CYPRUS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1461, 15 November 1879, Page 19

CYPRUS.

■ ' '(Written for the Otago Witness.) It may not be generally known tbat our recent acquisition of Cyprus iB after all but a mete restitution of what had been for over ■even -centuries, English by light of conquest. ' , ' Tempost tossed, and in distress; his promised bride discourteously, treated, and re Sued a landing in Oypruß, the Lion Heart of Sagland, then on his way to the Holy Land, | resented thetreatmentho received, and having landed his forces, reduced Isaac, stjled the j Kraperor of Cyprus, a prince of the Commeni, to wsalage. Marrying Berengari» atLimasol, Bichard assumed possession of the island, whiok afforded him a splendid strategic point for obßerv&tion; and shelter for crusaders Iwund for the neighbouring coasts ofSyna. For the protection of the Island, Kiohara instituted the celebrated order of the Hospitallers of St. George, men regarded in those 3%ys ss the veriest sanspeur et sans reproche, «Iknlg3rtfcO3d ; and eventually bestowed the Seigniority of Cypi usjon Guy de Lasignan, as a sort of compensation ior the non-pos-weesion of his titular throne— to be held as >1« vassal in fifedoin. . " Gay received Cyprus on these terms, even sb his brother Geoffroi held Poitou of 38ach»wL . '■■!.,«' Almeni, . Geoffroi's brother, succeeded Guy, and whilst Lion Heart was being songht for 1»y fait faithf al Blondol— this traitorous vassal made overtures to Pope Celeatineitp «dmit the latin Clergy, and ritual into Cjprue, in opposition to, and instead of the orthodox or , Greek "form of worship,, an innovation which, , Richard had,,, , never contemplated — under patronage, of " Borne. Almeric m*de proposals ;to the Kaiser *©•' recognise feaity towards hint, aa a ▼assali provided he would-beatow. on him the iitle of King of, Cyprus, with the iwig4B» of royalty.; and' to gain this object of his ambition Almeric, as a falsa,, knight, .reBonhced his allegiance to the English Crown. " "We "need" not -stop ' tb * inquire , why ,this treason was übt sharply resented by Richard — 4h« history M.tkoie. times; with, the heavy mvomexae^d if or. Richard's .release, . fcos«th«r with hia^early death, we sufficiently explanatory; and if ''perchance 'she' did not deem the right «f .ownership worth contestSsjivi et arniis, 'England at least never rejoogmitd the transfer 'fief.V v: Thafc . Cyprni belonged 'iby^rigjit to England was from time to time, duly published ; and the Venetian .; Ambassador,, to, Henry (lie State having purchased Gyprutt) complains t tkitterly :" to the .moit. potent, jrave,. and TBTerend aeignienrs " of Venice that they, bad been moat grievously insulted through him iafl>eing called' " thieve 13 , - who had -" begged, borrowed, or stolen all the "territory they possessed/ and that putting to .those noble iptdß, hia State's aecusartr, the test , of proof, they replied, "Yoai have atolen Cyprus, rsrhioh belongs to King Hal.' 1 , „ |n 1570, Selim 11. oonqueredjthaTilandj -■end- from" tbat time Cyprus has bean ruled "from Constantinople —as originally- 1 under the Comneni from Byzantium— down even to our time, when Victoria, t^ueea of the Isles ? mth bloodless sword; resumed' again the pretermitted sliray won^ f6r her by. the chivalry, of the imqst' princely knight; of Engi. land's Royal line,'ar d few brighter ,gems id England's diadem of beauty, when cleaned and reset, will there be than Cyprus, the old lomeof Approdite, the divinely beautiful. ; ( * , ' ' ' T. H. 1 B.

• On Saturday last a- Volunteer deputation, introduced by Colonel Brett, and consisting of the Hors. 'Colonel Whitmore and Captain Baillie, Major Pitt, ColonelE. Pearce, Captain 3J» Johnson, and other officers, waited on tike Premier in refeietice to, Volunteer matters. ■33ie subjects en which they interviewed bim lad reference to vclunteerirg generally throughout the Coloßyv They asked that the capitation gr^nt should be increased- teashil•lings per bead, as the amount at present granted was iusuffiuient to meet actual requirement?. Also, that one uniform throughout the Colony should be* insisted on in, each branch uf the service, so that the Kifle corps, the Artillery, the Naval Bzigades in each place should each have the same dress. It was *hown that batteries of light field guBS were Imperatively needed in case of internal or other warfare, ai»d ought to be procured without delay. It was further asked that Volunteers visiting any authorised parades or demon.Gtrationßßhould.be allowed to travel free en railways. The Premier thoroughly Agreed with all that had been said, and expressed himsslf thoroughly in favour of the requests made. He would consult his colleagues, and make the resulc known as soon as potedble;' • Mlt is satisfactory to learn (says the Tuapeka Times) that the trout which were liberated in the Munro's Gully, .branch of the Tuapeka ' Kiver are thriving. A- resident informs us tbat he has seen a number of them of various «iz€B, from four to 12 inches. The cadets of tha Dtinedin District Schools paradei at the Lmiatic Asylum grounds on tho 7th inst, under the command of Captain Chapman.'- There woie present :— Normal School — one sub -lieutenant, four sergeants, 40 ■ and file. ' Middle District— one captain, one lieutenant, one sub-lieutenant, five sergeants, 34 raak and file. South District— one lieutenant, one sub-lieutenanfc,.four sergeants, 28 rank and file. North Danedin—one lieutenant, four iergrat.te, 30 rank and file. Albany -street — ore captain, four sergeants^ 48 rank and file. Middle Diettict School Band— 2o ; lSlaff.aergeirai; Stevens. " '-■<:'<, i The Field Naturalists' Club made their third excursion on Saturday last. There was a very good muster of ladies and gentlemen at the Dunedin railway-station to proceed by the quarter-past 2 train to Musselburgh; thence ■crossed over the sandhills to the Ocean Beach. A lot of insects were collected there, and the party then had to risk wet feet in order to get round Lawyer 1 * Head, as the tide was just -coming in. They proceeded to the lagoon, where a lot of Crustacea were found. After -three and a half hours' hard but pleasant walk, ing, the parly arrived at Andersen's Bay, and

the train speedily brought them safe to town. The next meeting will take place on the 22nd inst., at 2 o'clock, at the north end of George street. The destination will be Flagstaff.