cyprus, as i saw it in 1879-第84节

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varying　from　5　to　20　pounds　per　annum；　this　yields　a　small　annual
revenue　of　about　1600　pounds；　which　embraces　the　entire　coast　of　Cyprus。
By　careful　management　the　salt　might　exhibit　an　increase；　but　on　the
other　hand；　the　wine；　if　relieved　from　the　present　extreme　taxation；
would　for　the　first　two　or　three　years　ensure　a　considerable　reduction。

No　increase　of　imports　can　be　expected　until　the　general　advance　of
internal　prosperity　shall　enable　the　population　to　extend　their　demand
for　foreign　manufactures。　We　have　seen　that　the　peasantry　are　contented
with　the　home…made　cotton　stuffs　which　they　produce　without　an
expenditure　of　money；　and　the　habits　of　the　agricultural　classes　are
simple；　and　independent　of　external　aid。　It　will　require　many　years
before　the　customs　of　the　Cypriotes　shall　be　changed　by　the　intercourse
with　strangers；　and　the　increase　of　their　wealth；　commencing　from　the
zero　of　poverty；　must　be　the　base　of　future　expectations。　We　generally
remark　in　the　advancing　desires　of　communities　that　women　exert　a
powerful　influence　in　the　development　of　manufactures。　The　wholesome；
and　to　a　certain　extent　civilising；　attention　to　personal　appearance；
creates　a　demand　for　articles　of　dress　and　other　little　vanities　which
encourage　trade；　and　by　degrees　the　improvement　in　every　household
expands　into　a　new　birth　of　external　relations　with　foreign　countries；
which　induces　an　increase　of　imports。　The　women　of　Cyprus　are　completely
subjugated　to　their　husbands；　and　although　exempt　from　the　cruelty
unfortunately　so　prevalent　among　a　similar　class　in　England；　they　are
seldom　indulged　in　the　love　of　finery　which　in　our　own　country　is
carried　to　an　excess。　The　baggy　trousers　and　the　high　hob…nailed　boots
of　the　Cyprian　Venus　will　hardly　excite　the　ambition　of　British
manufacturers；　and　for　many　years　the　females　will　remain　in　their
present　position。　There　are　already　soap　manufactories　in　the　island；
and　the　first　groundwork　for　improvements　in　personal　habits　will　be
ensured　by　their　extension；　before　the　exterior　fineries　of　more
civilised　communities　shall　be　introduced。　We　may　therefore　omit　the
Cyprian　female　from　the　class　that　would　benefit　the　island
commercially；　but　she　will　perform　her　duty　in　a　sensible　and　simple
manner　as　a　good　housewife；　and　thereby　assist　in　the　prosperity　of　her
husband　the　agriculturist。　The　more　pains　that　we　may　bestow　upon　an
examination　of　the　resources　of　Cyprus；　the　more　certain　becomes　the
conclusion　that　the　present　and　the　future　depend　entirely　upon
agricultural　development。

This　fact　is　patent　to　all　who　can　pretend　to　a　knowledge　of　the　island；
and　the　question　will　naturally　intrude；　〃Was　Cyprus　occupied　for
agricultural　purposes？〃　Of　course　we　know　it　was　not：　but　on　the　other
hand；　if　we　acknowledge　the　truth；　〃that　it　was　accepted　as　a
strategical　military　point；〃　it　is　highly　desirable　that　the　country
should　be　self…supporting；　instead　of；　like　Malta　and　Gibraltar；　mainly
dependent　upon　external　supplies。

If　Cyprus　belonged　to　England　or　any　other　Power；　it　would　be　a　valuable
acquisition。　We　have　seen　that　under　the　Turkish　administration　it　was　a
small　mine　of　wealth；　and　remains　in　the　same　position　to　its　recent
masters。

We　pay　96；000　pounds　sterling　per　annum　to　the　Turks；　out　of　an　assumed
revenue　of　170；000　pounds。　Therefore；　without　any　trouble　or　risk；　the
Turk　is　receiving　3。25　per　cent。　interest　upon　three　millions。　This
establishes　an　unfortunate　precedent　in　the　valuation　of　the　island
should　England　eventually　become　a　purchaser。

If　Cyprus　can；　without　undue　taxation；　afford　a　revenue　of　170；000
pounds；　it　is　palpable　that　a　large　margin　would　be　available　for　those
absolutely　necessary　public　worksirrigation；　the　control　of　the　Pedias
river；　road…making；　harbour…works；　bridges；　extension　of　forests　and
guardians；　and　a　host　of　minor　improvements；　such　as　district　schools
for　the　teaching　of　English；　&c。　&c。　In　fact；　if　we　held　Cyprus　without
purchase　as　a　conquered　country；　such　as　Ceylon；　Mauritius；　or　other　of
our　colonies；　it　would　occupy　the　extraordinary　position　of　a　colony
that　could　advance　and　pay　its　way　entirely　by　its　own　surplus　revenue；
without　a　public　loan！　This　is　a　fact　of　great　importancethat；　in
spite　of　the　usual　Turkish　mal…administration；　the　island　has　no　debt；
but　that　England　has　acknowledged　the　success　of　the　Turkish　rule　by
paying　96；000　pounds　per　annum　as　the　accepted　surplus　revenue　of　this
misgoverned　island！which　holds　upon　these　data　a　better　financial
condition　than　any　of　our　own　colonies。

