Another great siege, in which the Maltese played the new role
of besiegers, began the connection of Malta with the British Crown. The French
General Vaubois, left behind with his troops in occupation by Napoleon, organized
a provisional Government which sought to introduce republican ideas into the
island, and, in consequence, soon lost favour with the native population. They
ordained, amongst other things, that all armorial bearings and other aristocratic
emblems should be effaced; the churches were stripped of all their ornaments
of value, and the famous tapestries of St. John's Church were put up to auction
in the public square. The treasures of the Order had been already taken away
by Napoleon, the principal of them being, in fact, lost in L' Orient, when that
ship was blown up in Aboukir Bay; but the jewelled poniard presented by Philip
of Spain to La Valette found its way to Paris, and may be seen today in the
Louvre. By the orders of the French Government Strada Reale (now Republic Street / Ir Repubblika Triq) was henceforth to
be called the Street of the Rights of Man, and a Tree of Liberty was solemnly
planted on a day ordered as a great public holiday. Further, Vaubois levied a
corps of conscripts for service in the French army from the inhabitants, and,
in the name of fraternity, quartered his soldiers upon the Maltese families.
An immediate cause was found, in the seizure of the tapestries in the Del Carmine
Convent in Notabile, to rouse the Maltese into insurrection against their new
rulers: the French being forced to retire into Valletta, where they were held
prisoners by the Maltese for the greater part of the next two years. Nelson now
appeared upon the scene with British ships, and also Portuguese and Neapolitan
allies. Malta, since the Knights had departed, was by a legal fiction considered
to belong to the King of Naples, as successor in title to the Emperor Charles
V., and it was in this King's name and that of his own Sovereign that Nelson
landed British blue jackets and marines under Captain Alexander Ball to assist
the Maltese to take Valletta. In the September of 1800 the French garrison surrendered
to the combined forces of Maltese, English, Neapolitan and Portuguese, having
passed through all the horrors and privations of a two years' close blockade
of Valletta. The ordinary water-supply through the Vignacourt aqueduct had been
cut off, and the scarcity of provisions was such that coffee, for instance, reached
the huge price of 2 8s. 4d. a pound, and eggs 8d. each. Moon-blindness, too,
attacked the soldiers, causing them to lose their sight during the brilliant
moonlit nights of summer; and death from disease claimed many hundreds of both
the enemy and the native inhabitants, numbers of whom were also unhappily shut
up with the enemy in the city.
When the French finally surrendered Valletta, a Congress of the representatives
of the Maltese people, held at Sant' Antonio, solemnly ceded Malta and its dependencies
to the British Crown. Two days later, on September 8, 1800, Captain Ball, who
had been present with the Maltese during their investment of Valletta, and had
helped them in all their councils of war, entered the capital and assumed in
King George III's name the government of the islands, and from that time forward
Malta has remained in British hands. The government was then entrusted to Sir
Charles Cameron as Civil Commissioner until 1802, when Admiral Sir Alexander
Ball assumed the post of first Governor until his death at Sant' Antonio in the
year 1809. Ball had shown himself a statesman, as well as a man of action, in
his dealings with the emissaries of the Knights and the King of Naples, who both
wished to possess Malta, and he long remained in the memories of the Maltese
as the guardian of their liberties at a critical juncture. A native writer, indeed,
has stated that for many years after his death the humblest cottage in the most
remote casal would be found to contain, beside the usual picture of the Blessed
Virgin, a portrait of this British Admiral. His mausoleum stands conspicuously
out above the water of the Grand Harbour, a little below Fort St. Elmo, in that
part of the fortifications known as the Old Barracca.
By the Treaty of Amiens it was provided that Malta should be restored to the Knights, mainly through the intervention of the Emperor of Russia, who had received the remnants of the Order at St. Petersburg, and had been by them, quite illegally, elected Grand Master, pressure having been brought upon Hompesch to resign. In this treaty it was stipulated that on their return to Malta the Knights should establish a Maltese Langue for the Maltese people, and that an Auberge should be erected for these new Knights, a condition never realized. For the return of the Knights was so contrary to the wishes of the Maltese inhabitants that the British Government, who had determined to evacuate their troops, reversed their decision and remained in possession of Malta. In 1814 the Treaty of Paris finally confirmed the title of Great Britain to the Maltese islands. Thus, by the voluntary act of the inhabitants, Great Britain obtained the possession of an important naval situation, and in return took upon itself to provide for the safety and welfare of its people.
