Guernsey Pictorial Directory and Stranger's Guide. of Guernsey Thomas Bellamy
into consideration the smallness of the Island, these Banks pretty well inundate the public with paper, nevertheless their security perhaps, is rendered greater than any thing of the kind in England, and may be deemed one of the causes of our prosperity. The paper money issued by the States of the Island is something after the following manner: if the roads for instance are out of repair, or that it is absolutely necessary to build a new pier, then immediately the States, after a close conference, issue on their security, one pound notes, which as the work proceeds are sent out. On the public work yielding an income after its completion, the notes are gradually brought in again, and new undertakings commenced if necessary. By means of this "truly healthy" currency, undertakings of considerable magnitude are occasionally executed. Moreover, the purposes for which the notes are issued are of advantage to every man in the Island; so that every one looks upon them as coming from the Bank to which he is a partner. Formerly the notes were not payable on demand; and the States had not so much as an office for their presentation: nevertheless the notes were never refused, as the people found by experience that their representatives, the States, did not issue the notes in greater abundance than the demand for them justified.
The Savings Bank is under the direction of a committee of the principal people of the Island, most of them members of the States, and is on a safe foundation, the whole capital being vested in the public funds. When the name and occupation of a depositor is entered, he receives 3 per cent for his money.
Barracks.—
Vacant Barracks capable of admitting upwards of 5,000 troops, are erected in various parts of the Island. Their repairs are kept up by occasional grants from the Home Government, and a proper officer is appointed for their annual over-hauling.
Bats—
Are by no means numerous, or of such size, colour and quantity as those of Jersey. They inhabit the vale districts rather than the upland ones.
Beggars—
Are not known here, and should there be an importation, the Constables take it upon themselves to manage their departure by encumbering the Captain who brought them with the expense of their return. An affair of this kind cost our late venerable Baillif much trouble in rebutting versus the corporation of Southampton, who at several times either sent or permitted their landing.
Birds—
That are constantly with us are: the red legged crow, the common crow, sparrow,[A] tit-mouse, long tailed do., common wren, golden crested do., lark, sky do., magpie, sparrow-hawk, blackbird, and thrush. Those which occasionally visit us or remain only throughout the winter season are: the ring dotterel, skitty, quail,[B] plover, starling, red-wing, fieldfare, curlew, tern, snipe, woodcock,[C] &c. The swallow and swift generally leaves us about the middle of October and return in the spring. Perhaps no place of equal extent can boast of having such a variety of birds, for besides the above we have the occasional visit of the hoopoe, ring-ouzel, mountain-finch, hooded crow, golden oriole, sanderling, godwit, lapwing, grey plover, Northern diver, wild goose, brent do., wild duck, together with a few others of the hawk tribe. The heron may be said to be rather peculiar to the small adjacent Island of Herm; and those beautiful birds, the bittern and egret, were both shot by a person in the fens, technically called by sportsmen the "Pontine Marshes."
[A] Sparrows are exceedingly numerous and work great ravages in corn and other grain fields, wherefore the States for years past, have granted an annual sum of £70 or so much per head for their destruction. At a meeting of the States for 1830, an Act was passed by way of awarding a premium for the further destruction of sparrows, wherein it was agreed, for that year only, to give four doubles for every sparrows head, and one for each egg.
[B] According to a memorandum dated Nov. 19, 1841, the author has:—"Shot a quail in a sand field behind Mr De Lisle's house, Grande Rocque, which on opening had its crop full of cress seed, with a few berries of the common nightshade. From this it would seem they are fond of hot seeds and poisonous berries. Also killed three terns at one shot on my passage to Herm in a boat, which are rare kind of birds."
[C] In a memorandum dated the 10th Nov., 1842, I find my old cat "Pinkey" caught a fine woodcock down near a little straw built duckery on the margin of a brook over-run with trees, osiers, and willows. This to the sportsman may appear remarkably strange, and tend to convince him that woodcocks are not over and above scarce here.
Boarding Houses and Lodgings.—
Lodgings may be obtained in various parts of the town from 8s. to 15s. per week, and in the most enviable situations they hardly ever exceed 1l. Country lodgings adequate to the former may be obtained at about 8s. to 12s. per week, in which there is the excellent advantage of being able to obtain fresh cream and butter. Lewis's Boarding House, Glatney, and Shore's Commercial one, High-street, with one or two others, are the principal. Terms from 15s. to 2l. per week, which of course will be comprehended according to the style of accommodation, as the cheapest spot in the world may be abused by an unnecessary suit of apartments and superfluous living.
Lewis's Boarding House is pleasantly situated, fronting the sea, and commands an extensive prospect of the adjacent Isles and France, as also all vessels in and out of the harbour. It is a commodious building, having a numerous suit of rooms, which are airy and spacious, and might accommodate some fifteen or twenty families with ease and comfort. On the top is a kind of rotunda, which is a cool retreat in the heat of summer, as there is always a breeze from the channel; here the visitor, with a telescope, if the weather is clear, can plainly distinguish the houses of France and Jersey. At the back of the house are excellent gardens abounding with fruit and flowers.
Lewis's Boarding House.
Boatmen.—
By late regulations respecting these, every boatman is bound to have the number of his boat painted outside on each bow, and inside on the stern; he is also bound to give the Harbour-Master a correct list of his boat's crew, under a penalty of 14 livres tournois. Passengers are limited to
| 6 | for a Boat from 14 to 18 feet long. |
| 8 | for a Boat from 18 to 22 feet long. |
| 10 | for a Boat from 22 to 26 feet long. |
| 12 | for a Boat from 26 feet and upwards. |
No boat under fourteen feet in length is allowed to take passengers from the pier to the roads, or from the roads to the pier; under a penalty of 14 livres tournois for each passenger.
Each division is to perform the duty turn by turn weekly; and none but the boats of the division on duty are authorized to land passengers from the steamers, under a penalty of 3 livres tournois.
The boatmen are bound to put on shore, in a place of safety, the luggage and effects of the passengers they land, that their owners, or porters whom they have engaged, may take them away, under a penalty of 10 livres tournois.
During the landing of passengers and their effects, porters or any one else, are forbidden to place themselves at the top of the steps where the said landing takes place, or to go down the same, until the passengers with their effects have