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MALACCA MALACHY the neighboring British settlements, Penang and Singapore. The annual exports amount to about $2,000,000, and the imports to about $2,250,000. (See MALAY PENINSULA, and STRAITS SETTLEMENTS.) II. A city, capital of the territory, situated near the mouth of a small river which falls into the straits of Malacca, in lat. 2 14' N., Ion. 102 12' E. ; pop. about 15,000. It was the chief em- porium of oriental commerce before Euro- peans visited the Indian seas. The Arabs, Persians, and Hindoos resorted to its port to procure the spices, gums, and other precious products of the Malay archipelago, which they afterward distributed throughout Asia, Af- rica, and Europe. It owed its commercial distinction to the freedom of its roadstead from hurricanes or the influence of the mon- soons, and to its advantageous situation in the straits of Malacca, the great highway of eastern commerce. It is a free port ; but its trade has long ceased to be of any relative importance, and is almost entirely confined to the neighboring settlements. The harbor is too shallow to admit large vessels. "When first visited by the Portuguese, it contained about 35,000 dwellings, and, according to the lowest computation made at the time, 150,000 inhabitants. It was besieged and taken by Albuquerque in 1511. The victor captured more than 3,000 pieces of brass and iron cannon, mounted upon the walls of the city, which were said to be superior to any of Portuguese fabrication of that period. The Portuguese held possession of the city for 130 years, and during that period it underwent 19 sieges, 8 of which were undertaken by the Malays, chiefly of the state of Acheen, and the rest by the Dutch, who captured the place after nine months' siege and blockade in 1641. The Dutch held the city for 154 years, sur- rendering to a British besieging force in 1795. In 1818 it was restored to the Dutch government ; but it again reverted to the Brit- ish in 1824, in exchange for Bencoolen in Su- matra. There are many notable ruins of for- tifications constructed by the ancient Malay kings, and many of their tombs ; also ruins of monasteries, churches, and fortifications con- structed by Albuquerque, including those of the monastery of Madre de Dios, on a hill in the rear of the town, which contained the remains of St. Francis Xavier till they were transferred to Goa. MALACCA, Straits of, the waters which separate the Malay peninsula from the island of Suma- tra. This channel is the most frequented route of European vessels proceeding eastward to Chinese and neighboring points ; and it is also in the line of Australian and Malaysian com- munication with continental India. It enjoys with the Malaysian seas an entire exemption from the hurricanes and typhoons which pre- vail in the neighboring waters to the eastward and westward. Two lighthouses constructed by the British government, at the N. W. and S. E. extremities, contribute greatly to the safety of its navigation. The channel is about 600 m. long, and from 30 to about 200 m. wide. MALACHI, the last of the minor prophets. The name may be defined either "my mes- senger" or "messenger of Jehovah." Noth- ing is known of his person or history, and many interpreters, as Umbreit, Hengste*nberg, and others, are of opinion that Malachi is not a proper name, but an official title ; and some hold that Ezra was the writer of this book. From the contents of the prophecy it may be inferred that the prophet lived after Ze- chariah, since in his time the second temple was already built (iii. 10), and that he was contemporary with Nehemiah (446 B. 0.). The prophet reminds Israel of the kindness of God toward them in the past, and com- plains of the irreligiousness of the priests and the people. He then announces the coming of a messenger sent by the Lord to prepare the way for him, and the coming of the Lord himself to judgment, which will be condem- nation of the wicked and a blessing on the good. The prophecy of Malachi occupies the last place in the canon of the Old Testament, and is referred to in several places of the New Testament. Among the more important com- mentaries upon it are those of Hitzig, Ewald, Maurer, Umbreit, Pressel, and Reinke. The last, a Roman Catholic, has written the most complete work on this book, containing the Hebrew text and a translation, with a full crit- ical, philological, and historical commentary (Giessen, 1856). MALACHITE. See COPPER, vol. v., p. 319. MALACHY, Saint, archbishop of Armagh, born in Armagh about 1095, died at Clairvaux, France, Nov. 2, 1148. He was of noble birth, became a monk, and was appointed vicar of St. Celsus, archbishop of Armagh, who des- tined him for his successor. He studied canon law under St. Malchus, bishop of Lismore, and rebuilt a portion of the monastery of Ben- chor. About 1127 he was appointed bishop of the united sees of Down and Connor. He visited on foot every hamlet in both dioceses, restored reverence for the matrimonial con- tract, repaired churches, established schools, obtained enlightened priests, and introduced everywhere the Roman liturgy and ritual. He became archbishop in 1129 ; but as the tempo- ralities of Armagh had been confiscated, he con- tinued to govern the diocese of Connor. This city was sacked in a civil war, and with 120 dis- ciples he retired into Munster, built the mon- astery of Ibrach, and as primate made a visita- tion of Munster and Connaught. Toward the end of 1134 he took possession of the see of Armagh, completed his reforms, and made a second visitation of the dioceses of Munster. In 1137 he resigned his archbishopric, conse- crated a bishop for Connor, and reserved for himself the poorer and obscurer see of Down, where he founded various institutions. In 1189 he went to Rome, to confer with the pope about