Roman Catholic, Rev J. Walsh, D.D., 40%. The churches and religious denominations are all endowed under a temporary Act out of the Public Treasury, at the rate of 10%. for every 100 of the number of their body, according to the last General Census return. Consuls. Consul for the United States, G. M. Allen. Vice and Deputy, ditto, J. B. Heyl. "Plan of Redress," as it was termed (being in fact the draft of a new constitution), was framed by a Committee of the States-General, to whom had been referred sundry petitions of the Colonists. This being approved of, a commission was despatched by the States-General to the Colony, who on their arrival in 1789 dissolved the then existing Government, established a new one for the conjoined Colonies upon the basis of the scheme in question, which continued in operation, notwith United States Commercial Agent, St. George, James standing the captures of the Colony by the British A. Atwood. France, J. M. Hayward. Italy, W. C. J. Hylance. Norway and Sweden, James A. Conyers. BRITISH GUIANA. This Colony is a portion of the South American Continent, extending from east to west about 200 miles. It includes the settlements of Demerara, Essequebo, and Berbice, and is bounded on the east by Dutch Guiana, from which it is divided by the River Corentyn, on the south by Brazil, on the west by Venezuela, and on the north and northeast by the Atlantic Ocean. The territory was first partially settled by the Dutch West India Company in 1580. It was from time to time held by Holland, France, and England. It was restored to the Dutch in 1802, but in the following year retaken by Great Britain, to whom it was finally ceded in 1814. It is impossible to specify the exact area of the Colony, as its precise boundaries between Venezuela and Brazil respectively are undetermined, but it has been computed to be about 109,000 square miles. Constitution. Under the Dutch, Demerara and Essequebo constituted one Government, and Berbice another, an arrangement which continued in force under the British Administration down to the year 1831. The constitution of the Colony of Berbice dates from the year 1732; under it the Governor was nominated by the Directors of the Mercantile Body called the Berbice Association, and was assisted by a council of six; any vacancy occurring being filled by the Governor's selection of one out of two Rominations submitted by the remaining councillors. In the year 1817, however, an order was made by the Prince Regent in Council, requiring three nominations to be made in lieu of two for the Governor's selection, and also declaring that if no such nomination were made in fourteen days, the Governor should be entitled to appoint absolutely to the vacancy. In 1826 an order of the King in Council was issued, dissolving the then Council of Government, appointing another, and thenceforward vesting the right of appointing to vacancies in the Governor as representing the Crown. The Court of Policy for Demerara appears to have been established in 1773. In 1789 that for Essequebo was merged into it, and the seat of Government for the United provinces was established at Stabroek, the site of the present capital Georgetown. Disputes having arisen between the Colonists, the local Government, and the West India Company, as to the right of appointing the colonial members of the Court of Policy, in the year 1788, a provisional in 1796 and in 1802, and its cession in 1803, the Articles of Capitulation having stipulated that the laws, usages, and institutions of the Colony should be maintained as before. It is, therefore, advisable now to advert to the leading provisions of that document. The Council or Court of Policy was to consist of 1st, The Director-General; 2, The Commander of Essequebo; 3, The Fiscal of Essequebo; 4, The Fiscal of Demerara; 5 and 6, two Colonists from Essequebo; 7 and 8, two Colonists from Demerara. The unofficial Members were to be chosen "from among the principal, mcst capable, and most religious inhabitants, above twenty-five years of age, professing the Protestant religion, and perfectly acquainted with the Dutch language, and who had resided at least three years within the Colony." In the first instance, the unofficial portion of the Council was to be chosen from a double nomination by the Colleges of Kiezers or Electors, of which there were two, one for each Colony,* each consisting of seven Members, elected by a majority of the votes of the inhabitants possessing not fewer than twenty-five slaves, such votes to be in writing and signed by the voter. The tenure of the Office of Kiezer, as subsequently defined by Proclamation of Sir Benjamin D'Urban in 1831, was to be for life, unless the party resigned, or ceased to be an inhabitant. The Kiezers, before proceeding to a nomination, were to be sworn to the faithful discharge of their office before the DirectorGeneral, a ceremony which continued to be observed until the passing of Ordinance No. 16 of 1864. A periodical change in the constitution of the Council or Court of Policy was secured by providing that the Senior Colonial Member should retire yearly. The Director-General was allowed a double vote, and the Secretary of Demerara was the "Minister of the Court of Policy." Such seems to have been the original Legislative Constitution of the Colony. We now come to the occasion on which what are termed "Financial Representatives" were added. It appears that in 1795 it was deemed necessary, during a period of some confusion, to introduce four members "commissioned" by the Colleges of Electors of both Colonies to have, jointly with the Court of Policy, the administration of the public funds. In the following year, however, Governor Beaujon thought fit to annul this arrange meut, and to enact that to secure to the inhabitants more ample control of taxation, in lieu of