GUN, RIFLE AND TORPEDO RANGES [ S.L.220.01 1
SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 220.01
GUN, RIFLE AND TORPEDO RANGES 
REGULATIONS
9th October, 1931
GOVERNMENT NOTICE 379 of 1931, as amended by Government
Notices 271 of 1932, 539 of 1933, 263 of 1937, 95 of 1939, 110 of 1940 and
21 of 1954.
Title .
Ranges Regulations. 
Interpretation.
who has the command or the care or the custody of a vessel, and the
word "vessel" means any ship or boat, or any sea-going craft.
Flags to be hoisted 
prior to musketry 
practise.
Substituted by:
G.N. 263 of 1937;
G.N. 110 of 1940.
3. Red flags will be hoisted on St. George’s Tower and
Madliena Tower fifteen minutes before musketry practice begins
from Pembroke Ranges, and will be lowered as soon as practice has
ceased.
Prohibition of 
fishing whilst flag 
is hoisted.
Substituted by:
G.N. 263 of 1937;
G.N. 110 of 1940.
4. Whenever and so long as a red flag is hoisted on either of
the towers mentioned in regulation 3, no one shall fish within the
portion of sea which is within the danger area.
Danger area.
Substituted by:
G.N. 263 of 1937;
G.N. 110 of 1940.
5. The danger area is bounded as follows:
( a ) On the East by a line drawn in the direction North fifty
three degrees East (N53°E) from the "C" Block,
Married Soldiers’ Quarters, St. George’s Barracks.
( b ) On the West by a line drawn due North from a point
one hundred and eighty-three metres West of Madliena
Tower.
( c ) On the South by the coast line between the East and
West boundaries as above described.
( d ) On the North by a line between the East and West
boundaries recognised from the sea by keeping Nadur
Church, Gozo, in line with Ras ta’ l-Imnieri, Comino.
The bearings given are true.
Boundary lines.
Substituted by:
G.N. 263 of 1937;
G.N. 110 of 1940.
6. The East and West boundary lines can be recognized from
the sea by the following leading marks - 
( a ) In the line of the Eastern boundary a red circle three
point six five metres in diameter fixed on the fore-
shore to the East, St. George’s Tower, and a red square
three point six five metres by three point six five
metres, fixed on the roof of "C" Block, Married
Soldiers’ Quarters, St. George’s Barracks, at a distance
of about two hundred and seventy-four point thirty-
2 [ S.L.220.01 GUN, RIFLE AND TORPEDO RANGES
two metres behind the said work erected on the
foreshore.
( b ) In the line of the Western boundary a red circle three
point six five metres in diameter fixed on the foreshore
about one hundred and sixty-four point five metres
South-West of Madliena Tower, and a red square, three
point six five metres by three point six five metres,
ninety-one point four metres further inland.
Prohibition of 
vessels to pass 
inside danger area.
Substituted by:
G.N. 263 of 1937;
G.N. 110 of 1940.
7. Vessels are forbidden to pass inside the above danger area
while the red flags are hoisted on the said towers, unless absolutely
obliged to do so by stress of weather.
The burden of proving this necessity will lie on the master
of the vessel.
Flags to be hoisted 
prior to gun 
practice.
8. Red flags will be hoisted on the G ]allis Tower and the
Torri Qalet Marku fifteen minutes before machine gun practice
begins from the G ]allis Rocks Range and will be lowered as soon
as practice has ceased.
Prohibition of 
fishing whilst flag 
is hoisted.
9. Whenever and so long as a red flag is hoisted on either of
the towers mentioned in the preceding regulation no one shall fish
within the portion of the sea which is within the danger area.
Danger area. 10. The danger area is bounded as follows:
( a ) On the East by a line drawn in a direction North
sixty-seven degrees East (N67ºE) from Torri Qalet
Marku.
( b ) On the West by a line drawn in a direction North
twenty-two degrees East (N22°E) from G ]allis Tower.
( c ) On the South by the coast line between West and East
boundaries.
