, 1878-08-03
Ensland'S acquisition Of Cyprus.

EngiantS acquisition OF sYprUS.
The island Of Cyprus which England
gets from Turkey is OF immense import
ance to her, not because Of what it is IL
itself. but for its value as 4 point GaDpui
in the eastern Mediterranean The island
lies in the almost square corner formed by
the coast of Syria on the east, and the
peninsula OF Asia Minor on the north. 1t
Is distant from the former 60 miles, and
from the latter about A, and is, conse-
9uently, at the extreme eastern end Of
the Mediterranean. The length of the
island IS over 40 miles, with IN average
breadth of 40 miles, and with p0Pula-
ton OF about 200, 900 1t has harhorS
of the very best characycr-a among them
Famasusta, So famous IN the great DAYS
of Venice, and then so capacious rs to
shelter from all winds hundreds of the
largest vessels atloat. \ small expendi
tire of money with modern engineering
skill, viii restore this port 10 is ancient
capacity.
Let us hook for a moment to the posi-
ton III which The possession Of this island,
with It's forts restored and well fortified.
places Great Britain At the month Of
the Mediterranean, and holding III hand
all who 90 III or pass cut, IN British
Gibraltar In the very centre of the
! Mediterrean, i.aprpgnabiy fortified, Wit!
vast stores, and with liz permanent navy,
! is British Malta, Give in addition Cyp-
rus, at the extreme eastern end, COM
! rlandiug ;he Sue canal on the south, the
valley of the Euphrates on the east, and
| Asa Minor on the north, and hmy!a..d be-
| comes i.0t only master of the AledIter
raIean, but, with her powerful navy, she
is almost master of Europe and Of the
East The acquisition Of Cyprus Is,
speaking iftGr the manner of mcn filed
with The pride of country, the gramdeSt
accomplishment Of English diplomacy and
pluck for many decade past
! We note, uf course, that tla aeluisi-
ten Of Cyprus is, hy the terms Of the
| treaty conditional that England pFoll-
ises 10 restore it t. Turkey, whenever
| Russia restores Batoum, Nars and Er-
Zeroum. But Russia won these tr!umphs
after fegee and costly war while Eng
land wins hers by b.oodless diplomacy
t Russia, Of course, VII not abandon :hat
| So dearly gained, and England wall cling
! to Cyprus ,.ntil 3oIAe future war shall test
| her pcwcr to ii.aIutan The promised pro
tectorate over Asiatic Turkey. And that
such war is not far distant is conceded
by the ;tblest judges OF Europe. The
eastern Question will never be settled m
! TIL the Turks are driven ont Of Europe,
and his heritage divided, whether by
agreement OF by battle. Meanwhile Eng
| land takes up her new position on the
eastern Mediterranean, and Lord Bea-
conslield adds t. his many iaurels one
such as nuns before him have one s;ncc
Waterloo sealed viii. success the struggle
against Napoleon-
| Famagosta, the lannon's Cyprian ha.bor,
has history whose Outline viii be OF n
| t,rost iast nov. The original city Vas
built by Ptoiemy Philadelphus, in honor
| Of lis sister Arsinoe. After the battle OF
| Actium Augustus baptized it anew as
| Fama Augusta, whence It's present name
| OF Famaaosta- 1t was 4 town Of great
| importance during tie crusade, Richard
| Of tha Lion Heart having there presented
Guy de Lusi@nan with the crown Of Cy-
prus. In 1873 the town was taken by the
| Genoese, ard III l4S9 fell into the hands
| of the Nenetians, under whom 1t became
the rich and powerful city before-men-
! toned. The population Of the Island
(now 200, 900 is said to have exceeded
,OG0, $50 under the VeHetians-
Fanagosta lies on the east coast OF Cy-
prus, facing Acppo Oh the mainland
| Though the t0wn has d circumference ot
some two miles, it is now little more than
| a mass of ruins, the ancient streets being
| choked up, and the buildings mostly
| erumbled to the base. The fierce siege
| IF four months, By which the Turks cap
tured it, in 1911, accomplished much OF
this destruction, and the earthquake OF
| iT25 completed It. OF the two hundred
churches which the town formerly con-
tanned, but few ruined ones remain, but
some Of them very fna specimens OF
medi,eval architecture
1t viii require but a moderate expense
on the part of Great Britain to tit the
/ town for what she desires of it-a mil
tary and naval depot The Notifications
| erected by the OenOeSe ana ehe'iaiS are
still in a good state of preservation, with
bomb proofs intact, and cannon soundries
| in a condition which could soon be made
active. But the great advantage OF the
place to Great Britain lies IN the harbor-
It is a commodious land-loeked basin,
large enough TO accommodate navy, and
with eight fathoms Of water. The en-
| trance is narrow and somewhat sia!lower
the result of sand-dritfs that could be
easily dredged out. The island OF Cyprus
promises to become Of even greater as
sistanee to British supremacy IN the Med
iterranean than is Maltq II VIII 90 very
hard upon the Latin nations 10 let her
have it, but they are shorn OF their an
cient glory, and have not s.rength enough
! - ,-,.-;St o., T1J,Es