the four above-mentioned, there should be six inhabitants adjoined to the Governor and Court of Policy, three from each Colony, to be elected by the inhabitants qualified as in the case of Kiezers, and to serve for two years, but with powers strictly limited to raising Colony taxes, and assisting in the audit of the public accounts. Beaujon's proclamation was materially modified, though without affecting the definition of the duties of the financial representatives, by a proclamation of * Demerara and Essequebo only are here alluded to. ↑ Beaujon's Procl., Loc. Guide. C Acting Governor Carmichael in 1812, consolidating | It consists of a Governor, Court of Policy, and a the two Colleges of Kiezers and Financial Repre- Combined Court. The functions of an Executive sentatives. This proclamation remained operative, and Legislative Council and House of Assembly though unconfirmed by the Crown, until, in 1831, are performed by the Governor and Court of when Sir Benjamin D'Urban became Governor of Policy, except as regards taxation and finance, the United Colony, it was annulled by a Royal which are dealt with by the Combined Court, Instruction restoring the pre-existing arrangement, composed of the Governor and Members of the and extending the right of suffrage to the inhabi- Court of Policy, combined with the six Financial tants of Berbice. Representatives. The Court of Policy passes all laws and ordinances, except the Annual Tax Ordinance, which is passed by the Combined Court. With an exception in regard to the franchise, to be noticed hereafter, this has been the usage and procedure till now, from which the inference has been drawn that the Financial Representatives had, and have, no authority whatever, except by express permission from the Crown, to discuss any item upon the estimate so as to alter its amount, although they might refuse to include any sum to which they objected in their calculations of the funds necessary to be raised by taxation.* The right of the Financial Representatives to exercise this power has, however, been strongly maintained by the Colonial Members upon all occasions, and this has led to collisions between the Executive and Elective section of the Court.† The position they assume is based upon the construction of certain passages in a decree of the States-General, dated 27th August, 1788, to the effect that "the contributions for the Colonial Chest are to be regulated by the inhabitants themselves;" and in the instructions issued to Director-General Van Grovestein in 1793, "He will take care not to leave the administration of the Colony Chest wholly to the Colony Members great number of the Colonists, for example the The principle of the whole system of Government is centralization. Until the year 1826, there existed not even local subdivisions of the Colony. Demerara and Essequebo were then divided into ten Parishes, and the same process was subsequently applied to Berbice. This arrangement, however, was simply ecclesiastical, involving no civil authority or jurisdiction. In 1837 the first municipal body was incorporated, bnt the principle has not been materially extended in its application, although some advance has been made. In the year 1855 under the administration of Sir Philip Wodehouse, an Ordinance was passed to alter and amend the Political Institutions of the Colony, but it was not approved by Her Majesty. Since that time no legislation has been attempted in the same direction except the passing of Ordinance No. 1 of 1864, a declaratory act, defining the meaning of the term "Colonist," as employed in the "Plan of Redress" above noticed; and Ordinance No. 16 of 1864, to remove some difficulties in the exercise of the functions of the College of Electors. The Constitution may be summed up very briefly *During the discussions on the Civil List in 1848-9, it was suggested by some of the Elective Section to adopt this course, leaving upon the Governor the responsibility of paying the difference between the sums fixed and the amount provided. † Proceedings relative to the Functions of the Financial Representative, 1832. The Court of Policy is composed of five official and five elective members. The official members are the Governor, the Attorney-General, the Government Secretary, the Auditor-General, and the Immigration Agent-General. The elective members are chosen as follows:-When a vacancy occurs the College of Electors meets and submits to the Court of Policy the names of two persons, from whom one is selected by the Court. The elective franchise is regulated by Ordinance No. 15 of 1849. The Colony is divided into five Electoral Divisions, each of which has its representative in the College of Electors, chosen for life or during permanent residence in the Colony, and one or more Financial Representatives, elected for two years, and eligible for re-election. Electoral Division. Registered Representatives. Electors at 31st Dec., 1884. (College tors 1 County of Demerara 1 of Elec-1 Financial 139 1 634 364 85 84 In the Colony of British Guiana the Roman Dutch law is in force in civil cases, modified by Orders in Council and local Ordinances; the Criand is administered in the same manner, except minal Law is now based on that of Great Britain, that there is no Grand Jury. Industry and Productions. The staple products of British Guiana were in former years sugar, rum, molasses, cotton, and coffee, but the cultivation of the two last-named articles has for many years past been almost entirely abandoned. The soil of some parts of the Colony is however still capable of producing coffee of rare excellence. The Berbice River coffee was once much prized; but these two industries have now given place to the cultivation of the sugar-cane, which at present is the chief industry of the Colony, and furnishes nearly ninety-two per