CHANNEL ISLANDS, a group of islands in the English Channel (French Iles Normandes), belonging (except the Iles Chausey) to Great Britain. They lie between 48° 50' and 45' N., and I° 5o' and 2° 45' W., and diagonally from south-east to north-west across the shallow rectangular bay, formed by the west coast of the department of Manche (France) and the north coast of Brittany. This bay is strewn with numerous small islands and rocks, and owing to the concentration of the tidal wave in it has dangerous tidal races. The total land area of the islands is about 75 square m. (48,083 acres), and the population (ii) There are four principal islands:—Jersey (area 45 sq.m. pop. Guernsey (area 24.5 sq.m. pop. with the following islands 42,606), Alderney (area 3.o6 sq.m.), Sark (area C. 2 sq.m.). St. Helier is the chief town of Jersey, St. Peter Port of Guernsey and St. Anne of Alderney : the two first are ports. There is com munication by steamer on alternate days in winter, and daily in summer from Southampton and Weymouth with Guernsey and Jersey, and on certain days from French ports, especially from St. Malo with Jersey and Guernsey, and from Cherbourg with Alderney and Guernsey. Communications are maintained locally between the larger islands, which are much visited by tourists.
Structurally, the islands are a partially submerged portion of the Armorican massif, and fall into four groups related to old fold lines running west from the Cotentin Peninsula. The most northerly group, comprising Alderney, Burhou, Ortach, the Cas quets and numerous other islets, lies due west of Cape de la Hague. The Casquets, on which has been built a powerful lighthouse, were formerly dangerous to ships, notable wrecks being that of the "White Ship" (according to tradition) in 1120, the "Victory" in 1744, and the "Stella" in 1899. The second, and most westerly group, includes Guernsey with a few islets to the west, and, to the east, Sark, Herm, Jethou (inhabited islands) and others. The straits of Little Russel and Great Russel separate Guernsey and Herm, and Herm and Sark respectively. Sark is famous for its cliffs and caves. Herm has a remarkable shell beach, half-a-mile long, formed in a tidal eddy north of the island. The third group, south-east of the second, and separated from it by La Deroute strait, includes Jersey and a few small islets, of which the Ecrehou to the north-east are the chief. The fourth group consists of the Minquiers lying almost i 2 M. S. of Jersey, and the Iles Chausey lying almost 9 m. W. by„N. of Granville, in which commune they are included. Maitresse Ile, the largest of the Minquiers, provides landing and shelter to fishermen. Of the Chausey islands Grande Ile is permanently inhabited by farmer-fishermen, and the other islets temporarily by fishermen. Sea-weed burning and granite quarrying also occupy some of the inhabitants. The dominant east-west structural lines of Armorica are broken by north to south lines, a net-work only partially obscuring certain north-east to south-west lines, and in the fine coastal scenery of the islands and in their vertical cliffs, rectangular bays, and intervening chan nels, we get repeated the structural "pattern" of the whole massif. When the coast stood at the 3o fathom line, the islands formed a projection of the French coast, but before the 20 fathom line had become the coast line the Alderney group had become separate from the continent. Before the io fathom line had become the coast the Guernsey group had also been separated. There is only shallow water between the Jersey and Chausey groups and the mainland, and legend ascribes invasions of the sea to Post-Roman times, though this is considered doubtful. Raised beaches of un certain date are evidence of downward movements beyond the present levels, while there are numerous evidences of submerged forests at St. Ouen's Bay (West Jersey) and Vazon Bay (West Guernsey).
The distribution of animals in the Islands illustrates the later separation of Jersey from the continent, and points also to the northward advance of animals following the retreat of the ice. Thus Jersey has the toad, the grass-snake, the green lizard, the newt and the mole. The mole has reached Alderney and Sark, but not Guernsey. Squirrels, hares and foxes formerly inhabited Jer sey, but never Guernsey; Guernsey, in common with the other islands, has the frog, the slow-worm and the rabbit. The red deer was once indigenous, and the black rat is still found in Alderney, Sark and Herm. The birds number over 200 species, the variety of fish is very great, and crustacea, molluscs including Haliotis, and zoophytes abound round the coasts.
