§ MR. PIRIEI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been drawn to a telegram from Odessa recently pub- 1184 lished, stating that in the course of this fortnight over 1,000 Russian soldiers are embarking at that port for Crete, and whether the Government have any information on the matter; and if he can state the number of man belonging to this country and to each of the European Powers at present in garrison in Crete?
MR. CURZONFrom information which has reached Her Majesty's Government it appears that a certain number of Russian soldiers are being sent to Crete to replace others who are about to be withdrawn from the island. The number of troops of each of the European Powers at present in Crete is believed to be as follows:—British, 693; French, 1,400; Italian, 1,412; Russian, 1,620.