The Ionian question has made some little advance towards a
solution. When Mr. Gladstone suddenly pulled up the Assem- bly in its unconstitutional career of appointing a Committee to take measures for uniting the islands with Greece, he advised them to petition the Queen. They did so ; demanding union with Greece. Their main reason was that the necessity which involved a protectorate has been removed by the erection of Greece into a kingdom—an argument not without some weight. Of coutsp the reply from the Imperial Government was a refusal to grant the prayer of the petition. Thus one mode was ex- hausted; and the road being cleared, Mr. Gladstone sent in a message embodying seventeen heads of reform. What course the Assembly has taken is not yet known here.
The Servian difficulty has reached another stage. The Sk.upt- china has abolished the Ministry and the Senate. All power is, therefore, concentrated in its hands. Prince Milosch has entered Belgrade, the Skuptohina insisting upon its right to receive him to the exclusion of the abolished Senate and Ministry. The Porte has formally acknowledged Milosch as Hospodar, but not as " hereditary " Hospodar. This the Skuptchina regards as a violation of its rights. Some tough work is evidently out out for the restored Prince.
