§ MR. JOHN DILLON (Mayo, E.)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has any information as to the alleged preparations of the Mahommedans of Candia to attack in force the camp of Archanes in the neighbourhood of Candia; and whether the Admirals and Military authorities have received warning of the preparations for this expedition?
MR. CURZONOn the 7th instant Her Majesty's Minister at Athens heard from the Greek Minister for Foreign Affairs that the Cretan refugees at Syra were apprehensive of an attack on Archanes by Mussulmans collected at Candia for the purpose. Sir A. Biliotti has, however, reported by telegraph' that no Mussulmans had collected in Candia with the object of attacking the village, but that the cutting off until lately of the water supply which had undermined 1471 the sources near Archanes had offered a very strong provocation to the Mussulmans to attack the place. Such an attack had, however, been averted by the measures taken by Colonel Chermside, who had given frequent warnings of the possibility of trouble both to the Turkish authorities and to the insurgents.
§ MR. DILLONasked the Under Secretary for Foreign Affairs, whether there was any truth in the statement that the foreign Admirals had decided, and published their decision, that for the future all columns marching into the interior of Crete shall be strengthened and take cannon with them, and that any attack on the part of the insurgents shall be visited with severe reprisals?
MR. CURZONI have made inquiries in regard to the subject mentioned by the hon. Member, and I find that neither at the Foreign Office nor at the Admiralty has any information been received on the matter.
§ MR. DILLONsaid the statement had been made in all the London journals, and he should repeat the Question.