The name of Canon Francesco Caruana must not be forgotten in connection with the British occupation of Malta. This fighting priest, who died peacefully as Bishop of Malta in 1847, had personally led the Maltese into insurrection against the French, and it was largely through his effort that the return of the Knights, as arranged by the Treaty of Amiens, was successfully opposed.
From what has been said in the preceding pages, it will easily be seen that the successors of Sir Alexander Ball found themselves entrusted with the affairs of an island like no other colony of the Crown. The title of Great Britain to the islands was neither that of colonization nor of conquest; for since the British occupation no emigrants from the old country had settled there in any numbers, and the islanders made it quite clear, in their dealings with Sir Alexander Ball after the expulsion of the French, that they ceded their territory to the British Crown upon the express conditions that their laws, privileges, and customs, both civil and religious, should be safeguarded. The laws of Malta, when the English came, presented certainly a curious mixture, consisting in part of the Roman and the Sicilian Codes, and the ancient Canon Law of the Church, all modified by the ' Bandi,' Notices, Ordinances, and Pragmatics of successive Grand Masters. These things, the growth of time, could not be swept away at once, nor would it have been politic to impose English laws and customs upon a people not understanding English, and clinging so closely to their traditions. Indeed, as a matter of fact, the Civil Code of the Grand Master de Rohan remained in force in the island long after the British occupation: the greater part has been gradually repealed, though certain sections are still in force. For these very reasons the internal affairs of Malta involved great difficulties to the early Governors, who were inclined, as perhaps the nascent Empire required, to administer the affairs of the new dependency simply as those of a fortress. The Governor found himself responsible for the working of laws and customs entirely un-English, and with which he could scarcely be expected to have any familiarity, or, indeed, sympathy. In the Council of Government, where he had to preside, the debates were generally conducted in Italian; and one may well imagine the feelings of some early Governor, with a Georgian prejudice for 'foreign ways,' in appending his signature to a proclamation in the language of Dante a tongue scarcely to his mind a proper vehicle for the expression of British supremacy. To this day the visitor will find in Malta much that is un-English, from the embodiment of the decrees of the Council of Trent in local law to the apparent impossibility of obtaining cold roast beef for love or money in the island! If, therefore, he would not wear out his soul in trying to get the leopard to change his spots, let him follow the excellent Italian proverb: Paese ove vai usanza si trova.
The Governors in the early decades of the nineteenth century were left very much to their own devices by Downing Street, and, consequently, often carried things with a high hand; nor were inconvenient questions asked in the House of Commons, for the reformers in England were busied with their own affairs. Sir Thomas Maitland, whose administration lasted the unusually long period of eleven years, was the most remarkable of the type just described. He was High Commissioner of not only Malta, but the other possessions, including the Ionian Islands and Corfu, we then owned in the Mediterranean. His reign was so autocratic that he was known as 'King Tom,' and has been described by Lord Napier as 'a rough old despot'; yet he was able to do much for the prosperity of Malta by abolishing the Board of Giurati who controlled the sale of corn and other bodies, in whose hands were many injurious monopolies; and he will chiefly be remembered for the firmness with which he established British rule throughout the Mediterranean. However, even this bluff and independent person could not escape the religious difficulties which in Malta, as in Ireland, are ever with us. The Throne of the former Grand Masters of the Order of St. John stands within the sanctuary of St. John's Church, and this seat Sir Thomas Maitland was requested by the Roman Catholic Bishop to occupy on the occasion of a Thanksgiving on the termination of the Plague of 1818. The Governor found himself on the horns of a dilemma: by his presence as the King's representative in the sanctuary at the Roman Catholic ceremonies he would court the criticism of the Protestant party at home, yet by absenting himself he might offer a serious slight to the Maltese people. The Governor, however, succeeded in satisfying all parties, arguing that the Throne was reserved for the Sovereign himself, and that he, the Governor, being only his Sovereign's servant, would not venture to use it. However, he said, let the Throne be occupied by the Royal Arms instead. This was done, and to this day the Throne of the Grand Masters in St. John's Cathedral is surmounted by the Royal Arms of the United Kingdom. Sir Thomas Maitland died in 1824, and was buried with great pomp in Malta, and an oration was pronounced over his grave by Count Spiridion Bulgaris, one of the leading men in Corfu, in which island Sir Thomas Maitland had assisted in the creation of a constitutional Government. The bastion where he is buried contains also the tomb of Sir R. Abercromby, who was wounded at Aboukir Bay and died in Malta shortly after.
