The confusion in Cyprus has become so serious, that the
Queen, by Order in Council, has appointed Sir Garnet Wolseley High Commissioner and Commander-in-Chief in the Island, and has constituted a Legislative Council, consisting of the said Sir Garnet, and from four to eight nominees, half of whom must be Officials. This Council, subject to her Majesty's veto, will have full legislative powers, these being, moreover, conferred on the High Commissioner on emergent occasions, even when act- ing alone. The arrangement is the Indian one, and should work well, but its legality must be very doubtful. The Sovereign has undoubtedly the right to set up a government " in a conquered or eeded" territory, but Cyprus has neither been conquered nor ceded. The Queen is there only a tributary vassal of the Sultan, under a lease, which Russia, by the Treaty, has the power to terminate. It may be said the Sultan hes delegated his own legislative authority, as in the case of the• Khedive, but will the Courts uphold that proposition ? Sir Garnet Wolseley may find, unless an Act of Parliament is passed for his protection, as it ought t6 be, that he is liable to damages, or even to criminal proceeding& for enforcing island laws against Englishmen or foreign subject&
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