MR. JAMES LOWTHER (Kent, Thanet)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether any authentic information has been received as to alleged murders and mutilations of loyal inhabitants, including many women and children, by Christians in Crete: and whether a searching inquiry into such atrocities will be instituted?
§ SIR E. ASHMEAD-BARTLETT (Sheffield, Ecclesall)Before the right hon. Gentleman answers perhaps he will allow me to ask him a Question on the same subject, of which I have given him notice, whether the attention of the Secretary for Foreign Affairs has been called to the account in The Times, Daily News, and Standard of the barbarous massacre by Cretan insurgents of a large number of Mussulmans, including many women and children, in the Sitia district of Crete, and especially the burning of Moslems in the mosques; and whether her Majesty's Government will arrange for the appointment of a competent international commission to inquire into and report upon these atrocities?
MR. CURZONMassacres would appear to have taken place on both sides. The only mention we have received of mutilation was in a telegram from the British Admiral on February 27, to the effect that several wounded or mutilated Mahomedan children had arrived at Canea. Inquiries have been made by the Consuls and naval commanders so far as circumstances permitted, and their reports will eventually be presented to Parliament. In answer to the supplementary question of my hon. Friend below the Gangway, I have read in more than one newspaper accounts of the alleged massacres in the neighbourhood of Sitia. We have not had any official confirmation of the report, but have telegraphed to Her Majesty's Consul to ask. As regards the constitution of a commission of inquiry it would, I think, be premature to state our opinion until we have received the reply of Her Majesty's Consul. But in any case the Consuls of the Powers are practically already in the position of a commission, instructed by their Governments to inquire into and report upon any events of that character.
§ MR. JOHN DILLON (Mayo, E.)asked whether the statement that many mutilated Mahomedan children had been brought into Canea, was made on the personal responsibility of the British Consul in Canea, or was it only made on hearsay from what someone had reported to him?
MR. CURZONIt was not made by the British Consul at all, but the British Admiral, and I think we may be certain that he satisfied himself as to its accuracy.
§ MR. DILLONthought that such a terrible statement as he had referred to should not go forth to the public without the authority on which it was made being given. [Ministerial cries of "Order" and "Oh!"] He was perfectly in order. [Opposition cheers.] Was the statement made on the authority of the British Admiral in Canea in reference to events in Candia, and if so, from whom did he hear the news?
MR. CURZONMy words and the words of the Admiral are perfectly clear. He reported to us—and no doubt he was perfectly conscious of his responsibility for the statement—that wounded and 766 mutilated Mahomedan children had arrived at Canea.
§ CAPTAIN DONELANOn behalf of the hon. Member for North Cork (Mr. FLYNN), I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can state what steps the Admirals of the Allied Fleet have taken to make known to the inhabitants of Crete generally the offer of administrative autonomy; and will care be taken to provide that the full meaning and signification of the concession shall be understood by the Cretans?
§ CAPTAIN DONELANOn behalf of the hon. Member for North Cork (Mr. FLYNN), I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Greek Admiral Reineck emphatically denies having failed to transmit to the insurgents the warning of the Admirals of the Allied Fleet, and further states that the Greek Consulate also transmitted the warning to the chiefs of the insurgents; and, under these circumstances, can the Foreign Office give an explanation of the communication sent by the British Admiral?
MR. CURZONI know nothing beyond what has appeared in the papers as to the denial by Commodore Reineck. No explanation is needed of the communication sent by the British Admiral, which explains itself. The Admiral reported to us what he had been told by the insurgent chiefs. There has evidently been a mistake or misapprehension somewhere, but where I have no means of saying.
§ CAPTAIN DONELANI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the attention of the Foreign Office has been directed to a telegram from The Times correspondent at Canea, dated the 10th instant, containing the statement that the information relative to the alleged failure of Commodore Reineck to keep his engagement to convey a message to the insurgents was sent to The Times at the particular wish of the British Admiral; whether the intelligence contained in the telegram was correct; and whether it is in accordance with the Admiralty regulations that an Officer commanding British forces on active service should communicate information 767 affecting the conduct of an Officer in the service of a friendly Power to a newspaper correspondent?
MR. CURZONI have seen the statement in The Times, but have no other knowledge that the information was sent to that paper at the particular wish of the British Admiral. I have previously communicated to the House the Admiral's telegram on the same subject. A question as to the Admiralty regulations does not appear to have any connection with the Foreign Office.
§ CAPTAIN DONELANCan the right hon. Gentleman say whether Admiral Harris can speak Greek, or French, or Italian? [Laughter.]
[No answer was given.]
§ MR. DILLONI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether there is any police force now in Canea; if there is, what is its constitution, and who controls it; and whether the foreign forces in Canea are being used for the protection of life and property and the maintenance of order?
MR. CURZONWe understand that the Gendarmerie Commission, consisting of English, French, and Italian members, paid off the new Gendarmerie on the 11th instant. There still remain in Canea the Mussulman Gendarmes of the old organisation, numbering 49 officers and 535 men. The object for which the foreign forces have been landed is correctly described in the second paragraph of the Question.
§ MR. DILLONThe right hon. Gentleman has not answered the first paragraph of my Question, in which I ask whether there is any police force now in Canea, and under whose control it is now placed?
MR. CURZONYes, I have answered that Question. I said the old Gendarmerie still remains in Canea, and is under the command of its own officers.
§ MR. DILLONI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Whether a censorship of telegrams has been established at Canea; and, if so, by whose authority it has been done?
§ SIR WILLIAM HARCOURT (Monmouthshire, W.)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether he is now prepared to make a statement of the 768 policy of Her Majesty's Government on the affairs of Crete?
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURYI have no statement to make to the House on the subject of the policy of the Government in regard to Crete supplementary to the facts which, I think, they already know. We have this day directed a communication to all the Powers of Europe, and, of course, it would be impossible and improper, and not to the public interest, that I should either state the terms of the communication or encourage its being debated.