HISTORY OF MALTA.

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dignified by the epithet of the general interest, and become theproperty of some continental power ? Supposing this to be thecase, what must necessarily be their fate ?

The moment the Maltese become subject to anothersovereign, a garrison of five or six thousand foreign troopswill enter their island, and they will be obliged to furnishan equal number of seamen. It is contrary to the politicalsystem of the European states to allow arsenals for the navy,and dock-yards for ship-building, in countries distant fromtheir metropolis; and still less will they consent to transportthe produce of their industry and manufactures into suchcountries: it is not therefore to be expected that an exceptionshould be made in favour of Malta. It likewise makes part ofthe same system, that all subjects of one empire should beindiscriminately taxed, and that such taxes should be equallypaid by foreigners and natives. Why then imagine that Maltashould be more indulgently treated than the rest of its fellow-subjects ?

I have already sufficiently proved that of the hundred thou-sand inhabitants in Malta, only one-third could subsist on theproduct of the island; that, consequently, different methodswere obliged to be employed to provide for the remainingsixty-six thousand :—that the university was under the necessityof purchasing corn every year to a more considerable amountthan what was produced by the whole trade and industry ofthe island ; that without the four millions of French livresvol. hi. Y