Cyprus-Forum.com

[Gasman]

And apologies for what Storrs said about the goats of Cyprus:

Sir Ronald Storrs, governor of the island from 1926 to 1932, described its goats as ‘300,000 public enemies’. The principal reason, in his view, for the decline of the island from its fabled prosperity under the Lusignans to the poverty of his own day was the destruction by goats of the forests that had retained the moisture in the soil. ‘A melancholy sight it was,’ he wrote, ‘after heavy rainfall to behold the precious flood that should have been retained for Cyprus by the resistance of trees, bearing away the life-giving humus in a dull yellow streak miles long into the Kyrenian sea.’

*Mind you I understand the GCs burned down his official residence - so they sort of got their own back on him!

[Get Real!]

Late-breaking news:

A mysterious Cypriot lady in her 90s, claiming to be one of the maids at the governor’s house in the late 50s has just called to apologize for spiking Governor Hugh Foot’s tea and other refreshments with phlegm, urine, and snot over a period of 3 years that she was working there!

[Oracle]

And apologies for what Storrs said about the goats of Cyprus:

Sir Ronald Storrs, governor of the island from 1926 to 1932, described its goats as ‘300,000 public enemies’. The principal reason, in his view, for the decline of the island from its fabled prosperity under the Lusignans to the poverty of his own day was the destruction by goats of the forests that had retained the moisture in the soil. ‘A melancholy sight it was,’ he wrote, ‘after heavy rainfall to behold the precious flood that should have been retained for Cyprus by the resistance of trees, bearing away the life-giving humus in a dull yellow streak miles long into the Kyrenian sea.’

*Mind you I understand the GCs burned down his official residence - so they sort of got their own back on him!

You are sooo shamefully anti-Cypriot!

[Gasman]

Another ex pat apology coming up as requested. This time for the Colonial Office:

During world war two, the Colonial Office had a policy of separating “British European troops from…‘dark-skinned Cypriots, whom the normal person could class as coloured...’.” In fact, the policy was starker: “dark-skinned Cypriots, whom the normal person could class as coloured, will not be accepted” is what is stated in the quoted official document. In other words, those whose skin was not so dark would be accepted: Cypriots are a hybrid and mongrelized race (and to be treated as such).

The air force, during the war, would only accept Cypriots “of European appearance and habits.” The longer quotation, found in the footnote, in fact fleshes out the British conundrum: “the air force will not consider anyone who has, for example, long curly black hair, is of dark complexion, or is of Asiatic or African appearance.”

[Gasman]

You are sooo shamefully anti-Cypriot!

How'd you make that out then? I am quoting from old documents from the time that Bill Cobbett has asked for ex pats to make an apology for stuff that occurred during the Colonial Rule!

Facts dear, facts.

I've got lots more apologies to get on with!

'Tis you O who are effectively (VERY effectlively) Anti Cypriot. Your rantings and ravings are enough to turn anyone against them if they were stupid enough to think you were representative of them all.

[Gasman]

That 'orrible Storrs again! No wonder they burned his mansion down!

The blackness of Cypriots is, however, lessened by the fact that they have been somehow mongrelized - Storrs, reminiscing among other things over his days as Governor, quotes a “high legal luminary,” “horrified to learn that he would be expected to shake hands with ‘the natives’,” because of his experience in East Africa, where presumably this would never happen. The man added, “‘I understand a white gentleman…and a black gentlemen, I don’t let him touch me; but these betwixts and betweens I don’t want to understand’

Yes, an apology for that is definitely in order. So racist.

[Oracle]

That 'orrible Storrs again! No wonder they burned his mansion down!

The blackness of Cypriots is, however, lessened by the fact that they have been somehow mongrelized - Storrs, reminiscing among other things over his days as Governor, quotes a “high legal luminary,” “horrified to learn that he would be expected to shake hands with ‘the natives’,” because of his experience in East Africa, where presumably this would never happen. The man added, “‘I understand a white gentleman…and a black gentlemen, I don’t let him touch me; but these betwixts and betweens I don’t want to understand’

Yes, an apology for that is definitely in order. So racist.

Why? Do you also think being "African" is somehow inferior?

In which case, it is you who are the racist as that quote was taken from a different age!

[Gasman]

Lady O - this thread is for MAKING APOLOGIES.

Not for 'having a go at Gasman'.

Read the title. Did I mention YOU in any of my apology postings? No!

Goodnight I leave you to yourself.

[bill cobbett]

Thanks very much for those apologies Gasoulla...

erm.... don't suppose there are any CarpetShaggers from the Occupied North to offer up apologies from that quarter for their attempted thieving ways?

[Oracle]

Thanks very much for those apologies Gasoulla...