Sliema grew with the ferries

Abstract

This series of 3 articles deals with the creation of Sliema Ferries. On January 29, 1881, Julius (Giulio) Goldseller set up The Sliema Valletta Ferry Service Company. The company commissioned two steam ferries from a shipbuilder at Marsa. The new ferries, Ogygia and Melita, ran trials on June 6, 1882. The service was inaugurated on Sunday, June 11. Two more ferries joined the fleet: "Sliema" in September 1884 (unfortunately struck by a torpedo in 1889) and "Victoria" in July 1885. The fleet was then enlarged with more ferries. The larger Britannia, the company flagship, which was intended for excursions, was added in 1888. A service to Msida was introduced in 1887. Towards the end of November 1896, when the island was agog with excitement and interest about the new electric light plant at Floriana, rumours that the monopoly enjoyed by Major Alessandro and Edward Mattei’s ‘Marsamuscetto Steam Ferry Service’ would be broken were confirmed when it was announced that three gentlemen, Gustav Gollcher, Eduardo Montebello Pulis and Raffaele Polidano, had proposed to start another ferry service with superior vessels. The penny fare was to include free access from Marsamuscetto Steps to street level by hydraulic lift.