The Marquis of Hastings, who had filled the high office of Governor-General of India, was one of his successors, and is principally remembered for his lavish hospitality. His tomb stands under the cavalier of St. John, within a small grove of trees, and the bastion which surrounds it is known as ' Hastings Bastion.' Among the Governors of the old school we must certainly place Sir Hildebrande Oakes. We read in one of his proclamations that 'the King's Civil Commissioner observed with regret that some weak and inconsiderate persons, deceived under specious pretext, have suffered themselves to become the instruments of a few turbulent and factious individuals.' We tremble in reading these words to think of what dark deeds were then hatching perhaps a second edition of the Sicilian Vespers but we are considerably relieved for the fair fame of Malta merely to find, in the words of the proclamation: 'They have been seduced to subscribe a paper purporting to be an application to the King for certain changes in the existing form of government of these islands.' How would Sir Hildebrande have dealt with the agitation for Reform with its People's Charter, subscribed to by more than a million signatures, then engaging the attention of the Home Government?
About this time the popular leaders had begun to press for ' Home Rule ' with much talk of the consiglio popolare, of whose doings we really know very little. It appears that the Home Government was not averse to meeting the wishes of the Maltese people, but decided to suspend full representative government until, in their opinion, the people were fitted to undertake the responsibility. In 1806 a Mr. John Richards had been sent to London as a Maltese agent to forward the interests of the popular party; to ask the authorities for a representative council, independent tribunals (the laws had been hitherto administered by the English officials), a free press, and trial by jury; ' In fine,' the petition ran, 'a constitution which shall unite the spirit of our ancient, free, and only legitimate government with that of the English constitution, our religion always being kept inviolate.' These demands were not acceded to, and the representatives of the British Government became the object of much abuse. After many years of agitation, the Home Government appointed in 1836 a Royal Commission to inquire into the state of affairs in the islands. The commissioners were Mr. John Austin, the jurist, and Mr. (afterwards Sir) George Cornewall Lewis, who recommended a revision of the tariff, a free press, alteration of the laws, and a better system of primary education, their recommendations being eventually carried into effect. The personal impressions of Sir George Lewis in Malta, as recorded in some private letters, were eventually published in the Edinburgh Review for July, 1863, and make very interesting reading. He described, amongst other things, how he and his colleague were received in the island 'as if they had come with a Maltese Magna Charta in their pockets, and when they summoned the chief complainants and began to talk of inquiry the Maltese were quite surprised, and seemed to think that they had merely to give a grind or two and out would come a whole code of laws already made of British rule.'
A great event in the early days of British rule was the visit paid to Malta by the Dowager Queen Adelaide, whose arrival is reported in the Malta Government Gazette of December 5, 1838, as follows:
' At two o'clock precisely all eyes were directed to the shipping in the harbour, the men-of-war were suddenly dressed in colours. The first gun of a Royal salute was fired from the Hastings, which was taken up, as before, by all the ships, whose yards were simultaneously manned, and between two lines of boats extending from the ship to the shore, a barge in which the Queen and the ladies of her suite sat, steered by the commander of the Hastings, was seen to advance, whilst the sailors in each line crossed their oars as Her Majesty passed. The scene, favoured by the finest weather, was at this moment beautiful beyond description. A gentle breeze, just sufficient to display the gay tints of the flags, under the influence of an autumnal sun, the roaring of the cannon, the good order of the multitude, whose eyes were all directed on one object, gave it a magnificent character which can scarcely be conceived in a less resplendent climate or in a less pure atmosphere. The presence of Royalty, the beauties of Nature, the perfection of Science and Art, and the construction of those immense engines of war floating on the water, the military parade and splendid uniforms on shore, the waving of handkerchiefs and the general joy of the people, all contributed to the enchanting effect, which was increased by the gracious smile of Her Majesty as she ascended the platform and was received by our gallant Governor.'
