The times., 1898-08-01
THE ISLAND OF MALTA.
Consul GrOut Points Out Chances
for American Investment

at Malta, is distressed because his ISL
and home is not more largely patronized
by tourists. In a communication 10 the |
Secretary of State, Consul Grout says:
I'm these days of ease and comfortable
travel. when SO many thousands of
Americans cross the Atlantic annually,
bent on bo,h business and pleasure, 1t
is remarkable that more do not visit
these islands of Malta To the s;ghtseer.
Malta, for small place. can boast of
more interesting things of historical
nature than any other known spot of its
size on the earth's surface. As Winter
health resort. Malta Is an ideal spot.
being neither too hot nor too cold.
s'Malta should be visited by CONNER
cial agents. The business men here like
to receive well-illus,rated catalogues. but
the personal appearance of representa-
tive with samples receives far more at
tention. This Is the reason why so many
lines of goods of English, German,
French, and Austrian manufacture are
sold here. Representatives of those ma
tions visit the island, display their
samples, explain terms, and leave with
fair orders
High grades of goods are not in de-
mand, but, when once established. trade
is likely to be steady. In the matter of
credit the business houses here demand
time, but in the end are generally salts
factory in the way of payments
After the Suez Canal was opened, NAL
ia acquired great prominence, both as a
port of call and for transshipment The
| larger sizes of vessels now being built,
the vast improvements made in marine
engines, and the rival coaling stations
! that have in recent years been e5ta blished
| al other ports in the Mediterranean have
| however, lessened its Importance to some
extent. The Barbary coast and the Le-
want, as well as neighboring ports of
Sicily, drew their supplies from this
place. The establishment of direct steam
ship communication has. however, re-
versed this order of things, AID the gen
| eraI trade of Malta has now to depend on
| the local demand. Formerly American
| sailing vessels were common sight in
| VaIletta Harbor, and Malta dealt quite
| extensively in our goods but now every
thing OF American production has to
reach here by way of England or Eu-
rope. With the. establishment OF direct
| Will the 0H4tt1
there IS no reason why we should not do
quite an extensive business with Malta.
American goods are appreciated, but the
bus ness man here labors under the disad-
vantage of not knowing the names md
addresses of our manufacturers. This
| latter defect may be easily ~emedied by
| personal visits and catalogues, especially
| the former.
THE population of the Maltese Islands
malta. Coco. and Comino). is constantly
on the increase. According 10 present
estimates, ii reaches 1921 persons, in
cluding a large garrison. but not includ-
ing the personnel of a powerful nava
fleet which Great Britain keeps here
THE trade of a place can best be
gauged by statistics. but here we fine
an almost total absence of the data OBJ
tainable elsewhere. Although all goods
imported into the islands have to hC
manifested for custums purposes, such
manifests contain only the quantities
and are a mere description of the good:
received. The custom house. however
publishes a monthly return of such du
table goods as are released from bono
and entered for consumption. which are
made up of cereals. flour. wine ant
spirits. beer. cattle. pulse. and Other
articles.
'sThe islands are mainly agricultural
although not in the sense we would un
derstand the word. They do not produce
sufficient wheat to feed the population
A, the present time. American grain i:
almost barred out of the Maltese marke
on account of the duty. a heavy taa
being imposed on grain which reaches
here from Russia. India. or Amer.
lea. The duty is assessed upor
being heavier. the buyer prefers thai
measure which weighs the most. Were
the duty assessed by the weight, we
would stand an equal chance
Russian ports on the Black Sea and
Tunis supply Malta with .nel. Large
quantities of potatoes. cumn,l seed. n ui
and vegetables are raised in the islands
the first two forming the main exports
There Is an excellent opportunity for g
development of the lace industry 4 little
enterprise being all that IS necessary
| On the island of Gozo there are severa
hundred persons engaged in the manu-
: facture of lace but their work Is confined
almost wholly to orders from Europe anC
the local dealers. 1t seems to me that ar
American house might establish yalua
bic connection here and secure a gooC
share of the lace products.
Timber is received in large quantities
from Trieste, Fiume and Venice 1t il
used for making doors. windows. etc.
and for other industrial purposes Tn,
houses are all built of stone quarrieC
here. and are made with many windows
owing 10 the extremely hot weather dur
ing Summer. The further uses of timber
are for common deal furniture boxes fo
oranges and potatoes and slaves. Their
Is tank depot of petroleum. which use
certain number of boxes.
CONDENSED milk is imported in large
quantities. but mostly OF inferior quality
! This is used chiefly by the navy stationed
here and by residents who have an aver.
sion to, goats milk. The Maltese are
as rule, prejudiced against condensed
milk. About $4,000 goats and sheep are
kept on the islands for milking purposes
also some 900 cows Cows milk is no
generally used, except by English resi-
dents. Fresh cheese, which is also used
in dry FORM is made from sleeps milk
The sheep are of a peculiar breed and
: yield large quantities of milk. There ar,
l no pastures on the islands, and the fee J.
! ing of the goats and sheep has TO be doni
: by the best means abtainable. Notwith
D standing this drawback, the animal:
| thrive.
.'In 1896, S15.5II7 English gallons of bee
j were taken out of bond and paid dutN
3 for local consumption Dutiable articles
a | are supplied to the English warsh:ps anC
n | other vessels in bond; consequently NJ
record is kept of the quantity of bee
| used in this way. The beer is almos
5 entirely English and is principally con
t sumed by the navy and garrison. Tht
Maltese use beer, a rule, only on holi
| DAYS, being content with very cheap rec
| wine, imported from Sicily. on other occa
q | sions There is local brewery produc
:, | ing stout, but / am told that its yield i