THE ISLAND OF CYPRUS.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Issue 48, 31 August 1878, Page 4

THE ISLAND OF CYPRUS.

This fertile bland, so renowned in ancient story, and over which the British flag now waves, is thus described :—" Cyprus (Anc. (Jr. Kupros, Mod. Gr. Kibris, JbY Chipre, Ital. Cipro), an island situated south of Asia Minor, in that portion of the Mediteranean called the Levant. Cypruswas anoientlydivided into manysmall kingdoms. It was originally possessed by the Phoenicians, from whom it passed to the Greeks, and subsequently to the Egyptians and Persians. After the victories of Alexander, it declared for Macedon. It next became a portion of tho Gneco-Egyptian kingdom of tho Potlemies, then of the Eoman and Byzantine empires. The Arabs conquered it in b'4B a.d. ; in 1191 it was taken byRichard Coeur-de-Lion, who ceded it to the Templars. After several vicissitudes, it came into the possession of the Venetians, from whom it was finally conquered by the Turks in 1571. Cyprus lies in lat. 35 N, long. 32.20—34.40 E., its greatest length from Baffa, in the southwest, to Cape Andrea, in llie north-east, being 145 miles; and its greatest breadth, between Cape Gatto, and Cape Konuachiti, 55. The total area is iuOO square leagues; the population does not now exceed 100,000. A range of mountains —the Ktravo Vuno and Santa Croce (ancient Clympus)—the sides of which are very bold and rugged, runs through the whole length of the island, attaining an elevation ol more than 7000 feet above the sea. Three-fifths of the island is mountainous. Of the.se oue-tifth has splendid forests of oak, interspersed with walnut-trees, and would furnish large supplies of sulphur , pit-coal, and metals of various kinds, under intelligent management ; while two-fifths is adapted for vine and olive culture, and the growth of fruit-trees generally. The remainingtwofifths is composed of magnificent plains, and extensive open country, which, though wanting in rivers and streams, are still very productive in cereals. The soil is exceedingly fertile, yielding all kinds of grain. The chief products are wheat, barley, cotton, silk, madder roots, oii, wine, carobs, and salt. In 1804, great efforts were made to extend the cultivation of cotton. The greatest drawbacks to production are the want of water, most of the streams becoming dry in summer, and the awful ravages of the locusts. The olimate is, on the whole, very healthy; tho diseases, both with regard to their frequency and their character, do not relatively reach three-fifths of the amount of disease in Europe, or even in Italy. Agriculture and manufactures are alike in a backward state; the Greek Christians, who compose three-fourths of the population being indolent and spiritless, through fear of the dominant Turks, who are ignorant and fanatical. The former have an unenviable reputation for doubledealing. There, however, are many proofs of progress in Cyprus. The breadth of land sown is annually on the increase, and greater care is bestowed on its cultivation. But especially noteworthy is the fact that, in 1871, Nicosia was, by means of a submarine cable to Latak a, on the Syrian coast brought into telegraphic communication with the rest of the world. In 1871, CG2 vessels entered, and 654 cleared the ports of Cyprus. Tho imports in 1871 amounted to £1*7,500, and tho exports to :C118,435. The chief towns of Cyprus are Nicosia, the capital, and seat of the Turkish Government ; Famagosta , Larnaca, the residence of the European consuls; and Liniassol."