cyprus, as i saw it in 1879-第71部分

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definition　in　title…deeds；　which　simply　mentions　the　number　of　donums；
affords　no　means　of　proving　an　unjust　extension；　such　terms　are　used　as
〃the　woods　bounded　by　a　hill；〃　or　〃the　woods　bounded　by　uncultivated
land；〃　and　this　indefinite　form　of　expression　leaves　a　margin　of
frontier　that　is　practically　without　limit；　unless　the　invader　may　be
stopped　by　arriving　within　a　yard　of　his　nearest　neighbour。　My
informant；　Colonel　Warren；　R。　A。；　chief　commissioner　of　Limasol；　assured
me　that　some　holders　of　land　in　his　district；　whose　titles　show　an
amount　of　ninety　donums；　lay　claim　to　ten　times　the　area。　There　is
hardly　a　proprietor　who　does　not　occupy　a　ridiculous　surplus　when
compared　with　his　title…deeds；　and　the　encroachments　are　even　now
proceeding。

This　system　of　land…robbery　was　connived　at　by　the　officials　for　a
〃CONSIDERATION；〃　old　title…deeds　were　exchanged　for　new　on　the
application　of　the　holder；　and　the　seals　of　the　venal　authorities
rendered　them　valid；　at　the　same　time　that　hundreds　of　acres　were
fraudulently　transferred　from　the　state。　When　the　intention　of　a　British
occupation　was　made　public；　a　general　rush　was　made　for　obtaining　an
excess　over　the　amount　defined　in　the　title…deeds；　by　the　swindling
method；　and　the　extent　to　which　this　plunder　was　extended　may　be
imagined　from　the　fact　that　40；000　such　documents　were　awaiting　the
necessary　signatures　when；　by　the　arrival　of　the　British　officials；　the
Turkish　authority；　who　could　not　sign　the　deeds　with　sufficient
expedition；　was　dismissed；　and　the　false　titles　were　invalidated。

The　monasteries　and　the　vacouf　（Turkish　religious　lands）　lay　claim　to
lands　of　vast　and　undefined　extent；　which　are　mystified　by　titles　and
gifts　for　charitable　purposes；　surrounded　with　clouds　of　obscure　usages
and　ancient　rules　that　will　afford　a　boundless　field　for　litigation。　In
fact；　the　existing　government　has　arrived　at　the　unpleasant　position　of
being　excluded　from　the　land；　nearly　all　of　which　is　claimed　either　by
individuals　or　religious　institutions。

The　arrangement　of　this　most　serious　question　will　stir　up　a　nest　of
hornets。　The　equitable　adjustment　would　demand　a　minute　survey　of　the
various　districts；　and　a　comparison　of　the　holdings　with　the　title
deeds；　but　what　then？　It　is　already　known　that　the　holdings　are　in
excess；　and　where　is　the　legal　remedy　that　can　be　practically　applied？
If　the　actual　letter　of　the　law　shall　be　enforced；　and　each　proprietor
shall　be　compelled　to　disgorge　his　prey；　there　will　be　endless
complications。　In　England；　twenty…one　years'　uninterrupted　possession；
with　occupation；　constitutes　a　valid　title。　In　Cyprus　the　extended
holdings　have　in　many　instances　been　inherited；　and　have　remained
unquestioned　as　the　acknowledged　property　of　individuals；　while　in　other
cases　they　have　been　more　recently　acquired。　The　question　will　comprise
every　possible　difficulty；　and　can　only　be　determined　by　a　special
commission　officially　appointed　for　a　local　investigation　throughout
each　separate　district。

