§ 1. Sir J. D. REESasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, whether the Ottoman Government has given any explanation of the alleged setting adrift of mines from the Dardanelles?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY Of STATE for FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Mr. Acland)The Ottoman Government informed His Majesty's Ambassador in August that the reason for the detention of certain ships at the Dardanelles was that some mines had been detached from their moorings, and that the vessels had been prevented from continuing their voyage in order to avoid accidents until the mines had been picked up.