§ MR. E. ROBERTSONI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, considering the pressure 14 on the population of Cyprus of the existing taxation, and in view of the fact that one of the principal obstacles to the advancement of the island is the large tribute paid to Turkey, it would be possible to re-open the question of the justice and equity of the basis upon which the sum annually paid to the Porte was calculated at the time of the British occupation; and, if so, upon what terms?
§ SIR J. FERGUSSONBy the Convention of June 4, 1878, this country is bound, as long as it occupies or administers Cyprus, to pay to the Porte the excess of revenue at that date calculated on an average of the preceding five years. The amount was fixed on this basis at £92,000. The fact that our Administration of the island costs more than the Turkish would not justify Her Majesty's Government in re-opening the question.