This　will　be　a　labour　of　years；　and　the　innumerable　intricacies　and
entanglements　will　test　the　patience　and　HONESTY　of　interpreters　in　a
country　where　bribery　has　always　opened　a　golden　road　for　an　escape　from
difficulty；　while　our　own　authorities　are　entirely　ignorant　of　the
native　language。　It　is　this　lack　of　natural　means　of　communication　viva
voce　which　increases　the　already　awkward　position　of　high　officials：　the
power　of　speech　belongs　to　the　dragoman　alone；　and　a　great　gulf　exists
between　the　English　and　the　Cypriote；　who　represent　the　deaf　and　dumb　in
the　absence　of　an　interpreter。　The　old　song　〃We　have　no　money；〃　is　the
now　stereotyped　response　to　all　suggestions　for　district　schools；　but　if
we　are　to　retain　Cyprus；　one　of　the　most　urgent　necessities　is　the
instruction　of　the　people　in　English。　It　is　not　to　be　expected　that　any
close　affinity　can　exist　between　the　governing　class　and　the　governed；
in　the　darkness　of　two　foreign　tongues　that　require　a　third　person　for
their　enlightenment。　In　many　cases　secrecy　may　be　of　considerable
importance；　and　the　conversation　should　be　confined　to　the　principals；
but　the　third　person　must　invariably　be　present　as　interpreter；　and
unless　he　is　a　man　of　the　highest　integrity　he　will　not　lose　an
opportunity　of　turning　his　knowledge　of　state　secrets　to　account　for　his
own　advantage。　Throughout　the　Levant　it　is　difficult　to　find　men　who
combine　the　rare　qualities　necessary　for　a　confidential　dragoman；　such　a
person　would　be　invaluable；　as　he　would　represent　all　the　cardinal
virtues；　at　the　same　time　that　he　must　possess　a　natural　aptitude　for
his　profession；　and　a　store　of　patience；　with　the　most　unruffled　temper。
The　natives　dread　the　interpreter；　they　know　full　well　that　one　word
misunderstood　may　alter　the　bearing　of　their　case；　and　they　believe　that
a　little　gold　judiciously　applied　may　exert　a　peculiar　grammatical
influence　upon　the　parts　of　speech　of　the　dragoman；　which　directly
affects　their　interests。　There　are；　no　doubt；　men　of　honour　and　great
capability　who　occupy　this　important　position；　at　the　same　time　it　is
well　known　that　many　interpreters　have　been　found　guilty；　the　exceptions
proving　the　rule；　and　exhibiting　the　extreme　danger　and　general
disadvantage　in　the　ignorance　of　the　native　language。　It　cannot　be
expected　that　the　English　officials　are　to　receive　a　miraculous　gift　of
fiery　tongues；　and　to　address　their　temporary　subjects　in　Turkish　and　in
Greek；　but　it　is　highly　important　that　without　delay　schools　should　be
established　throughout　the　island　for　the　instruction　of　the　young；　who
in　two　or　three　years　will　obtain　a　knowledge　of　English。　Whenever　the
people　shall　understand　our　language；　they　will　assimilate　with　our
customs　and　ideas；　and　they　will　feel　themselves　a　portion　of　our
empire：　but　until　then　a　void　will　exclude　them　from　social　intercourse
with　their　English　rulers；　and　they　will　naturally　gravitate　towards
Greece；　through　the　simple　medium　of　a　mother…tongue。　Limasol　must
perforce　of　its　geographical　advantages　become　the　capital　of　Cyprus。　As
I　have　already　described；　the　port　may　be　much　improved。　The
neighbouring　country　is　healthy；　and　well　covered　with　trees；　the
landscape　is　pleasing；　and　the　new　road　opens　a　direct　communication
with　the　mountain　sanatorium。　The　most　important　exports　of　the　island
are　produced　within　the　district；　and；　as　might　be　expected；　the　result
of　commercial　enterprise　is　exhibited　in　the　increased　intelligence　and
activity　of　the　Limasol　inhabitants。　It　is　highly　to　be　desired　that
this　favourable　position　should　become　the　seat　of　government。　Although
the　troops　in　1879　are　camped　among　the　barren　rocks　beneath　the
pine…forests　upon　Mount　Troodos；　at　an　elevation　of　about　5800　feet
above　the　sea；　there　is　no　necessity　for　a　station　at　so　extreme　and
inconvenient　an　altitude　in　north　latitude　35　degrees。　The　general
unhealthiness　of　the　troops　upon　the　first　occupation　of　the　island
during　the　summer　and　autumn　of　1878；　determined　the　military
authorities　to　arrange　the　new　camp　at　the　greatest　altitude　practicable
with　a　regard　to　the　supply　of　water；　but　the　experience　gained　in　1879
proves　that　a　permanent　camp；　or　barracks；　may　be　equally　healthy　at　a
lower　and　more　convenient　level。　This　fact　would　establish　an　additional
advantage　in　the　selection　of　Limasol　for　headquarters；　as　the　troops
would　be　in　the　immediate　neighbourhood　at　all　seasons。　Colonel　Warren；
R。A。；　who　had　been　the　prime　mover　in　all　the　improvements　that　had　been
made　in　Limasol　since　the　British　occupation；　was　promoted　on　1st　August
to　the　position　of　chief　of　the　staff　under　Sir　Garnet　Wolseley's　able
successor；　Major…General　Biddulph；　C。B。；　R。A。；　and　the　district　thus
lost　its　leading　spirit。　In　reforming　abuses　and　promoting　progress；
Colonel　Warren　had　not　entirely　escaped　the　usual　fate　of　men　who　are　in
advance　of　their　age。　The　unflinching　determination　to　administer　the
laws　without　fear　or　favour　to　all　classes　had　infringed　upon　the
assumed　immunities　of　the　Greek　Church；　which　had　always　received
deferential　consideration　from　the　Turkish　government；　and　although
actually　liable　to　taxation；　the　right　had　never　been　enforced。　This　is
a　curious　contradiction　to　the　vulgar　belief　in　Mussulman　intolerance
and　bigotry；　the　Greek　Church　not　only　enjoyed　a　perfect　freedom　under
the　Turks；　but　the　bishops　were　assisted　in　obtaining　a　forced　tribute
from　their　flock　by　the　presence　of　Turkish　zaphtiehs　（police）；　who
accompanied　them　during　their　journeys　through　the　diocese。

