The　direct　benefit　to　the　Cypriotes　conferred　by　the　British　occupation
  was　exhibited　in　the　sudden　rise　of　value　both　in　real　property　and　in
  labour。　The　rental　of　houses　within　the　principal　towns　was　trebled；　and
  it　would　be　difficult　to　establish　an　average　price　of　land　either　in
  towns；　or　upon　the　outskirts；　as　the　prices　demanded　have　been　in　most
  instances　fictitious；　representing　the　desires　of　the　seller；　but　in　no
  way　verifying　the　actual　selling　value。　I　have　only　heard　of　a　few　small
  plots　that　have　changed　hands　at　quadruple　their　former　estimate；　and　as
  a　rule　there　are　few　buyers　during　this　period　of　uncertainty　respecting
  the　permanence　of　our　occupation；　but　owners　hold　out　in　the　hope　of　an
  ultimate　decision　in　favour　of　British　absolute　possession。　In　the　town
  of　Limasol　there　has　been　a　decided　rise　in　the　general　value　of
  property；　which　is　due　to　the　steady　improvement　of　the　trade；　and　does
  not　represent　a　mere　speculative　impulse　as　in　Larnaca；　which　has
  suffered　by　a　subsequent　reaction。　The　municipal　receipts　of　Limasol
  have　increased　from　207　pounds　sterling　in　the　twelve　months　ending　30th
  September；　1878；　to　1718　pounds　in　the　ten　months　of　1879。　This　has
  certainly　been　due　to　the　energy　of　Colonel　Warren；　R。　A。；　the　chief
  commissioner　of　the　district；　to　whom　I　am　indebted　for　all　statistics
  connected　with　the　locality。
  The　position　of　a　district　chief　commissioner　was　by　no　means　enviable
  in　Cyprus。　The　pay　was　absurdly　small；　and　he　was　obliged　to　institute
  reforms　both　for　sanitary　and　municipal　interests　which　necessitated　an
  outlay；　and　increased　the　local　taxation。　The　population　had　been　led　to
  expect　a　general　diminution　of　imposts　upon　the　suddenly…conceived
  British　occupation；　and　the　Cypriotes　somewhat　resembled　the　frogs　in
  the　fable　when　the　new　King　Log　arrived　with　a　tremendous　splash　which
  created　waves　of　hope　upon　the　surface　of　the　pool；　but　subsided　into
  disappointment；　they　found　that　improvements　cost　money；　and　that
  British　reforms；　although　they　bestowed　indirect　benefits；　were
  accompanied　by　a　direct　expenditure。　The　calm　apathy　of　a　Cypriote　is
  not　easily　disturbed；　he　is　generally　tolerably　sober；　or　if　drunk；　he
  is　seldom　the　〃WORSE　for　liquor；〃　but　rather　the　better；　as　his　usual
  affectionate　disposition　may　be　slightly　exaggerated；　instead　of
  becoming　pugnacious　and　abusive　like　the　inebriated　Briton。　There　are　no
  people　more　affectionate　in　their　immediate　domestic　circle；　or　more
  generally　courteous　and　gentle；　than　the　Cypriotes；　but　like　a　good　many
  English　people；　they　have　an　aversion　to　increased　taxation。　Thus；
  although　the　British　commissioners　of　districts　vied　with　each　other　in
  a　healthy　ambition　to　exhibit　a　picture　of　paradise　in　their　special
  localities；　the　people　grumbled　at　the　cost　of　cleanliness　and　health
  within　their　towns；　and　would　have　preferred　the　old　time　of
  manure…heaps　and　bad　smells　gratis　to　the　new　regime　of　civilisation　for
  which　they　had　to　pay。
  The　Greek　element　is　generally　combustible；　and　before　the　first　year　of
  our　occupation　had　expired　various　causes　of　discontent　awakened
  Philhellenic　aspirations；　a　society　was　organised　under　the　name　of　the
  〃Cypriote　Fraternity；〃　as　a　political　centre　from　which　emissaries　would
  be　employed　for　the　formation　of　clubs　in　various　districts　with　the
  object　of　inspiring　the　population　with　the　noble　desire　of　adding
  Cyprus　to　the　future　Greek　kingdom。　Corfu　had　been　restored　to　Greece；
  why　should　not　Cyprus　be　added　to　her　crown？　There　would　be　sympathisers
  in　the　British　Parliament；　some　of　whom　had　already　taken　up　the　cause
  of　the　Greek　clergy　in　their　disputes　with　the　local　authorities；　and
  the　Greeks　of　the　island　had　discovered　that　no　matter　what　the　merits
  of　their　case　might　be；　they　could　always　depend　upon　some　members　of
  the　House　of　Commons　as　their　advocates；　against　the　existing　government
  and　their　own　countrymen。　Under　these　favourable　conditions　for
  political　agitation　the　〃Cypriote　Fraternity〃　has　commenced　its
  existence。　I　do　not　attach　much　importance　to　this　early　conceived
  movement；　as　Greeks；　although　patriotic；　have　too　much　shrewdness　to
  sacrifice　an　immediate　profit　for　a　prospective　shadow。　The　island
  belongs　at　this　moment　to　the　Sultan；　and　the　English　are　simply　tenants
  under　stipulated　conditions。　Before　Cyprus　could　belong　to　Greece　it
  must　be　severed　from　the　Ottoman　Empire；　and　should　England　be
  sufficiently　wayward　to　again　present　herself　to　the　world　as　the
