§ THE MARQUESS OF LANSDOWNEI beg to ask the noble Viscount opposite whether he is able to give the House any information as to events recently reported in the neighbourhood of the Dardanelles.
§ THE LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL (VISCOUNT MORLEY)I will give the noble Marquess all the information we have that can be given. There is no blockade of the Dardanelles, and we know of no further firing than that which has been reported in the Press. In a communication to the Turkish Government we have expressed the hope, while recognising the right of Turkey to adopt measures of self-defence, that the Turkish Government will find it possible to open a passage through the straits to foreign commerce as soon as possible, on account of the great and obvious injury which is being caused to commercial and shipping interests by the temporary closure of the straits. We have reason to believe that the Turkish Government are fully alive to the importance of the question, but they are unable to give any assurance in existing circumstances. Information has been asked for as to what has occurred with regard to floating mines, and whether any measures have been taken to prevent them from being carried into the open sea. We are informed that no mines have been set free, and that no floating unattached mines have been used. One mine escaped, but was recaptured at Dedeagatch. The mines that have been laid in the straits are, we are informed on good authority, of such a character as to become innocuous if they break loose. As to the position in theÆgean, the Consul at Samos has reported that two Italian war vessels bombarded Turkish barracks there and destroyed a stationnaire. The Turkish troops retired into the interior. The Tenedos-Lemnos and Chio-Syra-Tenedos cables are reported to have been cut. That is all the information we can give the House at the moment.