Malta and the Suez Canal : a study of the social and economic implications between 1869 and 1890

Abstract

It is a well-known fact that the opening of the Suez Canal, by transforming the Mediterranean into a foremost maritime highway, considerably boosted Malta’s position as a trading post and consequently civilian business activity. This dissertation aims to examine how Malta, both as a commercial hub and as a strategic part of the British Colonial Empire, was affected by the opening of the Suez Canal and what characterised the consequent boom years. This dissertation does not only focus on the economic implications in the boom years attributed to the Suez Canal but also the effects in the social sphere. Another aspect this dissertation will focus on will be the situation in Malta when the boom abated. Research for this dissertation was based on a mixture of primary and secondary sources. The Annual Reports of the Maltese Chamber of Commerce were essential to the writing of this dissertation. These helped to provide a contemporary insight into the state of affairs of the Maltese economy in the pre-boom period as well as during the time of the boom.