1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/New Amsterdam

NEW AMSTERDAM, a town of British Guiana, situated in 6° 20′ N. and 59° 15′ W. on the east bank of the Berbice river, about 4 m. from the mouth. Formerly the capital of the colony of Berbice, it is now the capital of the county of that name. It is a picturesque little town composed almost entirely of wooden houses, having a population estimated in 1904 at 7459. The Colony House, standing in handsome grounds beside the small but pretty botanical gardens, was formerly the residence of the governor and the seat of the legislature, and now contains the treasury and supreme courts. The town is lighted by municipally owned electric works, and contains various government institutions, a town hall and market. The local government is vested in a mayor and town council, the revenue (a little over £12,000 annually) being mainly raised by a direct rate on house property. The expenditure is principally on streets, street lighting, fire brigade, water supply and drainage. New Amsterdam is connected by ferry and rail with Georgetown, to which there is also a bi-weekly steamer service.