If　the　total　gross　revenue　is　170；000　pounds　a　year；　and　we　can　afford
to　pay　96；000　pounds　to　the　Porte；　and　at　the　same　time　allow　the　home
government　to　boast　in　the　House　of　Commons　of　〃a　surplus；〃　Cyprus　is
one　of　the　most　lucrative　positions；　and　the　Turks　can　fairly　claim　a
success　instead　of　admitting　the　blame　of　mal…administration。

If　the　Turks　by　mismanagement　can　obtain　a　nett　revenue　of　96；000　pounds
a　year；　how　much　should　England　obtain　by　good　management？

The　fact　is　that；　as　usual；　the　English　government　has　been　hoodwinked
in　their　hasty　bargain。　The　island　can　pay　its　way；　and；　if　free　from
Turkey；　would　become　most　prosperous；　but　we　have　inherited　an　estate　so
heavily　mortgaged　by　our　foolish　Convention；　that　the　revenue　is　all
absorbed　in　interest；　which　leaves　nothing　for　the　necessities　of
development。　The　commissioners　of　districts　are　over…worked　and
ill…paid；　their　allowance　of　interpreters　is　quite　insufficient　to
secure　the　necessary　check；　and　their　position　is　incompatible　with　the
importance　of　their　official　status。　There　is　no　money　for　any
improvements；　and　the　boasted　surplus　will　just　suffice　for　the　payment
of　salaries　and　the　absolutely　necessary　items　of　carrying　on　a
government　more　in　accordance　with　the　position　of　Greece　or　Denmark
than　with　the　historical　reputation　of　Great　Britain。

This　financial　embarrassment　has　disappointed　the　expectations　of　the
inhabitants；　who　naturally　had　anticipated　brilliant　advantages　from　the
reform　between　Turkish　and　English　administrations。　My　own　opinion　may
be　valueless；　but　it　is　shared　by　many；　Cyprus　should　belong　absolutely
to　England；　or　we　should　have　nothing　to　do　with　it。　I　repeat　the　dictum
expressed　in　the　introduction；　if　England　is　the　ally　of　Turkey　and　she
can　depend　upon　the　integrity　of　that　defensive　alliance　against　Russia；
there　is　no　need　for　any　station　that　incurs　the　obligations　of　Cyprus；
all　the　Turkish　ports　would　be　open　to　our　ships。　The　occupation　of
Cyprus　would　therefore　suggest　that　a　far…seeing　government　had　doubted
the　integrity　of　Turkey；　and　had　therefore　determined　to　secure　a
pied…a…terre　in　a　strategical　position　that　would　command　the　east　of
the　Mediterranean。　Upon　this　point　opinions　will　again　differ；　and　I
quote　the　words　of　one　of　the　most　experienced　statesmen　and　an
ex…minister　of　the　Upper　House；　who　writes：

〃The　objections　to　Cyprus　as　a　military　and　naval　station　are　shortly
these。　It　will　oblige　us　to　establish　a　garrison；　and　therefore　to
increase　and　divide　our　forces　in　the　Mediterranean。　There　must　be
barracks；　hospitals；　store…houses；　&c。　After　all　this　expenditure　Cyprus
will　weaken　rather　than　strengthen　our　power。

〃Famagousta　may　be　made　a　good　harbour；　but　how　can　it　be　defended？　The
ships　will　not　be；　as　in　Malta；　defended　by　batteries　projecting　far
beyond　the　anchorage；　Famagousta　will　require　ships　of　war　to　defend　it；
or　batteries　constructed　on　the　breakwatera　most　costly　undertaking。
As　a　coaling…station　it　is　not　wanted；　because　colliers　accompanying　the
fleet　are　much　more　convenient。　If；　in　short；　we　are　supreme　at　sea；
Cyprus　is　not　wanted；　if　we　are　not　supreme；　Cyprus　will　be　an
incumbrance。〃

I　acknowledge　the　force　of　a　portion　of　the　argument；　and　no　one　can
more　highly　respect　the　distinguished　authority　I　have　quoted；　who；　as
an　ex…First　Lord　of　the　Admiralty　of　practical　experience；　must　carry
the　great　weight　of　his　ability　and　position；　but　I　would　suggest　that
Famagousta　is　underrated。　I　have　already　described　that　powerful
fortress；　and　in　its　present　condition；　if　mounted　with　forty…ton　guns
upon　the　sea…face；　I　doubt　the　possibility　of　an　attack　from　seaward。
The　natural　reefs　which　form　the　sea…wall　afford　the　greatest　facilities
for　batteries　a…fleur…d'eau；　as　their　solid　foundations　require　the
simple　levelling　of　cement；　and　a　facing　of　steel　plates　would　complete
an　impregnable　line　of　casemates　that　would　render　the　approach　by　sea
impossible。

The　advantages　of　attendant　colliers　is　great　as　a　continuous
coal…supply　to　a　fleet；　especially　during　the　blockade　of　an　enemy's
port；　but　for　a　cruising　fleet；　or　for　independent　vessels；　the　speed　of
the　colliers　would　be　insufficient；　and　a　line　of　coaling…stations；　at
intervals　of　five　days'　steaming　is　in　my　opinion　highly　important；　in
addition　to　the　necessity　of　docks　where　ironclad　vessels　could　obtain
the　necessary　repairs　after　a　naval　engagement。　It　is　a　serious　result
of　modern　improvements　that　the　cumbrous　and　complicated　ironclads
cannot　be　repaired　in　a　few　da