Page:A History of the Knights of Malta, or the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.djvu/520

486 taken had been injudicious, and that the project as it stood was far too stupendous. They thought the scheme should have been restricted to the enclosure of a much smaller space, so as simply to cover fort St. Elmo. These objections were overruled by La Valette. He pointed out that the ground within the line as now proposed would be far too restricted, as it would be impossible to construct within it a town large enough for his requirements, since he not only contemplated the transfer of the convent to the new city, but also that a considerable portion of the inhabitants who were crowded into the Bourg and Senglea should move there as well.

The work now went bravely on; ditches were sunk, and with the material thus raised the ramparts were constructed. For the first year nothing was attempted except the fortifications, no one being willing to build within the town until its defence had become somewhat assured. As already stated, the Papal engineer, Francesco Laparelli, had the general control, assisted in all details by Jerome Cassan, the resident engineer of the Order. La Valette watched the progress of his favourite design with the warmest interest and the keenest anxiety. He took up his abode in a wooden hut on Mount Sceberras, and spent his days in the midst of his workmen. The example thus set was followed by other members of the fraternity, and each strove by precept and example to urge forward the progress of the work. All the leading towns of Sicily, and even Italy, were ransacked for artificers, at one time no less than 8,000 labourers being employed to assist the masons.

The original design had contemplated that the ridge of rock which formed the summit of Mount Sceberras should be cut down to a nearly level platform, on which the city was to stand, surrounded by its ramparts, the latter consisting to a great extent of the live rock scarped down to the water’s edge. Before this work had become far advanced, rumour reached the island of a new expedition preparing at Constantinople, of which the destination was supposed to be Malta. Selim, who had succeeded his father Solyman on the Ottoman throne, was a man of pacific sentiments, and too much immersed in luxury and sensuality to take delight in those ambitious projects which had been so constantly cherished by the late