The Sun.
London, England, 1859-02-05 00:00:00

THE lONIAN ISLANDS.

The following proclamation, " by his Excellency
the Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone, Member of her
Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council and
Lord High Commissioner of her Majesty, the pro-
tecting Sovereign in and for the Unites States of
the lonian Islands, &c.," was published by Mr.
Gladstone to announce his accession to the office of
Lord High Commissioner :---

" Her Majesty the Protecting Sovereign having been
pleased to appoint the Right Hon. William Ewart Glad-
stone her Majesty's Lord High Commissioner in and for
these States, his Excellency anno µflees that he has assumed,
and from this day forward will exercise, the rights, autho-
rity, and prerogatives attached to his station as Lord High
Commigsioner of her Majesty the Protecting Sovereign in
the lonian Islands.
" Given from the Palace of St. Michael and St. George,
Corfu, January 25.
" By command of his Excellency,
" G. F. BO WEN,
" Secretary of the Lord High Commissioner."

The following is a translation of the Message of
his Excellency the Lord High Commissioner to the
Most Noble the Legislative Assembly :

" Mr. President andGentlemen,—Her Majesty the Pro-
tecting Sovereign, having recently thought fit to despatch
a Commissioner to the lonian Islands to examine into their
political and administrative system, was pleased to lay her
commands upon me to undertake this office and to lay
before her Majesty the results.
" I found it my duty humbly to submit recommendations
to her Majesty on the subject which her Majesty had in-
structed me to examine.

" Her Majesty has decided that a prompt readjustment
of the lonian Constitution would best give effect to her
benevolent intention, and would conduce to the well-being
of the lonian people, for the older and the newer parts of
that Constitution, belonging to different systems, and not
presenting provisions of a nature to establish harmony be-
tween them, are more or less in conflict with one another,
so that the existing guarantees, whether for popular rights
en the one hand, or for the moral influence and vigorous
action of the lonian Government on the other, would ad-
mit of improvement.
" Her Majesty has thought fit to entrust me with the
powers and office of Lord High Commissioner of the lonian
Islands for this occasion.

" For a purpose so grave, and from its own nature so
urgent, the Assembly has been summoned to meet earlier
than usual in an extraordinary session.
"At the moment of its gathering together I lose no time
in informing the Assembly that it is my intention, on the
earliest day that shall be found convenient, to lay before it
in a speech the principal matters which have appeared to
her Majesty to require attention, with a view to the in-
crease of the blessings of good government in these islands.
"I have the honour to be, Mr. President and gentlemen,
"Your most obedient and humble servant,'
"W. E. GLADSTONE.
" By command of his Excellency,
"G. F. BOWEN,
" Secretary to the Lord High Commissioner.
" Corfu, January 25."

"NOTIFICATION,

"Notice is hereby given that his Excellency the Lord
High Commissioner will hold a levee at the Palace of St.
Michael and St. Georgs on Friday, the 28th instant, at 12
o'clock.

" ARTHUR GORDON, A.D.C.
Palace of St. Michael and St. George,
Corfu, January 25."

EXTENSINE FIRE AT MILLWALL.---Yesterclay
morning between the hours of four and five o'clock, a most
destructive fire broke out on the extensive premises of
Messrs. Henry Potter, Burt, and Co., tar refiners, Mill-
wall. The discovery was made by the Thames police, who
instantly raised an alarm, when messengers were despatched
for the engines of the London Brigade, which shortly ar-
rived. They were got to work in an admirable manner under
the direction of Mr. Braidwood, but the flames spread with
amazing rapidity, and the premises were nearly burnt to
the ground. The cause is uululown. The premises are
said to be uninsured,