232 Trade of the Island of Crete. 
Under the head miscellaneous are comprised T cotton 
cloths, cotton twist, herrings and codfish, dry salteries, and 
a few other manufactures. 
Eixports—The exports are soap, wrought silk, cocoons 
and silkworm eggs, oranges, and lemons, chesnuts, bees- 
wax, cheese, linseed, lambskins, &c., valued at a total of 
#£150,315. Nearly the whole of these articles were ex- 
ported to Greece, and different parts of Turkey and Egypt. 
It will be remarked that olive-oil—the staple production 
of the Island—does not appear in the return, except under 
the name of soap, into which most of the oil has been con- 
verted. ‘This circumstance is due mainly to the prevailing 
high prices of soap in Egypt and at Constantinople. 
Rate of Exchange-—The rate of exchange has not’ fluc- 
tuated, remaining fixed at 113 piastres per 4 sterling. 
Bills on England have been in steady demand, and nego- 
tiable always at par. 
Banks.—There are no banks in the Island. If a branch 
establishment were fixed at Canea in connection with some 
large banking firm at Constantinople, such an enterprise 
would materially benefit local trade, and at the same time 
alleviate the pressure caused by the present high rates of 
interest. Ten, and twelve per cent. is the interest usually 
levied on mortgage. 
A griculture-—Vhe average agricultural produce of the 
Island of Crete during 1865, may be estimated as follows :— 
Olive Oil... ie <2 tuns 7,500 
Wheat ae ues ... bushels 200,000 
Barley Lf 3 300,000 
Oats oe ays val A 250,000 
Beans and Vetches oH fi 100,000 
On the whole, the corn harvest cannot be reckoned a 
plentiful one. Large quantities of olives, after having well 
ripened, have been washed away and otherwise damaged 
by the heavy and continued rains during the beginning of 
winter. 
Cocoons and Silkworm E.ggs.—In regard to cocoons and 
silkworm eggs, an unusually great number of persons came 
here from Syria early in the year to purchase cocoons, and 
convey the eggs to their own country. This caused the 
price of silk to advance to an unprecedentedly high price ; 
for whereas, in ordinary years the price never exceeded 
140 piastres per oke, as much as 400 to 450 piastres were 
paid during the year. 
