The native Candians arc of the Greek church, and are allowed the free exercise of their religion; but arc prohibited from repairing their religious houses or places of worship. By costly bribes, however, they obtain per mission from the paellas, so far as to prevent them fall ing entirely to ruin. The island is divided into twelve bishoprics, viz- Gortynia, Cnossou, Mirabella, Hyera, Girapetra, Arcadia, Cherronesse, Lambis, Milopotamo, Retimo, Canca, and Cisamo. The bishop of Gortynia is appointed by the Patriarch of Constantinople, and as sumes the title of archbishop. He wears a triple tiara, writes his signature in red ink, answers for all the debts of the clergy, and nominates to all vacant bishoprics in the island. He resides at Candia, and is the only Greek who enjoys the privilege of entering the city on horseback.
The situation of this island, as an emporium for com merce, can scarcely be surpassed. Placed at almost an equal distance from Europe, Asia, and Africa, it bears an equal relation to these three quarters of the world, and might be rendered the emporium of their various productions and manufactures ; but, like its other advan tages, this favourable position for trade is entirely ne glected by the Turks, who arc utter strangers to industry and the arts ; and the Greeks dare not take measures to promote either the public welfare, or their private ad vantage. The commerce of Candia is, consequently, very inconsiderable, considering the extent of the island. The principal article of exportation is oil, which, accord ing to Savary, in 1779, employed 24 vessels, of from 100 to 200 tons each, and the value of whose cargoes amounted annually to 2,160,000 livres, or 90,0001. ster ling. Nineteen of these ships belonged to Marseilles, and besides nil, the French merchants, settled at Canea, purchased wax and other articles, to the amount of nearly 80,000 livres. The whole experrq of the island he valued at 2,986,666 !lyres. The oil trade, IlOrrover, since that time, has been considerably reduced, great quantities of it being now consumed in the soap houses, of which there arc 25 at the town of Candia, 20 at Canea, and 8 at Retimo. Though the soap made here is not so good as the French soap, yet it is preferred by the Turks for its cheapness, and now constitutes a most important branch of exportation. It passes to Tunis, Constantinople, and all the towns of the Levant, and also to Venice and Trieste. The other exports of Candia are, wax, honey, cheese, raisins, almonds, walnuts, chesnuts, St John's bread, lintseed, and liquorice-root. The wax is chiefly purchased by the French, and con sumed in Europe. A small quantity of honey, and Sp!iachian cheese, to the value of 30,000 livres, pass to Constantinople ; raisins, and other fruits, and a small quantity of laudanum, to Egypt, Syria, and the Levant ; and lintseed is purchased by the Italians ; also sonic hones, which are likewise sent to Marseilles. The most considerable of the imports were formerly from France ; but the trade with that country has, within the last 30 years, greatly decreased. In 1779, 1M. Savary says, that
the French imported goods into Candia, to the value of 550,000 Byres, which, according to M. Olivier, who visited the island in 1795, is now reduced to 160,000 consisting of Carcassone woollen cloths, gilding, laces, and stuffs of Lyons, imperial serges manufactured at Nisines, small shot, tin, iron, steel, coffee, sugar, nutmegs, cloves, indigo, cochineal, paper, and various articles of hardware. From Venice and Trieste, they receive glass-ware and hard-ware, but particularly planks for making soap-cases. Their other woou is procured in Caramania or Greece. From Salonica, they draw corn, cotton, tobacco, and iron ; from Con stantinople, Bursa stuffs, Angora bedsteads, shoes, hand kerchiefs, and copper utensils ; from Smyrna, hides, Turkey leather, .cotton, English shalloons, and some French goods ; from Gaza, ashes ; and from Syria, corn and silk. Egypt supplies them with linen cloths, flax, rice, and corn. Derna and Bengazi, on the coast of Africa, with butter ; and Tunis and Tripoli with caps. In Candia, Europeans pay three per cent. in value of merchandise ; the Turks only two and a half ; and the Greeks, Jews, and Arminians, five per cent. Their prin cipal maufactures are soap, some cloths in silk and cot ton, and in silk and flax, also a few silk strings and rib bands, which are exported to Constantinople.
Among the people who inhabit this island, we may remark the Abadiots and Sphachiots. The Abadiots are the remains of the Saracens, who held the dominion of Candia for nearly a century and a half. They are of a middle stature, meagre and swarthy, suspicious and vin dictive, and are always armed. Among themselves speak the Arabic language, and occupy twenty little vil lages to the south of Mount Ida, forming a population of nearly 4000. The Sphachiots, whom we have already mentioned, are the real descendants of the ancient Cre tans, and are distinguished from the other Candians by a majestic stature, a handsome countenance, and a love of liberty. They inhabit the mountains on the south of Canca and Retimo ; and, amidst the many revolutions in the government of their country, have preserved their ancient language, their customs, and their laws. The other inhabitants are Turks and Greeks, amounting in all, according to Olivier, to nearly 250,000 souls,—a number very disproportionate to the extent and fertility, or even the ancient population of the island. Crete, ce lebrated in antiquity for its hundred populous cities, must, upon the lowest calculation, have contained above a million of inhabitants ; but, since that time, it has been subjected to the tyranny of the Romans, the ravages of the Saracens, and the despotism of the Turks; and its depopulation has been gradually decreasing until now. Even in 1779, M. Savary reckons the inhabitants of Can dia at 350,200, of whom 65,000 Greeks paid the carach, while M. Olivier, about fourteen years afterwards, re duces the number of Greeks subject to this tax to 20,000! Such is the effect of the imprudent and op pressive measures of a despotic government.