1799:] 
rocks here are not only fcarped into for- 
tifications, but likewile into fire-engines 
or artillery to detend thofe fortifications ; 
~ being hollowed out in many places into 
the torm of immenfe mortars. Thefe 
mortars they fill with cantars of cannon- 
balls, fhells, ftones, and other deadly 
materials ; and if an enemy’s fhip fhould 
approach with a defign to land, they fire 
the whole into the air: the effect of this 
tremendous invention mutt be very great, 
as it will produce a fhower for 2 or 300 
yards round, that would quickly fink any 
veffel, and make a dreadful havock 
amongit a debarkation of boats. A cantar 
is about a hundred pound weight ; and as 
the mouths of fome of the mortars are fix 
feet wide, they will throw, according to 
calculation, a hundred cantars each. 
In the acceflible parts of the coaft, 
there are feveral commodipus harbours, 
bays, and anchoring grounds, all of 
which (as already obferved) are defended 
by towers, forts, and other works; but 
the great or main harbour of Valetta 
has been fo admirably formed by nature 
in point of depth, extent, fecurity, and 
commodioufnels, that it feems even be- 
yond the power of art to improve it; it is 
alfo fo well defended by its fituation and 
by works which have been added to it for 
more than 200 years paft, that it may be 
confidered as almoft impregnable againft 
any attack either by fea or land. 
The port, properly fpeaking, confifts 
of two harbours ; dhat on the S. E. fide of 
the city is the principal one, and by 
much the moft frequented. It runs about 
two miles mto the heart of the ifland, 
and is fo very deep, and furrounded by 
fuch high grounds and fortifications, that 
the largeft fhips of war may ride in it, al- 
moft without a cable: ‘This beautiful 
bafon is fubdivided into five diftin® har- 
-bours, all equally fafe, and each capa- 
ble of containing an immenfe number of 
fhipping. ‘The entrance is very narrow, 
being {carcely a quarter of a mile broad, 
and is commanded by a ftrong cattle on 
each fide, with batteries that would tear 
the ftrongeit fhip in pieces before fhe could 
poflibly enter. Betides this, it is fronted 
by the cattle of St. Angelo, where a 
quadruple battery has been planted, one 
above the other, the largeft of which is 
level with the water’s edge; the platforms 
are mounted with about eighty of their 
heavieft artillery. In feveral others of the 
works are fimilar ranges of batteries ; an 
advantage naturally arifing from the 
rock ou which they are conitruéted, and 
MonTuLy Mac. No. xu, 
Mr. Good in Reply to Mr. Wood. 
121 
from which the firing mult be attended : 
with the greateft effect. Indeed, the fort 
of St. Michael (a very well-built place, 
crofled by two large and elegant ftreets, 
with other leffer ones crofling them), and 
the caftle of St. Angelo, (which two for- 
trefles are erected on the point of the two 
peninfulas, which inclofe what is called 
the Grand Port, or the principal of the 
five fubdivifions of the main harbour), 
would alone keep in fafety the navy of 
the ifland, even fhould an enemy’s fleet 
preve fuccefsful in forcing the citadels of 
St. Elmo and Ricafoli, which detend the 
entrance. 
The harbour en the north fide of the 
city, called Marfa Mu/cet, although chiefly 
reforted to for fifhing, and as a place of 
quarantine, would, in any other part of 
the world, be confidered as ineftimable, | 
It is likewilfe detended by very ftrong 
fortifications, (particularly Fort Manoel, 
the lateft and moft finifhed work about 
Valetta, firuated on a penin{fula); and in 
the centre of the bafon is an ifland, on 
which they have erected a fort and a la- 
zaretto. At the entrance of this har- 
bour, oppofite St. Elmo, is the point of 
Dragut; fo named from. the vice-roy of 
Algiers, who landed here during the liege 
of Malta, under the reign of the Turkith 
emperor, Solyman, while Valetta was 
Grand Matter. 
(To be concluded in our next.) 
ee 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
] OESERVE in your Magazine for laft 
month another letter from Mr. Woop 
of Shrewfbury, of which I am once more 
made the fubjeét; but which is written 
ina ftyle fo very querulous and inveétive, 
that nothing but an allowance, and a very 
liberal one too, for that irritability which 
even a worthy man will fometimes feel at 
being compelled to relinquith opinions he 
has long and fondly foftered, can entitle 
to any reply whatfoever. 
The original difpute between us may 
now be regarded as completely terminate 
ed: for, of the two errors of this gentle- 
man which I fo unfortunately noticed in 
my ‘°* Differtation on the Poor,” the one 
he has tully acknowledged, and the other 
is rendered {elf-evident by a comparifon 
with other faéts ofa fimilar nature which 
Mr. Woop has elfewhere advanced ; and 
by his continuing to with-hold thofe data, 
if indeed they be in his pofleffion, on 
which the controverfy entirely refts. 
With 
