The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-03-12

handiwork OF man Is considered, Glib
rallar pales into insigniiicance in COM
parison with Malta,
GOD made Gibraltar;S Gods, Wears,
Natal" onco exclaimed mn enthusiastic
admiral and his eyes first rested upon
imprcEnGblc Nalattn. The conformation
OF The port, or double port. is i'll shape
something like gignatic, mouth with
portruding tongue. Tho latter would
represent Naletta propor;Ethe upper
and lower spaces the grand and quaran-
tino ports; and the. curvature Eof the
upper and lower lips tho upper and
neither harborsides; the whole water
front sweeping away past suburban
promontories in either direction and
forming ono mighty mass OF fortilica-
tions as. defensiblc as art and nature
can combine.
WONDERFUL WORK.
Tho landward lines are equally as vast
and wonderful. They enclose the va
rious quarters of the capital ior n
square milo and q half These aro
called La Floriaua and constitute five
scN
tricacy that $4,000 men would DO re.
quired to completely man them, but
one line, well manned, is sufficient for
complete defense Many OF the bitches
arc ninety feet deep, excayated from the
solid rock, and great portion OF these
landward ramparta have beeli formed
by hewing the conformations OF rock
into the required shape. Malta could
not be taken BY combined land and sen
forces, save by the aid of treachery and
famine.
The knights OF Malta so valiantly re-
pressed tho piracies and power oil tho
Moslems that it was determined by
combined Turkish, Arab and Algerian
powers to extirpatc thom from the
earth. Accordingly ono OF tho most
magnificent Turkish ornaments ever
known consisting OF $50 war vessels
and $4,000 select troops began the in
vestment OF Malta on May 10, 1865.
Jean Parisot dc Ia Valotta, tho grand
master, with but GOO knights and 500
Maltese militia, for four months sus-
tanned with unparreled heroism tho
most savage and persistent siege since
the siege OF Troy. 1t has been fifty
said that only Homer was lacking to
render this historic event as memorial,
and its heroes, Christian and AIoslem,
as immortal.
The decline Of Mos!em power. really
dates from this great Turkish defeat at
Malta. All the Christian powers, though
failing to aid the knights in their en-
tremlty, now'that they were victorious,
INDUCED in dclirious rejoicings, and
royal, princely and private gifts poured
in upon Maltass Observation-Disclosures. z The
city and Notifications, named SValetta in
honor OF the glorioul defenders, were
entirely rebuilt as you will find them
now. The great church OF st. John,
the Westminster Abbey OF Malta, WAS
erected. Palaces termed "aubergcs"
for the entertainment Of the visiting
Languages arose on eyGry hand; and
it seemed that a new and even more
lustrous era OF splendor and power had
begun.
DECAY OF TIE KNIGHTS.
But the success OF the French revolu-
ton was the death3blow 10 The Knights
OF Malta. All their property in France
was annexed to the republics demcsnes,
and French members of the order were
deprived Of citizenship. Bonaparte on
his way to Egypt seized the. islands
through treachery, pillaged SNaletta's
treasures, and garrisonea1 the siortrcss
with 1000 men. These finally surren-
dered TO the Maltese and their English
allies, having been literally starved out,
on September 4, 1900. BY, this time the
famous order was distracted and almost
destroyed. It was proposed to restore
it at Malta by the treaty OF Amiens.
The Maltese people strenuously opposed
this. The order was never rc-estab-
lishcd; and thus faded from existence
the most heroic band OF knighthood,
,bulwark OF Christianity to the limit Of
its need, that ever made respondent
the most glorious days OF chivalry. The
seventh article OF tho Treaty OF Paris,
signed May so, 1911, was rs follows:
"1he Island OF Malta, with its dependen-
cies, will appertain in full authority and
sovereignty TO His Brittanic Majesty;n
and Sir Thomas Maitland was halta's
first English governor.
The three islands contained popula-
ton OF about 100000 souls, OF which
fully 100000 are found in the city and
suburbs OF NGletta. Architecturally
Valetta is place OF extraordinary in
terest. The shore Notifications and.
landward lines are in themselves
worthy oil mo nth's study. Their ire
mendousness, intricacy and even
beauty constantly provide new and inn
pressire surprises. Nothing approach
ing their remarkable proportions can
be found in Christendom.: Then tho
palaces, or aubcrges, and the great
Church of st. John, with countless pub.
lie and private structures OF minor i'm
portance, are massive ond princclv in
character. The treasures Of medieval
Europe were open to their knightly
builders. And [ doubt ii there is an
other spot accessible to civilized man
where there is massed within tho same
area an equal evidence OF outlay OF
labor and treasure. III contemplating
the proportions, extent, massiveness
and richness OF this single stone monu-
ment to the ambitions. Of. regal chivalry.
the mind constantly fgropes for equal
examples OF lavish utilization OF wealth
and labor, and as constantly recalls the
great pyramid at Jeezah. s
The city proper lies along tho
tongue before Glluded.lo, 5with..most
beautiful harbors ateither SIDE each in
turn faced by;tho splendid Notifications
and the magnificent suburbs rising TO
the right and lett along the, Mcditerra-
mean, and back towards the interior OF
the island. Tho tongue or peninsula
on which wns b,Iilt tho oriu;no al -cit,, .