Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1913.djvu/1442

 1320 TURKEY AND TRIBUTARY STATES: — CRETE

TRIBUTARY STATES.

CRETE.

The Island of Crete was under Venetian rule from 1211 to 1669, when it"*: fell beneath the Ottoman power. Thenceforth (with the exception of about 10 years, 1830-40, when it was ruled by the Viceroy of Egypt) it was governed as a Turkish vilayet. After more than 70 years of almost continuous insur- rection, the 4 Powers — Great Britain, Russia, France, and Italy — intervened, and in 1898 constituted the Island, with the adjacent islets, an autonomous State under a High Commissioner of the Powers, subject to the suzerainty of the Porte, paying, however, no tribute. Since August 14, 1906, the right of the King of the Hellenes to propose the High Commissioner has been recognised by the protecting Powers, under whose sanction Greek officers have taken over the direction of the Gendarmerie and Militia.

The events of September and October, 1908, in the Balkans having fostered agitation in Crete for annexation to Greece, the Powers have declared that the administration of the island will be entrusted to the "constituted authorities " until the question can be settled with the consent of Turkey. In September, 1911, the signatory powers decided not to fill the post of |] High Commissioner, nor in any way to change the status quo of the island. This leaves the Government of the island in the hands of a Commission and an Assemby acting like all other authorities in the island, in the name of the King of the Hellenes.

In October, 1912, the Cretan deputies were admitted into the Greek Parliament at Athens, and the proclamation of the annexation (Oct., 1908) with the kingdom were sanctioned by the Greek Government. Stephen Dragoumis, a late premier of Greece, was appointed Governor of the Island.

For the present, however (March, 1913), the Greek annexation has not been recognised by the Powers, but in all probability the recognition will be forthcoming Avhen the peace between Turkey and the Balkan allies is signed.

Area and Population.

The Island is about 160 miles in length and from 5 to 35 miles in breadth, the total area being 3,365 square miles. It is divided into 5 departments, 20 cantons, and 77 parishes. According to the results of the census of June 5, 1911, the inhabitants, at that date, numbered 342,151, of whom 307,812 were Christian, 27,852 Mussulman, and 487 Jewish, and 6,000 foreigners. Besides this there are 11,055 persons who were temporarily abroad during the last census, thus making the total population 353,206. Between 1900 and 1910 the total population had increased by 43,021 ; the Greek element | had increased by 37,964 ; the Mussulman element had decreased by 5,644. All the inhabitants of the Island, even the Mussulmans, speak Greek. The chief towns are Canea, the Capital, with (1911) 24,399 inhabitants Rethymo, 9,086; Candia, 25,185.

Religion and Education.

In the Island there are about 3,500 Greek churches and chapels and 4 Roman Catholic churches, 2 Jewish synagogues, and 30 Mohamedan mosques, then 15 Greek monasteries, and 3 nunneries. The affairs of the Church are directed by the Synod, consisting of the metropolitan and seven bishops of the Island, sitting at Herakleion (Candia). Education is [nominally l compulsory from 6 to 10 years of age. There are 637