Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-07-22
BABY KINGDOMS
Owners Have More Power over "Sub-
jects' Than King George

| Chronicle)
| Scattered about the shores OF the Brit
! ish Isles are q number of islands, large
and small. whose proprietors are mon
archs of all they survey. IN many re-
spects they possess greater power over
their "subjects' than is POSSESSED By
King George himself. Although owing
allegiance to the British crown, yet Par
Lament bas no power to tax some OF
! these island estates, nor can anyone land
, on their shores without the permission
. OF the owner.
Some Of these islands are but a few
acres in extent, while one of them is the
largest island around the British coast.
next afte- Ireland, and boasts of quite a
| large population.
The special privileges mentioned have
| been granted in times past by some SOW
erelgn TO a favorite TO whom he wished
| to give q mark of special favor. Like
titles Of nobility. these special privileges
we're made in perpetuity and ssill cling
| to the territories.
Those of us who have read Westward
Ho!" (says the New York HeralO will
| remember Lundy island. which lies in
the British channel. Now, Lundy Is one
| OF the best known of the tiny island
monarchies. 1t is a delightful little jewel
| that was once the haunt Of pirates and
| smugglers. 1t was at one time captured
| by French pirates and at another time
| fell into the hands Of Turkish privateers.
No one can dwell or even visit this bit of
| the earths surface without the consent
! of the owner. 1t is exempt from taxa
ton.
| Lundy is probably not paradise. but It
is actually the property Of the Heaven
| "A "a O1e
is the present owner. He rules over a
Kingdom off 20 acres and fewer than
| a hundred souls
| Down near Lands End a great rock
| rises out Of the bay which is known as
| ST Michacl's Mount. Ii is island and
it is not, for at low tide rough stone
| causeway connects it with the mainland
| 1t is little moro than a mile in circum-
ference and is probably the tinest of the
| island kingdoms. Perchcd upon the sum-
NIT Of the rock. which is about 800 feet
high. is the famous old castle in which
| the King Lord st. Levan. resides
Clustered at the base facing the land, is
a tiny village, composed of a score Of
houses. where dwell the subjects"
| lust south OF the Isle OF Man is a
little island called the calf Of Man"
The original owner received from Queen
I
| was declared to be forever free from
taxation. No one can live there. or even
| on its shores without the consent Of the
! owner. 1t is in every sense of the word
private The late owner was SO engrossed
| in his books and lived so retired a life
| that years would sometimes elapse be-
tween his visits to the neighboring Isle
| of Man Only small paart of the land
is cultivated and the whole is overrun
with rabbits and rats. both Of which are
tailless. This little island kingdom was
sold not long ago for 10000.
On the eastern coast OF England s a
tiny island called Osea 1t is about a
mile and half long and three-1uaiters
OF a mile wide. 1t is a delightful little
retreat covered with meadow land and
charming old elm trees-an ideal place
for bathing and sea fishing. This island
has history that dates from the time
| of Edward the Confessor, from which
| time it has always had a King and a
small population. The present King"
| is the of a brewer who refused to
continue in that business. In doing this
he sacrificed more than a million dollars.
| so ii is said. and has converted the
island into a retreat for drunkards. His
| efforts have met with considerable sue
cess, for the isolation and the bracing
sea air have worked wonders.
There are a number Of these dminu-
tive water-surrounded monarchies off the
coast of Scotland. One of them is the
Isle Of Butte in the Firth Of Clyde which
is owned by the Marquis Of Butte. This
kingdom contains almost 20 SQUARE miles
and has a population of 1000 people.
There are as many as six little lakes in
that monarchy, the largest of which.
| Nod l.
and about nine times that in length The
famous old nome of the Marquis. Rothe-
say castle. dates from the year 1923. Ar
ran is another of these sea -girt king
doms in the same firth.
The ruler Of this little principality is
the Marchioness of Graham. and a wise
ruler she has proven to her 500 sub
Jects. Although only 10 miles long and
10 broad. Arran has a romantic history
Robert the Bruce is said to have hidden
himself there for some time in cave
and to have prepared one Of his eXpedi-
tions to recover the crown on the island
The ruins Of castle are shown which
was one Of the residences of Scotland's
kings.
Another little kingdom is the Island OF
Rhum. whose potentaate is Sir John Bull
Tough. Nearly all the island is deep for
est and moorland, and it is all mountain
Gus. Only 800 acres are tilIable. The
; subjects of Sir John number fewer than
eightscore. The whole island liz one vas.
game preserve, where deer and othe,
game roam to provide sport for the no.
hility.
The largest Of these island kingdoms
is doubtless Lewis Island, one of the
Outer Hebrides group, off the west coas,
or Scotland. 1t covers an area Of nearly