View PDF version of this page

1)R UMMOND. 2H1 The trade and produce of this island do not amount to the tenth part of what they might yield were they in the hands of industrious people, governed by just and equitable laws, aud the property so secured as that their children should enjoy the fruits of their ingenuity and labour. 1 intended to give yon a particular account of the import and export of the island, at a medium of throe years, with a view of the yearly produce, aud for this purpose made application to some of the custom-house people, who could not afford me the satisfaction I desired: however, I have reason to think that what follows is pretty exact; because it conies from those who have the best opportunity of knowing every particular. And indeed it is scarce worth while to know more than that the island annually produces from 30,000 to 40,000 okes of silk, amounting to about 110,000 lbs. English weight, each oke weighing about 2r lbs. 3,000 quintals of cotton, of ISO okes each, which we shall call 750 tons; and about 500 quintals, or 125 tons of sheep's wool : abont double the quantity of the dying drug which they call aiieari> and we term madder, unmanufactured: of the brown fossil, called by us umber, and by them petra ton Troulloua, which is used as a ground paint, there is an inexhaustible store in the mountains, and about 500 tons may be yearly exported: of the carob bean or Keratfat 500 quintals or 125 tons are exported to Dannata and Alexandria, whence it is carried to Grand Cairo, and almost every part of ./Egypt. All the other merchandizes go to different parts of Europe; viz. Britain, France, Holland and Venice; wliat goes to other places is inconsiderable. They likewise export wine to the amount of 365,000 couzai, or 973,333 gallons, a couza being equal to 2f gallons : the greater part of this article is carried to Venice, for the wines of the countries around that city are very bad, and this can be brewed to advantage. The whole of the wine harvest or vintage may be reckoned at 800,000 couzai, or 2,131,131 gallons, equal to 33,862 hogsheads; as the worst vintage, barring accidents, yields abont 750,000 couzai, and the best never produces more than 900,000; so that making the computation at one fourth of a piastre per couza to the farmer-proprietor, the value of the vintage will amount to P. 200,000, or £25,000 per annum : yet, properly speaking, it yields a great deal more to the island, because the longer the wine is kept upon the gross lees the more valuable it becomes; insomuch that, although I fix it at the rate of P. \ per couza, yet immense quantities are sold for double that price, and even for P. 3 per couza. The inhabitants moreover export considerable quantities of hams, bacon, goat-milk cheese, biscuits, vermicelli, macaroni Ac. which it is impossible to ascertain. Estimate of the export from Cyprus. 865,000 couzai of wine of wine at P. 1£ per eonza P. 547,500 „ silk „ „ 7 „ oke „ 280,000 „ cotton „ ,, 25 „ quintal „ 225,030 „ madder „ „ 50 „ „ „ 50,000 „ sheep's wool „ „ 23 ,, „ „ 11,500 „ earobs „ „ 2£ „ „ „ 1,250 „ Terra umbra „ „ 1 „ ton „ 500 40,000 okes „ silk 3,000 quintals „ cotton 1,000 „ „ madde 500 „ „ sheep'i 500 „ „ earobs 500 tons „ Terra £139,46S. 15. 0. P. 1,115,750 By the laws all goods ought to pay an import of 3 per centum ad valorem, when imported or exported: so that the duties of the above mentioned commodities should amount to P. 33,372; yet I am well informed that the whole of the cnstoins, free of the charges of 36

View PDF version of this page