HC Deb 28 July 1898 vol 63 cc302-3
SIR E. ASHMEAD-BARTLETT

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether Her Majesty's Government propose that the coast towns of Crete should be governed by the four naval officers commanding the European squadrons in Cretan waters, and the interior by a junta of the insurgents, now in possession of the lands and property of the Mussulman refugees; what steps Her Majesty's Government propose to take to relieve the terrible distress now prevalent among the Mussulman refugees in Crete; and whether Her Majesty's Government and the other Powers have any defined policy for the restoration of justice and the regular government of Crete?

MR. CURZON

I described the scheme for the provisional government of Crete in answer to a Question on the 14th instant. Her Majesty's Government have hitherto given relief to both parties, but the circumstances do not appear at the moment to be sufficiently urgent to demand a further expenditure of public funds for the purpose. The new scheme of government has been devised for the objects mentioned in the concluding paragraph.

SIR E. ASHMEAD-BARTLETT

I desire to ask the right honourable Gentleman whether my first Question accurately describes the scheme of the Government?

MR. CURZON

The honourable Member can look at the answer I gave on this point when he was absent.

MR. PATRICK O'BRIEN

Can the right honourable Gentleman do anything to relieve the distress of a newspaper called England?

MR. CURZON

Of what?

MR. PATRICK O'BRIEN

Of a newspaper called England, which, I understand, is in a bad way?

MR. SPEAKER

Order, order!

SIR E. ASHMEAD-BARTLETT

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will inform the House in what manner and on what occasion the other great European Powers besides England have declared themselves opposed to the appointment of a Christian Governor General of Crete who is an Ottoman subject?

MR. CURZON

The honourable Member once before asked this Question, and I prepared a reply, with the dates and references. The honourable Member did not appear in his place to put the Question, and I cannot without further search lay my hands on my reply. The references are to be found in the Blue Books already laid before Parliament.

SIR E. ASHMEAD-BARTLETT

I shall be quite satisfied on the present occasion if the right honourable Gentleman will state whether I am to understand that the other great European Powers have declared themselves opposed to the appointment in question. I will put the question as to details on another day.

MR. CURZON

I did state upon a previous occasion, in answer to the honourable Gentleman, that the other Great Powers had declared themselves opposed to the appointment of a Cretan Governor General who was an Ottoman subject. The honourable Gentleman then put down a Question asking me on what occasion this had been done, but, unfortunately, he did not put the Question, and I have mislaid my reply, and I really cannot ask the officials of the Foreign Office to look up all the dates and references again.

SIR E. ASHMEAD-BARTLETT

Do I understand the right honourable Gentleman to say that he prepared his answer before I put down the Question on the Paper? I never put it on the Paper.

MR. CURZON

I am afraid that the honourable Gentleman's memory is at fault. He did put a Question on the Paper, and only on seeing his Question did I prepare a reply. Obviously, I could not prepare a reply until I had seen the Question.