The Raymer enterprise., 1921-08-18

prepared By the National Geographic so-
eisty. washington. d. CT
The Channel islands, one OF the
most picturesque portions Of Great
Britain. are geographically not part
of the British Isles at all. Victor HUI
90, who wrote some Of his best-known
works in the islands, spoke OF them
us "bits OF France fallen into the sea
and picked up by England" But real
ly they were In effect the home Of a
conqueror Of Britain. They were a
part Of the Duchy Of Normandy from
which william the Conqueror went
forth and 10 which he added the Brit
ish Isles All the remainder Of Nor
mandy finally reverted to France, but
the 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. but the old Norman law, largely
abolished on the neighborlng coast OF
Normandy. governs the actions Of the
islanders.
Norman In race. In language, and In
laws, II can be imagined what q
wrench It must have been to the Is
landers to 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 le
Rol, for which he still appoints re-
ceiver general In each baIllwick to
collect his feudal rents. and these are
still paid, either In quarters" Of corn
or their equivalent In money, for his
"rents." or In 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 to England. The
latter contrived that these Islands.
alone Of all King Johns continental
possessions. should remain English.
and they were ratified to the crown
Of England by the treaty Of West.
minister Of 1888. which was again con-
nrmed BY the treaty Of Bretlgny of
1850.
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 to Charles.
In the Seventeenth century. as the
days Of the commonwealth drew near.
great cleavage between Jersey and
Guernsey took place.
Guernsey. impelled to the popular
cause BY Its more pronounced Presby.
terianism. by the feeling Of betrayal
which the Stuart regime In that ID
land had produced, and strongly in.
auenced by three prominent islanders,
Peter de Beauvoir. James de Hayi.
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 In 1645 the Jersey
states proclaimed their continued ad-
herence to the king.
In the following year the prince Of
Wales afterwards Charles III sought
refuge In Jersey, arriving from the
Scilly Islands: and Jersey, after the
execution Of Charles l. was the one
place In the United Kingdom to pro-
claim him king Of England, shortly
after his proclamation be again visited
the island. and was supported both
with men and money BY Sir George
Oarteret and the majority Of the
islanders.
Although II Is nearly three hundred
years since Jersey and Guernsey were
at open war, yet the old rancor sfill
fingered until the World war swep,
away all smaller misunderstandings
and all Channel islanders, with the
rest Of Britain's sons. became broth.
ers.ln-arms.
esauties and Artists Of Jersey.
Jersey. with its wooded valleys, Its
winding lanes, overarched with foil.
age: Its orchards. Its miles Of gllsten-
Ing sand, Its quaint old churches and
picturesque granite farmhouses. and
dominated always BY the magnificent
ruins Of Mont 0rguell castle, gives the
Impression Of unbounded prosperity
and fertility. Its lands having been
owned always By q race Of peasant
proprietors. the country shows that II
has been cultivated for its own sake
By men who loved II and not by hire
lings.
Naturally enough. 20 much beauty
has bred . race Of artists, the .iost