general. In Jersey the vicomte is also appointed by the crown, in the position of a high sheriff (and coroner) ; but his counter part in Guernsey, the prevot, is not so appointed. The bailiff in each island is president of the royal court, which is composed of twelve jurats, elected for life, in Jersey by the ratepayers of each parish, in Guernsey by the Elective States, a body which also elects the prevot, who, with the jurats, serves upon it. The rest of the body is made up of the rectors of the parishes, the douzaines, or elected parish councils ("dozens," from the original number of their members) of the town parish of St. Peter Port, and of its four cantons, and the country parishes, and certain other officials. The royal court administers justice (but in Jersey there is a trial by jury for criminal cases), and in Guernsey can pass temporary ordinances subject to no higher body. It also puts forward pro jets de loi for the approval of the Deliberative States. Jersey and Guernsey have stipendiary magistrates for police matters. Alder ney and Sark have a separate legal existence with courts dependent on the royal court of Guernsey. In both Jersey and Guernsey the chief administrative body is the Deliberative States. The Jersey States is composed of the lieutenant-governor (with right of veto, but no vote), the bailiff, jurats, parish rectors, parish connetables and deputies, the procureur and avocat (with right to speak but no vote), and the vicomte (with right of attendance only). If the bailiff dissent from any measure, it is referred to the privy council. In Guernsey the States consists of the bailiff, jurats, eight out of ten rectors, the procureur and deputies; the lieutenant governor is invited and may speak. Both States administer local affairs; relations with the British parliament are maintained through the privy council. Acts of parliament are transmitted to the islands by an order in council to be registered in the rolls of the royal court, and are not binding until this is done; registration may be held over pending discussion by the States if any act is considered to menace the privileges of the islands. The right of the crown to legislate by order in council is limited in the same way. In cases of encroachment on property, an ancient form of appeal called Clameur de Ilaro survives (see HARO, CLAMEUR DE). The islands are in the diocese of Winchester, and there are deans in both Jersey and Guernsey, also rectors of a parish.
These peculiar constitutions are of local development, and repre sent adaptations of Norman feudal schemes to remote commun ities under lords who in many cases were absentees ; views as to the origin of the jurats differ but they are an ancient institution; the practice of summoning the States to assist in the passing of ordinances was established later by the bailiff and jurats, and at last the States claimed the absolute right (confirmed 1'171) of being consulted. There is compulsory service in the militia; gar risons of regular troops are maintained ; taxation is light in the islands, and pauperism is practically unknown.
In 1925 the revenue of Jersey was £236,586, and its expenditure 1247,256; the revenue of Guernsey was £228,864, and the expendi ture £266,744. The public debt in the respective islands was £506,375 and f 561, 744. Crown revenues from Jersey include seigneurial dues and revenues from houses, lands and tithes. For Guernsey there are seigneurial dues and in some cases dues paid on transference of property. From Alderney the Crown receives chiefly harbour dues. These revenues are all small. English coin age is current, but Jersey has a local copper coinage and local one-pound notes. Guernsey also has such notes, and its copper coinage consists of pence, half-pence, two-double and one-double (one-eighth of a penny) pieces.
During the World War the islands provided a large contingent of men, and in 1917 the Imperial Government temporarily re lieved insular funds of the cost of the local militia. Jersey subse quently contributed f 25,00o (December 1917), f 5o,000 (Decem ber 1918) and £25,000 (December 1919), and Guernsey con tributed f ioo,000 (December 1918) to the expenses of the War (1914-18). In 1923 discussions were opened as to further con tributions, and in the end Jersey has contributed a further 1300, 000, and Guernsey £250,000.
Industry.—The Norman system of land tenure, which still survives in the islands, seems to have been superimposed upon a primitive open-field system of cultivation. Traces of the original system are to be found in Alderney. The soil is extremely fertile. "Vraic" (sea weed) either green, or in the form of ash, has been used as a fertiliser from time immemorial. The cutting of the Vraic became a ceremonial occasion, taking place at times fixed by the government, and connected with popular festivities. Small holdings with intensive cultivation are characteristic of all the Islands. Jersey specialises in early potatoes, Guernsey in bulbs and in flowers and vegetables grown under glass. Other impor tant industries are stock-raising (Jersey and Guernsey have each a special breed of horned cattle and its own herd book), fishing and quarrying. Cattle from abroad are not admitted alive, nor Jersey cattle in Guernsey nor Guernsey cattle in Jersey.
Exports to Great Britain, mainly potatoes, tomatoes, grapes, cut flowers and granite, were valued at £3,445,998 for 1925; imports from Great Britain at £4,324,139 for the same year. The two main sources of income are agriculture and the tourist trade. There is some commerce with France in farm produce and fruit.
Language.—The old Norman French patois is dying out. Modern French is the official language, but English is the main language of business and religion and is familiar to all. Each island has its own patois; local differences are also observable as between north and south Guernsey. None of the dialects has received much literary cultivation; Jersey was the birthplace of the Norman poet Wace (12th century) .
