§ MR. JOHN DILLON (Mayo, E.)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs why the Reports of the Admirals on Cretan affairs dealing with the period from 12th February to 4th May have been published, while the Papers relating to the previous period, from 5th December to 12th February, including those relating to the burning of Canea, and the instructions to the Admirals, are still held back.
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Mr. G. CURZON,) Lancashire, SouthportThe hon. Member will see on reference to the Cretan Blue-book (Turkey, No. 8, 1897) that it contains papers, not, as he says, only till December 5, but down to the end of the year, the last Dispatch published in it having been received on December 28. I explained to the hon. Member on Monday that the Papers from that date onward are in course of preparation, and will shortly be in the hands of the House. But, as the Blue-book is a large one, and as we are anxious to 175 bring it up to the latest possible date, it was decided to lay the reports of the Admiral in the interval.
§ SIR E. ASHMEAD-BARTLETT (Sheffield, Ecclesall)asked whether the next batch of papers published would include a report as to the number of Mussulmans, including women and children, who had been murdered by the Cretan insurgents during the present year.
§ MR. CURZONsaid the Government had received no such Report.
§ MR. J. C. FLYNN (Cork, N.)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, in reference to the raid made by armed Mussulmans on the village of Ghalifa, resulting in the slaughter of several Christians, including women, whether the Governor of Candia has furnished any explanation to the representatives of the Great Powers concerning the alleged connivance of the outposts, who had been specially instructed to prevent such movements; and what steps are being taken to prevent a recurrence of these raids from a town in possession of the Great Powers?
§ MR. JOHN DILLONI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Governor of Candia, in consequence of the protests of the Consuls, caused the leaders of the Mahommedan expedition which had plundered the Christian village of Kalivia to be arrested; whether on Monday morning a. large crowd of Mahommedans surrounded the Konak demanding the release of the prisoners; and whether the prisoners have been released?
§ MR. CURZONThe only official information that we have received, beyond that which was given in my reply on the 1st inst., is contained in a telegram from Sir A. Biliotti, which arrived this afternoon to the effect that on June 1 upwards of 1,000 Mussulmans made a pacific demonstration at Candia to obtain the liberation of their co-religionists who were suspected of having attacked the Ghalifa Christians; that the crowd was dispersed by the gendarmerie and troops; but that the prisoners were released.
§ MR. DILLONI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs who is responsible at present for the maintenance of law and order in the town of Candia?
§ MR. CURZONThe Turkish Governor is responsible for the maintenance of order in the town of Candia. But it must be considered that he is under the direction of the Admirals who represent the Powers, and have control of the European occupying force.