could be conceived. With the famed quality of the grape, its cheapness, (about three-fourths of a cent per pound,) and the capacity of the island for its production, the manufacture of wines for exportation would be most remunerative; but when ten per cent. upon the raw material and twenty-five upon the manufactured is devoured by the government there is left a small margin for profit. It is hoped, however, that this onerous duty will soon be removed. The comparatively large revenue from this island, amounting to fifteen millions of piasters, is due to her great agricultural resources. The soil is of the most rich and fertile character, and is capable of raising to perfection almost all agricultural productions. The level nature of the country renders transportation easy; and the absence of all predatory tribes, with the inoffensiveness of both its Greek and Turkish population, render life and property secure in every part of the island. It is sad, however, to report that, although favored with every natural advantage, its agricultural resources are comparatively undeveloped. Scarcely the fifteenth part of the arable land is under cultivation, and, in addition to this large amount of unproductive soil, it may be added that the portion under cultivation does not produce one-half of its capacity, when it is remembered that the island supported a population of two millions under the Venetians, and was also at the same time the great granary of Syria. Last year the island was obliged to import largely to support a population of only one hundred and eighty thousand inhabitants! Agriculture has suffered fearfully from the ravages of the locust for many years past, and there is not enough energy and public spirit on the part of the inhabitants, or interest manifested by the government, to take effective measures for the destruction of this ruinous scourge. The chief products of this island are wheat, barley, cotton, linseed, sesame, madder root, and grapes. The wheat is small grained and hard, resembling the Russian wheat, and brought to market largely mixed with earth and other extraneous substances. The barley is of a very superior quality, finer even than the Egyptian, and sold at low prices. The capacity of the island for the production of cotton is great, but the cultivation is much neglected. According to "Mariti," Cyprus under the Venetian rule exported 30,000 bales, or 6,600,000 pounds; but the amount at present exported, even during the most favorable years, scarcely amounts to 6,000 bales, or 1,320,000 pounds. Although the soil under cotton cultivation is of the richest nature, yet, from carelessness and ignorance, bad quality of seed and want of capital, the produce per acre is only from 110 to 240 pounds. The quality of cotton chiefly cultivated is very inferior, rendering it of little value in the European markets; and until prices of cotton attained fabulous rates the crop was not remunerative to the agriculturists. American cotton is almost altogether grown now, and the "Manchester Cotton Supply Association" is making here, as everywhere in the East, huge efforts to increase the culture of this all-important article. The cultivation of madder root is one of great care and profit to the farmer, and in Europe are more esteemed than the Smyrna produce. In some parts of the island the land best adapted to this culture brings the enormous price of $300 per acre. There are no public works or enterprises at present in progress on the island. The great disadvantages under which Cyprus labors are want of population and enterprise, there being only one soul to every fifteen acres of arable land; and its future is as dark and desolate as its present state should it remain under Turkish rule. Statement showing the return of imports into Larnika of Cyprus during the year 1861. 2 Quan. Value. Quan. Value. Quan. Value. Q'y. Val. Quan. Val. 5,000 23 82,500 4 10,000 gos........ Bales.. 1,084 368,000...... Cases 163 163,000, 6 49 6,000 Glassware........ do. 961 67,200 18 12,600 49.000 38 26,600 .... Cases.... 218 Cases 218 ..... 