cyprus, as i saw it in 1879-第2节

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manufacture　of　their　celebrated　bronze。

The　Chittim　wood　of　Scripture；　imported　to　Syria　from　Cyprus　（the
ancient　Chittim）；　was　probably　a　species　of　cypress　at　that　time
composing　the　forests　which　ornamented　a　considerable　portion　of　the
surface。　There　are　two　varieties　of　cypress　in　the　island：　that　which
would　have　been　celebrated　grows　upon　the　high　mountains；　and　attains　a
girth　of　from　seven　to　nine　feet；　the　wood　being　highly　aromatic；
emitting　a　perfume　resembling　a　mixture　of　sandal…wood　and　cedar；　the
other　cypress　is　a　dwarf　variety　that　seldom　exceeds　twenty　feet　in
height；　with　a　maximum　circumference　of　two　feet；　this　is　a　totally
different　wood；　and　is　intensely　hard；　while　the　former　is　easily
worked；　but　durable。　The　derivation　of　the　name　Cyprus　has　been　sought
for　from　many　sources；　and　the　opinions　of　the　authorities　differ。
English　people　may　reflect　that　they　alone　spell　and　pronounce　the　word
as　〃Cyprus。〃　The　name　of　the　cypress…tree；　which　at　one　time　clothed　the
mountains　of　this　formerly　verdant　island；　is　pronounced　by　the
inhabitants　〃Kypresses；〃　which　approximates　closely　to　the　various
appellations　of　Cyprus　in　different　languages。　The　Greek　name　is　Kypros；
and　it　is　probable　that　as　in　ancient　days　the　〃chittim…wood〃　was　so
called　from　the　fact　of　its　export　from　Chittim；　the　same　link　may
remain　unbroken　between　Kypros　and　the　tree　Kypresses。

The　geographical　advantages　which　I　have　enumerated　are　sufficient　to
explain　the　series　of　struggles　for　possession　to　which　the　island　has
been　exposed　throughout　its　history；　the　tombs　that　have　been　examined；
have　revealed　the　secrets　of　the　dead；　and　in　the　relics　of　Phoenicians；
Persians；　Assyrians；　Egyptians；　and　the　long　list　of　foreign　victors；　we
discover　proofs　of　the　important　past；　until　we　at　length　tread　upon
pre…historical　vestiges；　and　become　lost　in　a　labyrinth　of　legends。　From
the　researches　of　undoubted　authorities；　we　know　that　Cyprus　possessed　a
written　character　peculiarly　original；　and　that　it　was　occupied　by　a
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