88 TlMEHRI. 
At an early stage of the colony's growth this must have 
forced itself upon the Government of the day, for when 
Stabroek became too small for the citizens it was 
natural that the proprietors of the various surrounding 
coffee estates should part with pieces of their concessions 
to form a township, even if they had to pay a penalty 
of £i sterling per acre in accordance with clause 9 of 
1792. One thing is clear, and that is, the descendants 
of the early concessionists have been fortunate in finding 
themselves in possession of a township instead of an 
abandoned coffee estate. If ever an unearned increment 
was participated in, it was in the case of " Vlissingen ;" 
when an abandoned swamp now partly covered by 
the Botanical Gardens, was purchased for the public 
at the fabulous price of fifty pounds sterling per 
acre. 
The formation of villages is another proof of the legal 
subdivisions of concessions into freeholds ; for instance 
Ordinance 18 of 1845 admits of Daggarad, Mocha and 
Westfield, on the Essequibo Coast being divided into 
freehold village lots, the whole being now known as the 
village of Queenstown. This was the earliest ordinance 
acknowledging and giving status to village communi- 
ties, and it has been followed up by various ordinances 
recognizing and laying down rules for the management 
of these now freeholds. 
Where doubts have existed as to the validity of a title 
to property, it has been a common practice to allow the 
property to be levied upon for arrears of monies expended 
upon roads &c. The property went under sequestration, 
and was in due time sold, when the owner became the 
purchaser, got letters of decree, and started fair with a 
