Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-01-22
THE IMPORTANCE OF MALTA
The Island which Made the West
Safe for Democracy

"Perhaps no other by-product of the
world war save tine recovery of .ierusa-
lem stirs the imagination SO profoundly
as the British announcement of home rule
for Malta" says n bulletin of the Nation
al Geographic society which explains
1.-THE Malta island group is shrine of
mythology, and of sacred and profane
history calypso, vampire of Homer's
word motion pictures, rescued the ship
wrecked Ulysses. and employed her
charms to make him stay on the island.
St Paul swan ashore there after his
vessel ran aground. Publus, the Island
governor according to acts XVIII, re-
ceved and lodged him, and the apostle
founded n Christian community before he
departed
1.-THE date of Christ's birth is but the
half way point in Maltese chronology.
Since it's recorded history began ten
nations have held sway over the coveted
islands. beginning with the Phoenicians
of pauls time, and running Il scale of
Greeks Carthaginians. Romans. Goths,
Arabs, Germans, Spaniards, and French
until the present sovereignty of the
British
at has been said that Malta's local
chronicle holds in microcosm. the history
of Europe, and that it's archaeological re-
mains mark each step in western civiliza-
ton.
but Malta was am actor, as well rs a
librarian of historic drama. Literally she
became the savior of the western world
when the Knights of Malta beat back the
Turkish hordes during the famous siege
of 1865. The alien Knights, along with
native Maltese, kept the bl6hting hand
of Moslem from crushing the lands which
t,,fn Tool of
which row are reflected in England s
concession.
'"rhe thrills of that siege and the
heroism displayed are unsurpassed. OF
the 1900 Maltese who fought with the
knights practically all were killed
Characteristic of the Knights Valor was
that IF the defenders of Fort St. Elmo
Wounded and desperate, the few sur
vivors of months of fighting went to a
small chapel within the fort, embraced
each other, received the Eucharist, and
prepared to die. Tho little company was
cut off from all assistance, but fought on
Many fell with sword in hand. Fearing
they would he cXterminatcd before the
assailants were beaten back. Maltese
was sent to swim across the harbor By
night to inform the grand master Of the
danger The messenger delivered his
message 10 GARCIA ny UlNlnS anu SWIM
ming mostly under water. Hold tn
fort. or die fighting, was the commant
he brought back. Every man obeyed-
and died. But the CONSERVATION wrough
by their frenzicd resistance worked sucl
havoc among the ASSISTANTS that III,
news Of it spread to other divisions o
the Turkish forces. and turned the It'd
toward "A Maltese victory.
I'm command of the Turkish sea force
was Dragut who rose from cabin bo,
, and Cally slave. to be admiral of tn
Turkish Navy. and was MORALLY wound
, ed before Malta.
"Scenically Malta has been well nance
, precious stone in Il silver sea- Agri
, culturally it deserves the appelation q
, New Testament times. Melta. meanin
the isle of honey 1T domcles som
2}0. 900 people. though ii does not entirel
{ support them. Its area is only one-tent
that of Rhode Island, but it has twice tn
= density in populat: ion of that most dense
5 ly populated state in the Union.
In addition TO the main island the Malt
? group consists of Coco, Comino, wit
! Cominotto. an islet, and Fila rock
Z, Imagine Malta Island to be super
imposed on the District of Columbis
Then the nearest Italian shores would b
no farther away than Richmond is fror
$ WASHINGTON; Sicily would be "A little mort
= of Baltimore, the nearest point on tn
5 African shore would be at New York city
$ and Asia Minor would he not far beyon
Y Chicago. This mental diagram show
o why Britain regards Malta as the Ike,
and safety lock, of her. entire Easter
= Empire.
Napoleon recognized this strateEi
value by taking Malta on his way
: Egypt. But even Bonaparte hesitated .
the virtually impregnable. and use
= traitors instead of force for the captur,
"The dark hood, or faldetta. whic
" Maltese women wear to this day,
= ascrihed in popular legend to their desir
II TO hide their faces because of the infamie
? of invading soldiers. A characterize
II feature of the landscape is the terrace
!" fields. a geographical curiosity is tn
y absence of streams. because water
IL absorbed by the porous sandstone
i The present capital and principal SEE
II port of Malta is Valletta, named for II
grand master of the Knights at the tin
II of the memorable siege. 1t was LITERAL
l. a city built by gentlemen for gentlemen
} II contained the palace of the chiefs
" these knights, originally the knights
" the order of St. John, who resorted
u Malta after the Turks had captured the
II stronghold at Rhodes Both the maj
J. of England's Stonehenge, of the Medite
10 ranean race that antedated the arriv
W Of the Phoenic.ans.'