Tiny islands have often assumed importance because of their geographic proximity to someplace of great economic value. Hong Kong became as important as it did because it was a British possession and practically Chinese at the same time. St Thomas in the American Virgin islands was purchased from the Danes to protect American shipping lanes to the Panama Canal in the event of military hostilities. And Malta, a small group of islands in the middle of the Mediterranean sea is halfway between the Straits of Gibraltar and Egypt. The British acquired Malta in 1814, as part of the spoils of the Napoleonic wars, and as a port and military installation, Malta was an integral part of the Empire. After the Suez Canal was built in 1869, Malta became a key transit point on the way from Britain to India. Maltese stamps differ from the Crown Agents common design types that were issued for most Colonies, no doubt because the population and postal needs of the Colony could support stamps designed for Malta alone. The 1930’s saw a series of pretty, multicolored sets that have long been popular with collectors. Maltese stamps were far more popular sixty years ago than they are today. In the era before wide spread jet travel, most upscale tourists would have cruised the Mediterranean Sea and stopped off in Malta. Now only a speck that collectors fly over, Malta doesn’t have the appeal that is felt by philatelists when they have visited a place and according Maltese stamps are not as popular as they once were.