cyprus, as i saw it in 1879-第2章

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people　highly　civilised　according　to　the　standard　of　the　early　world　at
so　primitive　an　era；　that　all　records　have　disappeared；　and　we　are　left
in　the　darkness　of　conjecture。

The　changes　in　the　importance　of　certain　geographical　positions；　owing
to　the　decline　and　fall　of　empires；　which　at　one　time　governed　the
destinies　of　the　Eastern　world；　have　been　strikingly　exhibited　on　the
shores　of　the　Mediterranean；　Tyre；　Sidon；　Carthage；　Cyprus；　had　lost
their　significance　upon　modern　charts；　even　before　the　New　Worlds
appeared；　when　America；　Australia；　and　the　Eastern　Archipelago　were
introduced　upon　the　globe。　The　progress　of　Western　Europe　eclipsed　the
Oriental　Powers　which　hitherto　represented　the　civilisation　of　mankind；
and　two　points　alone　remained；　which；　shorn　of　their　ancient　glory；
still　maintained　their　original　importance　as　geographical　centres；　that
will　renew　those　struggles　for　their　possession　which　fill　the　bloody
pages　of　their　historyEgypt　and　Constantinople。

No　country　had　been　more　completely　excluded　from　the　beaten　paths　of
British　travellers　than　the　island　of　Cyprus；　and　England　was　startled
by　the　sudden　revelation　of　a　mystery　connected　with　the　Treaty　of
Berlin；　that　it　was　to　become　a　strategical　point　for　a　British　military
occupation！

On　the　4th　June；　1878；　a　〃Convention　of　Defensive　Alliance　between　Great
Britain　and　Turkey〃　was　signed；　which　agreed　upon　the　following
articles：…

　　　　ARTICLE　I。

　　　　〃If　Batoum；　Ardahan；　Kars；　or　any　of　them；　shall　be
　　　　retained　by　Russia；　or　if　any　attempt　shall　be　made　at
　　　　any　future　time　by　Russia　to　take　possession　of　any
　　　　further　territories　of　His　Imperial　Majesty　the　Sultan
　　　　in　Asia；　as　fixed　by　the　definitive　treaty　of　peace；
　　　　England　engages　to　join　His　Imperial　Majesty　the　Sultan
　　　　in　defending　them　by　force　of　Arms。

　　　　〃In　return；　His　Imperial　Majesty　the　Sultan　promises　to
　　　　England　to　introduce　necessary　reforms；　to　be　agreed
　　　　upon　later　between　the　two　Powers；　into　the　government；
　　　　and　for　the　protection　of　the　Christian　and　other
　　　　subjects　of　the　Porte　in　those　territories；　and　in
　　　　order　to　enable　England　to　make　necessary　provision　for
　　　　executing　her　engagement；　His　Imperial　Majesty　the
　　　　Sultan　further　consents　to　assign　the　island　of　Cyprus
　　　　to　be　occupied　and　administered　by　England。

　　　　ARTICLE　II。

　　　　〃The　present　Convention　shall　be　ratified；　and　the
　　　　ratifications　thereof　shall　be　exchanged；　within　the
　　　　space　of　one　month；　or　sooner　if　possible。

　　　　〃In　witness　whereof　the　respective　Plenipotentiaries
　　　　have　signed　the　same；　and　have　affixed　thereto　the　seal
　　　　of　their　arms。

　　　　〃Done　at　Constantinople；　the　fourth　day　of　June；　in　the
　　　　year　one　thousand　eight　hundred　and　seventy…eight。

　　　　〃A。H。　LAYARD。

　　　　〃SAFVET。〃

It　was　eventually　agreed　between　the　contracting　Powers：…

　　　　〃That　England　will　pay　to　the　Porte　whatever　is　the
　　　　present　excess　of　revenue　over　expenditure　in　the
　　　　island；　this　excess　to　be　calculated　and　determined　by
　　　　the　average　of　the　last　five　years。〃

and：

　　　　〃That　if　Russia　restores　to　Turkey　Kars　and　the　other
　　　　conquests　made　by　her　in　Armenia　during　the　last　war；
　　　　the　island　of　Cyprus　will　be　evacuated　by　England；　and
　　　　the　Convention　of　the　fourth　June；　1878；　will　be　at　an
　　　　end。〃

I　knew　nothing　of　Cyprus；　but　I　felt　sure　that　the　Turks　had　the　best　of
the　bargain；　as　they　would　receive　the　usual　surplus　revenue　from　our
hands；　and　be　saved　the　trouble　and　onus　of　the　collection；　they　would
also　be　certain　of　a　fixed　annual　sum；　without　any　of　those　risks　of
droughts；　famine；　and　locusts；　to　which　the　island　is　exposed；　and　which
seriously　affect　the　income。

