§ MR. FLYNNI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (1) whether his attention has been called to the statement of M. Dalyanni, Greek Minister in France, in which he said that the Christian Governor of Crete, Georgi Pasha Berovitch, is an able and excellent man, but that the Sultan had sent after him a military commander with secret orders to thwart his action, and to excite the Mahomedan population of Crete against the reforms; (2) whether the Foreign Office are in a position to confirm this statement; and (3) whether the Governor General is at this moment not at Canea but at Halepa, protected at the Greek Consulate by armed Christians, Montenegrin gendarmes, and a force of Greek marines?
*MR. CURZONWe have received no confirmation of the statement in the first paragraph, and are not in a position to confirm it; and we have no reason to believe that the Governor General is in the Greek Consulate at Halepa.
§ MR. F. S. STEVENSON (Suffolk, Eye)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is able to furnish any fresh information with regard to the condition of affairs in Crete?
*MR. CURZONThe latest information is to the effect that Christians are attacking Mussulmans in villages near Sitia. It is reported that many of the latter have been killed and that 13 villages have been burnt. In the district of Amari most Mussulman families had returned to Rethymo, and the Consuls had sent a messenger with letters to persuade the Christians to allow the departure of the remaining Mussulman families and soldiers.
§ MR. JOHN DILLON (Mayo, E.)Can the Under Secretary say when Papers in relation to the affairs of Crete will be laid upon the Table?
*MR. CURZONI have been hoping that the Blue-book would be ready for some time past. I inquired yesterday and heard that the Dispatches which had been referred to the French Government, and which were the last to be submitted for revision, have just been returned. I hope, therefore, the book will be ready in a few days.