THE MAIN ROADS OF CYPRUS

EXPLANATOEY NOTE.
The Retrospect covering the years 1880 to 1900-1 was, as explained in the
Introduction, compiled principally from Blue Book Reports and Office Records,
etc., in Cyprus. These sources gave little or no information as to what Road
Work was carried out between the date of Lord John Hay's assumption of the
Government of Cyprus on the 12th July, 1878, pending Sir Garnet Wolseley's
arrival, and the period at which the Blue Book Reports commence, namely, the
year 1880.
The veil which had hitherto obscured this period has since been lifted and
the necessary information obtained from records preserved in the Colonial Office
which have been kindly placed at the compiler's disposal.
From this source it may be ascertained in what state the Public Works, and
more particularly the Roads, of the Island were found at, and immediately prior
to 1878.
Lord John Hay writing under date 20th July, 1878, about a week after
landing in Cyprus, states that " Roads hardly exist at all; there is only one road
" that can be dignified by that name, and is the one which connects Larnaca with
" Nicosia ; its condition is as bad as possible. The rest are mere tracks, rarely
" passable by bullock carts, and generally only fit for mules and camels."
Sir Garnet Wolseley, on the 17th September, 1878, in forwarding a report ou
the Larnaca-Nicosia Road speaks of it as " the only road existing in the Island
" when we arrived." The enclosure written by Lieut.-Col. Maquay, Commanding
Royal Engineer, runs to the effect that " The Road is fairly laid out and has had
"• a good amount of labour expended on it in its construction it is nowhere
" metalled some parts are in deep soil which is almost impassable—for many
" days in winter ; for four months in the year a coach takes many hours of the
" day in getting over the distance of 25 miles."
Indian Sappers and Miners had been employed on tliis Road at Larnaca,
Goshi and Pyroi. '^ Several parts of the Road require making from the founda-
" tion." "The cost of making a road which will allow of uninterrupted
" communication during the winter " was " estimated at £6,000 to make a per-
'' manent highway, repair bridges, make culverts, etc."
This sum was sanctioned and the work was carried out with the aid of the
Bombay Sappers and Miners whose labour constituted a valuable asset not included
in the £6,000.
So much of the so-called road as existed prior to 1878 had been made during
the four years ending 1871 by forced—and therefore unpaid—labour under an old
Turkish Law wiiich applied to the whole of the Ottoman Empire and by which
all able-bodied men between the ages of 16 and 60 were compelled to give four
days a year ou the construction and repair of roads. This contribution of labour
was Uable to be increased to 6 days and " the carts and beasts of burden of the
" people were liable to be employed on the roads without recompense."
The only recorded instance of its operation in Cyprus was in the case of the
Larnaca-Nicosia Road, lefore the British Occupation ; after that date it was never
availed of, except in the case of the Limassol Water Works, when its operation
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