According to persistent tradition this solid silver gate was painted black by the Maltese so that the ransacking French troops who had attacked and invaded Malta in 1798 would not tear it down and turn it into silver bullion ending the same way as much of the silver and gold which the French either sold by auction to the Maltese or melted down and took with them to use for paying their troops. Unfortunately much of the French Naval vessels were sunk in the attack on them by the British Navy at Aboukir Bay, the silver and gold bullion might still be buried in the muddy Aboukir Bay for someone to unearth.