There is a rare muddle in Cyprus. Sir Garnet Wolseley
does not clearly know whether he serves the Queen or the Sultan, and hesitates to take the State lands, and to remedy the admitted defects in the administration of justice. The Turkish Judges getting no bribes, are striking for more pay, the criminal law is badly enforced, and one Cadi has calmly continued to reject Christian evidence,—and has not been punished. The Turkish Government granted, in view of the cession, all manner of rights over forests and other public estates, and the Christians assert that the Farmers-General have received payment of taxes in advance. Moreover, it is doubtful whether goods imported from Turkey ought not to be admitted duty free, as Cyprus in theory is Turkish. All this could be remedied in an hour, by admitting that Cyprus is English ; but the Government hesitates, fearing apparently to add strength to the feeling in Constantinople that the Sultan is a traitor. As at Batoum, however, so in Cyprus, the rise in values consequent on the abolition of direct Turkish rule has been enormous. In Batoum land and houses were tripled in value in a week, and in Cyprus the rise has been sevenfold. One banker, M. Zarify, of Constantinople, who had early infor- mation of the cession, bought for £40,000 real property now saleable fot £300,000.
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