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The High Courts still retain the special features
of the Supreme Court in regard to the presidency
town ; but they form the sole ultimate appeal courts
in the country, except as to the Punjab, where the
Chief Court exercises that function.

Legislation subsequent to 1862 has reconstituted
all the Civil and Criminal Courts of the country,
while uniform laws of procedure are carried into
effect throughout it, and the judicial administration
is superintended by the five superior courts and by
no other authority.

CHAPTER VIII.

TERRITORIAL SUB-DIVISIONS.

Presidencies and Provinces.

The first settlements at Surat in 4. D. 1613 ;
at Fort St. George, 1640; and at Fort William
in Bengal, 1698, were established in complete
independence of one another as factories and
agencies of the Company. Each settlement was
governed internally by a president and board. In
the course of time clusters of factories, agencies,
and settlements grew up around each of these
centres of the Company's trade, and in these the
place where the governing body resided came to
be called the presidency town. In this way arose
what are now termed the three presidencies. The