The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1921-08-24

Prepared by the National Geographic So !,
ciety, Washln, ton. ID. CO
The Channel islands, one of the
most picturesque portions of Great
Britain. are geographically not part
IF the British Isles at all. Victor HUI
so. who wrote some Of his best-knOwn |
works in the islands. spoke of them
rs ''bits Of France fallen into the sea
and picked up by England" But real
~ they were in effect the home of a
conqueror Of Britain. They were a
part Of the Dpchy 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. hut
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. hut the old Norman law, largely
abolished on the neighboring coast Of
Normandy. governs the actions Of the
| islanders.
Norman in race in language. and in
| laws. it can be imagined what
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 iof the
French king, and therefore their lands
In the islands escheated to the king
Of England and formed the Fief lie
Roi, for whic;, he still appoints re-
ceiver generr, in each bailiwick to
collect his ferdal 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 bv the treaty of West
minister Of 1859, which was again con
firmed by the treaty Of Bretigny OF
1890.
So the Channel islands have nevel
passed under the crown of France, bu
have been inherited continuously b!
the kings Of England as successors o
the dukes of Normandy, in spite o
continual invasions by the French.
Jersey Faithful to Charles.
In the Seventeenth century. as tn
DAYS of the commonwealth drew near
great cleavage between Jersey an
Guernsey took place.
Guernsey, impelled to the popula
cause by its more pronounced Pre- by
terianism, by the feeling of betrayn
which the Stuart regime in that i:
land had produced, and strongly i1
fluenced by three prominent Islanders
Peter de Beauvoir, James de Hav
Gland. and Peter Carey, declared fo
, the parliament. Jersey, as strong
influenced by Its great feudal flmil
Of de Carteret. remained loyal to tn
ROYAL cause. and in 1915 the J"rso
states proclaimed their continued az
herence to the king.
In tie following year the prince
Wales afterwards Charles I'D sou%'
? refuge in Jersey, arriving from II
Sciliy islands: and Jersey. after II
j execution of Charles |. WAS the OF
= place i'm the United Kingdoms to pr
q claim him king of England Short
n after his proclamation he again vlsl't
u the Island, and was supported bot
I with nen and money by Sir Geort
4 Carteret and the majority OF II
e islanders.
a Although it is nearly three hund't
wears since Jersey and Guernsey we
at omen wa yet the old rancor ST
fingered untE the World war sWe
away all smaller misunderstood NJ
/ and all Channel islanders. with II
rcst of Britain's sons, became brot
rrs-in-arms.
Realities and Artists Of Jersey.
&c Jersey, with its wooded vaiie!s'
- winding lanes. overarched win 10
, age: its orchards, its miles OF ghste
4 ing sand. its quaint old churches al
), picturesque granite farmhouses al
), Nominated always by the magnlnce
=, ruins Of Mcnt Orgueil castle, gives q
ID impression of unbounded prosper
y. and fertility. Its lands having be
!, owned always by race Of peasa
~ proprietors, the country shows that
r. Inns been cultivated for its own ga
he nv men who loved 1t and not by MI
n lings.
r. Naturally enou xh, so much beau
has bred a race oe srtissA the M