APPENDIX I
MALTA
The Dependency of Malta consists of a chain of islands, Gozo, Comino and Malta, stretching from north-west to south-east, about 60 miles from Sicily and about 180 from Africa. Malta itself is about 17½ miles long and 8¼ broad, and, owing to its magnificent natural harbours, it has been the coveted possession of the strongest nations on the sea for the time being, ever since the dawn of maritime trade. These anchorages are nearly all on the east coast of the island, and include—besides the famous harbours of Valetta (the Grand Harbour on the south of the city and the Marsamuscetto Harbour on the north)—the bays of Melleha, St Paul's and Marsa Scirocco.
The population of Malta in 1907 was 206,690, and this phenomenal congestion renders it largely dependent on imported foodstuffs. The area under cultivation is comparatively small, and the fields are composed of terraces by which the soil with enormous labour has been walled up along the contours of the hills to prevent it from being washed away. Viewed from the sea, therefore, the top of one wall appearing above the next produces the barren effect to which reference has been made in Chapter II; but the aspect of the land from the top of the hills in winter and early spring is a beautiful contrast of a profusion of greenness. The principal grain crops are maize, wheat and barley. Vines are also cultivated though the fruit is sold as grapes far more profitably than converted into wine. The chief industry is the production of Maltese lace, which employs some 5000 women and children. The principal resources of the island are derived from the fact of its being an important military station and the Headquarters of the Mediterranean fleet, the prolonged absence of which always produces distress.
The Maltese language is Phœnician in origin, the popular idea that it is composed largely of Arabic being erroneous. Until recent years the language of the courts was Italian, in spite of the fact that this language is unknown to 86 per cent, of the population.
Malta has had a most chequered history from the earliest times when the Mediterranean was the centre of all civilisation and commerce. The Phœnicians occupied the islands at a very early date, being followed in the 6th century B.C. by the Carthaginians, and later by the Romans, who regarded the Maltese not as conquered enemies but as allies. On the final division of the Roman Dominions in A.D. 395, Malta was assigned to the Empire of Constantinople, and during the next 500 years suffered three Arab invasions, though these left little mark upon the people either by language or by inter-marriage. In 1090 the Counts of Normandy captured the island and finally expelled the Arabs, retaining possession until 1265, when it passed into the hands of the Aragonese, Kings of Sicily.
It was in 1530 that the most interesting period of Maltese history commenced, for in that year the islands were granted by the Emperor Charles V to the Knights of St John, who had been expelled from Rhodes by the Turks; and some thirty years later the Knights of the Order and the Christian Maltese combined under de Valette, the Grand Master, whose name survives in the town of Valetta, in resisting the last effort of the Mohammedan power to gain the ascendancy in the Mediterranean. The Siege of Malta, which was most gallantly resisted by the Knights, proved successful, and they remained, although de jure owing allegiance to Sicily, de facto masters of Malta, until they were finally expelled in 1798 by the French under Napoleon, who used the island as a base for his disastrous expedition to Egypt in that year.
The staunch allegiance of the Maltese to the Church of Rome soon brought them into conflict with the French, whose plundering of the churches provoked a revolution in which the Maltese invoked the aid of Nelson. The Treaty of Amiens, 1802, provided for the return of the island to the Knights of Malta, but the Maltese, realising that this would entail a revival of French influence, protested vigorously, with the result that in 1814 the Treaty of Paris finally secured Malta to the British Empire. Since this date the story of Malta has on the whole been one of advancement in every direction.
The chief towns of the island are Valetta, the seat of government, and Citta Vecchia (otherwise known as Notabile or Medina), the ancient capital and stronghold; other places of importance being Musta, Birchircara and Attard—all of which will be well remembered by all ranks of the Regiment.
The head of the Government and Commander-in-Chief and Governor-General was in 1914 General Sir Leslie Rundle, G.C.B., G.C.M.G., G.C.V.O., D.S.O.
The garrison consisted of three battalions of British Infantry, two companies of Fortress Engineers, together with detachments of Royal Garrison Artillery, Royal Army Medical Corps, Royal Army Service Corps, and in addition two battalions of Malta Militia (Infantry), and the Malta Artillery.