311isrelaittnuo.
The first Cabinet Council since the recess was held on Wednesday, at the official residence of Mr. Disraeli. The Ministers present were—the Earl of Derby, the Right Honourable B. Disraeli, the Lord Chancellor, the Marquis of Salisbury, the Earl of Hardwicke, Mr. Secretary Wal- pole, the Earl of Malmesbury, the Right Honourable Sir Edward Lytton, General Peel, Lord Stanley, Sir John Pakington, the Right Honourable J. W. Henley, and Lord John Manners.
• Mr. William Evert Gladstone has been appointed Lord High Com- missioner Extraordinary of the Ionian Islands. He goes out to Corfu at once and takes with him, as Secretary, Mr. Arthur Gordon, the third son of Lord Aberdeen.
The Liverpool Yost, " on undoubted authority," says that Mr. Glad- stone, " without in the least identifying himself with the present Go- vernment, is about to proceed on a mission to Corfu, in order to inquire into the constitution of the Ionian Islands. Mr. Gladstone expects to quit England next Saturday, and intends to proceed to his destination by way of Vienna and Trieste. His absence will probably extend over a period of three months ; but it is distinctly understood that he returns in time for the next session of Parliament. The expenses of the mission are, of course, to be borne by the Government; but the right honourable gentleman will receive no salary. The mission having been pressed upon him, he thought it best not to decline it on any personal or political grounds ; and he goes out imbued with the earnest hope that everything that can be done will be done in the interests of justice and freedom."
Nice will afford hospitality this winter to the Grand Duchess Helena of Russia and the Grand Duchess Maria, widow of the Prince of Leuch- tenberg, the second of which lathes arrived at Turin on the 25th Octo- ber, and immediately went on to the castle of Racconigi upon a visit to the King.
The Official Journal of Vienna announces that the Emperor has allow- ed Baron Lionel de Rothschild to resign the post of Austrian Consul-Ge- neral at London, and has expressed satisfaction with his long and faith- ful services ; also that his Majesty has appointed Baron Anthony de Rothschild to the vacant place.
Seymour The Gazette of Tuesday contained a string of despatches from Admiral oeYntour and his officers detailing expeditions against Chinese pirates in the neighbourhood of Hong-kong. In these expeditions no fewer than 130 piratical junks and boats were destroyed or captured, and 636 'crane sunk in deep water. The town of Coulon, head-quarters of the Pirates, and their fort mounting 14 guns, were destroyed. The fort was captured by Captain Vansittart and ten men. These facts show the scale upon which piracy has been carried on off the coast of China. The famous floating-batteries, seven in number, built during the Rus- sian war, are now said to be quite useless, and what is worse would have been useless had they been in action. An order was recently issued to arm the Erebus. It was found that she could not be armed without taking down her funnels. Then she was made a target of, and it was found that 68-pound shot, at 350 yards, went completely through her side, tearing everything before it. "The result of these experiments," "Ps the Hampshire Independent, "beyond a doubt (?) demolishes the taisseau baler theory of Admiral Sartorious and Louis Napoleon."
The Royal Commission appointed to investigate the state of theMili- !UT store and clothing depOts at Weedon, Woolwich, and the Tower, save eat this week at Woolwich. A telegraphic despatch has been received from Emden, in Hanover, announcing the successful completion on Wednesday night of the electric communication between that port and Cromer, on the English coast. The '51/ bmarine Company intend shortly to lay another cable to Denmark.
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