§ MR. J. C. FLYNN (Cork, N.)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Foreign Office has any information as to the alleged skirmishes in the neighbourhood of Retimo, Crete: and whether the Mohammedans continue the pillaging of villages, even in the military zone; if so, whether Abdullah Pasha, as Military Governor of the island, has any cognisance of these events?
MR. CURZONHer Majesty's Consul in Crete has reported that, according to his information, frequent collisions have recently taken place between the Christians and Mussulmans in the neighbourhood of Rethymo, resulting in loss of life on both sides. The Christians also complain that native Mussulmans are permitted to cross the military cordon to Christian villages, which they pillage and burn. Her Majesty's Government cannot, of course, tell to what extent Abdullah Pasha may have cognisance of these alleged events.
§ MR. FLYNNI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Foreign Office has received any information in respect to the alleged disturbances in the Kalyvia district of Crete, and also whether Abdullah Pasha, the Military Governor, is dispatching troops against the insurgents, contrary to the armistice: whether a Turkish war vessel opened fire upon a number of women and children who happened to be on the beach and killed several of them; and what action, if any, has been taken by the representatives of the Powers?
MR. CURZONA Report has been received from her Majesty's Consul in Crete stating that on the 12th inst. an officer and nine men, sent from a Turkish gunboat to search native boats for ammunition, were shot by Christians from the shore near Kalives. The gunboat 1627 shelled the coast for nine hours, but did not direct its fire against any Christian village or house. We have no information that women or children were killed. [Cheers.] For the purpose of recovering the bodies of the officer and men of the gunboat the troops stationed at Kalives moved inland on the 13th and 14th inst., and serious fighting has since taken place, of which, however, no details have been received. The representatives of the Great Powers have to-day addressed a strong remonstrance to the Turkish Government with reference to the conduct of the military in the island, and have urged that strict orders should be given for the troops to remain entirely on the defensive in conformity with the engagements undertaken by the Porte. [Cheers.]
*MR. GIBSON BOWLESHave the Powers made any remonstrances as to the unprovoked attack on the crew of the gunboat?
§ [No answer was given.]
§ *SIR E. ASHMEAD-BARTLETT (Sheffield, Ecclesall)asked whether the action of the Consuls in making this protest to the Turkish Government was to imply that the Christians were to be permitted to kill Turkish troops without retaliation.
§ [No answer was given.]
§ SIR E. ASHMEAD-BARTLETTI will give notice of the Question.