Unfortunately the agreement of the Powers to secure Cretan autonomy had not been arrived at when on Monday Mr. Curzon had to state in the House of Commons that British bluejackets had been ordered to fire into a body of Cretan insurgents. The result was a motion for the adjournment of the House and a strong attack on the Government by the whole strength of the Philhellenes. It was officially announced ition, reinforced by a few Unionist that the insurgents, in defiance of repeated warnings, were advancing. to attack Canea, which was in the occupation of the forces of the combined Powers, and that the British and other men-of-war were therefore compelled to fire on them. The Daily Chronicle correspondent, however, has a different tale. He. declares that in spite of the foreign occupation of Canea some Tur-Kish troops made a sally from the town and attacked the insurgents. This statement is, however, at present uncorroborated, Fortunately the bombardment does not seem to have done much bodily harm, and now that the Cretan question seems in 'a fair way to a peaceful settlement there is nothing to be gained by dwelling on what was at best a regrettable necessity. Unfortunately this Cretan business is but a phase of the great Eastern Question, which is as far off a settlement as ever.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.