1,514 218.000 .... .... Okes 52,320 365,540 ..do. 152..do. 152 739 106,400 52,220 Cwt ..... 1,305 2,538 365,540 ..do. ..... ..do. 5,200..do..... 360 2,700..do. 575..do..... 24,640..do. .... 616 1,454 209,440 .... 103,200..do. .... 2,580 7,167 1,032,000 200, 160..do. ..... 5,604 4.517 650,520 .... 76,410..do. .... 1,910 3,933 566,420 25,690 do. ... 642 2,046 110 Dozen.... 110 573 294,635 *2,500 200 6,000 18,000 378,000 ...... Okes..... 44,380 Cwt...... 1,109 8,103 1,166,860 19,800 4,560 13,680 ..do..... 26,250 Tons ..... 33 546 78,750 ......do. 1,615 48,450 750 22,500 .........do. ..do. Barrels. 151 30, 200 30 9,000 15 3,000 95 19,000 .do...... ..do. ..do...... 50 10,000 Barrels... 2,365 Cwt..... 59 492 70,950 ... 8.680..do. .......... 217 1,559 224,500 6,915 do. ... 173 720 103, 725 341 Barrels.. 341 491 Do.............. Mats... 516 154,800 Mats..... Soda.... Barrels. 50 58,000 21 21,000 Bales..... Hides, bullock..... Pieces.. 6,430 482, 250 Pieces 6,430 Pieces... 6,430 3,349 Lead, small shot.. Okes 29.030 91,200 Okes 29,080 Cwt ..... 727 633 12,000 643,554 214, 100 110,430 95,800 Total 10,633, 104 1,684, 8:20 449,900 585,005 104 216 71,200 378,750 3,350 7,472 1,075,915 21,825 93,068 13,402, 555 Articles. Weights or measures. Statement showing the return of exports from Larnika during the year 1861. Great Britain. France. Austria Turkey. Italy. Russia. Quantity. TOTAL. Value. 643 64,300 75,500 72,358 379,00 ..do. 6,218 62,180 362,700 2,901,600 45,000 ..do. 144,000 210,080 ...... ..do... ..do... 820 360,000 21,010 568,200 6,825 2,600 13,650 168,080 7,560 60,480 720 105,040 112.680 ..... 9,650 1,930.000 2.880 5,760 704,250 18,750 117,190 3,040 24,000 Value. Quan. Value. Quan. Value. Quan. Value. Quan. Value. Cyprus. W. & M. English. W. & M. Piasters. £. 7,622 762, 200 5,682 296,375 30, 100 158,025 1,300 Skins ........... Piece.. ..... 2,870 6,720 4,000 23.520 .do. 7,540..do. 188 845,440 5,871 26,390 183 12,000 53,870 161,610 15,750 47.250 Piece 73,620 Piece 73,620 220,860 1,534 Hides ......... .... ..do. 60 2,400 1,600 64,000 240 9,600 255 10,200 ..do. 2.155..do. 2,155 86.200 599 Raky. Okes 9.920 49,600 Okes 9,920 Gallon 2,830 49,600 345 ...... ..do. 65.850 Comanderia ........................ ..do. 6,743 Oil............ ..du... 6,929 58,900 Klo......... 1,100 50,570 85,440 256, 320 21,280 29,700 63,840 7,440 22,320 21.150 179,775 ......do... ... 120,903 do. 34,540 393,050 2,729 2,900 78,300 .do. Kilo.... 28, 079 Tons... 33 238,675 1,657 4,000 Qrs.... 500 108.000 750 Barley............ ..do... 1,800 28,800 ..... .do... 1,800..do. 225 Raisins. Okes... 323 646 53,700 107,400 Okes... 54,023 Cwt.... 1,351 I have the honor herewith to transmit a copy of a report on the ancient port of Famagusta, made by the captain of a French steamer, who is the first European commander that has entered this abandoned harbor since it fell into the hands of the Turks three centuries ago. My colleague, the French consul, kindly offered me the report, which has excited the interest of the French government to that degree that permission was asked of the Sublime Porte to make a survey of the port, as also the old city of Famagusta, still in a great state of preservation, and the best fortified city of the East. This survey has just been completed by a government vessel, and I hope to procure the plans, &c., which I shall forward to the department. The information and details, given with great exactitude in this paper, may be of use to United States vessels in these waters, from the fact that a port perfectly secure has been discovered, and is accessible to vessels that seek in vain for a safe harbor on the Syrian coast. The Turkish government now proposes to remove the debris with which it is encumbered, rather with a view to the discovery of the treasures of the Genoese and Venetian fleet (the latter having been sunk with immense treasure on its capture by the Turks in 1571) than for political or commercial objects. Had the efforts of the United States government been directed to this island, instead of Marmoretza, it is probable that European jealousy would not have |