Cyprus, as I Saw It in 1879 Part 25

Estimated cost.

Rebuild the Konak of Nicosia 3,000 " Konak and prison at Papho. 600 " Mudirate at Chrysokou 70 " Custom-house, Police barracks, and Konak at Limasol 1,500 The Mudirate of Kilani to be rebuilt at Platraes 500 Repairs to various buildings 330 ----------- Total 6,000

APPENDIX.

ESTIMATE OF REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDING 31st MARCH, 1880, FOR THE DISTRICT OF BAFFO.

Kindly supplied by the Chief Commissioner, Captain A. G. Wauchope, 42nd Highlanders.

Revenue No. 1--t.i.thes of Kuklia 1,100 " Ballo 2,800 " Khrysokus 3,400 " 2-- " Silk Production 760 " Caroub Production 333 " 3 Sheep tax 1,760 Swine tax 250 2,010 " 4--Weighing and Measuring tax 100 " 5--Court Fees 226 Registration of Property 120 Inland Revenue Stamps 80 " 6--Customs and Excise 1,000 " 7--Verghi 3,747 Askeria (freedom from military service) 708 " 8--Miscellaneous 100 ------- 16,484 -------

EXPENDITURE.

No. 1--British Establishment, including Interpreters 1,330 " Native do. do. 540 " 2--Houses for Commissioner and a.s.sistant do. 90 Stationery 47 Travelling Expenses of all officers 140 277 " 3--Petty repairs 100, Public works 120 220 " 4--Military Police 3,200 Prison 114, Daavi Court 171 285 " 5--Customs and Excise 280 " 6--t.i.thing Expenses 880 " 7--Expenses of Sheep tax 57, Pig tax 15, Weighing and Measuring 48 120 " 8--Collecting Locust Eggs 120 -------- 7,252 Balance of surplus Revenue 9,232 -------- 16,484 -------- SILK CULTIVATION OF BAFFO.

"This year the peasants brought to the market 34,000 okes of Silk (93,500 lbs.) coc.o.o.ns, which realised to them about 6,800L. These coc.o.o.ns were bought by three merchants excepting about 2,500 okes of silk wound by the people here." . . . "You are aware that the coc.o.o.n before being in a fit state to export must be dried, and during the process a great shrinkage takes place, which varies considerably according to the original quality of the coc.o.o.n. This year the coc.o.o.n was excellent and the shrinkage small; 3 1/2 wet coc.o.o.ns equalling 1 dry, while last year 5 wet equalled 1 dry.

"It is upon the dried coc.o.o.n that the t.i.the is fixed. When the coc.o.o.n is good and the price likewise, there is very little winding done here."

"It is computed that the Caroub trees in the Baffo district number about 40,000. Of Olive trees I cannot give you anything like a guess; I should only be misleading you."

(Signed),"A. G. WAUCHOPE."

It will be remarked that no outlay is contemplated for road-making or repairs of bridges, nor for any of the necessary public works, as the general revenue of the island cannot afford the local expenditure. This otherwise prosperous little province would be self-sustaining, as sufficient income would be realised for the annual outlay required for road-making and other improvements. There cannot be a truer example of the error in our Convention with the Porte by which we have agreed to the surplus revenue exhibited by the Turkish system of accounts in an average of five years. The Baffo estimates show a surplus of 9232L. upon the financial year, but there is the forced neglect of all necessary improvements owing to the terms of our occupation, which rob the country of about 100,000L. annually. According to the figures of the Baffo forecast of revenue and expenditure, Cyprus can afford to pay the amount of rental to the Porte, but this is to the detriment of all public works, which will render material progress impossible, at the same time that the incubus of Turkish taxation will be permanent.

JUDICIAL ADMINISTRATION.

By an Order in Council on 14 September, 1878, powers were given for the administration of Cyprus by a High Commissioner appointed by Her Majesty, together with a Legislative Council const.i.tuted according to Clause VI. :-

"The Legislative Council for the said island shall consist of the High Commissioner for the time being, and of such other public officers and persons within the same, not being less than four or more than eight in number, as shall be named or designated for that purpose by her Majesty."