  spoiled　child　of　fortune；　and　deliver　over　her　new　acquisition　according
  to　the　well…remembered　precedent　of　Corfu；　the　monetary　value　of　all
  property　in　Cyprus　would　descend　to　zero；　and　the　〃Cypriote　Fraternity；〃
  if　householders　or　landowners；　would　raise　the　Greek　standard　over
  shattered　fortunes。
  The　total　of　population　within　the　entire　district　of　Limasol　in　1879
  represented　23；530；　comprising　12；159　males　and　11；371　females；　of　all
  ages。
  The　following　list　is　the　official　enumeration　of　animals　and　trees
  within　the　same　province：
  ANIMALS。
  Cattle。　　　Mules。　　　　Horses。　　　　Donkeys。　　　　Pigs。　　　　Goats。　　　　Sheep。
  6；006　　　　　1；812　　　　　　1；129　　　　　　　4；026　　　　2；138　　　　19；896　　　　11；790
  TREES。
  Caroubs。　　　　Olives。　　　　　Walnuts。
  267；779　　　　　114；413　　　　　　　　　957
  Natural　pine　and　Cyprus　forests；　with　oak；　&c。；　not　counted。
  VINEYARDS。
  Cultivated　land。　　　　　　Uncultivated　land。
  40；642　donums。　　　　114；650　donums。　　　　　　　　　21；180　donums。
  According　to　this　official　statistical　representation　the　cultivated
  land　would　be　in　proportion　to　the　population　about　five　donums；　or　two
  and　a　half　acres；　per　individual。
  The　question　of　ownership　of　lands　will　eventually　perplex　the
  government　to　a　greater　extent　than　many　persons　would　imagine；　and　the
  difficulty　attending　the　verification　of　titles　will　increase　with　every
  year's　delay。
  Before　the　British　occupation；　land　was　of　little　value；　and　an　extreme
  looseness　existed　in　the　description　of　boundaries　and　landmarks。　In　the
  absence　of　fences　the　Cypriote　can　generally　encroach　upon　any　land
  adjoining　his　limit；　should　it　belong　to　the　state。　Every　season　he　can
  drive　his　plough　a　few　paces　further　into　his　neighbour's　holding；
  unless　prevented；　until　by　degrees　he　succeeds　in　acquiring　a
  considerable　accession。　The　state　is　the　sufferer　to　an　enormous　extent
  by　many　years　of　systematic　invasion。　Forest　land　has　been　felled　and
  cleared　by　burning；　and　the　original　site　is　now　occupied　by　vineyards。
  The　bribery　and　corruption　that　pervaded　all　classes　of　officials　prior
  to　the　British　occupation　enabled　an　individual　to　silence　the　local
  authority；　while　he　in　many　instances　more　than　doubled　his　legal
  holding。　The　absence　of　defined　boundaries　has　facilitated　these
  encroachments。　According　to　an　official　report　this　difficulty　is　dwelt
  upon　most　forcibly　as　requiring　immediate　investigation。　The　vague
  definition　in　title…deeds；　which　simply　mentions　the　number　of　donums；
  affords　no　means　of　proving　an　unjust　extension；　such　terms　are　used　as
  〃the　woods　bounded　by　a　hill；〃　or　〃the　woods　bounded　by　uncultivated
  land；〃　and　this　indefinite　form　of　expression　leaves　a　margin　of
  frontier　that　is　practically　without　limit；　unless　the　invader　may　be
  stopped　by　arriving　within　a　yard　of　his　nearest　neighbour。　My
  informant；　Colonel　Warren；　R。　A。；　chief　commissioner　of　Limasol；　assured
  me　that　some　holders　of　land　in　his　district；　whose　titles　show　an
  amount　of　ninety　donums；　lay　claim　to　ten　times　the　area。　There　is
  hardly　a　proprietor　who　does　not　occupy　a　ridiculous　surplus　when
  compared　with　his　title…deeds；　and　the　encroachments　are　even　now
  proceeding。
  This　system　of　land…robbery　was　connived　at　by　the　officials　for　a
  〃CONSIDERATION；〃　old　title…deeds　were　exchanged　for　new　on　the
  application　of　the　holder；　and　the　seals　of　the　venal　authorities
  rendered　them　valid；　at　the　same　time　that　hundreds　of　acres　were
  fraudulently　transferred　from　the　state。　When　the　intention　of　a　British
  occupation　was　made　public；　a　general　rush　was　made　for　obtaining　an
  excess　over　the　amount　defined　in　the　title…deeds；　by　the　swindling
  method；　and　the　extent　to　which　this　plunder　was　extended　may　be
  imagined　from　the　fact　that　40；000　such　documents　were　awaiting　the
  necessary　signatures　when；　by　the　arrival　of　the　British　officials；　the
  Turkish　authority；　who　could　not　sign　the　deeds　with　sufficient
  expedition；　was　dismissed；　and　the　false　titles　were　invalidated。
  The　monasteries　and　the　vacouf　（Turkish　religious　lands）　lay　claim　to
  lands　of　vast　and　undefined　extent；　which　are　mystified　by　titles　and
  gifts　for　charitable　purposes；　surrounded　with　clouds　of　obscure　usages
  and　ancient　rules　that　will　afford　a　boundless　field　for　litigation。　In
  fact；　the　existing　government　has　arrived　at　the　unpleasant　position　of
  being　excluded　from　the　land；　nearly　all　of　which　is　claimed　either　by
  individuals　or　religious　institutions。
  The　arrangement　of　this　most　serious　question　will　stir　up　a　nest　of
  hornets。　The　equi