tax
charities. (Hear, hear, from Lord Derby.)
The Earl of DERBY begged to be allowed to bear his
testimony to the very great hardships which the minute
inflicted upon schools and teachers. He gave an example
of a school on his own estate in which, the endowment being
£4B, which was a few pounds over the maximum named in
the minute, the school would be absolutely shut out from
all parliamenti-xy aid, although it was under Government
inspeetion and control, He trusted that the minute would
be modified.
Bail POWIS also opposed the minute.
The Duke of SOMERSET regretted that the Lord Pre-
sident (Earl Granville) was not present, as he would be best
able to reply to the noble lord's objections; but, as he was
himself present when the minute was agreed to he was Pre'