Although　there　would　only　be　a　wildly　remote　chance　of　Russia　ever
relinquishing　her　Asiatic　prey；　the　bare　mention　of　the　words　〃will　be
evacuated　by　England〃　was　a　possible　contingency　and　risk；　that　would
effectually　exclude　all　British　capital　from　investment　in　the　island。　I
could　not　discover　any　possible　good　that　could　accrue　to　England　by　the
terms　of　the　Convention。　If　Cyprus　had　been　presented　as　a　〃bonus〃　by
the　Porte　to　counterbalance　the　risk　we　should　incur　in　a　defensive
alliance　for　the　protection　of　Asia　Minor；　I　could　have　seen　an　addition
to　our　Colonial　Empire　of　a　valuable　island；　that　would　not　only　have
been　of　strategical　value；　but　such　that　in　a　few　years；　money　and
British　settlers　would　have　entirely　changed　its　present　aspect；　and
have　created　for　it　a　new　era　of　prosperity。

If　England　had　purchased　Cyprus；　I　could　have　understood　the　plain；
straightforward；　business…like　transaction；　which　would　have　at　once
established　confidence；　both　among　the　inhabitants；　who　would　have
become　British　subjects；　and　through　the　outer　world；　that　would　have
acknowledged　the　commencement　of　a　great　future。

But；　if　we　were　actually　bound　in　defensive　alliance　with　Turkey　in　case
of　a　war　with　Russia；　why　should　we　occupy　Cyprus　upon　such　one…sided
and　anomalous　conditions；　that　would　frustrate　all　hopes　of　commercial
development；　for　the　sake　of　obtaining　a　strategical　position　that　would
have　been　opened　to　our　occupation　AS　AN　ALLY　at　any　moment？　On　the
other　hand；　if　we　distrusted　Turkey；　and　feared　that　she　might　coquet
with　Russia　at　some　future　period；　I　could　see　a　paramount　necessity　for
the　occupation　of　Cyprus；　and　even　Egypt；　but　we　were　supposed　to　be；
and　I　believe　were；　acting　in　absolute　and　mutual　good　faith　as　the
protector　of　Asiatic　Turkey；　in　defensive　alliance　with　the　Sultan。　In
that　position；　should　we　have　entered　into　a　war　with　Russia；　there　was
no　necessity　for　the　occupation　and　responsibility　of　any　new　position；
as　every　port　of　the　Ottoman　dominions；　even　to　the　Golden　Horn　of
Constantinople；　would　have　welcomed　our　troops　and　boats　with
enthusiasm。

Turkey　is　a　suspicious　Power；　and　the　British　government　may　have　had　to
contend　with　difficulties　that　are　unknown　to　the　criticising　public；　it
may　have　been　impossible　to　have　obtained　her　sanction　for　the
occupation　under　other　conditions。　The　possibility　of　future
complications　that　might　terminate　in　a　close　alliance　between　the
conquered　and　the　victor；　may　have　suggested　the　necessity　for　securing
this　most　important　strategical　position　without　delay；　upon　first
conditions　that　might　subsequently　receive　modifications。　At　first　sight
the　political　situation　appeared　vague；　but　I　determined　to　examine　the
physical　geography　of　Cyprus；　and　to　form　my　own　opinion　of　its
capabilities。








CYPRUS　AS　I　SAW　IT　IN　1879。




CHAPTER　1。

ARRIVAL　AT　LARNACA。

On　the　morning　of　the　4th　January　we　sighted　Cyprus　at　about　fifty　miles
distance；　after　a　smooth　voyage　of　twenty…six　hours　from　Alexandria。　The
day　was　favourable　for　an　arrival；　as　the　atmospherical　condition
afforded　both　intense　lights　and　shadows。　The　sky　was　a　cobalt　blue；　but
upon　all　points　of　the　compass　local　rain…clouds　hovered　in　dark　patches
near　the　surface；　and　emptied　themselves　in　heavy　showers。　The　air　was
extremely　clear；　and　as　we　steamed　at　ten　knots　each　hour　brought　out　in
prominent　relief　the　mountain　peaks　of　Cyprus；　Olympus　was　capped　with
clouds。　Passing　through　a　rain…cloud　which　for　a　time　obscured　the　view；
we　at　length　emerged　into　bright　sunshine；　the　mists　had　cleared　from
the　mountain　range；　and　Troodos；　6；400　feet　above　the　sea…level；　towered
above　all　competitors。