( d ) On the North by a line between the East and West
boundaries recognized from the sea by keeping Nadur
Church (Gozo) in line with Ras ta’ l-Imnieri, Comino.
The bearings given are true.
Prohibition of 
vessels to pass 
inside danger area.
11. Vessels are forbidden to pass inside the above danger area
while the red flags are hoisted on the said towers, unless absolutely
obliged to do so by stress of weather.
The burden of proving this necessity will lie on the master
of the vessel.
Flags to be hoisted 
prior to musketry 
practice.
12. A red flag will be hoisted on the Naval Rifle range at Wied
G ]ammieq fifteen minutes before musketry practice begins from
Wied G ]ammieq Range, and will be lowered as soon as practice
has ceased.
Prohibition of 
fishing whilst flag 
is hoisted.
Substituted by:
G.N. 271 of 1932;
G.N. 539 of 1933.
13. Whenever and so long as a red flag is hoisted on the range
mentioned in the preceding regulation, no one shall fish within the
area marked by two buoys as follows -
Position -  ( a )  11.8 cables 075° from St.Elmo Breakwater Light
( b )  8.2 cables 067.5° from St.Elmo Breakwater
GUN, RIFLE AND TORPEDO RANGES [ S.L.220.01 3
Light.
Description - ( a ) and ( b ) conical buoys, painted red, and
surmounted by a staff and globe in each case.
Prohibition of 
vessels to pass 
inside the buoys.
14. Vessels are forbidden to pass inside the above mentioned
buoys whilst the red flag is hoisted on the Naval Rifle Range at
Wied G ]ammieq, unless absolutely obliged to do so by stress of
weather; in which case the second paragraph of regulation 7 shall
apply.
Flags to be hoisted 
prior to musketry 
practice.
15. A red flag will be hoisted on the Naval Rifle Range at
G ]ajn Tuffie ]a fifteen minutes before musketry practice begins
from G ]ajn Tuffie ]a Range, and will be lowered as soon as the said
practice has ceased.
Prohibition of 
fishing whilst flag 
is hoisted.
Substituted by:
G.N. 271 of 1932;
G.N. 539 of 1933.
16. Whenever, and so long as a red flag is hoisted by the range
mentioned in the preceding regulation, no one shall fish within the
area marked by two buoys as follows -
Position -  ( a ) 10.9 cables 286° from Torri ta’ G ]ajn Tuffie ]a
( b ) 10.9 cables 244° from Torri ta’ G ]ajn Tuffie ]a.
Description - ( a ) and ( b ) conical buoys, painted red and
surmounted by a staff and globe in each case.
Prohibition of 
vessels to pass 
inside the buoys.
17. Vessels are forbidden to pass inside the above mentioned
buoys whilst the red flag is hoisted on the Naval Range at G ]ajn
Tuffie ]a, unless absolutely obliged to do so by stress of weather, in
which case the second paragraph of regulation 7 shall apply.
Prohibition of 
boats or other 
crafts to enter 
Kalafrana Bay.
18. No boat or other craft shall at any time enter Kalafrana Bay
within a line drawn from the head of the Breakwater to the Torpedo
Pier Head.
Whenever and so long as targets are placed in position, and
red flags are hoisted on same and on the pier end at Kalafrana,
Marsaxlokk Bay, as well as on Tas-Sil [ Naval Semaphore Station,
no boats or other craft shall be allowed to enter, cross, anchor, or
loiter in the area of the said range, which is marked by two cage
buoys at its eastern extremity and one buoy close to and North of
the Torpedo Pier and by two beacons brought in a line surmounted
by St. Andrew’s cross to mark north limit of the danger zone 9 and
two other beacons also brought in a line surmounted by two
horizontal stripes to mark south limit of danger zone.
These beacons are situated on shore to the west of the
Torpedo Pier.
Blue pennant over 
red flag to be 
hoisted.
Amended by:
G.N 95 of 1939;
G.N 21 of 1954.