This extract of colonial journalism seems to have been written by some romantic ' A.D.C.' who has followed the advice of the lady in ' Cranford,' and modeled his style upon that of ' the late revered Dr. Samuel Johnson.'
The visit of the Queen lasted three months, during which time she endeared herself to the native population. The Collegiate Church of St. Paul, of which she laid the foundation-stone on March 20, 1839, was erected at her sole expense. It was dedicated in November, 1842, by the Right Rev. Dr. Tomlinson, first Protestant Bishop of Gibraltar. The Bishop of Gibraltar, curious as it may seem, had his official residence in Malta, and for long lived beside the palace of the Roman Catholic Bishop of the island in Strada Vescovo, more properly, therefore, called Strada dei Vescovi.
It may easily be understood how, under the anomalies with which British rule had at first to contend, several instances arose making the feeling between the native Maltese and the English residents far from friendly. During the administration of Sir Patrick Stuart in 1846, the once famous 'Carnival affair' occurred, involving correspondence between the Governor and Mr. Gladstone, then Colonial Secretary. It had been the custom for centuries, as it still is in Malta, for the inhabitants, in masks and grotesque attire, to celebrate the Carnival in the streets of Valletta on the four days, including the Sunday, preceding Ash Wednesday. These festivities, a necessary part of the national life of Latin countries, shocked the deep religious feelings of Sir Patrick Stuart, who, as a Scotch Protestant, had been taught from infancy ' to keep the Sabbath day holy,' in a way which the Southern mind could scarcely understand. He resolved, therefore, if possible, to withhold his consent. The Grand Master had been accustomed to give by proclamation permission for the Carnival to be held in Valletta, a precedent followed by the British Governors. Sir Patrick Stuart's permission was so worded as to convey a strong hint to the Maltese to refrain from celebrating the Carnival upon the first day of the week. Immediately expressions of discontent were heard. The unfortunate Governor was stated to have entered into an agreement with the Protestant Bishop (who happened to be his father-in-law) to enforce a rigid observance of the Sabbath upon the Roman Catholic subjects of the Queen, as the first step in a campaign of proselytism. A demonstration was held in the city of Valletta on the first day the Saturday of the Carnival, to express the popular discontent. On the Sunday itself great numbers of the peasantry entered Valletta, and in the afternoon a large mob paraded the streets, leading a string of goats and horses, dressed up in Carnival clothes, which, they said, with a certain sense of humour, were not included in the proclamation forbidding the masquerade! The bell of St. Paul's Church was summoning the English residents to the usual afternoon service. Its tones aroused the mob to fury. In a few moments the building was surrounded by a frenzied crowd, denouncing the Protestants inside the church. The popular rage, however, merely vented itself in shouts and threats lasting for some hours, and then the crowd moved away to the square in front of the Governor's Palace. Sir Patrick Stuart, after some delay, sent orders to the guard, luckily that day formed of men from the native Royal Malta Fencible Regiment, to disperse the crowd. The Maltese soldiers in a tactful manner obeyed the Governor's orders, and in a short time peace was restored. This disturbance, however, led to further political agitation, and Sir Patrick Stuart was eventually recalled.
In his place was sent the Rt. Hon. Richard More O'Ferrall (1797 - 1880), an Irishman and a Roman Catholic, the only civilian who has ever occupied the position of Governor of Malta, who was already versed in public affairs, having been a Member of Parliament for County Longford, and one of the Lords of the Treasury. He was received by the Maltese with acclamation, and hailed as a deliverer. During his administration letters patent were issued, providing that the Council of Government or local legislature should consist of the Governor, nine official members, and eight members elected by persons qualified to serve as jurors. Mr. More O'Ferrall's administration hardly realized the favourable anticipations his appointment had evoked. In the newly formed Council of Government a new criminal code was introduced, including certain offences against religion, and the purely legal question arose in the debates that ensued as to whether the Roman Catholic Church should be properly described as the 'dominant Church' in Malta, which was made the subject of bitter controversy throughout the island. In consequence of this the Governor, who was supported by a distinguished Maltese, Sir Robert Casolani, was strongly opposed by two priests of his own faith, Monsignor Fiteni and Canon Amato, who were both elected members of the Council. In 1851 he resigned the office of Governor and returned to England, he resigned because he would not serve under the Prime Minister, Lord John Russell, who had championed the Ecclesiastical Titles Act of 1851 in opposition to the Papal Bill of 1850 to restore a Catholic hierarchy in England and the policy of popular concessions was, for a time, abandoned. Though the popular leaders have since then often asked for another civil Governor, their request has not been regarded. Some time after this ecclesiastics were disqualified as candidates for election to the Council of Government.
