CYPRUS [To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] • SIR, 7 -4 have
just seen in the Spectator of May 9th a paragraph about Cyprus on the occasion of the new Constitution of the Island by which Cyprus became a British Colony. May I be allowed to add a few remarks which would help, I think, your readers to understand more clearly the Cyprus question and the aims of the natives ?
No increase in the representation of Moslem in the Legis- lative Council was introduced by the new Constitution because Moslems are only one sixth of the whole population of the Island ; instead of this an increase of the non-Moslem members (i.e., Greek Orthodox) of the Legislative Council is introduced by the Proclamation of May 1st. (Greek Orthodox are four-sixths of the population.) But this increase is no material one because on the other side an increase of the official members is introduced. Furthermore no material reform is introduced by the new Constitution of May 1st. The annual payment of £45,000 to shareholders of Ottoman loans will be continued. This tribute is not excused after the annexation of Cyprus in 1914. Under the" Secret Treaty of Great Britain and Turkey " of 1878 Cyprus was handed over to Great Britain for administration but remained a part of the Ottoman Empire, and the Cypriotes used to pay an annual tribute to H.M. the Sultan of £90,000. After the Annexation this tribute was not excused by any international act. The portion of " OttoMan National debt " for every country which formed a part of the Ottoman Empire is not yet fixed, and for this reason neither Palestine nor Syria and Mesopotamia are paying their portion. The so-named " agitation " of the people of Cyprus is nothing else but the reasonable aspiration for a present self-government and the wish that Great Britain will help Cyprus as it did the Itinian Isles to be united with Greece with which it is nationally connected. The Cypriotes are protesting against the indifference of the British Government by which Cyprus, after forty-eight years under British rule, has no ports and the foreign mails arrive from Port Said twenty hours' distance from Cyprus only thrice a month.
As one of the Spectator's great friends and ancient readers in Cyprus, I hope that my letter, pro Cyprus, will be published in one of your future issues.—I am, Sir, &c., [We publish this expression of Cypriot opinion because so little is known of it at home : but with the chief " aspir- ation " we are in hearty disagreement.—En. Spectator.]
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