The Crimean War brought great wealth and commercial pros perity to Malta. Under Sir G. Le Marchant, in 1858, the nominal rule of military governors was re-established, but the civil admin istration was largely confided to Sir Victor Houlton as chief secretary, whilst the real power began to be concentrated in the hands of Sir A. Dingli, the Crown advocate. The civil service gravitated into the hands of a clique. At this period much money was spent on the Marsa extension of the Grand Harbour, but the rapid increase in the size of steamships made the scheme inade quate, and limited its value prematurely. The military defences were entirely remodelled under Sir G. Le Marchant, and consider able municipal improvements and embellishments were completed. Sir P. Julyan was appointed royal commissioner on the civil establishments, and Sir P. Keenan on education.
An executive council was established in 1881, and the franchise was extended in 1883. A quarter of a century of Sir Victor Houlton's policy. of laissez-faire was changed in 1883 by the appointment of Sir Walter Hely-Hutchinson as chief secretary. A regulation excluding Maltese from the navy (because of their speaking on board a language that their officers did not under stand) provoked from Trinity College, Cambridge, the Strickland correspondence in The Times on the constitutional rights of the Maltese, and a leading article induced the Colonial Office to try an experiment known as the Strickland-Mizzi Constitution of 1887. This constitution (abolished in 1903) ended a period of government by presidential casting votes and official ascendancy. Governor Simmons eventually gave his support to the new con stitution, which was received with acclamation. Strickland, who had been elected while an undergraduate on the cry of equality of rights for Maltese and English, and Mizzi, the leader of the anti-English agitation, were, as soon as elected, given seats in the executive council to co-operate with the government; but their aims were irreconcilable. Mizzi wanted to undo the educational forms of Mr. Savona, to ensure the predominance of the Italian language and to work the council as a caucus. Strickland desired to replace bureaucratic government by a system more in touch with the independent gentlemen of the country, and to introduce English ideas and precedents. Friction soon arose. Mizzi cared little for a constitution that did not make him complete master of the situation, and resigned his post in the government.
Sir Walter Hely-Hutchinson left Malta in March 1889, and was succeeded by Sir Gerald (later Lord) Strickland (Count Della Catena), who lost no time in carrying with a rapidity that was considered hasty, reforms that had been retarded for years. The
Royal Malta Militia was established. The civil service was reorganized so as to reward merit and work by promotion. Tenders were strictly enforced in letting government property and con tracts; a largely increased revenue was applied on. water supply, drainage and other works. Lepers were segregated by law.
The Malta marriage question evoked widespread agitation; Sir A. Dingli had refrained from making any provision in his code as to marrying. The Maltese relied on the Roman Canon Law, the English on the common law of England, Scots or Irish had noth ing but the English law to fall back upon. Sir G. Strickland preferred legislation to the covering up of difficulties by gover nors' licences and appeals to incongruous precedents. Sir Lintorn Simmons was appointed envoy to the Holy See, to ascertain how far legislation might be pushed in the direction of civil marriage without justifying clerical agitation and obstruction in the council. He succeeded in coming to an agreement with Rome.
An order in council (1899) making English the language of the courts after fifteen years (by which the Maltese would have obtained the right to be tried in English) was promulgated at a time when the system of taxation was also being revised ; hence forth agitation in favour of Italian and against taxation attained proportions unpleasant for those who preferred popularity to reform and progress. The elected members demanded the recall of Sir G. Strickland on his refusing to change his policy. The military governor gave way, as regards making English the lan guage of the courts on a fixed date, but educational reforms and the imposition of new taxes (those in Malta being 27s. 6d. per head, against 93s. in England) were enacted by an order in council notwithstanding the agitation. Mr. Mereweather was appointed chief secretary and civil lieutenant-governor in 1902, and stren uous efforts were made to placate the Italian party in the adminis tration of the educational reforms; but, as these were not repealed, elected members refused supply, and kept away from the council. Persistence in this course led to the repeal by letters-patent of 1903 of the Strickland-Mizzi Constitution of 1887. Bureaucratic government, with an official majority, was again fully re-estab lished for all local affairs, great and small.