‘Cyprus.’ [‎35v] (70/184)

64
CYPRUS.
Khedive Company, will, as the traffic and commerce develope,
make arrangements for their vessels to call at the Cyprus ports on
fixed days, but as yet there has scarcely been time for any such
arrangements to be made. It is, however, reported that the
Italian Minister of Public Works is already arranging with the
Ruhattino Company, the preliminaries of a convention for prolong
ing the course of the steamers bound for Alexandria ^as far as
Larnaca, touching at Port Said, Jaffa, and Beyrout. The voyages
wull probably be undertaken gratuitously by the company until
December. In Liverpool, the establishment of a direct line of
steamers between that port and Cyprus has already been proposed,
and this is a fair proof of the energy with which the steam trade
of England, and especially of Liverpool, is carried on in the
Mediterranean. The cost of the journey from London, overland to
Trieste, and thence by Port Said and Beyrout to Larnaca, is stated
to be £29. 7$. Od first class, and £20. 13.s. 5c?. second class.
In 1871, a submarine cable w T as laid down from Latakieh, in
Syria, to Cape St. Andrea, the north-eastern extremity of Cyprus,
and from there the telegraph wires were carried overland to
Nicosia. Strong representations were then made by the com
mercial community of Larnaca, showing, and urging, the great
commercial need of the extension of the telegraph from Nicosia to
Larnaca; a work of but trifling cost, and which would soon be
repaid by the more frequent use of the wires. For some time,
however, nothing but promises could be extracted from Turkish
authorities, but by 1873 the poles were set up, and in the next
year the communication was completed, and is of great advantage
to the town of Larnaca. Possibly a direct cable will now be laid
between Cyprus and Alexandria, as a means of promoting com
mercial enterprise, and also to place the island in closer con
nection with Great Britain.