Samuel Pasfield Oswald, special correspondent in Cyprus of the Illustrated London News, describes the arrival of the British to the island:
The Channel Squadron has not been idle since its arrival in preparing for the occupation of this place by the troops… All the regiments on their arrival march straight to their camping grounds and all the unloading is done by the blue-jackets, who seem to enjoy the business amazingly. From 4.a.m. till dark incessant work of various kinds is proceeding; in all directions are lighters and native craft, horse-boats towed by steam-launches, and pinnaces continually going and returning. A very short time suffices to unload them, and the busy scene at the landing place can hardly be imagined. The Monarch has started a canteen marquee close by, which is a decidedly good arrangement. A constant throng of camels, mules, donkeys, Indian tats and native cavalry horses, ordinance and commissariat stores, Ghoorkas and Punjaubees, Greeks and Moslems, all combined to give a bewildering and constantly changing kaleidoscopic effect of colour and form.