HISTORY ETHNOGRAPHY NATURE WINE-MAKING SITE MAP
Selected and rare materials, excerpts and observations from ancient, medieval and contemporary authors, travelers and researchers about Cyprus.
 
 
 
 
uses Google technology and indexes only and selectively internet - libraries having books with free public access
 
  Previous Next  

SIR SAMUEL WHITE BAKER
CYPRUS AS I SAW IT IN 1879
page 416

View PDF version of this page

ith commercial and agricultural reforms, the same energy now bestowed by the governor and other officials would rapidly expand the resources of the island. W e 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. N o officers understood either the language, or laws, of the people they had to govern ; they were for the most part specially educated for the I military profession, and they were suddenly plunged •rinto 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 jthe 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 ! " Th e officers of our army were the magicians to effect this transformation, not only strangers to the climate, language, laws, customs, people, but without money: as the island had been robbed of revenue by the conditions of the Turkish Convention,

View PDF version of this page


  Previous First Next