The Sun.
London, England, 1856-05-14 00:00:00

MILITARY RIOTS AT MALTA.

- - - -
MALTA, May B.—Shortly after the arrival of the
Anlto-Italian Legion, some one or two of the soldiers
were brought before the police and condemned to im-
prisonment for uttering blasphemous language in the
streets, and lately there was a case of unprovoked as-
sault upon a friar of the Carmelite order. Unhappily,
however, the conduct of these troops has, during the
past few days, been the cause of great alarm to the
population and the local authorities ; and yesterday and
the day preceding the tragic scenes of the streets of
Parma have been acted in broad daylight in the streets
of La Valetta, in the lower part of which city, on the
sth of May, a soldier of the 3d Italian Regiment stabbed
a comrade with a stiletto while aiming a blow at a pa'
lice-constable, who, having received information of the
man's having this weapon concealed ou his person from
a woman whom he had just previously threatened, was
quietly endeavouring to induce him to g) with him to
the station-house. The constable stepped aside, and the
blow of the assassin fell on his own comrade, who was
carried dying to the hospital. The miscreant was im-
mediately arrested.

On the evening of the 6th, towards sunset, a number
of soldiers of the Legion—some say full 100—encouraged
by the presence of several non-commissioned officers,
appeared in the streets of the city, singing songs of
liberty, demeaning themselves in a riotous and disorderly
manner, using language insulting and menacing to the
natives. On reaching the chief police•station in the
Palace of Justice in the Strada Reale, the inspector,
Mr. Caruana, fearing that a conflict might ensue, ex-
horted the crowd of Maltese collecting round the military
to disperse, and was quietly leading these latterfrom the
main street in the direction of their barracks at Fort
Manoel and the Lazzareto, when, all of a sudden, under
the windows in Strada Santa Lucia of the Imperial
flotel, the Italian soldiers made a rush at the people with
their unsheathed bayonets, and some men drew from
under their tunics stiletti. At this moment Mr.
Caruana was seen to put his hand to his back, and to run
in the direction of the main guard for the purpose of get-
ting assistance, when he fell to the ground, and on being
lifted blood was found issuing from no less than four
mortal wounds, and within a few minutes after he ex*
pired in the police-office. The miscreants fled in the
panic and confusion which prevailed, dealing blows on
several unoffending persons who happened to be in the
streets as they passed, and seriously maimed the boat-
men who pulled them across the harbour to their bar-
racks in the Lazzaretto and Fort Manocl, where, on
the following morning, the regiment being drawn up.
Lieut.-Colonel Burnaby, commanding the Legion, ad-
dressed them on the enormity of the crime committed on
the preceding evening, and expressed an earnest hope
that, as the assassin could not be known to many of
his comrades, they would give him up to justice. This
address was received by the officers with the waving of
their swords and by the soldiers with three cheers ; but
ap to this moment .he murderer remains unknown to
the authorities, though it maid that two English sol-
diers, who saw the blow struck, declare that they had
sufficiently remarked his features to be able to identify
him. Scarcely had this address been made than a can,
teen-keeper of the barracks, on asking payment of a sol-
dier for some provisions, received in reply the thrust of s
stiletto, with " Take this; for this is the coin with which
the Italian pays his debts." Luckily the man behind
the canteen counter drew back, and the wound
inflicted was not a deep one. Another canteen-keeper
had previously got his head broken.
On the afternoon of the 7th, one of the band getting
into an altercation at the Marina with a native, drew a
stiletto, which was wrested from his grasp by a Bri-
tish naval officer passing by,—not, however, without
this latter cutting his hand. On the same afternoon,
at about 1.30, other disturbances between the Italians
and the Maltese took place in different parts of the
'city, and in one of them an Italian officer had the im-
prudence to draw his sword, which drew from him a
shower of stones that injured him in the head. On hear-
ing of these acts, the men in barracks vowed vengeance,
took to the ferry-boats, crossed over, and made an at-
tempt to pass into Valletta, through the Marsamuscetto-
gate' where, under orders from Sir John Pennefather,
the General Commanding, a small party of British
artillerymen brought them to a halt with the point of
the bayonet, and after the drawbridge was lifted, strong
pickets sent round the town, the guards were doubled,
extra sentries posted, and 300 English infantry de-
spatched towards the suburbs of Floriana and the Porta
Bornbe, to protect, against any attempt of the Italians
to enter at the Porta Reale. English artillerymen were
placed in charge of the guns at Fort Manoel, whence the
stock of ammunition has been removed, and in the even-
ing her Majesty's screw line-of-battle ship the Hannibal,
having on board Rear-Admiral Sir Houston Stewart,
was towed round by the Spiteful steamer into Mersa-
nauscetto harbour, and anchored in such a position as
to command the Fort Manoel barracks and the Italian
encampment along the shore opposite Slierna.
The whole of the afternoon most of the town shops
were kept closed, and much alarm continues to prevail.
The indignation of the populace has been considerably
excited against the Italians by the admission of the
public to see the mangled remains of the inspector, who
has left a widow and seven children, for whom a sub-
scription is on foot.

It is to be hoped that no time will be lost in removing
the legion from the island, before any more serious con•
sequences accrue.

MARKET NEWS.—(This Day.)

CORN EXCHANGE.
We had only a moderate supply of English wheat on
sale in to-day's market, yet the demand for all kinds was
in a sluggish state, at Monday's quotations.
Foreign wheat—the show of which was good—com-
mauded very little attention. In prices, however, no
change took place.
Floating cargoes of grain were unaltered in value.
We had a very dull sale for barley, at barely stationary
prices. No change in malt.
There was very little inquiry for oats, yet prices were
supported.
Beans, peas, and flour, as on Monday.

Lngllsh
Irish

Wheat.
1,250

~....
Foroign I I
1 3,170 i 1,710