New-York tribune., 1885-03-27
THE MALTESE CARNIVAL.
MERRY MAsKERs sDANCING I'm THE HALL
OF THE KNIGHTS OF ST. JOHN.

MERRY MASKERS sDANCING I'm THE HALL
OF THE KNIGHTS OF ST. JOHN.
FRoM AN OCCASIONAL ooRREsRosDESr OF THE rRIBgNrl
The browning event, socially and fashionably
speaking of the Malta Carnival is the fancy dress
ball annually given at the Palace. There are about
100000 inhabitants of the Maltese Islands, nclud-
ing the English army and navy contingent, and
1887 Of that 100000 had been invited to the ball
on the evening of Monday. the 10th instant; and
955 were present, fully 900 being in fancy Dress
So brilliant and successful ball had never been
given before here, and can easily believe that a
certain well-known fashionable and noted diplomat
spoke the truth when he sald in group Of guest91
who stood looking at the scene, that so superb a.
ball had seldom been surpassed by any of the
Courts of Europe You will remember. IL you
please that the ball was held in the palace once
built for and occupied by the Grand Masters of the
gored the little island of Malta by their chivalrlc
presence. Grim, 800 feet square. with only line
Of covered balconies to relieve the severe planness
of its unattractve exterior yet within the palace Is
the perfection of royal residence 1t is only two
stories in height but each story very lofty. Two
great courtyards in the centre of the pile.
adorned with trees that Royalty planted, and
fringed with polished guns ready for instant
service. sentinel guards the arched entrance to
the courts and has done so for eighty-iv straight
years The lower story of the palace is devoted to
Government offices, tho upper story to the. Gov
ernors residence and it includes the famous
armory, the tapestry chamber where tho present.
day councils are held. the ballroom, the banquet
hall and the long, wide marble-paved corridors
along whose walls are hung quaint and sometimes
fine paintings of battles fought on land and sea by
the Order, and where rows Of knIghtly armor stand
in stiff and stately efigy both sides of the
splendid galleries
The hall of st. Michael and st. George is the ball
room. The Kings Own Light Infantry band played
dance music from high-up balcony at one end OF
the room, while the Governor and his gracious lady
sat ON raised dais at the opposite end. As the
invited guests arrived they passed before and were
pleasantly greeted by His Excellency. BY half
past 10 everybody was present and the ball at full
swing. In general the costumes worn were as costly
as various Lady Summons, as Beatrice in Much
Ado About Nothing" wore white brocade petit
coat trimmed with pearl lace, dark crimson velvet
dress looped up on one side. pearl stomacher and
girdle, high beaded ruff crimson velvet Golf orna-
mented with pearls. and long tule VEIL The
Governor, Sir John Simmons, wore the full-dress
uniform of the Royal Engineers while his staff
each in elaborate costume representing four
distinct but similar Don Pedros from Much ADO"
There were countless lords and ladies of high
degree in claddngs of past centuries. There were
knights and medieval princes and warriors of
immortal, fame. There we're Venetian senators,
Queens of Scots Cossacks, Perlcleses Greeks
Richelieus, Purtans, Uncle Sans, Grand Masters,
Pages Jesslcas, Poudrees, Nights. Mornings, Turks,
Jows Infdels BriganGs. Cavaliers Gamekeepers,
etc, etc., dd infnitum. There were five or SIX
american Young Ladies present. and thSy pam. SsTs
Blanche" aCourt Lady of Henry ,VIIl:," Page
of Louis XIV and; sweetest aud daintest OF all,
the dearest Little Bo-Peep' that ever lost sheep
IN this vale of tears.
| Tie principal features of the brilliant evening
were certain sets of lancers ono set being danced
| by costumes representing the Nations; another by
| characters from Shakespeare; another. and the
best called a Malta country. dance danced
almost exclusively by Maltese ladies and gentlemen
| in picturesque antique dresses peculiar to these
islands. Champagne flowed freely at the midnight
supper in the ArmOry the guests having 10 go IN In
| squads of couple of hundred at time. The most
| charming greenhouses and arbors and snuggerles
were constructed at distant ends of corridors and
| on crosS-gacrcs, with walls made OF 1ags. and
softly lighted with colOTed lanterns. In these
sequestercd and fragrant spots goodly number OF
| remarkable aad gorgeous ball reached happy end
| ing. the fascinating and stately Old Engish dance
called Sir Rogcr do -Coyeriy" CLOSING tne praVe
The very last ball of the Carnival, however was
| given at the Borsa-the Chamber of Commercially
the Maltese. on Tuesday evening. The spacious
rooms of the Casino were pethoric with people, the
fancy dressing of the night previous being largely
reproduced. The English army and navy were
well represented, but the large majority present
were Maltese. The dance-programme was not
finished ut midnight nevertheless, when tue Old
Moorish clock the nearby palace struck tho first
stroke of - o'clock the music suddenly ceased, the
dancers stopped IN the midst of the Blue Danube
whrl and by the time Ash Wednesday was fairly
on it's pins an arrived fact, silence and darkness
reigned where but moment before the sounds and
scenes of joyous reyel were at highest tide.