cyprus, as i saw it in 1879-第86章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


which　entails　constant　attention；　and　the　quality　would　deteriorate
unless　labour　is　always　at　hand　to　gather　the　cotton　before　it　shall
fall　naturally　from　the　plant。

It　will　be　therefore　understood　that；　although　many　soils　may　be　highly
favourable　to　the　growth　of　fine　qualities　of　cotton；　there　is　an
absolute　necessity　for　a　combination　of　a　peculiar　climate；　where
neither　rain　nor　dew　shall　moisten；　and　accordingly　deteriorate　the
crop。　Egypt　is　specially　favoured　for　the　production　of　first…class
cotton；　as　in　the　upper　portions　of　the　Delta　rain　is　seldom　known；　but
the　extreme　carelessness　of　the　people　has　reduced　the　average　quality
by　mixing　the　seeds；　instead　of　keeping　the　various　classes　rigidly
separate。

The　dry　climate；　combined　with　the　fertile　soil　of　Cyprus；　would　suggest
a　great　extension　of　cotton　cultivation；　when　artificial　irrigation
shall　be　generally　developed；　but　so　long　as　the　present　system　of
collecting　the　dimes　is　continued；　the　farmer　cannot　produce　the　higher
qualities　which　require　immediate　attention　in　collecting。　During　the
delay　in　waiting　for　the　official　valuer；　the　pods　are　bursting　rapidly；
and　the　valuable　quality　is　falling　to　the　ground；　the　cultivator　is
therefore　confined　to　the　growth　of　those　inferior　cottons　that　will
adhere　to　the　pods；　and　wait　patiently　for　the　arrival　of　the　government
authority。

Consul　Hamilton　Lang；　in　his　interesting　work　upon　Cyprus；　suggests　that
the　duty　should　be　collected　upon　export；　to　relieve　the　farmer　from　the
present　difficulty；　which　would　enable　him　to　cultivate　the　American
high　qualities。　It　is　almost　amusing　to　contrast　the　criticisms　and
advice　of　the　various　British　consuls　who　have　for　many　years
represented　us　in　Cyprus　with　the　ideas　of　modern　officials。　There　can
be　no　doubt　concerning　consular　reports　in　black　and　white；　and　equally
there　can　be　no　question　of　existing　ordinances　under　the　British
administration；　but　what　appeared　highly　unjust　to　our　consuls　when
Cyprus　was　under　Turkish　rule；　is　accepted　as　perfectly　equitable　now
that　the　island　has　passed　into　the　hands　of　Great　Britain。

For　many　years　I　have　taken　a　peculiar　interest　in　cotton　cultivation；
and　in　1870　I　introduced　the　excellent　Egyptian　variety；　known　as
〃galleen；〃　into　Central　Africa；　and　planted　it　at　Gondokoro；　north
latitude　4　degrees　54'；　with　excellent　results。　In　the　first　year　this
grew　to　the　height　of　about　seven　feet；　with　a　proportionate　thickness
of　stem；　and　the　spreading　branches　produced　an　abundant　crop　of　a　fine
quality；　which　detached　itself　from　the　seeds；　immediately　reducing　the
operation　of　the　cleaning…machine　or　〃cotton…gin〃　to　a　minimum　of
labour。　I　have　been　much　struck　with　the　inferiority　of　Cyprian　cotton；
scarcely　any　of　the　crop　finds　its　way　to　England；　but　is　exported　to
Marseilles　and　Trieste。　Should　Consul　Lang's　suggestion　be　carried　out；
and　the　duty　be　taken　upon　export　to　relieve　the　grower　from　the
vexatious　delays　of　the　inquisitor　or　government　valuer；　there　can　be　no
question　of　immediate　improvement。　There　is　no　more　trouble　or　expense
in　producing　a　first…class　cotton　than　in　the　commonest　variety；　when
climate　and　soil　are　so　peculiarly　favourable　as　in　Cyprus。　If　the
government　continues　the　system　of　ad　valorem　taxation；　common　sense
will　suggest　that　the　highest　quality　would　alike　be　favourable　to　the
revenue　and　to　the　cultivator；　therefore；　in　the　interests　of　the
country　and　of　individuals；　every　encouragement　should　be　afforded　to
the　farmers　to　ensure　the　best　of　all　species　of　produce　throughout　the
island。　The　excellent　compilation　of　Captain　Savile；　officially　and
expressly　printed　for　the　service　of　the　government；　contains　the
following　passages：

〃According　to　all　accounts　the　taxation　of　the　inhabitants　of　Cyprus　has
under　Turkish　administration　been　carried　out　in　a　most　severe　and
oppressive　manner；　and　the　imposts　upon　certain　articles　of　agriculture
and　commerce　have　been　so　heavy　that　their　culture　and　export　has　in
some　cases　been　almost　abandoned。　。　。　。

