1879-80 was 148,3617., reached the considerable sum of 341,8167. in 1913-14, although in consequence of the War it fell in 1914-15 to 290,1107. The following table shows the total revenue and expenditure for the year ending March 31, 1915 (High Commissioner's Report):

Revenue from occupation to March 31, 1915, exclu

sive of Grants in aid.

Grants in aid from British Treasury

£

7,926,849

1,247,085

9,173,984

Expenditure exclusive of share of Turkish Tribute 5,662,381
Turkish Debt Charge payments

3,347,588

But against this Surplus must be charged Turkish
Tribute due on July 31, 1915

51,799

The currency in circulation at the occupation consisted of Qäimé, a paper currency, and copper, for which has been substituted a copper piastre of 180 to the pound sterling. The coinage now consists of the pound sterling, silver pieces of 18, 9, 4 and 3 piastres, and copper pieces of 1, and piastres respectively. The 18 piastre piece represents practically the English florin, and the 9 piastres the shilling, and so on.

Trade. In 1878 the total value of Trade, including exports and imports, amounted to 334,970. By 1883-4 it had increased to 634,3937., and in 1911 it reached its zenith, with a total of 1,338,2301., but fell in 1913 to 1,239,9291. The principal cause of the decrease in 1913 was a falling-off of 72,7231. in the value of caroubs exported, owing to disease and a poor crop, caroubs being the chief item of export. The War seriously affected the total for 1914-15, but in 1915-16 the aggregate reached 1,238,5091., an increase on 1914 of 244,9891. The chief articles of export in 1885-6 were, as now, caroubs, wheat, barley, chopped straw, linseed, sesame, wine, spirits, raisins, fruit, vegetables, wool, hides, raw cotton, silk cocoons, sumac, cheeses, sponges, gypsum, terra umbra, and latterly asbestos.

The Imperial Ottoman Bank, which had branches

and agencies in Cyprus at the occupation, is still the principal establishment of its kind. The Bank of Athens has, however, opened branches in the principal towns ; and in 1906 an Agricultural Bank, which had been popularly demanded for some years, was constituted to lend money to the peasants engaged in agriculture at a limited rate of interest.

As a trader, the Cypriote peasant is hard to beat, even for members of the Jewish race. It is said that certain Jews, who had visited Cyprus with intent to trade, gave a piastre to their donkey-boy to get something to eat, something to drink, and something to feed the ass with. The boy, having returned with half a water-melon bought with half a piastre, told them to eat the flesh, drink the juice, and give the rind to the donkey. The Jews departed with all speed to a more ingenuous land.

Agriculture. The cultivation of cereals on primitive lines was in 1878, and still is, essentially the principal industry of the island; and most of the Arazi land is held by the peasants as proprietors, whose oxen still tread out the corn as in Biblical times. In some places the métayer system prevails. There are about 1,100,000 acres of cultivated land, and it is estimated that some 325,000 acres are still susceptible of cultivation. A Department of Agriculture, staffed by a Director and other Assistants, including a veterinary surgeon, is endeavouring with some success to induce the farmers to adopt the use of manures and improved implements and systems. An experimental farm, started in 1903, was in 1907 converted into a stock and horse-breeding establishment, by means of which the general standard of stock and the indigenous ponies have been much improved. The Government has also started ostrich breeding, an experiment so far not attended with quite the success anticipated. Cattle, horses, sheep, pigs and poultry are, however, demonstrating, by their improvement in character and value, the wisdom of the Government efforts.

The cultivation of the vine, which extends over a large area, produces red and white wines of various types, forming one of the main staples of Cyprus trade. The application of sulphur to the vines has been made compulsory, and the extension of vine disease has thus

been greatly lessened. The manufacture of wine is still generally primitive; but an English company, now established for some twenty years, buys up the peasants' grapes and makes wine of a better character. Excellent brandy is also manufactured at Limassol. The value of wine exported in 1879 was 31,6007.; in 1880 it reached 46,4007., rose to 53,6857. in 1911, but fell again to 43,0607. in 1913. These figures do not show any great increase in the output of wine, but there seems to have been a considerable enlargement of the production of raisins in later years, for whereas, in 1911, the value of raisins exported amounted to 29,6361., it increased in 1913 to 39,0021. This seems to show that it pays better to transform the splendid black grape of Cyprus into dried fruit than to manufacture wine.