In the reign of John of England the future of the islands was decided by their attachment to the English crown, in spite of the separation of the duchy of Normandy. To John it has been usual to ascribe a document, at one time regarded by the islanders as their Magna Carta; but modern criticism leaves little doubt that it is not genuine. An unauthenticated "copy" of uncertain origin alone has been discovered, and there is little proof of there ever having been an original. The reign of Edward I. was full of dis turbance; and in 1279 Jersey and Guernsey received from the king, by letters patent, a public seal as a remedy for the dangers and losses which they had incurred by lack of such a certificate. Edward II. found it necessary to instruct his collectors not to treat the islanders as foreigners: his successor, Edward III., fully confirmed their privileges, immunities and customs in 1341; and his charter was recognized by Richard II. in 1378. In there was a descent of the French on Guernsey; the governor was defeated, and Castle Cornet besieged. In 1372 there was an other attack on Guernsey, and in 1374 and 1404 the French de scended on Jersey. None of these attempts, however, resulted in permanent occupation. Henry V. confiscated the alien priories which had kept up the same connection with Normandy as be fore the conquest, and conferred them along with the regalities of the islands on his brother, the duke of Bedford. During the Wars of the Roses, Queen Margaret, the consort of Henry VI., made an agreement with Pierre de Breze, Comte de Maulevrier, the seneschal of Normandy, that, if he afforded assistance to the king, he should hold the islands independently of the crown. A force was accordingly sent to take possession of Mont Orgueil. It was captured and a small part of the island subjugated, and here Maulevrier remained as governor from 146o to 1465; but the rest held out under Sir Philip de Carteret, seigneur of St. Ouen, and in 1467 the vice-admiral of England, Sir Richard Harliston, recaptured the castle and brought the foreign occupa tion to an end. In 1482-1483 Pope Sixtus IV., at the instance of King Edward IV., issued a bull of anathema against all who molested the islands; it was formally registered in Brittany in 1484, and in France in 1486 ; and in this way the islands acquired the right of neutrality, which they retained till 1689. In the same reign (Edward IV.) Sark is said to have been taken by the French, and only recovered in the reign of Mary. By a charter of 1494, the duties of the governors of Jersey were defined. Religious houses were dissolved, as in England, in the reign of Henry VIII. The Reformation was welcomed in the islands, and the English liturgy was translated into French for their use. There was much religious persecution in the reigns of Mary and Elizabeth. In 1568 the islands were transferred from the see of Coutances to that of Winchester, being finally separated from that of Coutances with which they had long been connected.
The Presbyterian form of church government was adopted under the influence of refugees from the persecution of Protes tantism on the continent. It was formally sanctioned in St. Helier and St. Peter Port by Queen Elizabeth; and in 1603 King James enacted that the whole of the islands "should quietly enjoy their said liberty." During his reign, however, disputes arose. An episcopal party had been formed in Jersey, and in 1619 David Bandinel was declared dean of the island. A body of canons which he drew up agreeable to the discipline of the Church of England was accepted after considerable modification by the people of his charge; but the inhabitants of Guernsey maintained their Presbyterian practices. Of the hold which this form of Protestantism had got on the minds of the people even in Jersey abundant proof is afforded by the general character of the worship until recently.
In the great struggle between king and parliament, Presby terian Guernsey supported the parliament; in Jersey, however, there were at first parliamentarian and royalist factions. Sir Philip de Carteret, lieutenant-governor, declared for the king, but Dean Bandinel and Michael Lempriere headed the parlia mentary party. They received a commission for the apprehen sion of Carteret, who established himself in Elizabeth Castle ; but after some fighting he died in the castle (1643) . Meanwhile in Guernsey Sir Peter Osborne, the governor, was defying the whole island and maintaining himself in Castle Cornet. A parlia mentarian governor, Leonard Lydcott, arrived in Jersey imme diately after Sir Philip de Carteret's death. But the dowager Lady Carteret was holding Mont Orgueil; George Carteret, Sir Philip's nephew, arrived from St. Malo to support the royalist cause, and Lydcott and Lempriere presently fled to England. George Carteret established himself as lieutenant-governor and bailiff.
Bandinel was imprisoned in Mont Orgueil, and killed himself in trying to escape. Jersey was now completely royalist. In 1646 the prince of Wales, afterwards Charles II., arrived secretly at Jersey, and remained over two months at Elizabeth Castle. He went on to France, but returned in 1649, having been proclaimed king by George Carteret, and at Elizabeth Castle he signed the declaration of his claims to the throne on Oct. 29. In 1651, when Charles had fled to France again after the battle of Wor cester, parliamentarian vessels of war appeared at Jersey. On Dec. Is the royalist remnant yielded up Elizabeth Castle; and at the same time Castle Cornet, Guernsey, which had been steadily held by Osborne, capitulated. Both islands had suffered severely, and the people of Guernsey, appealing to Cromwell on the ground of their support of his cause, complained that two thirds of the land was out of cultivation, and that they had lost "their ships, their traffic and their trading." In the reign of James II. the islanders got a grant of wool for the manufacture of stockings-4,000 tods of wool being annually allowed to Jersey, 2,00o to Guernsey, 400 to Alderney and 200 to Sark. Alderney, which had been parliamentarian, was granted after the Restora tion to the Carteret family; and it continued to be governed in dependently till 1825.
William of Orange abolished the neutrality of the islands in 1689, and during the war of 1778-1783 there were two unsuc cessful attacks on Jersey, in 1779 and 1781, the second, under Baron de Rullecourt, being famous for the victory over the in vaders due to the bravery of the young Major Peirson, who fell when the French were on the point of surrender. During the revolutionary period in France the islands were the home of many refugees. In the 18th century various attempts were made to introduce the English custom house system; but proved prac tically a failure, and the islands throve on smuggling and pri vateering down to the Napoleonic wars, Jersey being also inter ested in the Newfoundland fisheries as place names in that region testify. The 19th century brought some prosperity from maritime commerce so long as wooden sailing ships were in general use. Later, intensive cultivation for export to English markets has caused unprecedented development.