Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1878-11-20
NEW SERIES--VOL. 10, NO. 45.
THE FIASCo OF CYPRUS.
LORD BEACoNsFIELD's SPLENDID BUBBLE
PUNcTuRED BY MR. ARCHIBALD
FORBES.

PUYcTuRED BY Mr.. ARCHIBALD
FORBES.
In the current October number of
the Nineteenth Century the article that
will be most generally read, quoted,
and commented upon is the paper by
Archibald Forbes upon the British oc-
cupaton of Cyprus. Mr.. Forbes. as the
representative of his paper, the Daily
Neics, accompanied the corps of occu-
patton sent out from England to Cy.
prus under command ofSir Garnet VOL. |
seley He remained on the island
long enough to explore it thorough
ly, and to pass through a severe
experience Of the fever that is an
integral part Of its genial climate long
enough to perceive the very serious
disadvantages under which labored the
unfortunate Governor OF this new quasi
dependency of Great Britain. The re-
suit of his observations was duly com.
municated TO his paper in series of
letters, and the gist of these letters is
now presented in trenchant terms I'M
der the caption, "rhe Flasco ofCyprus.
His subject is divided into three inter
r. gatiye heads: | Under what con.
ditions are We there? H. With what
objects are we there Ill. 70 what
extent docs our being there fulfill these
objects? The first head IS disposed of
gllbly; 81 discovered to my disgust,
writes Mr.. Forbes, "that, so far from
being the proud owners of new ac-
QUESTION, we are mere tenants at will
and, to make matters worse, are ex-
pressly barred from claiming on evic-
tion compensation for improvements.
Or, rather, our position is that of a
brokers man in possession under fic-
titious judgment, liable at any time 10
be kicked out without receiving the
halLcrown day Of aliment mon
ey.' The answer to the second in
quiry is thus summarized "The avow-
ed objects, then, of our occupation 0!
Cyprus, setting aside its blessing as a
great civilizing instrument, are first in
order to enable England to make ne
cessary provision for executing her en-
gagement with Turkey TO join her in
defensive warfare against Russia in
case OF aggression by that power on
Asia Minor and, secondly, an element
of protection against Russian advances
in the direction OF our Indian empire,
or Russian Vaccinations against the
safety thereof and of our communiea-
tions herewith" The answer that
Mr.. Forbes gives TO the third head Of
inquiry, "To what extent does our oc-
cupation of Cyprus fulfill these obiectsl"
may be condensed into the pointed
sentence: The occupation Of Cyprus
does not fulfill these objects to any ex-
tent at all on the contrary it does
nothing to further any one OF them that
might not have been better done in
some other way. The one sidedness Of
Anglo. Turkish Convention - binding
England to aid Turkey in repelling
Russian aggression, but placing Turkey
nnderthe reciprocal obligation to refrain
from Russian alliance nor to assist
England should Russia make further ad-
vances in Central Asia--is dwelt upon
in a manner that must make itself felt
even through the thick skin OF Con-
servauve Ministry. Not less sharply
is assaied the absurdity, geographical
ly, of the position taken with the avow-
cd object of thwarting a Russian ad-
vance, east Of the Caspian, upon India
and in this connection with Lord
Northbrook's grave wituclsm is quot
cd "To undertake hostilties in the
right rear Of the enemy is not precise.
" the way to defend a country" Mr..
Forbes puts tho case even more
strongly when be says that the House
Minister Mr.. Cross appears to have
been acquainted with and learned strat.
egic lessons from the ingenious indivi
dual who flanked the whole habitable
globe by the simple cxpedient of going
npin aballoon." Financially, of course,
there is nothing to be said in favor OF
Cyprus--a country utterly destitute OF
available resources. 1t is a bad invest
ment, and there is no good reason for
believing that it will improve The
only money that can accrue to Eng.
land is from the increase in revenue
resulting from q better administration
and thus surplus does not go 10 the
nation, but is pledged to the individual
Englishmcn who are holders OF Turk
ish bonds. As to the deadly climate,
enough is known to render any quota
tions on that head superhuoHs. In q
word Bricks are not to be made with
out straw in Cyprus any more than in
Egypt While asserting to all that
Mr.. Forbes has TO urge against the
blunder, not TO say crime, committed
by the present Ministry in utterng the
Cyprus scheme, il il probable that
sober. minded folk will think twice be-
fore asserting once TO the gratuitous
advance that he throws in by way Of
climax. 1t is characteristic bit of
bluster however, and probably repre-
sents tho feeling entertained by a
very large number of truo Britons.
safety, then, equally from danger, real
or fancied, in our front, and from pos
sibc chaos in our rear, lies in the mill.
tary occupation OF Aighanistan. 1t is
from Cobu and Herat that the words,
Thus far and no further r. will resound
with effect alike to ST. Petersburg and
through the bazars OF llindostan-out
from miserable island in dead angle
of the i sditerranean."