In support of those traditions Prof. Bugge of Christiania recently said: "The commercial capital of the Hebrides during the Middle Ages was certainly Dublin."
In reference to the limited amount of friendship maintained with nations across the seas by each of the provinces, according to situation, Torna O Mac Cionare wrote:–
Each of the Irish provinces observed
A strict alliance with the neighbouring nations.
The O'Neills corresponded with the Scots,
The men of Minister with the valiant English,
The inhabitants of Ulster loved the Spaniards,
Of Connacht lived in friendship with the Britains,
Of Leinster traded safely with the French.
Coming to the present day, it is good to know that the central institutions are flourishing:—
"Mr. Dowling, the Registrar of the Royal College of Science, records with pleasure that the great majority of the Diploma students of the College of the previous session have obtained employment, or are engaged on research work."
The progress made in technical education is remarkable. This activity is to be noticed especially in agricultural training. There are now 49,000 people receiving instruction.
"People say that the face of the country has been changed, and many are inclined to attribute the transformation to 'the magic of ownership.' Some allowance should be made for the magic of education."
The Freeman's Journal claims for the National Library that it
"is probably one of the finest and most constantly used institutions of its kind in the world. The average daily attendance last year was 702. Many of these are serious students."
The Library continues to grow, and its cataloguing of subjects proceeds rapidly towards perfection. The Librarian, Mr. T. W. Lyster, has achieved international fame for his knowledge and helpful courtesy. The great work of the year is the issue of a Bibliography of the Irish Language and Literature. It is an event in the history of the native language.
Under Irish Banks is much that is curious. For a long time the business of banking in Ireland was entirely free and uncontrolled by the State. Any one was at liberty to issue not only bank notes, but also silver and copper coin. There was no bankruptcy law, and the Irish House of Commons itself supplied the need. The Bank of Ireland was established in 1783, its charter being almost identical with that of the Bank of England. There is a remarkable history of the first note issued at the Cork branch of the Provincial Bank of Ireland on the 1st of September, 1825. This was in circulation until it was returned to the bank in 1909. It is now held by the directors as a treasured relic of the past. The deposits in the various banks increase enormously. In 1851 the total amount was 8,263,091l.; while in 1911 it reached 56,011,000l.
In closing my note on this unique record, I cordially join with the editor of The Freeman's Journal in the hope that when its fourth jubilee shall be celebrated,
"another chronicler will then exult in victories won and enhanced prosperity achieved, and that he will not forget that we also in our day strove to pass on the memories of those who had gone before us."
Christopher Havilland and his Ancestry.—Christopher Havilland (born c. 1512, buried 24 Jan., 1589) was Mayor of Poole 1569. The earliest record, so far as I am aware, bearing on Christopher Havilland's parentage is found in the Poole Parish Register, under 'Burials,' which states that on
"Januarie 24, 1589, Mastr Christopher Havilland, the Soñe of James Havilland, was buryed."
The next record we find thirty-four years later in the Visitation of Gloucestershire taken in 1623, and signed by his grandson, Robert Havilland of Hawkesbury, co. Gloucester, who was 13 years of age at the time of his grandfather's death. From the Visitation it appears that Christopher was the son of "Jacobus" (in pencil in official record) "Havilland of the Isle of Guernsey."
Accepting these two statements—and there is no reason to doubt them—we must conclude that Christopher Havilland was the son of a James Havilland, and that the latter was "of the Isle of Guernsey"—i.e., living there.
The only known James at the time in Guernsey who could have been Christopher's father was James de Havilland of St. Martin's, Jurat from 1517 to 14 Oct., 1540, who married Colliche, daughter of Nicholas Fouaschin, Esq., Bailiff of Guernsey. This James was the son of Thomas de Havilland, Juré Justicier de la Cour Royale de Guernsey from 1474 to 1481, and grandson of Sieur Thomas de Havilland, who served with distinction at the recovery of Mont-Orgueil Castle in Jersey in 1471.
In his 'Chronicle of the De Havillands' (published anonymously about 1860) the late John V. S. de Havilland, Esq. (York Herald in 1879), follows the pedigree as