An　interference　with　Church　property　or　established　rights　is　certain　to
create　a　buzzing　of　the　ecclesiastical　bees；　who　will　swarm　against　the
invader　with　every　sting　prepared　for　action。　As　the　case　was
investigated　by　a　special　court　of　inquiry；　and　terminated；　as　might
have　been　expected；　completely　in　favour　of　Colonel　Warren；　it　is　not
necessary　to　enter　upon　minute　details；　but；　as　the　plaintiff　was　the
Bishop　of　Citium；　and　this　first　public　attack　created　a　peculiar
agitation　that　will　probably　be　repeated；　it　may　be　interesting　to
examine　the　actual　position　of　the　Greek　Church　as　it　existed　during　the
Turkish　administration。

The　Church　in　Cyprus　is　represented　by　an　Archbishop　and　three　Bishops
as　the　acknowledged　heads。　The　diocese　of　the　former　comprises　Lefkosia；
Famagousta；　and　the　Carpas　districts；　while　the　three　Bishoprics　are
those　of　Larnaca　or　Citium；　Kyrenia；　and　Baffo。

The　revenues　of　the　Archbishop　amount　to　about　？000　a　year；　and　the
necessary　expenditure　for　staff；　schools；　&c。；　to　？500。　The　Bishopric
of　Baffo　is　the　richest；　with　a　revenue　of　about　？000；　at　the　same　time
the　outgoings　are　small；　amounting　to　？00　a　year　for　the　payment　of　his
staff；　and　one…fifth　of　the　expenses　of　a　public　school。

The　Bishopric　of　Larnaca　or　Citium　is　valued　at　about　？00　a　year；　but
the　expenditure　is　confined　to　？00。　That　of　Kyrenia　is　about　the　same
as　Citium。　There　is　no　possibility　of　determining　an　exact　figure；　as
these　revenues　are　dependent　upon　voluntary　payments；　which　cannot　be
enforced　by　any　statute；　but　there　is　a　〃Berat〃　（decree）