THE CHANNEL ISLANDS AND THEIR LIFE-BOATS.

XLVII. GUERNSEY. The John Lockett, 32 feet by 7 feet 8 inches, 10 oars.

XLVIII. ALDERNEY. The Mary and Victoria, 33 feet by 8 feet 6 inches, 10 oars.

THESE islands, by the beauty of their scenery and fineness of their climate, attract annually very large numbers of visitors from all parts; and well do they repay a visit, for in very few, if any, places of the same dimensions are to be found the many diversities of scenery they display.

The beauties of the ragged broken outline of the rocks, as well as their brilliant colouring, ave brought out and enhanced by the clear brightness of the atmosphere that usually pre- vails, and by the deep blueness of the sea.

Besides their charms for the ordinary visitor and admirer of the beauties of nature, their history and manners, both past and present, contain much that is most interesting to the more studious and inquiring.

Their connection with England is very old, as they formed part of the Duchy of Normandy at the time of the Conquest, and ever since, with the exception of a short time during the reign of Stephen (when they remained faithful to Henry Duke of Normandy, afterward Henry II.), they have formed part of the British Empire.

Their early history, like all other, is lost in the cloud of antiquity, but the Celtic remains found show that they were inhabited at a very remote period. They were certainly known to and. visited by the Romans, as Guernsey is mentioned in the ' Itinerary of Antoninus,' and traces of Roman fortifications have been found at Jerbourg, in this island. There would ap- pear little doubt, also, that they were visited by the ancient Danish and Norwegian fleets when they made their descents on the coasts of Gaul.

Christianity was first introduced by St. Samp- son, Bishop of St. David's, who fled from Wales to Brittany, about the year 520, to escape the violence of the Saxons. He soon afterwards visited Guernsey, having landed at the harbour on the east side of the island about two miles from St. Peter's Port, that bears his name to this day. He built a small chapel on the south side of the harbour, which, was rebuilt in 1111, and constituted the parish church of St. Samp- son's.

It was not to be expected that France, after the recovery of Normandy from King John, j would submit quietly to these islands remaining in the possession of the English, and history accordingly tells us of repeated attempts to , recover them, which failed signally, for, although | landings have from time to time been effected, the invaders have never been able to obtain more than a partial footing, and have always been eventually driven off with great loss.

j In the reign of Edward VI. the small island of Sark was taken by surprise and used as a ; base of operations for carrying on attacks on the ! other islands, and on the island shipping. These | attacks all failed and were abandoned, but the French retained Sark for some time, This island, if properly guarded; was impregnable; but it was eventually retaken by a clever stratagem. A ship, having the appearance of a merchant vessel, anchored off the island, and a boat landed to ask permission to bury a man in the churchyard who had died the day before, as the ship was outward bound and they would have no other opportunity of doing so in conse- crated ground. The French, although very suspicious, eventually gave permission, on con- dition that the crew landed unarmed. A coffin ! having been prepared and filled with arms, the j funeral procession landed the next day and proceeded to the chapel. Arriving there by themselves, they entered with the coffin, and, having shut the doors, speedily armed them- selves with its contents.

The French, being taken Toy surprise, were quite unable to withstand the impetuosity of the invaders' charge, and were very soon over- come.

During the Civil War Guernsey soon declared for the Parliament, but Jersey was staunchly loyal to the Stuarts; and Prince Charles, when so hardly pressed in the "West of England that he was obliged to flee, crossed to that place, where he found a cordial welcome and a safe refuge. The island had, however, eventually to surrender to Cromwell's forces.

The last attempt to wrest these islands from the English Crown was made in 1780, and at first with considerable prospects of success in Jersey, where the French succeeded in landing, taking possession of St. Heliers, the capital, and in surprising and taking prisoner the lieutenant-governor, who they forced into sign- ing a capitulation, and ordering his troops to surrender. This order was happily disregarded by a gallant officer of the local militia, Major Pierson, who put himself at the head of the troops that rapidly collected from all parts of the island when the alarm was given, and attacked and completely routed the invaders, killing or taking prisoners tlie whole of them.

Unfortunately, this gallant officer did not live to see the results of his conduct, having been shot dead early in the day.

Although these islands have been for cen- turies an integral part of the British Empire, they live under their own constitution and laws, which are founded on the old Norman law, and were first established by King John after the loss of Normandy, since wlien they have been but comparatively very little altered or j reformed. If judged by their result in creating a happy, contented and industrious community, ' they must be pronounced model laws and con- stitution, for there is nowhere to be found a more frugal, contented, well-to-do race than the inhabitants of these islands. Their early climate and fruitful, well-worked soil, enable them to raise immense quantities of fruit and vegetables for the supply of the English market, which the greatly improved steam communications of late years have brought within their reach.

Amongst other industries that add to the wealth of Guernsey are the granite quarries, immense quantities of stone for paving and for road mending, being exported annually.

The Island of Alderney, although very much smaller than either Jersey or Guernsey, and of comparatively little productive or commercial value, was some few years ago considered a most important strategical point, and very strongly fortified, it having been intended at the same time to make a very extensive harbour j of refuge, to shelter our fleet in time of war j that would be watching Cherbourg, which is about thirty miles off. The land fortifications were completed, and at the time were very strong, whatever they might prove against modern artillery, but the breakwaters to form the harbour have never been completed; indeed, the one across the entrance was never com- menced, and the outer half of the other one is rapidly disappearing, having been undermined by the sea and abandoned to its fate.

This whole group of islands is studded in all directions with outlying patches and sharp- pointed rocks, which, added to the furious tides that run past them, render the navigation very dangerous and difficult. It is only wonderful that more casualties do not occur, and their rareness testifies strongly to the knowledge and experience of the local pilots.

The Institution has two boats stationed in these dangerous waters—one at Guernsey, the John Lockett, 10 oars, 32 feet long by 7 feet 8 inches, on a transporting carriage, and kept in a boat-house on the quay on the south side of the harbour of St. Peter's Port, into which she can be launched at any time of tide, and where the services of a steamer can nearly always be depended upon to take her to any part of the islands. The branch is under a local committee, of whom CAPTAIN P. DE SATJSMABEZ, R.N., is Chairman, and CAPTAIN CARBE, K.N., the Honorary Secretary.

The other is the Mary and Victoria, 33 feet long by 8 feet 6 inches, 10 oars, stationed at Alderney, and also on a transporting carriage.

JUDGE BARBENSON is the Chairman of this branch, and N. BARBENSON, Esq., the Honorary Secretary..