The Post Office in British Guiana. 189 



tary's office, but were delivered by the ship-captains or 

 their consignees. No interference took place in this 

 matter, and for a long time the Government mail from 

 the Netherlands was quite distinft from the ship letters. 

 Letters for Demerara were often sent from England to 

 Barbados, and called for there by petty traders from 

 this colony. 



The British would probably have established a Post 

 Office in 1782, if the French had not captured the 

 colony before things became settled. The only item 

 referring to letters during the British occupation, is a publi- 

 cation, that it was forbidden to send letters to Berbice, 

 unless they had been first read by Captain Day, who 

 then represented the supreme authority, the Governor 

 and Court of Policy being however still retained. 

 Immediately after the French conquest, on the loth of 

 February, 1782, it was published that "a ship will sail 

 for France in 8 or 10 days, by which anyone can send 

 letters to Holland or other countries,'' and that a letter- 

 bag would be provided at Mr. Schuylenburgh'S house. 

 In January following, Adrian LonCQ was appointed the 

 first Postmaster of Demerara. He was bound to deliver 

 the letters by four white servants, within four days after 

 their arrival. The first messenger went along the West 

 Coast, the second to the East Coast and Courabana, the 

 third up the West Bank as far as Harmensteyn, and 

 the last up the East Bank to Land of Canaan. They 

 were to get receipts for each letter, and the Postmaster 

 was entitled to charge a fee of five stivers. Persons who 

 lived in Mahaica Creek and beyond, as well as those in 

 the Upper Demerara, got their letters in the best way 

 they could. A trusty person was sent by the Postmaster 



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