The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1878-08-03
Cyprus.

The island has an area of 4, 900 square
miles Its greatest length from Baffa
in the northwest to Cape Andrea in the
northeast, is 140 miles. aud its greatest
breadth is 60 miles. Population. 600.
O00
The history of Cyprus takes us back
to the morning of civilization. Coloniz-
ed by the PhGnicians. conquered by the
Greeks, wrested from them by the
Egyptians, seized next by the Persians,
made a part of the Macedonian King
dom after the victory of Alexander,
subsequently incorporated into the
Greco-Egyptial Kingdom of the Ptole-
mics, it formed still later portion of
the Roman and Byzantine Empires. 1t
was conquered by the Arabs in the
seventh century, and was known as the
Kingdom of Cyprus in the era of the
Crussdes. when, for the reported wreck
ing, robbing and imprisonment of some
of his people. while sick at Rhodes,
Richard the Lion-Hesrted, visited the
island with his wrath, captured Isaac.
the Comuenian Prince. who styled him
self Emperor of the Island, aud carried
him of to castle on the coast of Pales-
tine. For time it formed part of
the Latin Kingdom of Palestine, and
the name of Cyprus was added to the
title of the Christian Kings of Jeru-
salem. 1t was in fact q possession of
the knights Templar until after various
vicissitudes. the Venetians obtained and
held it. till it was wrested from them
by the Turks
The contentious over it in ancient
times were not merely because it was
fruitful in recourses. but because 1t was
Indispensable. as Curtiustin his History
of Greece observed. to any state desir
Gus of commanding the seas between
Asia Minor. PhGnicia and Egypt. 1t
supplied mercenaries, always good
sailors. to any Power that could pay
we'll for them. 1t furnished Hiram of
Tyre with craftsmen. some of whom
doubtless were sent to Jerusa lem to
assist his great friend Solomon in the
building of the Temple.
When the Greeks of Asia Minor rose
against their Persian oppressors, the
Greeks of Cyprus offered no assistance,
but served in the armies of the Persian
monarch. A hundred years later there
was q Hellenic revolt on the island
under the leadership of1Guagorss, one
of the Princes of the nine petty king
doms into which the island vas then
divided. Euagoras had formed con-
siderable fleet. and was rapidly making
himself master of the island when Ar
tsxerxes, the Persian monarch. fearing
he might become too powerful. collect
ed AL lonan fleet greater than had been
since the time of Nerxes. A great naval
battle was fought. in which Euagoras
was defeated. blockaded in Salamis,
and finally brought tn terms by the
Persians, whose vassal be became. Had
Cyprus assisted the Greeks in their
raising, the Persian power would have
been broker, and the disasters of her
own conquest would have Teen sverted.
To-day Cyprus has the same COM
nanding position in the Levant that
she had when the triremes Of Euagoras
crowded the port OF Sslamis. As
base of operation. either for the collec-
tion of an army or fleet. to protect
the Suez Canal. to threaten or defend
the ports of Egypt. or 10 dispatch an
armed force to any part of Asia Minor
or Palestine. none better could have
been selected in the Mediterranean.
The cession of Cyprus TO England is,
therefore, q very significant event. lt
fully offsets any advantage RUssis may
Gain bv the extentIor of her Caucasian
frontier over the eastern portion OF Ar
men,s. 1t will make splendid rem
dezvous for troops ordered from India.
and as a station for English men-of-
war in the Levant or the -Egean Sea,
or in any part of the Eastern MediteI.
ranean. il is more convenient than
either Malta or Gibraltar. How the
eession of so important position III the
great inland sea of Europe will DC re
garded. especially by France. who has
no small interest in the Suez Canal ana
in Egyptian affairs generally, remains