726 



JERSEY. 



Jersey, 



ties from those of the rest of the British dominions, ex. 

 ' cept in their language, which is French. This is the 

 vernacular tongue ; divine service, pleadings in court, 

 and the public acts, are all in good French, which is un- 

 derstood, and occasionally spoken, by the upper ranks ; 

 but, in compliance with custom, they frequently converse 

 in the provincial language, which is described as consist- 

 ing of more dialects than those of ancient Greece. But 

 English is becoming more prevalent daily, and, if it re- 

 ceived greater encouragement, would soon be universal. 

 In the year 1806, the total population of Jersey a- 

 ini united to 4-363 families, consisting of 10,28-1 males 

 and 12,571 females, being 22,855 souls, which is at the 

 rate of 365 persons to each square mile. These are 

 dispersed in twelve parishes, containing two towns, se- 

 veral villages, and several fortresses. The town of St. 

 Helier is the capital, situated on the east side of St. 

 Aubin's Bay, and consisting of about 1000 houses, 

 wherein between a third and a fourth of the whole po- 

 pulation, or above O'OOO individuals, reside. In the 

 year 1693, it seems to have consisted of only 210 houses. 

 Their antique appearance is now modernized ; many of 

 the streets have footpaths, but they are liable to be over- 

 flowed by the channels of a stream from the north, and 

 the town is not yet lighted ; consequently, a great num- 

 ber of small lanterns are seen in motion at night. There 

 is a square, wherein stands a gilt statue of King George 

 II. in Roman costume, surrounded by a neat iron rail- 

 ing. The parish church, which is the most modern 

 in the island, was built in 1341 ; but, since that time, 

 it has undergone considerable alterations. It contains 

 a neat organ, and some handsome mural monuments. 

 There are also chapels for Presbyterians and Wesleyan 

 Methodists, both of which are neat and spacious build- 

 ings of recent erection. The Roman Catholics perform 

 divine worship in a private apartment, not being suffi- 

 ciently affluent to erect an edifice exclusively devoted to 

 the exercise of their religion. There are a workhouse 

 and a public hospital here for the use of the whole island. 

 The latter was rebuilt in 1783, in consequence of ano- 

 ther being damaged by an explosion of gunpowder. It 

 has commonly about 100 patients, of whom not above 

 two-thirds are natives of Jersey, and about a tenth part 

 of the whole labour under mental derangement. On 

 one side of the square is the court-house, a plain but 

 solid structure, wherein are held the assembly of the 

 states and the courts of judicature ; and the governor of 

 the island has a house and garden belonging to the 

 town. A new prison, situated at the west extremity of St. 

 Heliers, on the sea shore, was completed in 1815. The 

 basement of this edifice has a squared front of sienite 

 from Mont Mado, and is separated from the upper sto- 

 ry by a fascia of dark grey granite from Sorel, a rocky 

 promontory in the northern quarter of the island. Above 

 this the sienite is resumed ; and the uniformity being 

 relieved by pilasters between every window, the whole 

 is completed with an elegant cornice of Portland stone. 

 The front stands on an arcade extending 120 feet in 

 length by 8 in width ; and the intercolumnations are 

 grated to the crown of the arches. The space within 

 the arcade is for the accommodation of the male pri- 

 soners, when they leave their dormitories. Water is 

 raised to a capacious cistern in the roof, by means of a 

 forcing pump, and the prisoners of every description 

 have access to a constant and ample supply. The centre 

 of the upper floor forms a chapel, divided by partitions 

 of sufficient height, to prevent any communication what- 

 ever, whither the prisoners of the several classes are 

 conducted by different doors. An unfinished house 

 in the town was converted to a theatre, where gome 



comedians occasionally repair from England to perform Jettty. 

 during a few months of the year, and there are regular V *""V" < ~' 

 assemblies in winter. A public library was established 

 by the Rev. Mr Falle in the 17th century, which since 

 that time has received considerable accessions. There are 

 three gazettes in French published here on Wednesday, 

 and one in English on Saturday. A weekly market is 

 held for fish and provisions, which is well supplied, espe- 

 cially from the coast of France since the late peace; most 

 of the flour is brought from that country and England. 

 Several packets are established between St. Helier's and 

 Weymouth, and there are regular traders to Southamp- 

 ton, whither the voyage is usually made in between 16 

 and 24* hours. The town of St. Aubin's stands on the 

 opposite side of the bay, to which it gives name, about 

 four miles from St Helier's. It is a small place, situated 

 under a long range of cliffs, and consists principally of 

 one street, well sheltered from the prevalent winds, and 

 commanding a fine and interesting prospect of the bay. 

 Being distant from the church of St Brelade, to which 

 parish it belongs, a neat chapel has been erected by 

 private subscription. This town is protected by a fort 

 mounting 14 guns, which has been erected on a rock 

 dry at low water, but insulated with the rise of the 

 tide. A strong pier projects from the fort, within 

 which there are 30 feet water at new and full moon, 

 and although this is merely a tide harbour, St Aubin's, 

 on account of it, enjoys some portion of foreign trade. 



Jersey, from its peculiar situation, has been strength- Fortifica- 

 ened by more than an ordinary portion of military archi- tion>- 

 lecture. Elizabeth Castle, which is the proper residence 

 of the governor, is a strong fortress in St Aubin's Bay, 

 defending the approach to St Helier's, from which it is 

 distant 663 geometrical paces, and is accessible by a 

 sandy beach during five or six hours while the tide 

 ebbs, but is insulated with its flow. A fortification, 

 which was recently constructing on the town hill over- 

 hanging St Helier's, is designed to contain 2000 or 3000 

 men. Here a well has been sunk 233 feet through the 

 solid rock, which has from 80 to 100 feet of fine water. 

 Besides these, may be named other strong places, as 

 Mont Orgueil, Fort Henry, La Rocco, Seymour Tower, 

 a fort at Noirmont Point, and Ich-Ho ; as also a chain 

 of Martello towers, redoubts, and batteries in every 

 maritime part of the island. Barracks for the accom- 

 modation of regulars are erected in various quarters. 

 In the time of war there were, belonging to the island, 

 a troop of cavalry, six battalions of militia, consist- 

 ing of above 2000 men, and a company of artillery 

 amounting to 600 or 700. 



Few manufactures are conducted on a large scale in Manufac- 

 Jersey. About 24,000 hogsheads of cider, however, tures.com- 

 which is the common beverage of the island, are made an- merce - 

 nually; and a plentiful year will yield 36,000. Tanning-, 

 soapmaking, candlemaking, and other works, are among 

 the manufactures for supplying the inhabitants. Great 

 quantities of worsted stockings are spun and knit in the 

 island. The principal exports are cider, of which 1800 Exports 

 hogsheads are sent to England ; fruit, potatoes, cattle, and alld "B- 

 worsted stockings. During the five years preceding P orts> 

 1813, the exports were at an average 768 cows, 13 bulls, 

 900 pipes of cider, 1228 tons of potatoes. From Eng- 

 land are imported corn, flour, seeds, live and dead stock, 

 cloth, linen, crockery and glass ware, paving stone, and 

 in general all articles necessary for subsistence, apparel, 

 and furniture. Salt fish to a large extent is import- 

 ed from Newfoundland. The commercial relations of 

 Jersey were formerly restricted for the most part to 

 England and France, after whicli another field was 

 opened to that island, where about 80 fishing vessels 