〃The　cultivation　of　vines　for　the　manufacture　of　wine　has　been　so
heavily　and　unjustly　taxed；　that　a　great　part　of　the　vineyards　have　of
late　years　been　turned　to　other　and　more　profitable　purposes；　or　else
have　been　abandoned；　and　consequently　a　branch　of　agriculture　for　which
the　island　is　especially　suited　and　a　remunerative　article　of　commerce
is　neglected　and　allowed　to　decline。　An　extensive　development　of
vineyards　and　manufacture　of　wine　should　be　encouraged；　and　with　this
object　it　has　been　suggested　that　it　might　be　wise　to　free　this
production　from　all　except　export　duty。

〃Allusion　has　already　been　made　to　the　injurious　effect　of　the
collection　of　the　tithe　（dimes）　upon　cotton　at　the　time　when　the　crop　is
gathered；　instead　of　at　the　time　of　shipment；　and　it　has　been　explained
how　the　former　method　prevents　the　farmers　from　growing　the　best　and
most　remunerative　varieties　of　the　plant；　this　is　a　matter　that　requires
the　attention　of　the　authorities　when　the　re…adjustment　of　the　taxes　is
considered。〃

Captain　Savile's　useful　book　is　an　echo　of　consular　statements　and
reports　written　in　England　for　government　information　without　any
personal　experience　of　the　island；　but　from　my　own　investigations　I　can
thoroughly　endorse　the　views　expressed；　and　I　only　regret　that　the
miserable　conditions　of　our　occupation　have　rendered　such　necessary
reforms　most　difficult；　as　the　poverty　of　the　present　government　of
Cyprus　cannot　afford　to　run　the　risk　of　experimental　lessons　in
taxation。

When　criticising　and　condemning　existing　evils；　it　must　be　distinctly
understood　that　I　do　not　presume　to　attach　blame　to　individual
authorities　of　the　local　government：　I　denounce　the　arbitrary　and
oppressive　system　of　TURKISH　rules；　which；　although　in　some　instances
mitigated　by　our　administration；　still　remain　in　force；　and　are　the
results　of　the　conditions　that　were　accepted　when　England　resolved　upon
this　anomalous　occupation。　I　have　to　describe　Cyprus　as　I　saw　it　in
1879；　and　in　this　work　I　endeavour　to　introduce　the　public　to　the　true
aspect　of　the　situation　〃as　I　saw　it；〃　other　people　have　an　equal　right
with　myself　to　their　own　opinions　upon　various　subjects；　but；　should　we
differ　upon　certain　questions；　we　shall　at　least　be　unanimous　in　praise
of　the　extreme　devotion　to　a　most　difficult　task　in　a　contradictory
position；　exhibited　not　only　by　the　governor；　and　commissioners　of
districts；　but　by　all　British　officers　entrusted　with　authority。　If
Cyprus　were　free　from　the　fetters　of　the　Turkish　Convention；　and　the
revenue　should　be　available　for　the　necessary　improvements；　with
commercial　and　agricultural　reforms；　the　same　energy　now　bestowed　by　the
governor　and　other　officials　would　rapidly　expand　the　resources　of　the
island。　We　are　prone　to　expect　too　much；　and　must　remember　that　at　the
time　I　write；　only　twelve　months　have　elapsed　since　the　day　of　the
British　military　occupation。　No　officers　understood　either　the　language；
or　laws；　of　the　people　they　had　to　govern；　they　were　for　the　most　part
specially　educated　for　the　military　profession；　and　they　were　suddenly
plunged　into　official　positions　where　agricultural；　legal；　commercial；
and　engineering　difficulties　absorbed　their　entire　attention；　all　of
which　had　to　be　comprehended　through　the　medium　of　an　interpreter。　It　is
rare　that　the　most　favoured　individual　combines　such　general　knowledge；
Turks　and　Greeks；　antagonistic　races；　were　to　lie　down　contented　like
the　lion　and　the　lamb　under　the　blessing　of　a　British　rule：　all
animosities　were　to　be　forgotten。　The　religion　of　Mussulmans　would
remain　inviolate；　and　the　Greek　Church　would　hold　its　former
independence：　freedom　and　equality　were　to　be　assured　when　the　English
flag　replaced　the　Crescent　and　Star　upon　the　red　ensign　beneath　which
Cyprus　had　withered　as　before　a　flame；　the　resources　of　the　country　were
to　awaken　as　from　a　long　sleep；　and　the　world　should　witness　the
marvellous　change　between　Cyprus　when　under　Turks；　and　when　transferred
to　Englishmen。　〃Look　upon　that　picture；　and　on　this！〃　The　officers　of
our　army　were