HISTORY OF MALTA.

counts of the treasury, and it. was necessary they should be ofdifferent nations. They had each a vote, and might be re-garded as inspectors for all the languages of every thing whichpassed in the chamber.

The secretary of the treasury was, properly speaking, onlva first clerk; his office was, however, a very important one,and required great exactness. This place was in the nomina-tion of the grand-master and council: it might be bestowed ona Maltese, and no person could be dismissed from this officewithout either being brought to trial or appointed to anotherplace, of which he had the choice. He had only a consultingvote in the different chambers of the treasury : his office con-sisted in balancing and concluding the accounts, in presence ofthe two auditors ; in giving, and seeing to the payment of, allbills of exchange; in short, in attending to all affairs relativeto the management and security of the finances.

There were some occasions when' a commission of fourgrand-crosses might be added to the usual members of the cham-ber : for instance, w hen there ivas question of economy, or ofmaking reforms in financial affairs. These grand-crosses werealw ays of different nations, and only named for a limited time,which w r as fixed by the grand-master and council. The grandcommander constantly presided in this commission.

The grand treasurer, or his lieutenant, had the right ofbeing present when the accounts were given in to the com-mon treasury: formerly, indeed, he w r as always included in the