In Clause XXI. :-

"The High Commissioner may const.i.tute and appoint all such Judges, Justices of the Peace, and other necessary officers in the said island as may lawfully be appointed by her Majesty, all of whom shall hold their offices during her Majesty's pleasure."

It was agreed with the Porte :-

"I. That a Mussulman religious tribunal (Mehkemei Sheri) shall continue to exist in the island, which will take exclusive cognizance of religious matters, and of no others, concerning the Mussulman population of the island.

"II. That a Mussulman resident in the island shall be named by the Board of Pious Foundations in Turkey (Evkaf) to superintend, in conjunction with a delegate to be appointed by the British authorities, the administration of the property, funds, and lands belonging to mosques, cemeteries, Mussulman schools, and other religious establishments existing in Cyprus."

The Turkish law courts were preserved in their original construction under the supervision of the Commissioners of the six districts:-- Lefkosia, Larnaca, Famagousta, Baffo, Limasol, Kyrenia. These courts are the Idari and Daavi, the Temiz or supreme court sitting in Lefkosia. The Idari and Daavi courts exist independently in each district. The Cadi is judge in the Idari, which is composed of three Mussulmans and two Christians elected by the population, and this court is specially presided over by the British Commissioner, and all cases in detail are translated and entered in the register. The Daavi Medjlis or court consists of five members--the Cadi, two Mussulmans, and two Christians.

An appeal from the decisions of these courts can be made to the High Court of Temiz at Lefkosia, the decision of which is final, only subject to the influence of Clauses XXII. and XXIII. in powers granted to the High Commissioner by Order in Council of 14 September, 1878 :-

"XXII. The High.Commissioner may, as he shall see occasion, in her Majesty's name and on her behalf, grant to any offender convicted of any crime, in any court, or before any Judge, Justice, or Magistrate within the said island, a free and unconditional pardon, or a pardon subject to such conditions as may at any time be awfully thereunto annexed, or any respite of the execution of the sentence of any such offender for such period as to him may seem fit."

"XXIII. The High Commissioner may, as he shall see occasion, in her Majesty's name and on her behalf, remit any fines, penalties, or forfeitures which may accrue or become payable to her, provided the same do not exceed the sum of fifty pounds sterling in any one case, and may suspend the payment of any such fine, penalty, or forfeiture exceeding the sum of fifty pounds until her Majesty's pleasure thereon shall be made known and signified to him."

MIGRATORY BIRDS.

The birds of pa.s.sage that visit Cyprus (excepting swallows), exhibit a peculiarity in their insignificant numbers compared with their migrations upon the mainlands of Asia, Southern Europe, and Africa. The bustards that are so common in Turkey and Asia Minor are seldom seen.

The grey crane frequently pa.s.ses over Cyprus without resting upon its long flight, and in the month of March its loud cry may be heard so far in the blue sky that it is difficult to distinguish the flocks of these large birds at the stupendous height of their airy road towards the north. Even should the cranes condescend to rest for a short interval during an unfavourable wind, they leave on the first opportunity. I have frequently heard them high in air travelling throughout the night--thus during night and day they have been sailing northwards to make the most of fair wind and weather.

The sand-grouse is to be seen occasionally on the plains of Messaria, but never in the quant.i.ties that are met with in other neighbouring countries. Woodc.o.c.ks are scarce, and those which are shot must have halted in the island during their pa.s.sage en route for other sh.o.r.es.

Snipe are very numerous in the marshes of Limasol salt lakes, Morphu, Famagousta, Kuklia, and Larnaca. Quails are never plentiful, and are inferior in condition to those of Egypt and Southern Europe. Wild ducks are to be seen on the lake near Famagousta and at Limasol. The wood-pigeons, and doves, together with fly-catchers, arrive in April, but never in large numbers.

Return of Villages, Population, etc., of Famagousta District.

Villages Churches Mosques Turks Christians Total Naleieh of Famasousta 9* 20 6 685 3,978 4,663 " Carpas 36 46 13 3,470 7,168 10,638 " Messaria 68 66 29 4,861 12,434 17,295 113 132 48 9,016 23,580 32,596

* Includes Famagousta town.

