The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-07-24


Quite an interesting volume might be
written about these island despots. There
are any number of them. the craze for
owning islands having received a power
full impetus by the publication OF Alex
andre Dumas celebrated novel, Monte
Cristo." Few people are aware that It
was a very wealthy and eccentric Ameri-
can OF the name OF Taylor who gave
Dumas the idea of his novel While
yachting in the Mediterranean. about the
time when Queen Victoria succeeded 10
the throne, Taylor took a fancy to the
island OF Monte Cristo and visiting Flor
ence, induced the grand duke Of Tuscany
10 sell it to him. He built a villa, which
still exists, surrounded II with pretty
grounds and parks. and lived there for
number of years. his island monarchy and
his eccentric isolation. appealing so pow
erfully TO Dumas as to furnish the in
SEPARATION for the most widely read OF all
his novels
Taylor eventually got tired OF the ISL
and, and disappeared as naysteriously as
he had come upon the scene Thereupon.
first of all the Tuscan authorities and
after 1870. the Italian government, made
vain attempts to colonize II, ultimately
selling It to the late Marquis Carlo Gin
orr. who converted 1t into a game pre-
serve
When in garrison at Florence, King
Victor Emmanuel then only crown
prince, was on several occasions thu
guest Of the marquis on the island. he
took such fancy to the place that on
his accession to the throne he leased It
from the marquis and subsequently
bought it. It was thither. by the by.
that the King took his bride for their
honeymoon after their marriage, taking
up their quarters in the Taylor villa. and
the island has been especially dear to
both him and the Queen ever since.
The ScilIy Islands, familiar to every
American tourist who approaches Eng
land by way of the south coast, are held
on lease by T. A Dorrien-smith. brother
Of Sir Charles Smith Dorrien. who Is In
command Of England's great military
camp at Aldershot. The lease comes to
an end In 1915, but is certain to be re-
newed.
T. 4 Dorrien-smith, who is known as
the king Of the ScIlly Islands, makes his
home at the Abbey OF Tresco, built on
the foundations, and. to a great extent,
with he@aterials OF the ancient Abbey
Of Tresco, which dates from the time OF
King Athelstane. who In 93s granted the
islands TO the great Abbey of Tavistook,
for use as branch establishment
Among the relics OF the monastic times
are tie abbey fishing ponds. bountifully
stocked, and which run 10 some fifty
acres. After the Reformation. the SciIIy
Islands were leased by Queen Elizabeth
To Sir Francis Godolphin. and while in
the possession OF his descendants, under
went many vicissitudes Thus, Charles
II found shelter there after the disas-
trous defeat of the royalists at the bat
tie OF Worcester.
From thence. too, Sir John GreviIle and
the Princes Rupert and Maurice OF b.
hernia. the nephew or Charles I. con-
Quoted many a bold buceaneering ex-
plot on behalf Of the royal cause, until
driven out by Oliver Cromwelrs great
Admiral Blake The Sicily Islands re-
NAMED In the possession OF the Godol-
phins until 1896. when the lease passed
TO Augustus Smith, uncle OF the present
king"
Then there is the island OF Innismurray
In Sligo Bay, which for 200 years has
been owned by family OF the name OF
Waters. The late Michael Waters. whom
I knew. was a great character and al
sSt, ~
subjects few. he ruled without any diff
Guilty over a community who practically
know no law but his viii. and who de-
voted themselves. under his patrisrchal
sway. TO farming. fishing, and 10 the
manufacture of illicit but excellent
whisky.
The island boasts Ie most inter
esting remains of sarly monastic
architecture to be found IN Ireland, ST.
| Mulasius. pupil OF st. Patrick. having
established a monastery there. of which
some perfect beehive buildings stiI re-
main. together with q primitive oratory,
| in which rests a wooden representation
Of the saint himself
Among the oddities OF the island is.
that there is one graveyard for the wom-
! en-, and another. some distance on. for
! the men, the islanders firmly believing
| that no male could rest content in the
| female burying ground. and that any at
tempt TO inter him there would result In
the unrest of his spirit, and in gbostly
wanderings.
Sir Maurice Fitzgerald. twentieth
| knight Of Kerry, lords II over the island
| of Valencia, off the coast of Kerry. the
ownership Of which enables him 10 style
himself the nearest European neighbor
to the United States Hugh Morrison,
| brother-in-law OF Lord Granville. owns
| the beautiful island OF Islay, which for
so many years belonged to the Camp
bells; while Lord suathcona has pur-
chased from the heirs of the late Sir
John Mcneil the island of Colon, near
Greenock.
The Marchioness of Graham, wife of
the future Duke of Montrose. inherited
from her father. the late Duke of Ham
| ilton, the Island of Arrani and the Duke
Of Argyll includes in his possessions not
only Tyree Island, but also the island
Of Iona. the most sacred and historic
spot of all Scotland. Lord Revelstoke's
brother and heir, the Hon. Cecil Barring,
who has an American wife. the daughter
of the late Pierre Lorillard. makes his
home on the island of Lambay. just
north of Howth. an about GOO acres In
area.
The group includes Innispatrifk. noted
as the spot on which st. Pa lex first
| landed In Ireland. Prince BIZ. her. now
naturalIzed citizen of Great ritain, and
q grandson of the famous Prussian feld
marshal who was with Wellington at
Waterloo, has purchased the island OF
Herm, one of the so-called English Chan