Another cause of serious friction was the case of Captain Graves, R.N., who, in discharging his duties, had reprimanded and punished a Maltese boatman. The latter, in revenge, attacked this officer with a knife in broad daylight in the principal street of Valletta, in the presence of many witnesses. Captain Graves eventually succumbed to his wounds. The boatman was tried for murder, but, political feeling then running high, the Maltese jury refused to convict, finding as a fact that the victim had indeed received bodily harm, but exonerated the prisoner of murder on the grounds that the victim had met his death through the wound having been improperly treated. The Maltese judge very properly ordered them to reconsider their verdict, but without avail.
These instances have not been given with a view to raking up old animosities, but to allow the English reader interested in Malta to realize how deep in the past lie the roots of the ever-present social and racial problems which still confront British rule in this part of the Mediterranean. In fairness, however, it must be stated that high officials in the Services and the Government have V done all in their power in recent years to bridge the chasm that still divides the two nationalities. It would be invidious to name any of those still living: among those who have passed away, H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh, as Commander-in-Chief of the Fleet; Sir Lintorn Simmons, Governor of Malta, and a distinguished Field-Marshal; Sir Victor Houlton, Chief Secretary to Government; General Porter, who has written the standard English history of the Knights of St. John; and the Rev. W. K. Bedford, who has written so learnedly about Malta these are some still spoken of with affection among the Maltese as persons who have proved themselves, in native phrase, 'simpatici ' in their dealings with the local inhabitants.
The Maltese nobility have been duly recognized by the Imperial Parliament. A Commission consisting of two Maltese judges was appointed in 1877, whose report was presented to both Houses of Parliament by command of Her Majesty, in which was recommended the recognition of the claims of certain families to hereditary titles of nobility; and, in accordance with the suggestion, a local body, entitled the Committee of Privileges, to be chosen from among the Maltese nobles, was created by an Order in Council, this new body henceforth to decide the question of claims. The titles thus recognized are held by about twenty families, not a very large number, though many of the titolati, as they are called, unite in one person many different creations. The nobles of Malta take precedence among themselves according to the date of the creation of nobility, and irrespective of the title, whether it be that of Baron, Count, or Marquis. They are officially addressed as 'Most Noble,' while their eldest sons enjoy the courtesy title of Baroncino, Contino, or Marchesino, and the younger sons and daughters are styled ' dei Baroni,' ' dei Conti,' or 'dei Marchesi,' according to the title. The title is generally added to the surname. Some of the titles are feudal, and devolve with certain estates by perpetual entail, having been conferred by various foreign Sovereigns in the days when Malta was a feudal fief. Others have been conferred by the Grand Masters; but in no case have purely Papal titles been recognized by the British Government.
Various native regiments have been raised from time to time among the Maltese for service under the British Crown During the Grandmastership of De Rohan, indeed, some companies of Maltese artillery had actually served beside English troops in Corsica, that island being then under British protection, and, at the same period, some 1,600 natives entered the British Navy. When, toward the end of the Siege of Valletta by the Maltese, assistance came in the shape of a British expeditionary force, Brigadier - General Graham, who commanded it, issued an address, which began: 'Brave Maltese, you have rendered yourselves interesting and conspicuous to the world; history affords no more striking example; betrayed by your invaders, the oppression and sacrilege of your tyrants became intolerable. Without arms, without the resources of war, you broke asunder your chains. Your patriotism, courage, and religion, supplied all deficiencies. My master and Sovereign has sent me with a handful of men to assist you until a powerful force can be prepared.' The address further asked every Maltese to take part with the soldiers of the departed Order (who were now bearing all the burden of the siege), concluding with the words: ' Let the universal cry throughout the country be " For God and our Country."
