The Khatt-i Humayun was, as we have seen, promulgated on 18 February 1856. On 30 March, at the Congress of Paris, was signed the Treaty which, in the opinion of the pro-Russian party, delivered up the Christians, with their hands bound, to their executioners. Russia gave up her claim to exercise a protectorate over the Christians in Turkey. The signatories had had the text of the Khatt communicated to them, and swallowed it with their eyes shut. The Powers declared that they were so deeply impressed with the high value of the communication that they disclaimed any right to intervene, separately or collectively, between the Sultan and his subjects. A disclaimer which, in the sense in which it was interpreted by the Turks, was soon, in practice, to find its way to the diplomatic scrap-heap.

We have seen, in the preceding chapter, the apparent failure of the reform to make any effective improvement in the state of the Cypriotes. The first impression on an English observer was, it is true, favourable. In the Report on trade for 1856–73 we read that in spite of devastation by locusts, ‘and of some lingering abuses which take place in fixing and collecting the tenths, and which no doubt will be gradually removed, trade is, on the whole, greatly on the increase. The peasants, no longer subject to the exactions and oppressions of the Turks as formerly, can sell their produce when, where, and to whom they please. They are no longer under the necessity of borrowing money at an exorbitant usurious interest to pay their taxes.’