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Selected and rare materials, excerpts and observations from ancient, medieval and contemporary authors, travelers and researchers about Cyprus.
 
 
 
 
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GIOVANNI MARITI
Travels in the Island of Cyprus
page 139

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CHAPTER XXIII. OF THE VARIOUS OFFICERS OF THE CONSULATES AND THEIR FUNCTIONS. THE chancellors of consulates are generally subjects of the Power represented. Their duties are to keep a register of all acts done in the chancery, to examine ships' papers, and to hand them to the captains who sail for Europe, annexing to them their bills of lading and of health. They may extract and seal copies of acts done in the chancery. The consul verifies his chancellor's signature, and his attestation is accepted in the law courts and elsewhere. The chancellors are not doctors of law, but are mere secretaries of the con-sulates. Official dragomans are employed and paid to translate the languages of the East either verbally, or from documents. They must be always at the consul's call, and carry his messages to governors or judges. At a public audience, though the consul may speak Eastern languages perfectly, he must invariably address a Turk in his own tongue, and the dragoman must interpret his words. All negotiations, however great their importance, are conducted by a dragoman, who is then accompanied by a janissary. Another kind of dragoman is called beratli iparattaro) from the berat or diploma given him by the Porte. These are always Ottoman subjects,

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