§ MR. THOMAS BAYLEY (Derbyshire, Chesterfield)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if the Turkish Government is regularly paying its soldiers and civil servants in the island of Crete for the services they are rendering there; and, in the event of Turkey not paying, are we under any financial responsibilities for the Government of Crete?
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Mr. G. CURZON, Lancashire, Southport)Her Majesty's Government have no information as to the payment of the Turkish officials and troops in Crete. It is not a matter for which this country is responsible, financially or otherwise.
§ MR. HERBERT LEWIS (Flint Boroughs)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Mussulmans rescued at Candanos have been armed by the Turks at Canea, and sent out to fight the insurgents; and, if that be the case, whether such action is in contravention of the written undertaking signed by the British Consul and the Commanders of the European warships at Canea?
§ MR. HEDDERWICKI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Question 60, namely, whether Colonel Vassos, the Greek 405 Commander in Crete, has addressed a protest to the Admirals of the Great Powers, in which the following statements are made; that it was through his action that the beseiged Turks of Candanos were enabled to proceed in safety to Canea; that conditions with respect to these Turks were laid down in writing by him, and accepted by the Consul of Great Britain and the Commanders of the European Powers acting in the name of their Admirals; that these conditions were reduced to writing by the British Consul himself, and duly signed by him and the Commanders mentioned; that in the document so signed the British Consul and the Commanders mentioned solemnly promise that the Turks of Candanos, relieved as stated, shall be disarmed, and prevented from harming the Greeks in any way thenceforward; and that, notwithstanding these conditions and promises solemnly made and signed as stated, arms were distributed to these very Turks on 25th March by the Mussulman authorities of Canea, who also permitted them when so armed to sally out and begin the work of massacreing their Christian fellow-countrymen anew; and, if so, whether these statements made by Colonel Vassos are well founded in fact?
§ * MR. CURZONThe allegation referred to in the hon. Member's question appears in the communication from Colonel Vassos to the Admirals about which (Question 60 is asked by the hon. Member for Wick. May I therefore be permitted to answer both Questions at the same time? The British Admiral telegraphed yesterday that the Admirals had received a dispatch from Colonel Vassos full of misrepresentations. An inquiry about the particular subject mentioned in the Questions has been telegraphed to Her Majesty's Consul, but no reply has vet been received.
§ MR. J. SWIFT MACNEILL (Donegal, S.)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Powers have determined to employ artillery in Canea and Candia, and that the artillery selected for this purpose by England will be a mountain battery in Wales?
§ * MR. CURZONThe British Admiral reported on the 1st inst. that his colleagues had asked for three mountain guns each. We are not aware that any decision has been arrived at in regard to 406 this request by any Power except Russia. It is understood that the Russian Government are sending a mountain battery.
§ MR. MACNEILLI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the opposition which has hitherto been offered by Great Britain and France to the blockade of the Greek coast has now been overcome?
§ * MR. CURZONNo information can conveniently be given as to the individual views of Her Majesty's Government or of other Powers until an agreement is arrived at by all of them. [Laughter.]
§ * SIR C. DILKE (Gloucester, Forest of Dean)asked the First Lord of the Treasury whether he can now state if the German Empire is to be represented in Crete by land forces?
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR, Manchester, E.)No, Sir, I do not know that the troops of the German Empire are to be represented in Crete.
§ MR. MACNEILLsaid he desired to ask the Under Secretary for Foreign Affairs a Question, of which he had given private notice. It was, unfortunately, a short notice, but perhaps the right hon. Gentleman would not answer it unless he knew. [Laughter.] The Question was—whether it was true that a British cruiser had captured three Greek sailing ships carrying provisions from one part of the coast or Crete to the other; and whether the rules of the blockade extended to the transportation of provisions from one side of the island to the other?
§ * MR. CURZONI received the hon. Gentleman's notice of this Question only five minutes before I came into thin House. [Laughter.] I think he must have forgotten the friendly appeal for sufficient notice which I ventured to address to the House in general and the hon. Member in particular. [Laughter and Cheers.]