SETTLEMENTS ON THE DEMERARY, &C. 143 



road of communication between it and that place. Deme- 

 mry was hitherto considered a dependency of Essequebo, 

 but in 1774, having extended itself to a surprising degree, 

 and offering a superior harbour to the other, it was deter- 

 mined to make that the residence of the governor, and capital 

 of the two colonies ; for that purpose the town of Stabroek 

 was commenced about a mile from the fort, and on the same 

 side the river, whilst a commandeur, or deputy governor, was 

 now appointed for Essequebo. Seven years after this change, 

 an English privateer took possession of the two colonies, in 

 the name of his Britannic Majesty, such was the weak state 

 in which Holland left her colonies. The British commanders 

 at Barbadoes, were on the eve of sending troops to the garrison, 

 in order to fortify them, when information was received that 

 the English, in their turn, had been obliged to capitulate to a 

 French corvette ; such was the despicable situation, as far as 

 their means of defence were concerned, of these improving co- 

 Jonies. The British inhabitants held out indeed as long as they 

 were able, in expectation of relief from the West India islands ; 

 every possible precaution was taken, but a strict blockade 

 obliged them to accede to the terms. 



In 1783, at the general peace, the colonies were ceded to 

 the Dutch. During the late war, these, with the other pos- 

 sessions of the Dutch in the West Indies, were entirely neg- 

 lected, their whole attention being directed to the east. Under 



