§ MR. DILLONI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can now inform the House what arrangements the Admirals have made with a view to the distribution of certain food supplies where most required in the interior of Crete?
MR. CURZONWe have had no fresh communication from the Admirals on the subject, nor am I aware that a, case for their action has yet arisen. On the contrary we heard yesterday from Her Majesty's Consul that it seemed likely that the Christians in the interior would before long have a double supply of grain, as they would gather the crops of the Mussulman Cretans as well as their own.
§ MR. DILLONI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will lay upon the Table of the House the Proclamation under which the Blockade of Crete is carried on?
MR. CURZONThere does not appear to be any necessity for laying the Proclamation separately, since; it has already appeared in the Gazette of March 19. Of course, it will be included in the Papers that will be presented later on.
§ MR. DILLONI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs when the Government will present further Papers on the affairs of Crete?
MR. CURZONTwo collections of Papers about Crete are in preparation. The first containing information up to the beginning of the year will, I hope, be laid before the Easter recess. The second is being put together with as much rapidity as is possible.
§ MR. DILLONI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Mahomedans were the aggressors in the fighting outside Canea on Saturday last; why the warships did not shell the Mahomedans; whether any of the men who had been rescued from Candano took part in the fight; and what steps will be taken to prevent the constant sallying forth of Bushi-Bazouks and 617 other armed bands from the cities occupied by the international forces to attack the Christians and commit depredations in the surrounding country?
MR. CURZONHer Majesty's Consul telegraphed on the 4th instant that owing to a report that the Admirals had authorised the insurgents on Akrotiri to cross overland to Apokorona, 600 or 800 armed Bashi-Bazouks proceeded to Akrotiri and opened fire on the insurgents. The Admirals intended shelling the Bashi-Bazouks, and were about to do so, when they noticed the Turkish Commander-in-Chief, Major Bor, and other officers approaching the Bashi-Bazouks. They accordingly refrained from firing. We have not heard that any of the men rescued from Candano took part in the fighting. On the contrary, the Mussulman authorities and the Turkish Commander-in-Chief deny in toto having given arms to them; but a strict inquiry into the matter is being held by order of the Admirals. In the meantime the latter have ordered all Bashi-Bazouks in Canea to be disarmed, and the operation has been successfully conducted. I should add, as there appears to be a general misunderstanding on the point, that these Bashi-Bazouks are not Turks, but Mahomedan Cretans.
§ MR. DILLONI wish to ask why the presence of the Turkish Commander was considered sufficient reason to prevent the Admirals shelling the Turks when no such reasons were allowed to prevail in the case of the insurgents; and also whether he can inform the House that steps will be taken at Candia and other ports to prevent these excursions and sallies of Bashi-Bazouks, no matter to what race they may belong?
§ * SIR E. ASHMEAD-BARTLETT () Sheffield, EcclesallBefore the right hon. Gentleman answers I should like to ask whether these so-called Bashi-Bazouks are not Cretan Mussulmans, who have been robbed of their lands and all they possessed by these so-called Christian insurgents. [Cries of "Oh!"]
MR. CURZONI thought I had answered the Question of the hon. Member for East Mayo. It is perfectly obvious that the best method of preventing the Bashi-Bazouks sallying out is to disarm them, and I have already explained that this operation has been successfully conducted.
§ MR. DILLONAt Canea only.
§ MR. DILLONOh, every day.
MR. CURZONAs I say, I have not heard of it. The hon. Member is better informed than I am. As regards the other point about the Turkish Commander-in-Chief, I do not know whether the hon. Member means to insinuate that the Admirals ought to have shot at the Turkish Commander-in-Chief when he was really doing his best to prevent these men from committing excesses.
§ MR. DILLONIs the right hon. Gentleman not aware that at Retimo, Candia, and other towns the sallies of the Bashi-Bazouks are going on almost every day?
MR. J. MCLEOD () SutherlandI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War whether he can now state if a Presbyterian chaplain has been appointed to the battalion of Seaforth Highlanders serving in Crete?
§ MR. BRODRICKYes, Sir. The General Officer commanding at Malta telegraphed, on the 31st ultimo, that he was sending a Presbyterian chaplain to Crete.