cent. in value of its exports. The forests of British Guiana abound in woods of rare beauty and value. Some of the hard woods are, from their remarkable durability, peculiarly suitable for house and shipbuilding purposes, while others are equally prized for the manufacture of articles of household furniture. There were 105 sugar estates in active operation The cocoa estates are chiefly on Canal No. 1, West Bank of the Demerara River, and cocoa is grown on a small scale on some sugar estates aback of the cane cultivation. Coffee is grown principally in the country of Berbice, and the Liberian coffee bean has been planted with great success also on some estates on Canal No. 1. Pistols, including revolvers, each 3.00 0 20 0.25 0.01 0.04 10.00 *Spruce and white pine lumber subject to a deduction of 5 per cent. for splits. Tea, per lb. *Tobacco, in leaf, if in packages not less than a hogshead of 800 lbs., per lb.. *Tobacco, do., if in smaller packages, per lb. *Tobacco, manufactured (cigars, cigarettes, and snuff excepted), per lb. Tobacco pipes (clay), per gross. Tongues, pickled, dried, or smoked, per lb.. Turpentine, crude, per gallon. Turpentine, spirits of, per gallon Varnish, not containing alcohol or spirits, per gallon Varnish, containing any quantity of alcohol or spirit, per gallon Wine, red, admitted by the Controller of Customs as claret or tarragona, and the declared value of which shall be any sum not exceeding two dollars a gallon If in wood, and containing less than Wine, of all other descriptions, bottled, per dozen quarts 0 03 0 12 0.30 0 45 0 45 1.00 . 0.02 050 0 18 0 18 Wine, of all other descriptions, bottled, per dozen pints. Wine, of all other descriptions in wood, per gallon . 200 1 00 0.80 2. Upon all other goods, wares, and merchandise imported or taken out of bond, an ad valorem auty at the rate of 7 per centum. Schedule of Exemptions. Animal charcoal, articles passed by the customs authorities as the personal baggage of passengers arriving in the colony from abroad, beef, admitted by the controller of customs as pickled, dried, or smoked, broken stone and road metal of any description, bullion and coin, bulls, cows, calves, heifers, steers and oxen, cotton seeds, fire engines, fresh fish and turtle, fresh meats, fruits, vegetables, and ground provisions, not enumerated, goods, stores, arms and ammunition, imported by order of the Executive Government, hogs and pigs of every description, horses, baggage, and furniture of officers in Her Majesty's naval and military services, ice, lard, lime, including the packages in which it is contained. Machinery, comprising the following-Machinery employed in the drainage of land or in mining cperations, or in the manufacture or preparation of the produce of raw materials, or in the manufacture or preparation of manures, whether imported for sale or on private account; also machinery and implements intended for waterworks, tanks, and lamp posts, with their appurtenances; paving and kerb stones, and draining pipes, imported by the Mayor and Town Council of Georgetown, or by the Board of Superintendence of New Amsterdam; also machinery. retorts, gasometers, and pipes imported for the construction of gasworks in this colony: machinery and apparatus imported for electric lighting; locomotive engines; railway plant; machinery for steamboats, sawmills and foundries; steam boilers of every description; steam boiler plates and tubes; all pans, teaches tanks, and other vessels used exclusively in the manufacture of sugar or for the storage or supply of water; locks or sluices for sea defences or water supply; iron cane punts, iron bridges, grating bars; tile and brickmaking machinery; and articles imported for the use of the pilot service of the colony, manures, including nitrate of soda, plaster of Paris, and whiting, molasses, materials and church furniture which may be specially imported for any place of worship of the Christian religion in this colony, packages in which goods are imported (except trunks and canisters, and except hogsheads and puncheons not containing lime or coals), patterns or samples, pork, admitted by the controller of customs as pickled, poultry, printed books, not subjeet to duty under Ordinance No. 14 of the year 1851. Printing presses and types. Printing paper and printing ink imported by or directly for the conductor of any newspaper or printing establishment for the exclusive purpose of being used by him in the course of his trade, pr visions and stores of every description imported by Her Majesty's Government for the use of Her Majesty's land or sea forces, salt, sewing machines, sheep, specimens illustrative of natural history; garden seeds, bulbs and roots, steam ploughs, steam diggers, and steam dredgers, telegraph instruments and other materials imported by telegraph companies, and necessary for the use and construction of their works, offices, and stations in this colony, uniforms, arms, ammunition, accoutrements, and prizes, imported by and for the use of Her Majesty's land or sea forces, or of the colonial militia, or any volunteer force or rifle association sanctioned by the Governor. Wines, spirituous liquors and stores, imported by and for the use of the Governor. For the purpose of encouraging the trade of the colony with other countries, parties exporting goods, wares, aud merchandise on which duties shall have been paid, are entitled to a drawback of duties on such goods, wares, and merchandise, but no drawback is allowed on any wine or spirituous liquor or gunpowder exported from the colony. Every contractor with Her Majesty's Government for any service of any of Her Majesty's entitled to receive back the amount of duty paid on regular troops stationed in British Guiana shall be materials or supplies furnished under his contract for the service of such troops. |