Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-02-25

scenic effects in The Pirates of Pen
Zance' retain some idea of the nature OF
the Scillonian panorama: Wild ana PIC
turesque sheer cliffs and yawnlng
caverns followed out by the ceaseless
action of the ocean waves. a perllous
approach in stormy weather. mus De-
gins bulletin of the National Ie9t
graphic Society issued here today. 1t
then says:
Islands Rich in Legend.
Though dour of aspect. the islands
are rich in legend. and they have LETT
some small record on the scroll OF his
tory. For centuries there was a per-
sistent tradition that dry land once
connected Cornwall with the Scilly IS
lands. Legendary accounts have 1t that
this champaign was streWn with villages
and hallowed by 40 churches, known TO
the Cornish of ancient days as PethoW-
SOW, or Lyonesse, and on this fair land
great and gallant deeds were wrought
which for ages were kept alive by wan
dering minstrelS.
1T is said that the white horse borne
as a crest by the Trevililn family is to
commemorate the escape or an ancestor
from an age-gone inundation by swim
ming to the mainland on horseback
The similarity of the rock structure at
Lands End and at ST. Martins Head
gives credence to the story that the IS
lands were once part OF the mainiano.
1t has been suggested that the subsi-
dence which cut Off the islands might
have occurred about March. $50. sug-
gestion based on a statement appearing
in the Irish annals recounting great
CONFUSION which happened in that year
in the south of Ireland. and which
might not unlikely, have reached Corn
wall and Scilly.
Origin Wrapped in Doubt.
"rbe origin of the name is wrapped
in doubt The islands were called by
the Greeks Hesperides and Cassiterides.
but the attempt to identify them with
the Cassiterides Of Heredotus is no
longer made. BY Solinus they were
called Silures; by Antoninus, Sigdeles.
and in several of the tower records
they were known as Sully or Sulley,
which Heath suggests may be derived
from insulae. The islands are said by
Solinus to have been discovered by
Hamlico a Carthaginian. belonging to
a Phoenician colony in Spain.
ut has been asserted by some his
torians that the ancients engaged in
the tin trade in Scilly; but the slight
evidence of any large deposits OF this
ore in that vicinity has led others to
believe that these writers made Corn
wall a part Of the Cassiterides. Pliny
says that lead was first brought from
these islands to Greece by Madractitus.
THE first mention of Scilly in Eng
lish history was when the islands were
subdued by Athelstan. early in the
tenth century.
Once Pirate Infested.
Recognizing the strategic value of
the islands, Elizabeth caused to be
erected on St. Marys a fort known as
the Star Castle. in 1893. an eight
CT will in
brasures at each point. This is one of
the chief sights of Scilly. During the
civil war it was a place of imprison-
ment for some and of refuge for
others In 1915 it was the temporary
friends. Lords Hopton and Capel. In
1919 Sir Richard Grenville fortified
here and held the islands for Charles
IL Parliament finding their trading
vessels much annoyed by Grenville's
John Ayscue to take the islands. Ad
miral voD Tromp offered his services
to Grenville, who refused them. sur
rendered and was delivered up to
parliament. In earlier days the islands
were infested with pirates and snug
glers. while many of the Inhabitants
picked up living as wreckers.
Of strategic Importance.
As for the strategic Importance of
Scilly, Borlase wrote. over a century
and a half ago:
TN time of war it is of the utmost
Importance to England to have Scilly
in it's possession: if it were in an
enemy's hands. the channel trade from
Ireland. Liverpool and Bristol. to Lon
don and the south of England could not
subsist for Scilly, lying at the point
of England, and looking into both
channels. no ship could pass but a
privateer might speak with it from
one of these sounds
To-day the islands are served by
steamers from Penzance. and tele-
phonic and Geographic communication
with the mainland Is established"