Mr. CHANCELLORasked the Undersecretary of State for the Colonies if he will state the number of troops in Malta during the year 1905, the half-years ending June and December, 1906, and the years 1907,1908, 1909, and 1910; the civil population of the island; the numbers, respectively, of civil and military and naval cases 811W of Malta fever, for the same periods, respectively; the date when the cleansing of the harbour was carried out; and the date when the garrison was removed from the St. Elmo to the new barracks?
§ Colonel SEELYThe figures asked for by my hon. Friend, so far as they are available in the Colonial Office, are as follows:—
NUMBER OF THOOPS IN MALTA. (Average strength, all ranks.) 1905 9,587 1906 1st January—30th June 8,101 1st July—31st December 6,979 1907 6,525 1908 6,819 1909 7,122
Number of Military cases of Malta fever:— 1905 643 1906 1st January—30th June 119 1st July—31st December 42 1907 11 1908 5 1909 1 1910(1st January—31st May) Nil
Total Naval Force. Naval cases of Malta Fever 1905 14,360 270 1906 12,130 145 1907 10,530 14 1908 9,780 6 1909 9,920 11
Number of Civil cases of Malta fever:— 1905–6 822 1906–7 714 1907–8 501 1908–9 463 The figures for the exact periods named are not available in the Colonial Office as regards the number of cases among the civil population. The civil population of Malta was estimated at 190,250 on 31st March, 1909. I do not understand to what my hon. Friend refers as the cleansing of the harbour. If he means the construction of drainage works to prevent sewage draining into the harbour, I can only say that various works with this object have been carried out from time to time during the last ten years. As regards the last sentence of the question, I would point out that there are still troops in occupation of the barracks at St. Elmo.