JUDICIAL DEPARTMENT. 223 



As there are many foreigners in the colony, French, Spaniards, 

 Hindoos, Chinese, and others, there are twenty-five interpreters 

 attached to the courts. 



The island marshal is the executor of the judgments and orders 

 of the highest courts. 



Executions take place within the precincts of the Royal Gaol, 

 in the presence of all the prisoners assembled, and a certain 

 number of the public admitted for the purpose. 



Appeal Courts. Appeal may be made from the decisions of 

 the stipendiary justices to the judges. For all sums above 500, 

 appeal may be made to Her Majesty's Privy Council in London. 

 The governor has power to commute or remit imprisonments and 

 fines ; but in case of capital punishment, he can only recommend 

 the culprit to the mercy of Her Majesty. 



Court of Vice- Admiralty. A special commission has been 

 issued to the chief justice of the colony to hold a Court of 

 Admiralty whenever required: the attorney-general acts in all 

 cases as the queen's counsel. 



Court of Intendant. This court is, I believe, a relic of the old 

 Spanish administration. Though certainly not established or 

 maintained with any oppressive view, yet it may be said that on 

 many occasions its decisions have been but the legal sanction of 

 acts of oppression and injustice, as will appear from the following 

 statements : 



The Court of Intendant sits in two capacities : as guardian 

 and judge of the crown lands, and in all matters relative to quit- 

 rent, land-rates, queen's revenue, &c. 



As guardian and judge of the crown lands, the Court of 

 Intendant consists of the Governor as judge, his Honour Judge 

 Bowen as assessor, and the keeper of maps and surveys as 

 escribano or clerk. All petitions, prayers, claims, &c., are 

 brought by the escribano before the assessor, who examines into 

 the matter, swears the parties, and issues his orders ; he, how- 

 ever , occasionally consults or sits with the Governor, previous 

 to issuing final orders. It is the duty of the escribano to satisfy 

 the parties, and transmit the orders of the court. Lawyers may 

 be employed by the defendants; in which case the attorney- 

 general acts on behalf of the crown. In the case of recovery 

 of debts, the assessor prepares and signs the writ, which is coun- 

 tersigned by the Governor and escribano. The latter sends to 



