The Sun.
London, England, 1803-02-02 00:00:00

MALTA.

...

Mr, JEmaks Aproxitsorr, who formerly visited
China in Lord Macartncy's pain, and who pub-
lished a Narrative of that memorable Embassy, has
lately given to the Public, " A Journal of the Se-
cret Expedition" (as it was called), from the period
of its sailing from the Downs in April tBOO, to the
stir/render of Alexandria on the rsth of August
tßot. From this volume, which, with all the
official papers respelling the Expedition, consists of
532 quarto pages, we shall borrow the following
account of some of the principal fortifications of
Malta. Mr. ANDERSON was engaged in the Ex-
pedition, and passed some time on the Island, which
he describes.

Citta Vecchia, or the ad City, whose scire
is on the highest ground in the Island, and near the
centre of it, was the ancient capital ; but the City
of La Valetta, where the Government resides, is
the actual Metropolis of the Island. Its dependen.
cies, which are inclosed within stupendous
cations, are considered as so many distinct towns.
Besides the cards, there are small groups of houses
scattered about the Country. The coast is defend.
ell by entrenchments, batteries, and towers, from
whence the Inhabitants give advice, by signal or
fires, of any suspeaed vessels that may be seen at
sea. These towers, built at a small distance from
each other, and forming a curve, the extremities of
which reach to the two castles placed at the en.
trance of the Harbour, repeat the signals with such
rapidity as ensures the prompt defence of the whole
mist.
4 Besides the two chief harbours between which
the City of La Valetta is situated,' there ate several
bays, where vessels may ride with safety. Two
of the most considerable are, St. riIIPS Bay, and
that of Marro
.Scirocco, where the Turks landed in
the year fs's6.
" The whole of the coast afrords opportunities
for landing, except the southertl,part, which is bold,
'rocky, and of a great height.
" The Island of Gaza has no harbour, but sere.
ral bays. Its coasts are also furnished with towers,
whose signals, repeated by the fort at Cumina, very
rapidly communicate the alarm to Malta. It con.
tains one castle, one town, and six cazals.

•
" The City of La Valetta was built, or at least
its foundations were laid, in the year 1566. The
elevation of the spot, arid its position, between the
two great harbours of 'the • Island, determined the
choice of its situation. It derives its name from the
Grand Master, LA. VALFTTE) who, after having
sustained a siege against the Turks, with very un-
quit numbers, and almost incredible efforts of cou.
rage, and fearing another and more poweiful de..
scent from the Ottoman Troops, obtained supplies
from the Court of Spain, and cansed the walls of
the New City to be traced according to a plan con.
ceived and laid clown by himself. The Inhabitants
orcither sex, and of every age, made a voluntary
ofer of their labours towards building the City,
which would not'only prove their defence, but serve
to increase their cortm.erce and secure their wealth ;
as well as increase the importance of the Island, by
the additional proration it would give to the trade
of Europe in the Mediterranean Sea.
so La Valette dying in rs6B,•it was reserved for
his successor, De Mont, to finish the work, and the
whole was completed on the sath of May, 157 r .
" The principal attention in building this City
was paid to the construEion of fortifications for its
defence ; and the chapel, called La Vittoria, built by
La Valette, in commemoration of raising the siege,
was at that time the only place of worship belong.
jog to the Order.
6 The Knights death Nation were allotted a par.r
ticular spot far their hotels ; and that of the English
Knights, which has since been replaced by the An.
glo.Bsvarian, was fixed in the-quarter of La Po.
turista.

_
" It may also gratify curiosity to be informed,
that the Knights of each Nation were separately
attached to the defence of a particular post, and
that the assign►nents of them were according to the
following arrangement :

The Knights of
Provence, the Bastion of St. John, Arc.
.A.uvergue
__Ditto St. Michael.
France Ditto St. James.
Italy Ditto St. Peter and St. Fatal.
Atrainn Ditto St. Andrew.
Y ngland Platiormof St. Lazarus,
Germany Bastion of St. Sebastian.
Castile Ditto Si, Barbara.

g. La Valetta has already been mentioned as
seated on a lofty part of • the Island ; and it must
now be added, that it projeds boldly towards the
sea for about a mile, is washed on either side by
tsyo branches or inleta of It, and represents, at the
same time, a etopendous mass of fortifications.
44 Its principal barriers are those of the Fort and
Castle. of Sr. Elmo. This Fort stretches, as it
were, Into the 4:ea, is defended by three tier of can.
non, chiefly brass, and has an handsome signal
tower rising from the crown of it. The Castle, at
the same tiO, is surrounded with a ditch so feet
in depth., ant'''s also encircled by the battery of St.
John, which is mounted with a numerous and an
heavy artillery, chiefly brass four.and.twenty
pounders, and. brass mortars. The Castle and Bat.
tery completely overlook the Harbour,- and corn.
mend its entrance, presenting to the sea an almost
impregnable taped. Opposite to it, on the right,
is Fort Iticazoli and on the left Fort Tigni, which
commands the Mersa Mutiehetta Harbour, allotted
for vessels performing quarantine.
64 The Castle and Batteries:of Ricasoli are si.
tuate at the entrance of the Grand I iarbour, which
they likewise command from a variety of points.—
It is a place of great strength, as it stands upon a
rock, and its Ilatteriei are mounted with heavy can.
non, from 4 to 42 pounders. Its Barracks, which
art very ,extensive, and spacious galleries, are all
bomb.proof. . In one of the latter, on the eastern
point, there are a considerable number of 24 pound.
ers, pointed towards the sea, which completely de.
fentl-the iipproach of the Town or Harbour from the
east, and' filtlsi inevitably' destroy any ships which
should be to idly datirlg as to hazard Ott conflict.
it The entrance of it is by a flight of 6t, or So
steps from the water, at the top of whith is a diteh,,

