The fisheries afford employment to nearly 4,000 men and boys. More than 700 boats; of various tonnage are employed in the herring and cod fisheries, the average annual produce being above 260,000. In addition to these, a large number of English and Irish boats arrive at the island during the fishing season. Besides the herrings consumed fresh, there are about 40,000 barrels cured. The trade is chiefly coastwise; the exports are lim ited to the products of the island.
Agriculture has of late years made considerable progress. Large numbers of fat cat tle are shipped to the English markets, as well as about 20,000 quarters of wheat annu ally. The manufactures are inconsiderable; but to make up for this, about 100,000 vis itors come to the island each season.
The revenue derived from the island amounts to about 250,000 per annum; of which the greater part is received from customs duties, and the whole of which, except 210,000 a year payable to the imperial treasury, is used for insular purposes, such as public improvetnents, education, police, cost of government. ete.
The principal line of communication with the United Kingdom is between Douglas and Liverpool, by means of a fine fleet of swift steamers. There is a submarine tele graphic cable between 3Iaughold head and St. Bees head. In July, 1873, a line of rail way was opened between Douglas and Peel; in 1874 to Castletown and the south; and in 1879 to Ramsey—all on the narrow-gauge system.
Previous to the 6th c., the history of the Isle of Man is involved in obscurity; from that period, it was ruled by a line of Welsh kings, until near the end of the 9th c., when the Norwegian, Harald Haarfager, invaded and took possession of the island. Accord ing to tradition, in the beginnino. of the 10th c., Orry, a Dane, effected a landing, and was favorably received by the inhabitants, who adopted him as their king: he is said to _have been the founder of the present Manx constitution. A line of Scandinavian kings succeeded, until Magnus, king of Norway, ceded his right in the island and the Hebri Kies to Alexander III. of Scotland, 1266 A.D.; this tiansference of claim being the direct result of the disastrous failure of the expedition of flacon of Norway against the Scots in 1263. On the death of Alexander, the Manx placed themselves under the protection -of Edward I. of England by a formal instrument dated 1290 A.D.; on the strength of this document, the kings of England granted the island to various royal favorites from lime to time, until the year 1406, when it was "-ranted to sir John Stanley in perpetuity, to be held of the crown of England, by rendering to thq king, his heirs, and succes -sors, a cast of falcons at their coronation. The Stanley family continued to rule the island under the title of kings of Man, until James, the 7th earl of Derby, adopted the humbler title of lord, on his accession to the government. In 1651 the island was sur rendered to a parliamentary force by receiver-general Christian, who had raised an armed body against the goverinnent, which was then in the hands of the countess of Derby: the parliament having thus obtained possession of the island, granted it to Thomas lord Fairfax. On the restoration, the Derby farnily were again put in possession. On
-the death of James, 10th earl of Derby, without issue, in 1735, James, 2d duke of Athol, descended from Amelia Sophia, youngest daughter of James, the 7th earl of Derby, became lord of Man. The Isle of Man having been for a long period the seat of an extensive smuggling-trade, to the detriment of the imperial' revenue, the sover eignty of it was purchased by the British government, in 1765, for £70,000 and an annuity of £2,000 a year, the duke still retaining certain manorial rights, church patron age, etc. After negotiation and sales from time to time, the last remaining interest of the Athol family in the island was transferred to the British crown by John, the 4th -duke, in Jan., 1829; the amount paid for the island having amounted in the aggregate lo £493,000.
The Isle of Man forms a separate bishopric under tbe title of Sodor and Man. The bishopric of the Sudoreys, or Southern isles, was for a time annexed to Man, hence the title of Sodor, which is still retained, the name having been applied to the islet of Holm Peel, on which the cathedral church of the diocese stands. This bishopric is said to have been founded by St. Patrick in 447. The Manx church has its own canons, and an inde pendent convocation. The see is, for certain purposes, attached to the province of , York. There are in the island about 30 places of worship in connection with the estab lished church of Man. The living-s are, with few exceptions, in the gift of the crown. The principal denominations of dissenters are represented in the island.
The Isle of Man has a constitution and government of its own, to a certain extent independent of the imperial parliament. It has its own laws, law-officcrs, and courts of law. The legislative body is styled the court of Tynwald, consisting of the lieut.gov. and council—the latter being composed of the bishop, attorney-general, two deemsters (or judges), clerk of the rolls, water bailiff, archdeacon, and vicar-general—and the house of '24 keys, or representatives. A bill is separately considered by both branches, and on being passed by them, is transmitted for the royal assent; it does not, however, become law until it is promulgated in the English and Manx languages on the Tynwald Hill. The house of keys was formerly self-elective; but in 1866 an act was passed establishing an election by the people every seven years, the electoral qualification being, in the country, £12 yearly value occupation, or £8 proprietary; and £8 proprietary or tenancy in the towns.
The ancient arms of 31an were a ship with her sails furled;. in 1270 the present arms were substituted, viz., gules, three legs of men in armor, conjoined in fesse at the upper part of the thighs, flexed in triangle, garnished and spurred, or, with the motto on gar ter surrounding, Quocungue jeceris stabit.
See The isle of Man, its History, etc., by the rev. J. G. Cumming, ILA., F.G.S. ; His tory of ae lsle of Man, by Joseph Train, F.S.A. SCOi. ; Brawn's Popular Guide; and the -works published by the Manx society.