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The universal geography : earth and its inhabitants

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CHAPTER XII.<br />

THE ISLE OF MAN.<br />

HE Isle of Man lies about the centre of the Irish Sea, <strong>and</strong> within<br />

sight of the three constituent parts of the United Kingdom. It<br />

is a little nearer to Scotl<strong>and</strong> than to Engl<strong>and</strong>, but to judge by the<br />

formation of the sea-bottom, it forms a natural dependency of the<br />

county of Cumbei-l<strong>and</strong>. <strong>The</strong> depth of the sea between Man <strong>and</strong><br />

the English coast averages 100 feet, whilst in the direction of the Scotch county<br />

of "\Tigton it is at least 160 feet, <strong>and</strong> soundings of 420 feet are met with on<br />

voyaging towards the Irish port of Belfast. In order to determine whether the<br />

Isle of Man is a natural dependency of Irel<strong>and</strong> or Great Britain, Halley tells us *<br />

serpents <strong>and</strong> toads were carried thither. <strong>The</strong>y survived, <strong>and</strong> hence it was<br />

concluded that Man is English, for these animals cannot live upon the soil of the<br />

Emerald Isle. <strong>The</strong> remains of the so-called elk, so numerous in Irel<strong>and</strong>, were<br />

first discovered on the Isle of Man.f<br />

<strong>The</strong> geographical position of the isl<strong>and</strong> at nearly equal distances from three<br />

potent centres of attraction has frequently enabled the <strong>inhabitants</strong> to mainlahi<br />

their independence, notwithst<strong>and</strong>ing that they were surrounded by enemies. On<br />

some occasions, however, they quickly changed masters, according to the oscilla-<br />

tions of political power amongst their neighbours. During the early Middle Ages<br />

the <strong>inhabitants</strong> of Man were subjected to the influences of Irel<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong> Scotl<strong>and</strong>.<br />

Subsequently the isl<strong>and</strong> fell under the sway of Danish pirates, <strong>and</strong> was incorporated<br />

into their " Kingdom of the Isl<strong>and</strong>s." When this kingdom was sold to the Scots<br />

in 1264, Man passed with it into their possession ; but some time afterwards it was<br />

wrested from the Scotch, <strong>and</strong> made a separate " kingdom," dependent upon<br />

Engl<strong>and</strong>. Thomas, Earl of Derby, relinquished the title of King of Man, <strong>and</strong><br />

took that of Lord, <strong>and</strong> since 1784 the British Government has purchased all the<br />

sovereign rights <strong>and</strong> privileges appertaining to the isl<strong>and</strong>. Man, at the present<br />

time, is a dependency of the British crown, unrepresented in the Imperial Parlia-<br />

ment. It is, in fact, a kind of colony, governed by an independent legislature,<br />

* " Atlas Jlaritimus et Commercialis," 1728.<br />

t George Canning, "Isleol Man."

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