Malta

Constitution.

By Letters Patent of 1921 and 1928 Malta emerged, from a Crown Colony, to "Quasi-Dominion" status. In a Senate, subject to the limitations of a "House of review," there are 17 members: seven are elected by proportional representation, as interested in property; two representatives are elected under their own rules by each of the following—the holders of titles of nobility recognized by the Crown, the Trades Union Council, the Graduates and the Electors of the Chamber of Commerce. The Archbishop nominates two representatives.

The House of Assembly, having the power to give (or deny) confidence in Ministers, consists of 32 elected by proportional representation. Judges are to be appointed by the governor in council, and can only be removed by a joint address from both Houses of the Legislature. The police are under ministerial con trol. Each House makes its own standing orders and rules, and defines its privileges ; such powers, however, are not to exceed those of the British House of Commons. Debates may be con ducted in English, Italian or Maltese; but all official entries are to be in English or Italian. All persons are to enjoy full religious liberty, no person is to be subjected to any disability or ex clusion from office on the grounds of religion. A covering des patch empowered the legislature at its first sitting to declare the Roman Catholic to be the state religion. English is declared the official language of the administration ; Italian is to be the official language of record in the law courts. British subjects, not of Maltese birth, may claim to be tried in the English language. Maltese-born have to be tried by Italian-speaking juries in that foreign language. Evidence has to be recorded in Italian and is somehow to be translated during the proceedings although it is usually given in Maltese.

The former constitution was revoked by Letters Patent dated Aug. 12, 1936, coming into effect on Sept. 2. Malta became a crown colony instead of a self-governing colony. The governor has the help of an executive council of five ex-officio members and not less than three members nominated by himself. English and Maltese are the official languages, and Italians the privilege of being tried in Italian.

Finance and Trade.

It is estimated that the agricultural produce of the islands could support the present population only for three months in the year; the balance of foodstuffs and nec essaries has to be paid for by work done for the Imperial forces, for the dockyard and for visitors and tourists, and also by large remittances to relatives at home which are received from Maltese abroad; moreover interest from investments outside the islands, and accumulated capital furnish margins to adjust the adverse balance.

Defence.

The increased importance of Malta as a naval base has developed considerably, producing a period of increased prosperity; a floating dock was installed in 1925 capable of lifting the largest ships. An aerodrome has been built at Hal Far, suit able for main line airways. An Air Force base has been estab lished at Marsa Scirocco Bay. The greater part of the fortifica tions has been made over for civil purposes, as the importance of aircraft has altered fundamentally the needs and methods of military defence.

BIBLIOGRAPHY.-See A. Mayr, Die Insel Malta im Altertum 5909, also articles by T. Zammit in Archaeologia vols. 67-7o, London ; and R. N. Bradley, Malta and the Mediterranean Race (1912) ; T. Zammit, Malta, the islands and their history (1926) ; Papers relating to the new constitution of Malta, London (ed. 1321, 1921) ; A. Mifsud, Knights Hospitallers of the Ven, Tongue of England in Malta (1914) ; L. Miege, Histoire de Mate (Paris, 5840). (ST.) Although Malta is a fragment of an old land-bridge uniting Italy and Africa, evidence of the former existence of palaeolithic man on the island is at the moment doubtful. Human teeth claimed to have Neanderthal characteristics have been found in a cave near Ghar Dalam, but they were unaccompanied by palaeo lithic artefacts, and their association with fossil elephant and hippopotamus is not convincingly proved.

The neolithic civilization, however, was both rich and remark able. A few dolmens and menhirs may perhaps be signs of its simple beginnings, and there are also one or two towers of un certain date that can be compared with the nuraghi of Sardinia; but a more complicated and ambitious megalithic architecture is its most important feature. This is represented by the struc tures known as Sanctuaries, or Temples (the theory that they were palaces is untenable) ; of these some 15 or 16 are known in Malta, and there are also two in Gozo. Among the largest of these buildings are the Mnaidra group and Hagiar Kim on the south coast, Corradino near Valetta, and the adjacent Hal Tarxien, where there are three structures juxtaposed (and to some extent superposed), and Gigantia in Gozo. Of these only Hal Tarxien, explored by Dr. T. Zammit, has been scientifically excavated. The sanctuaries consist of two double apses facing a central passage; but are usually complicated by the presence of addi tional apses and small side-chambers, or even by the linking up of two or more units. They are built of orthostatic limestone blocks of large size, sometimes with courses of horizontal stones above them ; it is probable that the entrances and corridors were roofed by capstones laid flat across them, and there is no doubt that many of the apses and small rooms had corbelled roofs. In the courts were many temple-accessories, such as the so-called "altars" and oracular chambers (cells with porthole apertures), conical pillars that were doubtless idols, small baetylic stones, and figurines of clay and stone; there was also abundant pottery. The spiral occurs as an ornament both in stone-carving and on pottery, but this motif is not found in the earliest building at Hal Tarxien; sculptured bas-reliefs of animals, the puncture dressing of the columns and altars are other important character istics of the temple ornament. Of the figures the most notable is the lower portion (the legs and bottom of a flounced skirt) of an image about 7f t. in height, still in situ at Hal Tarxien.