SETTLEMENTS ON THE DEMERARY, &C. 333 



country, accounts were daily reaching them of the capture of 

 vessels homeward bound, with valuable cargoes, the amount 

 of which being insured at a peace premium only against the 

 risk of sea and weather, could of course not be recovered from 

 the underwriters. The governor and council, to preserve the 

 planters against the torrent of dishonoured paper, and suits in- 

 stituted by the merchants for the recovery of their demaiids, 

 found it necessary to stop the progress of justice, and close the 

 courts for a few weeks, which was accordingly done, for hav- 

 ing no vent for their produce, how could the planters derive 

 advantage from it ? and from there being no fixed colonial 

 price, it would not there be taken in payment. 



It is true that an order from the king and council was given to 

 restore all produce belonging to British subjects which was cap- 

 tured on its way home; but this was of little avail, as it was ac- 

 companied with such restrictions that few of the sufferers were 

 enabled to benefit from it. One stipulation was the making 

 an affidavit, wherein the deponent must make oath that he is 

 a British born subject ; that it was his intention to leave the 

 colony within three years, the time allowed by the treaty of 

 Amiens for the English inhabitants to wind up their affairs, 

 and that, for this purpose, he or they had absolutely offered and 

 made every attempt in their power to sell their estates. Now 

 as this was far from the intention of most of the planters so 

 situated, they could not consistently make the required depo- 



