The Sun.
London, England, 1863-04-17 00:00:00

gone into it a s a person who was not so well informed might
be expected to have done. The noble earl knew very well
that in 1815 the protectorate of Great Britain over the islands
had been constituted. The islands themselves were consti-
tuted a republic, free, and only under the protection of Eng-
land. Count Capo d'lstra was mostanxious that he should
represent Greece, there being no other representative of
Greece at that tin e. In no sense were the islands the pro-
perty of Great Britain, or in possesssion of her Majesty's
Government; and it would not be becoming in the Govern•
ment to refuse the lonians if they expressed a wish to be
joined to the newly organised kingdom of Greece. As to
Corfu, of course, it would go with tho other islands. There
was no right in her Majesty's Government to keep it as a
British possession. He felt that by this cession and the
course they had pursued her Majesty's Government would
contribute largely to the future happiness of Greece. The
Greek people had great talents, and if they exercised them
under increased advantages, and became prosperous, her
Majesty's Government would have reason to rejoice,
The Earl of DERBY said that the noble earl had avoided
the question pressed upon hina by his noble friend. The
question was, whether the noble earl had ascertained, before
he proposed Prince "William to the Greeks, that the Prince,
with his father, and the King of Denmark, were willing to
accept the offer of the crown ? As to the lonian Islands,
more than the wish of the lonians would be necessary to
justify the cession. The consent of the great powers shculd
be obtained.

Earl RU&SELL—That i-i what 1 have said myself.

The Earl of DERBY—But, then, had the noble earl
taken measures to obtain their consent ! In another
place it had been stated that the Austrian Government
had protested against the measure. He (Earl Derby)
thought it would be a dangerous experiment, and that her
Majesty's Government had acted with great rashness with
regard to the nomination of the Sovereign of Greece and
the cession of the lonian Islands.
Earl GRANVILLE defended the conduct of the Govern-
ment and of the Greek people, upon whom, he thought, the
two noble earls opposite had cast most undeserved stigmas.
As to the French revolutionists, they had no one ready at
the first great revolution ; and at that of 1848 the very last
thing that entered the minds of the movers of it was, that
the present Emperor would ever be at the head of affairs.
(Hear, hear.) The noble earl (Russell) had received the
consent of the King of Denmark before the name of Prince
William was submitted to the Greeks.

After a few brief remarks and explanations between the
Earl of MILMEBBURY and Earl RUBSELL, the subject
dropped.

THE LUDGATE-HILL RAILWAY.

Lord CAMPBELL asked the intentions of the Govern-
ment with regard to the Ludgate-hill Railway.
Earl GRANVILLE said that the question would be
answered by the motion he was about to make. He then
moved for the appointment of a select committee to inquire
whether any, and if any, which of the schemes now before
Parliament foe the construction of lines of railway within
the limits of the metropolis could be proceeded with in the
present session without the risk of interfering with the
future adoption of a comprehensive plan of metropoli-
tan railway communication, and to consider what pro-
vision could be made for the securing such a compre-
hensive system, with the greatest advantage to the
public and the least inconvenience to the local arrange.
merits of the metropolis.

After a brief discussion, the motion was agreed to.
Their lordships adjourned at ten minutes before eigh
o'clock,

HOUSE OF COMMONS—Last Evening.
The SPEAKER took the chair at four o'clock.
THIRD READINGS.

The following bills were read a third time :—Bala and
Dolga]ley Railway—Caledonian Railway (Improvement
&e.)—Flint, Holywell, and Mostyn Roads—Great Wes-
tern and West Afidland Railways Amalgama•
tion—Great Western, West Midland, and South
Wales Railway Companies Amalgamation--Guild-
ford and Leatherhead Railway—London, Brighton,
and South Coast Railway(Dorking to Leatherhead)—Lon-
don, Brighton, and South Coast Railway (South London,
Tooting, &c., Junction Railways)--Maidstone Water—
Manchester Corporation Water—Mercantile Marine Ser-
vice" A'sociation, Liverpo)l—Ogmore Valley Railways
Peterborough Cattle Markets--Saint Luke's (Middlesex)
Workhouse and Vestry gall—Southampton Port, Har-
bour and Pier.

The following bills were considered and ordered to be
read a third time :—Evesiara and Redditch Railway—
Furness and Midland Railvay.
LONDON AND SOUTH-WESTERN RAILWAY
BILL.

Mr. R. MILLS objected to proceeding with this bill, on
the ground that the company did not do its duty to the
locality, actually putting the inhabitants of Egham and
Staines to 6s 6d. expense to telegraph to London (21 miles),
whereas the people of Leeds and Manchester could commu-
nicate with London for Is. (Hear.) lle moved that the
further progress of the bill be postponed until to-morrow.—
Agreed to.
ATTENDANCE OF 11.R.11. PRINCE ALFRED AND
PRINCE LOUIS OF HESSE.