Valletta shipping (1) : British protection

Abstract

This is a short yarn about the sea, ships and men. Merchantmen of all shapes and sizes, of seamen, shipowners and shipbuilders as well as the greedy merchant banker who sponsored ventures in far off lands. It is by no means an attempt to navigate through the long history of maritime Malta and the development of maritime trade of the Maltese Islands. This account covers only the last 170 years - the best years of Maltese maritime trade and covers the development of the Maltese merchant brigs and barques, the transition period from sail to steam, down to the present day.