The 'Buona Unione' : an episode in Veneto-Maltese relations in the late XVIII century

Abstract

On July 6, 1781 the Buona Unione, a relatively small, strongly built, two-masted coasting vessel, or checcio, flying a Venetian flag, arrived in the vicinity of Marsamxetto Harbour. It was under the command of the Venetian Captain Girolamo Padella. The vessel, chartered by some Tunisian merchants, had left Alexandria on May 12 with a crew of nine, Padella included, together with eighteen Turkish passengers, destined for Sfax. It was carrying a cargo of two-hundred bales of linen, one-hundred sacks of rice, eight bales of wool and camel fur together with small quantities of other soft goods. During the trip, on the 20th May, (i.e. eight days from Buona Unione's departure from Alexandria) plague broke out on board the vessel.