19.  A blue pennant over a red flag shall be hoisted at the
defence work from which the practice is to take place on the
afternoon previous to such practice and at dawn on the day on
which practice is to take place. The said signal will also be hoisted
on the launch detailed for range duty, when leaving the harbour
with targets, whenever gun practice is to take place from any of the
defence works, and in the direction of any of the areas hereunder
mentioned.
The sea practice areas shall be positioned relative to the
Malta approach lane for aircraft and have a base line extending
4 [ S.L.220.01 GUN, RIFLE AND TORPEDO RANGES
through the centre of this lane in a 138° to 318° direction from
Mosta Church dome.
Inner areas
( a ) The inner areas (lettered A. B, C, D and E) shall be
contained by five lines joining the following
positions-
(i) 36º17’N. 14º 23’ E.
(ii) 35º 54.5’ N. 13º52’ E.
(iii) 35º31.5’ N. 14º51’ E.
(iv) 35º43.5’N. 14º38’ E.
(v) 35º52.2’ N. 14º50.2’ E.
( b ) The area on the North East side of the Baseline shall
be divided into three rectangular areas A, B and C.
Area A shall be the North West area and Area C shall
be the area containing the Hurd Bank. The two lines
dividing these areas shall be drawn 048º from the
following two positions -
(i) the tower on the South West corner of the Island
of Comino;
(ii) St. Elmo Point Light.
( c ) The area to the South West of the Baseline shall be
divided into two areas D and E by a line drawn 228º
from Ras ir-Raheb. Area D shall lie to the South East
and Area E shall lie to the North East of this line.
Outer Areas
( d ) Area F shall extend in a North West direction from
Area E between the Baseline and a line drawn 295.5º
from 35º54.5’ N. 13º52’ E.
( e ) Area G shall be a 90º sector between the Baseline and
Area A with the North West side of Area A produced
on a bearing of 048º from the North corner.
( f ) Area H shall extend North East from Area A between
two lines drawn 048º from positions 36º17’ N., 14º23’
E., and 36º 08.9’ N., 14º 31.8’ E.
( g ) Area J shall extend North East from Area B between
Area H and a line drawn 048º from St. Elmo Point
Light.
( h ) Area K shall extend North East from Area C between
Area J and a line drawn 048º from 35º 52.2’ N., 14º
50.2’ E.
( i ) Area L shall be a 90º sector between the Baseline and
the South East limit of Areas C and K.
( j ) Area M shall extend South from Area D between Area
L and a line drawn 228º from Ras ir-Raheb.
( k ) Area N shall extend South West from Areas E and F
between Area M and a line drawn 295.5º from 35º
47.35’ N., 10.1’E.
GUN, RIFLE AND TORPEDO RANGES [ S.L.220.01 5
The said areas apply in the case of gun practice by the
Armed Forces’ ships of war.
The danger limit extends to twelve thousand eight hundred
and one point six metres from the firing point.
Flag to be hoisted 
prior to practice.
Amended by:
G.N. 95 of 1939.
20. Fifteen minutes before practice begins, and whilst practice
is taking place in the direction of any of the areas hereinbefore
specified, a red flat shall be hoisted at the work from which
practice is to take place.
Prohibition of 
fishing whilst flag 
is hoisted.
21. Whenever, and so long as a red flag is hoisted at any of the
works referred to in the preceding regulation, no one shall fish
within the area over which the practice is to take place, and vessels
are forbidden to pass within the said area unless absolutely obliged
to do so by stress of weather; in which case the second paragraph of
regulation 7 shall apply.
Offences and 
penalties.
Cap. 220.
22. Any person who shall be found fishing in contravention of
the provisions of regulations 4, 9, 13, 16 and 21 and the master of
any vessel who shall infringe these Regulations, shall be liable to
be proceeded under the Armed Forces Act, and shall be liable to the
punishments laid down under the said Act, and the vessel shall be
liable to be towed out of the prohibited area by Government
launches stationed in the vicinity for the purpose.
Foreign vessels.
outside the limits of the territorial waters of these Islands.
Should the action of a foreign vessel when outside territorial
waters interfere with artillery practice, then firing should cease and
the vessel asked to move clear of the range.
