The Trade Of Cyprus Will Always Be Carried
By Vessels From Twenty To One Hundred And Fifty Tons, And There Should
Be No Difficulty In Providing Shelter For Ships Of This Small Draught Of
Water.
The ruins of Soli, on the west of the present village of
Caravastasi, prove that the Athenians, who founded
The original city,
were thoroughly cognizant of the value of a position which is the only
spot upon the whole northern coast of Cyprus that will afford shelter or
a landing-place, excepting the harbour of Kyrenia. In the early period
of Cyprian history Soli represented one of the independent kingdoms when
the island was divided into ten, Amathus, Cerinea (Kyrenia), Citium,
Chytri, Curium, Lapithas, Marium, Nea-Paphos, Salamis, and Soli. The
Phoenicians, from their own southern position, naturally selected the
ports most convenient for their trade, and accordingly settled on the
south coast of Cyprus, their chief towns being Amathus, Citium, and
Paphos; these were important commercial ports at a time when Cyprus was
in its zenith of prosperity, and were sufficient for the requirements of
the period. If the British occupation is intended to be permanent it
will be highly necessary to determine the classes of harbours that
should be provided, as it would be a useless extravagance to expend
large sums upon the construction of ports beyond the necessities of the
trade. As I have already expressed an opinion that the commerce of
Cyprus will be represented by vessels of moderate tonnage, the necessary
protection for such vessels may be obtained at an equally moderate
outlay, and both Soli and Kyrenia may be made available as safe harbours
for all traders upon the northern coast. Famagousta would become the
arsenal and dockyard for ships of war; Larnaca and Limasol would be safe
roadsteads for all classes, and could easily be arranged to protect
small trading-vessels; while Baffo would, like Kyrenia and Soli, be
restored to its original position. All rudimentary harbour-works would
be planned with a view to future extension, as might be rendered
necessary by the development of trade.
Colonel White, 1st Royal Scots, who had been appointed chief
commissioner of the Lefkosia district from his former similar position
at Larnaca, arrived at Caravastasi upon the same day as ourselves. This
very painstaking and energetic officer was exploring his district and
investigating all the nooks and corners of the mountainous frontier
which bounded his authority; he was accordingly assailed with complaints
and lamentations concerning the endless water disputes among the
villages; those of the lower ground declaring that the streams to which
they were entitled by the rights of centuries had been diverted to other
channels, that the Turkish authorities had been bribed by the opposing
litigants; with the usual long list of grievances, the discussion of
which I shall defer to a special chapter upon "Irrigation."
CHAPTER VIII.
ROUTE TO BAFFO.
Our tent was pitched upon rising ground, which formed the direct slope
from the sea, a quarter of a mile distant, to the mountain-top about
1500 or 2000 feet above us; the insignificant village of Caravastasi was
upon the sea-beach in our immediate front.
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