We　were　now　about　ten　miles　from　the　shore；　and　the　general　appearance
of　the　island　suggested　a　recent　snowfall。　As　the　sun　shone　upon　a　bare
white　surface；　the　sterile　slopes　and　mountain　sides　were　utterly　devoid
of　vegetation；　and　presented　a　sad　aspect　of　desolation；　which　reminded
me　of　the　barren　range　on　the　shores　of　the　Red　Sea。

First　impressions　are　seldom　correct；　but　the　view　of　Cyprus　on　arrival
from　the　south　was　depressing；　and　extinguished　all　hopes　that　had　been
formed　concerning　our　newly…acquired　possession。　This　was　the　treasure
acquired　by　astute　diplomacy！

For　about　twenty　miles　we　skirted　this　miserable　coast；　upon　which　not　a
green　speck　relieved　the　eye；　at　length　we　sighted　the　minaret　which
marked　the　position　of　Larnaca；　the　port　or　roadstead　to　which　the　mail
was　bound；　and　in　the　town　we　distinguished　three　or　four　green　trees。
We　cast　anchor　about　half　a　mile　from　the　shore。　Nine　or　ten　vessels；
including　several　steamers；　were　in　the　roadstead；　and　a　number　of
lighters　were　employed　in　landing　cargoes。

Disappointment　and　disgust　were　quickly　banished　by　the　reflection　that
at　this　season　（January）　there　was　nothing　green　in　England：　the
thermometer　in　that　dreary　land　would　be　below　freezing…point；　while　on
the　deck　where　we　stood　it　was　64　degrees　Fahr。　We　were　quickly　in　a
boat　steering　for　the　landing…place。

All　towns　look　tolerably　well　from　the　sea；　especially　if　situated
actually　upon　the　margin　of　the　water。　The　town　represented　a　front　of
about　a　mile；　less　than　five　feet　above　the　level　of　the　sea；　bordered
by　a　masonry　quay　perpendicular　to　the　surface；　from　which　several
wooden　jetties　of　inferior　and　very　recent　construction　served　as
landing…places。

The　left　flank　of　Larnaca　was　bounded　by　a　small　Turkish　fort；
absolutely　useless　against　modern　artillery　upon　the　walls　the　British
flag　was　floating。　We　landed　upon　the　quay。　This　formed　a　street；　the
sea　upon　one　side；　faced　by　a　row　of　houses。　As　with　all　Turkish
possessions；　decay　had　stamped　the　town：　the　masonry　of　the　quay　was　in
many　places　broken　down；　the　waves　had　undermined　certain　houses；　and　in
the　holes　thus　washed　out　by　the　action　of　water　were　accumulations　of
recent　filth。　Nevertheless；　enormous　improvements　had　taken　place　since
the　English　occupation。　An　engineer　was　already　employed　in　repairing
the　quay；　and　large　blocks　of　carefully　faced　stone　（a　sedimentary
limestone　rock　of　very　recent　formation）　were　being　laid　upon　a　bed　of
concrete　to　form　a　permanent　sea…wall。　The　houses　which　lined　the　quay
were　for　the　most　part　stores；　warehouses；　and　liquor…shops。　Among　these
the　Custom　House；　the　Club；　Post　Office；　and　Chief　Commissioner's　were
prominent　as　superior　buildings。　There　was　a　peculiar　character　in　the
interior　economy　of　nearly　all　houses　in　Larnaca；　it　appeared　that　heavy
timber　must　have　been　scarce　before　the　town　was　built；　as　the　upper
floor　was　invariably　supported　by　stone　arches　of　considerable
magnitude；　which　sprang　from　the　ground…floor　level。　These　arches　were
uniform　throughout　the　town；　and　the　base　of　the　arch　was　the　actual
ground；　without　any　pillar　or　columnar　support；　so　that　in　the　absence
of　a　powerful　beam　of　timber；　the　top　of　the　one…span　arch　formed　a
support　for　the　joists　of　the　floor　above。　In　large　houses　numerous
arches　gave　an　imposing　appearance　to　the　architecture　of　the　ground
floors；　which　were　generally　used　as　warehouses。　Even　the　wooden　joists
were　imported　poles　of　fir；　thus　proving　the　scarcity　of　natural
forests。　The　roofs　of　the　houses　were　for　the　most　part　flat；　and
covered　with　tempered　clay　and　chopped　straw　for　the　thickness　of　about
ten　inches。　Some　buildings　of