witslr sirivi.bridgi leading to * strong gate-way,
whole arch supports the house officially occupied
by the coMmandant of the Garriv;n. From the
first story of this commodious mansion there is a
noble view, comprehending Sr. Elmo, the entrance
of the Harbour, the City of La Valetta, and other
eonneded circumstances. There is also a grand plat-
form, on which guns may be mounted, that ex.
tends several hundred feet over a range of buildings
nccupied as barracks, and bomb-proof. There is a
very noble parade for the Troops immediately front.
, ingthi Commandant's house, which the zeal and
attention of General PIGOT, that were constantly
applied to every objeet of public utility, had formed
plan to improve, and which was nearly completed
when that excellent Officer returned to England."

A Gentleman in a respectable mercantile house,
not long since married to a very amiable woman,
had of late exhibited symptoms of mental derange-
Ment, and particultirly by writing an incoherent let.
ter to his partner, with whom he was in the closest.
habits of intimacy, requesting him to • take care of
his wife after he was gone: the substance .of .this
letter waa communicated to the Lady, who judged it
right to watch narrowly the conduct of her husband,
fearing lie had 'some design on his own life. - Not.
withstanding the precautions used, the unfortunate
Gentleman found means to,Op out yesterday se'tr
night, went to-a chemist's, and purchased a crown's
worth of laudanum in a phial, with which he wander-
ed towards Bedford-square, and there'drank the con..'
tents.•. Soon after he went into a public house andsat•
down ; the landlord supposing him intoxicated, took
little notice of him, • tilt appearing very ill, he was
questioned, when the unfortunate person asked for
brandy ; they gave him some, which fortunately had
the immediate effect of bringing a good deal, of the
laudanum off hjs stomach, or he must shortly have
died ; his pockets were now searched, when nothing
was found about him but the direction to a friend's
house, which probably lie had put in his pocket on
purpose ; through this friend intelligence was con.
veyed to the Lady, who on her arrival found her
husband in the most deplorable state, with one side
of his face and body completely paralyzed, in which
state, notwithstanding the best medical assistance,
he still remains, and but small hopes are entertained
of his recovery from the dreadful effeCts of his rash
aft, which cannot be accounted for but by insanity,
as the Gentleman was in no pecuniary or other
rem.
i)arras s men ts.

One evening last week, between seven and eight
o'clock, an .atrocious robbery was committed on the
road leading from Kennington Common to Brixton
Causeway. 'Three footpads met a Mr. Stanley, whom
they stopt, and took from him whet cash and other
things he had in his pockets ; after which the villains
made him strip off his coat,.; waistcoat, and .cravat.,.
They then cut off his ,braces; and took away his hat:
In this plight they were about to•leave him,
,almost
perishing with Cold, when one of them, More brutal
than the rest, suggested the idea PE throwing him
over a bridge which was near. them. This they
inunediately accomplished,-and in falling Mr. Stan-
ley broke his thumb; he however, with difficulty, ,
got out of the water, and being no further molest.
ed, reached his place of abode, which happened to
he near the spot.
Marnirotv-Ilovsr.—On Saturday Penny,
a watchman, employed about the Custom-house to
watch the property, was brought before the LORD
MAYOR, charged with having stolen from the pre-
mises, at various times, a quantity of china, it was
stated, by a watchman in the same employ, that the'
Prisoner had irequently mentioned to him the man.
ner in which he was enabled to take. the china,
which was by means of a long stick fitted up for
the purpose, which, in the middle of the night, he
used to put through a warehous&window, and hook
out different pieces at a time. The warehouseman
deposed, that china from the warehouse in question
had been frequently missed, but, as the doors were
always found locked, it could never be accounted
for in what manner it had been stolen. A third
person proved that a part of the china taken away
was found on the premises of the Prisoner. Be was
fully committed for trial.
Messrs; Hartwell and Beaman charged Rebecca
Murphy, their servant, with having stolen from.
them three yards of dimity and several remnants
of muslin. From time to time they, had lost pro-
perty from their warehouse, and not being. able to
point out the thief, they had been inthiced to turn.
away a warehouseman, who was the only person
cm whom they could rest their suspicions. A
short time ago, however, the Prisoner appearing
with child, and not willing to give any ac_
count of the father, some endeavour was made to
trace the matter, by any lettess she might have in
her possessicin. While making the search, a key was
found, which had for a length of time been lost, and
which opened the liquor cellar. A closer search
was• instituted, when the key of tile safe was
found, which was the general deptit for the ware.
house key
,and every other that was the guardian of
property. Adeficiency of goods was found to the
amount of 601. The dimity and muslin produced
had been found in the possession of the Prisoner. It
appeared she had a husband a porter. On searching
his lodging, nothing was found but a handkerchief
which was exaetly of the same quality of Wine they
had lost.—The Prisoner was fully committed for
trial.

MARL BOROUGH-STR man, exhibiting
all the appearance of a Buck of the present day, of the
name of Woodford, was on Monday brought before the
Magistrates at this Office, charged by Mr. enkins, a
Liveryman, in Bryanstnne.streer, with having stolen
a horse his property. Mr. Jenkins had before several
times lent the Prisoner, horses, and therefore, on his
last application for one, felt no hesitation in letting
him have one which had been left at his stables for
sale. The horse, however, had never been re.
turned. The Prisoner said his father was a Coach-
man—he had been a Post.boy—since then, with a;
Working Jeweller; he was drunk when he last had,
the horse, and could give no account of the manner
in which he had disposed of it. He was-committed,
for further examination.