Piastres L s. d.

The taxes for the year 1878 amounted to 1,370,221 = 11,418 10 4 (This being paid in Coime at a very variable rate, it is scarcely correct to reduce the amounts to sterling.) The t.i.thes of this district were farmed out in 1878 for ... ... ... 25,000 0 0

Revenue therefore was 36,418 10 4

The taxes for the year 1879 amount to... 10,379 90 This does not include indirect taxes such as Customs, say... 1,000 00

11,379 90

It is impossible to calculate the t.i.thes yet for this year (1879). From Famagousta the chief exports are corn, from Messaria, donkeys, fruit, and pottery, the two latter chiefly from Varos.h.i.+a.

Cyprus: Trooditissa Monastery, 4400 feet above the sea 21 September, 1879.

Messrs. Macmillan & Co.

MY DEAR SIRS,

If I am in time to secure the last efforts of the printer perhaps this letter in its integrity may convey the information which the autumnal season has afforded. The difficulty of all writers upon strange countries lies in their short experience. Each month exhibits the changes of nature in seasons, meteorological phenomena, and vegetation; thus the full twelve months should form the data for a detailed description. I closed my account of Cyprus in August; since which fruits have ripened and various changes have developed--all have afforded information.

Taxation in kind, and Government valuation of produce while growing, has been a crying evil that I have endeavoured to bring before the public as one of those instances of injustice which stamps the oppressive system of the Turkish administration; this unfortunately has not yet been abolished by the British Government. I have already described the arbitrary and unjust laws that fetter the all-important wine trade, which is the princ.i.p.al industry of Limasol; but since I forwarded the ma.n.u.script to England I have myself witnessed the miserable effects of the present laws during the advance of the season in ripening the produce of the vineyards.

Three weeks ago I walked for some hours through the boundless extent of grape cultivation at the foot of the mountains below the village of Phyni; at that time the crop was ripe, and should have been gathered.

The bunches of dark red were equal to the finest hot-house grapes of England, both in weight and in size of berries; the black were about the average of the Black Hamburg; the white were smaller and about the size of the common "sweet-water." A day or two ago I again visited the same vineyards; the grapes had not been gathered, and I computed that at least one-third of the crop was destroyed by the delay. The magnificent bunches of dark red were for the most part shrivelled, one-half the berries upon each cl.u.s.ter being reduced to the appearance of raisins, and utterly devoid of juice, while many of the other varieties were completely withered. The explanation given by the people was simple enough--"The official valuer had not appeared, and without his certificate no grapes could be gathered." There are only three valuers to an extensive district, and it is physically impossible that they can perform their duties, even were they inclined to attend when summoned to each village, in the absence of some special inducement. The actual labour of walking up the abrupt inclines upon the mountain sides which const.i.tute the vineyards is most formidable, and at least four times the staff is necessary, of young and capable men, if the valuation of the crop is to be taken with due consideration to the interests of the grower. The distressing result that I have myself witnessed in the partial destruction of the crops can admit of no excuse, but it exhibits a painful example of mal-administration in the ruin attendant upon a Turkish system of taxation.

Some persons may suggest that the dried and withered grapes would be saleable as raisins: this is not the case. Raisins are not merely dried grapes, as is generally supposed, but the bunch of well-ripened berries is dipped in a strong solution of potash, and is then either suspended or is more generally laid upon a mat to dry. In Cyprus the growers seldom purchase potash, but they dip their grapes in a ley produced from the ashes of certain woods.

The vineyards at this season are swarming with a species of beccaficos, and the population are busy in catching these delicious birds with sticks smeared with bird-lime. It is a species of finch, a little larger than the chaffinch, the plumage a brownish grey; when plucked the body is much larger than the common beccaficos, but resembles it in extraordinary fatness and delicacy of flavour. The natives preserve them by boiling in commanderia wine, and they are highly appreciated. These must be added to the migratory birds of Cyprus.