116 



THE PREDECESSORS OF THE 



persuasions in cases in which recourse might be required to 

 be had to it. 78 



The Recorder of the new Court, Sir Thomas Andrew 

 Strange, son of the eminent engraver Sir Robert Strange, 

 and who had officiated as Chief Justice at Halifax in British 

 America, landed at Madras on the 28th September 1798, 

 having sailed from Portsmouth in March. On the 26th 

 October he applied to the Governor in Council for a suitable 

 building for holding the new Court, the Mayor's Court-house 

 being inconvenient and insecure; and after having been offered 

 the house appropriated to the late Court of Cutcherry in the 

 Black Town, which was found not to be large enough, he 

 was given on the 2nd November the upper part of a house 

 then lately occupied by Mr. Baker in the Fort, and which is 

 believed to have been part of the building now the Arsenal 

 near the south gate. 



The following Proclamation was issued on the 1st of Nov- 

 ember : — 



George the Third by the Grace of G-od of Great Britain, 

 France and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, and 

 so forth. 



Whereas His Most Gracious Majesty by his Letters Patent 

 bearing date at Westminster the 20th day of February in the 

 38th year of his reign did of his especial grace think fit to 

 direct and ordain that a new Court of J udicature should be 

 established for the Settlement of Madraspatnam and the 

 factories and territories subordinate thereto and dependent 

 thereon which should be called " the Court of the Recorder 

 of Madraspatnam " and should be holden by and before one 

 Principal Judge who should be called " the Recorder of 

 Madraspatnam" and should be the President of the said 

 Court and by and before the Mayor and three of the Aldermen 



78 Keg. Ill of 1802, s. 16 ; XI of 1802 ; III of 1808 ; VII of 1822 ; XXVII 

 of 1836 ; XI of 1864 ; XII of 1880 (The Kazi's Act, 1880). 