The enthusiasm evoked by this appeal was so great that General Graham at once
enlisted a battalion of paid Maltese on the British strength, who were called
by the Italian name of 'Il Cacciatori Maltesi,' or 'Maltese Light Infantry,'
thus creating the first Maltese regiment in the service of the British Crown,
consisting of eight companies of 100 men each. Captain Weir, Royal Marines, was
their first commanding officer, and the Regimental Colour was buff, out of compliment
to General Graham, the uniform of his own regiment being faced with buff. Their
Regimental Colour is preserved in the Armoury of the Palace with the King's Colour,
which carries the Royal initials, G.R., surmounted by the rather curious crown
and Maltese cross affected by the later Grand Masters. At the termination of
the Siege of Valletta, the Maltese Light Infantry were, with the other Maltese
regiments, awarded medals, which were struck in honour of that event, bearing
the inscription 'Patria liberata ' and ' Malta ai suoi difensori.' This regiment
was afterwards disbanded, and others, called the ' Maltese Pioneers ' and the
' Provincial Battalion,' were raised.
During the Napoleonic wars in 1807, a Royal Malta Regiment served against their old enemies the French in Sicily, and succeeded in taking the town of Diamente, in Calabria. The Maltese were then ordered to the island of Capri, where they took the town of that name, being joined by some men from the British 58th Regiment, under a Captain O'Brien. This, however, they were unable to hold, and were ordered to retreat by Sir Hudson Lowe, and, in doing so, unfortunately fell into the hands of the enemy, surrendering to the French General Lamarque. An incident is told of the fate that then befell the colours of this regiment. The Maltese soldiers were sent as prisoners to Castel Nuovo, near Naples, but, before they left Capri, some of their officers had succeeded in tearing the flags from their poles and hiding them round their persons; but, when they reached the prison at Naples, hearing they were to be searched, they burnt their colours rather than allow them to fall into the hands of the French.
Malta, during the Napoleonic wars, must have presented a very cosmopolitan
appearance, owing to the number of ships and troops of British and various foreign
nationalities of the allies that assembled there. One regiment, raised by Count
Froberg, a Frenchman, was itself a curious mixture of Greeks, Albanians, Slavonians,
and Turks, and these soldiers, 
quartered in Fort Ricasoli, took it into their
heads to mutiny, hoisting the Russian flag, and demanding to be sent back home
in Greek or Russian vessels. They held out for some days, actually firing a few
mortars into the town of Valletta. At length they were dislodged by a native
Maltese regiment.
Best known, perhaps, were the Royal Malta Fencibles, a corps raised under Marquis de Piro in the year 1828, and placed upon the establishment of the regular army. They are now called the Royal Malta Artillery. Their officers' mess is in Strada Mercanti, and their headquarters are in Fort Lascaris. This regiment saw active service in the year 1882, in the Egyptian War at Alexandria, where they assisted Captain, now Sir Evelyn, Wood's Brigade to hold the forts at Damietta, Rosetta, and Bedouin.
Many native militia regiments were raised by various Governors since the days of Sir Alexander Ball, notably during the Crimean War, under the administration of Sir William Reid, when conscription was practically adopted in the island.
A humorous tale is told of the first efforts of a native battalion in the course of training under canvas. Word had gone round that the young recruits were being starved in their tents at Musta, by a niggardly Government and this fearful report soon brought a flotilla of faldette driving in carozze hurriedly to the scene, anxious wives, mothers, sisters, cousins, and aunts carrying to the camp all sorts of provisions and good things highly injurious to the efficiency of a battalion out training. They, however, happily found that their Pietros, Salvos, and Giuseppes, were far from the verge of starvation.
