Rupert Gunnis, ADC to Sir Ronald Storrs and inspector of antiquities, expressed his determination to protect the island’s heritage:
After lunch to see my Armenian boys playing in the football match, but on arriving at the grounds found it cancelled, so to look at my excavations, which are proceeding, but slowly. Then with Munir Bey to look at St George of the Latins, or the “Hamam Bath”, the façade of which they want to remove as it blocks up the road. Absolutely not and it would be a great shame to tamper with it. I shall implore HE to forbid such vandalism.