HIGH COTTKT OF MADRAS. 



113 



CHAPTER VI. 



In 1 797 the Legislature being of opinion that an approxi- 

 mation to the Supreme Court in Bengal was desirable for the 

 other two Settlements, the Statute 37 Geo. Ill, c. 142,. was 

 passed, whereby the King was authorized to establish by 

 Charter or Letters Patent under the Great Seal, Courts of 

 Judicature at Madras and Bombay respectively, which should 

 consist of the Mayor and three of the Aldermen resident at 

 Madras and Bombay respectively for the time being, together 

 with one other person at each of the said Settlements to be 

 named from time to time by His Majesty, his heirs and 

 successors, which said person should be a Barrister of England 

 or Ireland of not less than five years' standing, and should be 

 the President of the said Court, and be styled the Recorder of 

 Madras and Bombay respectively. The new Courts were to 

 have full power and authority to do all things necessary for 

 the administration of justice, and it was declared that they 

 should be at all times Courts of Oyer and Terminer and Gaol 

 Delivery in and for Fort St. George and the Town of Madras,, 

 and the limits thereof, and the factories subordinate thereto, 

 and in and for the Town and Island of Bombay, and the limits 

 thereof, and the factories subordinate thereto respectively. 



The jurisdiction was declared to extend to all British 

 subjects residing within any of the factories subject to or 

 dependent upon the Governments of Madras and Bombay 

 respectively, and the said Courts were to have full power and 

 authority, according to their respective jurisdictions, to hear 

 and determine all suits and actions whatsoever against any of 

 His Majesty's subjects arising in territories subject to or 

 dependent upon the said Governments of Madras and Bombay 

 respectively, or within any of the dominions of the Native 



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