§ SIR ELLIS ASHMEAD-BARTLETT (Sheffield, Ecclesall)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether any further armed bands from Greece have been permitted by the Great Powers to land in Crete; whether the Great Powers have urged the Turkish Government not to send reinforcements to Crete; and what steps the Great 787 Powers are taking to protect the lives and property of the Mussulman inhabitants of Crete?
*MR. CURZONThe latest information that we have received is that Greek troops were landed West-North-West of Canea Bay on the 16th instant. The Turkish Government have not announced any intention of sending troops to Crete. The general advice given by the representatives of the Great Powers has been that they should abstain from any precipitate action. Detachments from the ships of the Powers have occupied Canea and Sitia, and the occupation will probably be extended to Candia and Rethymo, where ships of war are already stationed. The British, Russian and Italian Consuls have proceeded to Selinos to endeavour to prevent further conflicts and outrages, and to relieve the Mussulman families besieged in the neighbourhood.
§ MR. JAMES LOWTHER (Kent, Isle of Thanet)Does that contemplate any steps being taken with regard to the Mussulmans in the interior of the island?
§ MR. JAMES LOWTHERWhat I meant was this. The right hon. Gentleman mentioned that steps were being taken on the coast. I want to ask him whether any steps are being taken, or will be taken, to protect the lives and property of the Mussulmans in the interior?
*MR. CURZONI believe the representatives of the Great Powers are doing all they can in that respect. As I have had to state two or three times before in this House, the difficulties, under the present circumstances, of communicating with the interior of the island are almost insuperable.
§ MR. T. W. LEGH (Lancashire, Newton)Can the right hon. Gentleman explain how it is that the Greek troops were able to land in the first instance?
§ MR. SPEAKEROrder, order! That is a Question of which notice should be given.
MR. GIBSON BOWLES (Lynn Regis)Will the right hon. Gentleman say 788 whether it is proposed that the Great Powers should remain themselves in occupation of the coast towns and leave the Greek troops in possession of the towns in the interior?
§ SIR E. ASHMEAD-BARTLETTI would like to ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he has received news of the massacre of a large number of Turkish women and children in Sarakina and what practical steps the Great Powers and their fleets are taking to relieve the Mussulman population.
§ MR. SPEAKEROrder, order! That does not arise out of the Question on the Paper. It is a Question of which the hon. Member might give the Under Secretary of State private notice, but it does not arise out of the Question on the Paper.
§ SIR E. ASHMEAD-BARTLETTOn the point of Order, may I point out that the right hon. Gentleman in his reply to me stated what steps were being taken with regard to these besieged villages, and what I wish to ask with regard to his reply is whether any practical steps—
§ MR. SPEAKEROrder, order!
§ SIR E. ASHMEAD-BARTLETTDo you rule that out of order?
§ MR. SPEAKERYes.
In answer to a further question from Sir E. ASHMEAD-BARTLETT,
*MR. CURZON saidThis morning we heard from Her Majesty's Consul at Canea that news had been received from Selinos that besides massacres in other villages the Mussulman inhabitants of Sarakina had been murdered by Christians to the number of 20 men, 23 women, and 61 children—total 104, and that the Consul had seen some of the survivors. It was in consequence of this news that the British, Russian, and Italian Consuls have proceeded, as I stated in reply to a previous question, to Selinos. The Consuls went to Selinos in a man-of-war.
§ MR. JOHN DILLON (Mayo, E.)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs when papers on the affairs of Crete, coming clown to the present date, will be laid upon the Table?
*MR. CURZONFurther correspondence respecting the affairs of Crete will eventually be presented, but it is impossible at present to fix a date. It is evident 789 that papers coming down to the present time could not be laid on the Table at a moment when negotiations between the Powers are proceeding.
§ MR. JOHN ELLIS (Nottingham, Rushcliffe)remarked that papers had been promised again and again.
*MR. CURZONThe question on the Taper has reference to further correspondence. I have said, I think nearly every day, that I hope the Blue-book already promised will be laid on the Table in the course of a week.
§ MR. J. ELLISWe have not got it.
§ MR. DILLONI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is in a position to confirm or deny the statement that several Christians were roasted alive in a baker's oven during the recent disturbances in Canea?
*MR. CURZONIn accordance with the promise given by me yesterday, telegraphic inquiry has been made of Her Majesty's Consul with regard to this report, but no reply has as yet been received.