100 



CANDIA, OR CRETE. 



the tithe. Where the harvest could not be col- 

 lected at one time as with olives the tax-col- 

 lector fixed the average amount of the harvest 

 and the proportion which the farmer had to 

 pay, in which cases it often happened that the 

 farmer was hardly able, after having sold the 

 proceeds of his fields, to pay even the tithe 

 fixed by the collector. Besides this oppressive 

 tax there exists a military tax, levied upon all 

 persons, even widows and orphans, the amount 

 being fixed according to the pleasure of the col- 

 lectors. 



The struggle of the Christian population in 

 Candia against the Turkish rule continued 

 throughout the year. As it was chiefly a 

 guerilla war, there are no important military 

 actions to record. It would, moreover, be ex- 

 tremely difficult to trace the accurate military 

 history of the insurrection, for never were war 

 bulletins more contradictory than those emana- 

 ting from Turkish and Greek sources. There 

 seems to be no doubt that the large majority of 

 the Christian population sympathized with the 

 insurrection, although an intercepted letter of 

 the Bishop of Lampe, or St. Basili, recommend- 

 ing the coiwmander-in-chief to attack the 

 Monastery of Arkadi, as one of the chief re- 

 sorts of the insurgents, furnished another proof 

 that Greek bishops in the provinces, no less 

 than Greek capitalists at Constantinople, and 

 Greek traders in their ports, are found among 

 the most devoted though secret supporters of 

 the Ottoman power, and supply the Sultan with 

 money, information, and revenue, of course, for 

 a consideration. 



In April, Omar Pacha was appointed com- 

 mand er-in-chief of the Turkish troops, with 

 orders to strike a decisive blow at the insur- 

 rection. Soon after his arrival he marched 

 with 15,000 men against Sphakia, the great 

 stronghold of the insurgents, who had about 

 8,000 men to oppose him. He attacked Spha- 

 kia on the 4th and 5th of May, but was re- 

 pulsed. The whole force under Omar Pacha 

 was estimated at 25,000, of whom about 5,000 

 were native Cretans. Another expedition, un- 

 dertaken in June against Sphakia and Apoco- 

 rona, likewise failed. In one of the engage- 

 ments in June, Ismael Ferik Pacha, the new 

 generalissimo of the Egyptian army, was killed 

 on the field. The conduct, in the meanwhile, 

 of the Turkish troops was such, that nearly all 

 the foreign consuls complained of it in dis- 

 patches to their Governments. In September, 

 Omar Pacha received orders to suspend hos- 

 tilities in Crete for four weeks. A. general 

 amnesty was granted to all insurgents; and 

 foreigners, if they desired it, were author- 

 ized to leave Crete in Turkish vessels without 

 hinderance. On October 4th, the Turkish Grand 

 Vizier, Aali Pacha, arrived in the island and 

 proclaimed tfae amnesty. He invited four depu- 

 ties from each district to go to Canea to con- 

 fer with him. The chiefs of the insurgents 

 issued a protest against the amnesty, and per- 

 sisted in demanding an international commis- 



sion of inquiry and universal suffrage. The 

 mission of Aali Pacha had not the desired ef- 

 fect. Fresh Turkish troops were, conse- 

 quently, sent to Crete, all the Egyptian troops 

 having left, and frequent encounters took place 

 between the Turks and Cretans even before the 

 expiration of the armistice. 



The Grand Vizier, Aali Pacha, received or- 

 ders to return at once to Constantinople, after 

 surrendering his power to Hussein Pacha, com- 

 mander of the Turkish army of Roumelia, who 

 was replaced in his command by Omar Pacha. 

 The bulletin of the Cretan committee of Athens 

 asserts that " No insurgent has laid down his 

 arms ; no election of delegates to the Assembly 

 projected by the Grand Vizier has taken place. 

 The Turkish troops, worn out and decimated, 

 are insufficient since the departure of the 

 Egyptian corps. They are awaiting reenibrce- 

 ments and attempting to reduce the insurgents 

 by famine, with the aid of a vigorous blockade." 



In January, 1867, the Sultan, in a letter to 

 Mustapha Pacha, ordered the election of dele- 

 gates, Mussulmans and Christians, who were to 

 proceed to Constantinople to express the wishes 

 of the population. The letter concludes as 

 follows: 



A commission has been appointed in our capital 

 to inquire and decide upon a system of administra- 

 tion for the island, which will be carried out by the 

 new Governor to be sent to Crete as soon as the 

 present exceptional state of things shall have disap- 

 peared^ The commission will point out the means 

 by which the disasters of the country may be re- 

 paired, and such ameliorations in the administration 

 of affairs as the legitimate wishes and wants of the 

 population may require, and which will promote the 

 prosperity of the island by a development of agri- 

 culture and trade, and by improving the condition 

 of the country generally. But, in order that the 

 proposed reforms may succeed, in order that the 

 prosperity and tranquillity of the island may be as- 

 sured according to our wishes, we have judged it to 

 be expedient to take the advice of some of the chief 

 inhabitants who enjoy the confidence of the country. 

 For this reason, and on the advice of our Govern- 

 ment, we desire and order that you proceed to the 

 election, by the inhabitants, of one or two reputable 

 Mussulmans or Christians in each province, and send 

 here without delay the persons so chosen. In pub- 

 lishing this our imperial rescript, you will clearly 

 explain to all our kind and royal wishes and inten- 

 tions. THE SULTAN. 



In reply to the above, the General Assembly 

 of the Cretans issued the following proclama- 

 tion to the people, dated February 1st : 



Our misfortunes are at an end. Intervention has 

 already commenced. Crete is free, and unites her- 

 self to Greece. Turkey, seeing that she is about to 

 lose the game, has adopted the following measure. 

 She has named an extraordinary commission. Ser- 

 ver Effendi will soon be here, if he has not already 

 arrived, to invite you to send representatives from 

 each province to Constantinople, in order to treat 

 with the Porte. This commission will promise that 

 the Sultan will grant all the concessions which the 

 Cretans may demand. The Porte only offers con- 

 cessions because it knows that Crete is about to es- 

 cape from its rule. Take care that no province 

 sends representatives. Whoever consents to go to 

 Constantinople as a representative will be a traitor 

 to the country, and will come to a bad end. Make 



