Records of' British Guiana. 355 
and published on the 16th May, 1807, which required 
three advertisements in the Gazette. 
MORTGAGES. — In the Court of Justice of Essequibo 
and Demerara on the 6th January, 1766, a decision was 
given that Mortgages are Preferent Claims (p. 35). 
On the 4th of April, 1769, there was an order of the 
Court of Justice respecting the Passing of Mortgages 
(p. 48.) The same Court ruled on the 28th of November 
following that non-production of Certificates of the Vendue 
Master invalidated Mortgages, (p. 254,) On the 8th of 
July 1774, the States General forwarded an opinion of 
Dutch Lawyers upon a question relating to Mortgages, 
(p. 28), and on the 18th of August 1777, the same body 
dealt with the question of Mortgage as a Preferent 
Claim (pp. 368 to 380.) 
Separation of Demerara from the Government 
OF Essequibo. — From its constitution as a Colony in 
1745, Demerara was ruled by the Courts of Policy and 
Justice of Essequibo. In 1773, the settlement of 
Demerara had become so considerable that the latter 
was given a Court of Policy and a Court of Justice of its 
own. On the 25th of January 1773, the States General 
granted the Courts power to exercise certain rights over 
the Colonies of Essequibo and Demerara. Respecting 
the Laws and Regulations in force before the Separation, 
there were Resolutions of the States General, dated 6th 
Oaober, 1774, (pp. 54, 56), and 30th May 1777, (p. 350.) 
The Combined Court of Policy held at Fort Zeelandia on 
the 10th of January 1774 (p. 2), and the 23rd June 1775 
(p. 55), laid down that the Jurisdiction of Essequibo 
commenced at the Boerasirie Creek. In 1806, Governoi 
Bentinck proclaimed, on the 22nd November, that 
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