In the year 1889 the Royal Malta Regiment of Militia was raised, through the influence of the Governor, General Sir Lintorn Simmons. In the year 1895 this regiment was remodeled, and the new colours were presented in a manner quite recalling one of the gorgeous pageants of the days of the departed Order. The ceremony took place in the Church of St. John, in the presence of H.R.H. Princess Louis of Battenberg, the Governor, Sir A. Lyon Fremantle, and almost every naval, military, and civil officer in the island. The regiment, in review order 1,005 of all ranks was drawn up along the centre of the aisle. The colours, having been placed upon the drums stacked before the altar, were consecrated by the Bishop with the impressive ceremonial of Roman ritual and the accustomed prayers for victory. The colours, which bore the date MDCCC, in commemoration of the services of ' I Cacciatori Maltesi,' the first Maltese militia regiment raised for service under the British Crown, were then formally presented by Lady Fremantle. His late Majesty King Edward, on his visit to Malta, graciously allowed this militia regiment to be henceforth called, as it now is, the King's Own Malta Militia Regiment.
The officers' mess of the 'K.O.M.M.R.' is situated in the left wing of the Palace, and this regiment takes its turn in the round of garrison duty with the other British regiments in the island.
Malta was governed, during the Crimean War, by Sir William Reid, a distinguished soldier, meteorologist, economist, and practical administrator. He had served when young in Wellington's campaigns, having been present at Badajos, Salamanca, and Vittoria; and he had governed the Bermudas, as he subsequently did Malta, as a model colonial governor, introducing elaborate and successful schemes for the agricultural and commercial development of the islands. He had also, it is interesting to note, seen service in Ireland during times of agitation. Malta, during his tenure of office, served as a base for troops which were dispatched to the Crimea. In the spring of 1854 three regiments of guards, the Rifle Brigade, the Royal Engineers, and fourteen line regiments, were stationed in Malta, and the resources of the island were taxed to the utmost. At Valletta hospitals were established, to which many thousands of the sick and wounded were sent back from the front and the horrors of the Russian winter. The commerce brought to the island by the large number of troops in Malta during this war greatly enriched the local traders.
To Sir Gaspard le Marchant, who succeeded Sir William Reid, are due many of the excellent roads which traverse the country parts of the island, and many of the poor-houses, schools, hospitals, and similar institutions, including the spacious public markets, were built during his administration, and under this Governor the present excellent system of water-supply was inaugurated. From the report of Sir Gaspard le Marchant upon the defences of Malta, shortly after the Crimean War, it would seem that almost any enemy would then have taken the island from us without much difficulty. Scarcely a gun was fit for service. Ammunition was stored in such exposed positions that the enemy could have at any moment either seized or exploded it by a shell. The shot piled near the guns was not suited to their caliber, and the gun-carriages and platforms on the fortifications were so completely out of order that the firing of a few rounds would have rendered them useless. The Mediterranean Defence Committee was formed, and, owing to Sir Gaspard le Marchant's influence, Malta was raised to the position of one of the strongest fortresses in the world. How Malta as a fortress stands today it is not within the scope of these pages to discuss; nor will we enter, in what is intended to be a pleasant picture-book, into the thorny controversies which have marked the internal politics of the island during the last quarter of a century. These include, need it be said, the Language Question, which arose when the Home Government expressed their intention, never carried into effect, of substituting English as the official language of the Courts in place of Italian, which had been introduced in the later days of the Grand Masters; the Mixed Marriages Question, in which the local Courts contended that marriages between Catholics and non-Catholics must conform to the decree of the Council of Trent in order to be valid; and the Constitutional Question, in which the popular party in the local Council seek a larger measure of autonomy for the Maltese people.
Despite these matters, the Maltese people are staunchly loyal to the Crown and the British connection, recognizing the benefits which have attended British rule in education, liberty of the individual, national security, and an easy fiscal system there being no direct taxation of any kind, and, strictly speaking, no public debt. As Marchese Mattei, one of the elected representatives in the Council of Government, has remarked: 'Whatever friction there has been, or may be, it must be borne in mind that it is of purely local concern, and does not in any way touch the large Imperial interests, which are, indeed, as dear to the Maltese as they are to Englishmen.' In truth, the Maltese of today do not regret the sentiment expressed by the inscription their ancestors placed, in a moment of enthusiasm, over the Main Guard in Valletta:
'MAGNAE ET INVICTAE BRITANNICA EUROPE VOX ET MELITENSIUM AMOR HAS INSULAS
CONFIRM ANT.' A.D. 1814.
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