Beverly banner. [volume] (Beverly, N.J.) 1877-1964, 1925-01-02

snip OF Sir George SOmerS, briLlSH
admiral, en- route to the recently horn
colony at jamestown, Virginia, sprang
leak in storm and had TO be
grounded in the islands. The consid-
cradle party disembarked and re-
manned nine months. during which
time they built two pinnaces. In these
they reached Virginia safely and
spread pleasant reports of their tenn
porary home
Taken by the English.
The result was, first, that the Vir-
ginia colony obtained title to the Is
lands to serve as sort of mid Atlantic
hog ranch; and second, that smaller
group of adventures bought the title
and obtained charter. The document
created the Company of the City OF
London for the Plantacon of the Som
er Islands" The effort to name the is
lands after the old admiral who caused
them to be settled failed, however, and
garbled spelling of the name of the
original discoverer has remained.
In the beginning Bermuda was not
colony but a company-controlled set
Element. The shares were held not
necessarily by the settlers, and only
shareholders had voice in govern
mental affairs. The development from
this starting point presents picture
that is said to represent faithfully In
miniature the ups and downs of the
English-speaking peoples in their strlv-
ingS toward Self-government.
One-quarter of the land was original-
ly set aside as common company land.
the income from which was TO defray
company expenses. any surplus to be
divided among the shareholders. The
remainder was divided into eight parts,
or tribes" consisting Of fifty plots or
shares. Representation in the assem-
bly, which was provided for was to be
by shareholders elected by sharehold-
ers
The original governmental arrange
ments made possible the ruthless
crushing of individual rights. Offend
ers were executed for petty thefts ana
for speaking in opposition to the gov
ernor's policies. Finally an arbitrary
EONtlAOl ldllGu " PCiihAt AhCCNhA5
Of the assembly for decade from
1914 to 1884 Action was then brought
in the British courts the company
was ousted from possession, and a
crown colony was set up. The assem-
bly, which sits today, however, Is still
made up as at first of four represen-
tatives from each tribe" and four
from the common land. About the only
difference is that voting privileges now
rest on income rather than share own
ership. The property-owning class has
been exceedingly careful in creating
tax burdens, with the result that the
Bermudans are today one of the most
lightly taxed peoples in the world.
Houses of Coral Rock.
Not only are Bermudans fortunate
they are also favored in the matter Of
cheap habitations. Materials with
which to build homes may be said to
have been thrown in by Nature with
the site. A few feet under ground at
almost any point in the isles is a
supply of soft coral rock which may
be sawed out in the form of building
blocks with an ordinary saw. When
seasoned for while the blocks harden
and are ready to be used in building.
The great majority OF Bermuda houses
are constructed from these white
blocks. Since the roof of every house
must become the family waterworks
by serving as a catchment area for
rainwater, the roofs are usually white
washed and kept scrupulously clean.
Bermuda prosperity hinges largely
on America, for ii is to the west that
the islands face In economic matters,
rather than to the mother country
eastward. AS IA prosperous leisure
class has grown up in America inter
ested in seeking a milder climate dur
Ing the winter months, Bermuda has
inevitably drawn more and more Of
It's members. 1t is estimated that in
recent years the tourist population of
the island has more than equaled the
resident population. Hundreds Of
thousands of dollars have in this way
fallen into the Golfers Of Bernudans
in all walks of life.
1t was in 1910 that a wise governor
began the development Of the real
wealth of the islands. their ability to
raise early vegetables for the Ameri-
can market. The islands soon es-
tabllshed reputation for their onions
and potatoes and demonstrated that
most other fresh vegetables could be
produced probably Another impor-
! tant industry was built IN In the grow