Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1921-08-17

"L'lle au Gu
prepared by the National Geographic So
cietys Washington. ID. c.
The Channel islands, one of the
most picturesque portions Of Great
Britain. are geographically not a part
Of the British Isles az all. Victor HUI
60, who wrote some Of his best-knOwn
works In the islands. spoke OF them
as bits OF France fallen into the sea
and picked up by England" But real
~ they were In effect the home OF n
conqueror of Britain. They were a
part Of the Ducay Of Normandy from
which William the Conqueror went
forth and TO which he added the Brit
ish Isles. All the remainder of Nor
mandy finally reverted TO France, but
TIE little Channel islands remain to-
day a reminder that England was
conquered.
These tiny islands hug the shore OF
France. Jersey is barely twenty miles
from the French coast. and 100 miles
from England. French is generally
spoken In the islands; and not English
law, bot the old Norman law, largely
abolished on the nelghboring coast Of
Normandy, governs the actions Of the
islanders.
Norman Pa race, In language, and In
laws. It can be imagined what a
wrench it must have been to the is
landers 10 be fOrcibly severed from
Normandy. Many Of the feudal lords,
who held land both on the mainland
and in the Islands. took the side Of the
French king, and therefore their lands
In the islands escheated to the king
OF England and formed the Fief lie
Roi. for which he still appoints a re-
celver general I'm each bailiwick TO
collect his feudal rents, and these are
still paid. either in quarters" of corn
or their equivalent I'm money, for his
"rents," or I'm fowls for his 'poulage."
But among the Norman mobiles the
de Carterets, then among the largest
landowners In Jersey, and Pierre de
Preaux. governor OF all the islands,
remained faithful 70 England. The
latter contrived that these islands,
alone Of all King Johns continental
possessions, should remain English,
and they were ratified 10 the crown
of England by the treaty Of West
Minister OF 1859, which was again con-
frmed by the treaty of Bretigny Of
1860.
SO the Channel islands have never
passed under the crown Of France, but
have been Inherited continuously by
the kings OF England as successors OF
the dukes OF Normandy. in spite Of
continual invasions by the French.
Jersey Faithful 10 Charles.
In the Seventeenth century, as the
days Of the commonwealth drew near,
great cleavage between Jersey and
Guernsey took place.
Guernsey, hmpelled 10 the popular
cause by its more pronounced Presby-
terianlsm, by the feeling OF betrayal
which the Stuart regime In that is
land had produced, and strongly in
nuenced by three prominent islanders,
Peter de BeauvOir. James de Havs-
Gland, and Peter Carey, declared for
the parliament. Jersey, as strongly
Influenced by its great feudal family
OF de Carteret, remained loyal TO the
royal cause. and I'm 1915 the Jersey
states proclaimed their continued ad-
herence to the king.
II the following year the prince OF
Wales afterwards Charles I'D sought
refuge In Jersey, arriving from the
Scily Islands; and Jersey, after the
execution of Charles /, was the one
place in the United Kingdom to pro
claim him king OF England. Shortly
after his proclamation he again visited
the island. and was supported both
with men and money by Sir George
Carteret and the majority Of the
islanders.
Although Il is nearly three hundred
years since Jersey and Guernsey were
M open war. yet the old rancor still
fingered until the World war swept
away all smaller MISUNDERSTANDING
and al Channel islanders. with the
rest OF Brltain's sons, became broth
ers-in-arms.
Beauties ard Artists Of Jersey.
Jersey, with its wooded valleys, its
winding lanes. overarched with foil
age; its orchards. its miles Of glisten-
Ing sand, its quaint old churches and
picturesque granite farmhOuses' and
dominated always by the magnificent
ruins Of Mont Orgueil CASTLE gives the
impression OF unb0unded prosperity
and fertility. Its lands having been
owned always by n race of peasant
proprietors. the country shows that 1t
has been cultivated for its own sake
by men who loved it and not by hire
lings
Naturally enough, so much beauty
has hired n race Of artists, the most