This additional information to Denis Darmanin's article on the use of the crow's foot, the distinguishing mark on British Government property, mostly Royal Navy, may be of interest to readers.

The official broad-arrow or crow's foot (Maltese sieq it-tigiega or sieq ir-Regina) was originally the personal mark of the Commander of Ordnance during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558-1603), and was authorised for use by the Royal Navy in 1698.

It was painted or carved on the external walls of buildings belonging to the Navy, and was also widely used on naval stores as a precaution against theft.

In 1856, Rear Admiral Houston Stewart, Superintendent H.M. Naval Dockyard, was assured by the Victualling Officer from his office at Birgu, that "all metal articles belonging or issued to this Department are marked in the usual manner with the Queen's Broad Arrow; as are also the Queen's biscuits, bags, and in fact everything not being of a too perishable nature to admit of it; and even articles of this last description could, in almost every case, be identified if found out of the Dockyard".

Of special interest is a notice published in the Malta Government Gazette of April 26, 1856, which gave additional information on alternative distinguishing marks or symbols on naval stores:

On cordage, a coloured thread throughout the rope, either red blue, white or yellow; on canvas, a blue mark, in a curved or winding direction; on bunting, an apparent seam, longitudinally, about evenly nine inches; on tallow candles, red wicks.

The Naval Hospital at Bighi had a special mark on its property a circle with the crow's foot in its centre, and the words 'Naval Hospital' around its edge between two concentric dotted lines.