THE CRETAN INSURRECTION.

Press, Volume XI, Issue 1370, 29 March 1867, Page 3

THE CRETAN INSURRECTION.

[From the " Examiner," of January 26.] The Cretan General Assembly has forwarded an address to the Powers, requesting them to send an agent to the island in order to judge of its unhappy condition, and to protect the inhabitants who desired annexation to Greece. The Candiotes have been victorious in an engagement with 5000 Turks j near Heraclium. They have also prevented the disembarkation of Turkish troops at Sphakia and Selino. A Turkish frigate opened fire upon some Cretan families who were waiting to be taken off the island by a foreign vessel. Upwards of 12,500 persons, mostly women, children, and aged men, have fled from Candia in consequence of the insurrection to the mainland of Greece. The refugees taken on board the Russian frigate the Grand Admiral were more than 1000 in number, and 800 arrived at Athena on the 20th of December, 200 having been previously landed at the Piraeus. When received on board they were in a most deplorable condition, bordering on starvation, from want of food and clothing. The Greek frigate Hellas afterwards conveyed 800 of them to JEgina, where arrangements had previously been made by the Relief Committee at Athens for supplying their wants. A committee has been formed in the City for relieving these unhappy people. The following intelligence has been received from Crete, dated the 15th January:—" The Imperial troops, in considerable force, have attempted to effect a landing—first, at Aya Rumeli, in Sphakia, and afterwards at Tripiti, but they were repulsed at both points by the Cretans. On the 11th an engagement took place between 5000 Turkish troops and a body of insurgents at Rodia, near the town of Heraclion. The Turks were repulsed

with heavy loss. The Cretan Assembly General has appointed a provisional Government, composed of seven members. The Assembly has also published a note, expressing its gratitude to the committee which has been formed in London for the relief of the distressed Cretan families. The Paris journals of Thursday publish intelligence from Candia, according to which Bnccesses have been obtained over the Turks by the insurgent leaders, Coroneos and Sifaca, at Rethymnos and Selinon, and the Egyptian forces have been repulsed by the Cretans under Griari. A number of Cretan families are stated to be awaiting on the sea-coast tho arrival of European vessels, in order to be conveyed to Greece.