The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-05-03
DESCRIPTION OF THE
ISLAND AND CITY OF MALTA.

BY Citi2en Robert, ebisf Pklfeian to TIE Military
Holpita' ofMaita.
MALTA is fituated in the middle of the Me-
diterranean, between Barbary and Sicily, in la
titu0e IS, 80, longitude 80, 80. This iland,
which has for its BATS a calCareouS rock, con-
tains, according to feverai travellers, nothing in
terefting to the natural hiftorian, except few
fofi!s. It's figure is irregular, competed of FINAL
valleys, dehles, and hills and may be rcprefcnt-
ed as plain inciining from the fouth welt to
the north eaf, 70 that the caIcareous ftrata, of
which it is entirely competed, are very nearly
parallel to each other, rifing towards the fouth
eait, where they form the declivities nearly two
hundred totes above the level of the fea. A
chain of low mountains, running from fouth
eaft to north Wet, divides the iiland through the
middle, 70 that only one half OF the country can
be feen from the city. Malta is feven leagues in
length, three in breadth, and twenty one in cir
cumference.
The city is fituated TO the north eaft of the
irand, on the borders of the fea, and is divided
into the eaaern and weNern city. The laft is
called Vaette, from the name of its founder it
is built on a peninfna between two fpacious
harbors to the fouth eaft is found the large
port, and to the north eaft that of Marfomuchet.
The eaitern city is divided into parallel portions,
the one called Burmola, and the other IfoiaI
contiguous to the great harbor, which they cut
perpendicularly. Thefe natural harbors affor
fate fhclter to veiiels navigating the Meditel
raneaD, and appear to be 70 conveniently fornt
cd as in no event to admit of any improvement
from the interference of art.
The city of Valette, although built upon /
regular or broken ground, is nevertheless d /.
tremely handfome. The houfes are low; TIL
have all one or more balconies, and terrace n.
walking on the apartments are large, comm
dious, and well lighted, and the ceilings are IL
| tremely lofty. Ia
The ftreets are wide, with commodious tit
| paths ON each fide; they are paved with Ut
| fquare Zones, and 70 free from mud, that u, IN
during winter the feet remain perfectly drI f.
| The four principal ftreets run in parallel. III
rection from north eaft to fouth welt. UYder
each ftreet is a canal, which carries off all ind
of filth into the lel, and another by which are
conducted into each houfe, the waters tn are
brought from the country, by means of an h9ile-
duct well deferving the notice of travellers, i
1t is one of the ftroDgef cities in the Jorid,
being built on very high rock, and 70 folti5cd
by nature as not to require the alliance tf art
the bitches are extremely large, aud havt i,een
dug in the fold rock. 1t is not concealed, or
buried under the forti6cations, like the drdlteit
number of fortified cities the houfes are fully
cxpoied to view, and the air every whlys ci.-
culdtes freely; the ramparts afford dcI ettful
proipect as they command view both o 4 X fea
and the country.
The works proceed from the hde oftf .oun-
try inclciing La Floriana, a finall yillaI that
may with propiiety be termed the fub os OF
! Malta its areets are well lighted, and the
whole it is extremely falubrious.
The eaitern city forms a very inclined lane,
from the ear 10 the wef it is far from 20 fling
the fame ialubrity the wehern city th4 houf-
es are more concealed by the raDpmH, the
ilreets are narrow, III paved, and i'll igl D, and
few of them are well fgpplied with d; water
but what is collected in ciiterns.
! The great number of gardens fcat, thro'
Malta, particularly in Floiianna and ard.