Irrigation, as a Government undertaking, has not apparently been attended with the success expected, partly owing to the thrifty habits of the peasants, who wait for rain until the last moment,' and partly owing to the evaporation consequent on summer storage. It appears that only some 600 acres of summer crop in the shape of cotton are grown. The peasants have their own rough methods of irrigation-water-wheels lifting the water in chatties from wells, chains of wells, the diversion of flood-water by channels conducting it from a dam in a river-bed or from a spring to the land requiring water. There is no question that irrigation works wonders on the arid surface of the soil and amply repays its cost. Convinced of this, Government formed its first reservoir at Synkrasi; and others have since been completed. But the system of storage irrigation does not seem to commend itself to the villagers; and reclaimed lands attached to the reservoirs are but slowly taken up. In one of the reservoirs also the water has proved brackish and unsuitable for watering crops. The State only takes a small fraction of the total increased production,' while a considerable outlay is involved in paying compensation for land; the prospect of financial success is therefore uncertain at present.

Cyprus has been smitten with the plague of locusts from time immemorial; and remedies for it engaged the attention of the English Government soon after the occupation. Each year the screen and pit' method

suggested by M. Mattei has been applied; and by means of this plan and by purchase of the eggs and the insects themselves at the suitable seasons the scourge was practically eradicated, but at a considerable expenditure, which was met by a Locust Tax. The surplus funds arising from this tax, which was in existence for some years, have afforded a convenient reservoir for unexpected emergencies. In later years, on a recrudescence of the plague, treatment by means of noxious chemicals has been tried, but met with objection from the peasants. compromise has been effected, under which this treatment is only applied to places where there is no risk to the villagers' animals, while the old system of purchasing eggs and insects in their immature stage is resorted to elsewhere.

Forestry. In ancient days Cyprus was no doubt rich in timber, and its mountain districts were clothed with trees varying with the altitude. In 1878 the condition of the so-called forests was deplorable; and it was clear that strong steps, aided by scientific knowledge and a Government Department, must at once be taken to remedy and stop the cause of destruction permitted by our Ottoman predecessors. Sir Samuel Baker, who was touring the island in 1879 and wrote his book there, describes the scene of wanton destruction and desolation which he witnessed, and which the writer can recall as still visible in 1883:

'Huge trees were to be found lying prone everywhere, their bases having probably been severed to form water or pigtroughs. Giants of the forest reared their gaunt and withered heads, their massive boles notched, seared and burnt in the effort to extract tar and resin by fire as they stood. Goats in thousands revelled on the young trees, and forest fires left their dismal traces, while the villagers who sought timber took it with the adze in most extravagant fashion at their own sweet will.'

An Ordinance was passed in 1879 for the delimitation and preservation of the forests; and successive Forest Officers sought by prosecution in the Courts to remedy some of the abuses, while the forest areas were gradually delimited and settled. They now extend to some 700 square miles. The trees consist principally of the Aleppo

pine, but, at an elevation of 4000 ft and over, of the Pinus Laricio. Large tracts are also covered with the Quercus alnifolia, which is much in demand for making native ploughs and carts, while the Arbutus flourishes in many places on the slopes of the hills and is used in the manufacture of rough furniture. With very small sums voted annually to the Department, protection was the only course open to those in charge; and no progress in artificial reafforestation was made till many years after the occupation. Since 1907 special tree-planting has made considerable progress, some 300 miles of fire-paths have been made, and goats will gradually be excluded altogether by means of legislation passed in 1913 on the principle of local option for each village. The police protection has on the whole always been good, and there is no doubt that the forests of Cyprus are now in a fair way to recovery, and are likely to become an added source of beauty and prosperity to the island. It may be interesting to note in this connexion that the rainfall appears of late years to have increased.

Minerals.-Copper mining in the old Roman days was no doubt the principal mining industry, and attempts have been and are still being made to revive it. A company has also been started for exploiting the asbestos found on Mount Tröodos, which has turned out to be a merchantable commodity. Oil and various minerals are being prospected for under permit; and there is evidently ground for the belief prevalent among practical geologists that further discoveries will be made.

Public Health.-A Chief Medical Officer, with subordinates, is in charge of the public health of the island; they have six hospitals with dispensaries under their care, as also a lunatic asylum constructed on the isolatedblock system about a mile outside Nicosia. Much has been done by scientific investigation and practical action to fight the mosquito and thus to lessen the extent of malarial fever; and the general health of the island has unquestionably improved under the care and supervision of the British medical direction.

Before the occupation only a limited provision was made for the numerous lepers found in the island. These are now segregated in a large area of enclosed land partly cultivated as a farm, with housing accommodation