Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
1873

HALIFAX, a city and seaport, capital of the province of Nova Scotia, on the S. coast of that peninsula, nearly equal distant from its N.E. and S.W. extremities, in lat. (dockyard tablet) 44° 59' 42 ' N., Lon. 63° 35 30 ' W. It is situated on the W. side of Chebucto Bay, now called Halifax Harbor, a deep inlet of the sea. The streets are spacious and cross each other at right angles. Many of the houses are of wood, plastered and stuccoed, but many also are handsomely built of stone. There are 24 churches (including a Church of England Cathedral and a Roman Catholic Cathedral), a large number of school houses, some of which are elegantly built structures, 6 batiks, 2 branch banks, and a savings bank, 1 city court house, 1 county court house, 1 gaol, 1 penitentiary, 1 fish market, 1 green do., and several private markets for the sale of meat and general country produce, 2 or three public halls, 2 large and handsome provincial buildings for public offices, 3 club houses, 3 colleges, 2 barracks, 3 hospitals (1 city, 1 military and 1 naval,) 1 poor's asylum, 1 asylum for the blind, about 20 hotels, a large number of stores (some of them fine specimens of architecture), and manufactories of iron castings, machinery of every description, agricultural implements, nails, pails, fuse, gunpowder, cordage, boots and shoes, soap and candles, leather, tobacco, paper, cotton and woolen goods, wooden ware, &c, also a sugar refinery, distilleries of ruin, gin and whisky, and breweries of porter and ale.

At the north end of the city is a large dockyard for the accommodation of Her Majesty's ships of war. It covers 14 acres, and is one of the finest dock-yards in the British colonies.

The harbor of Halifax is one of the best, perhaps the very best in the world. It is G miles long, by, on an average, a mile wide ; the water is very clear and capable of floating alongside the wharves vessels of the largest size. There is excellent anchorage in every part of it. At the north end, the harbor is connected by a narrow arm, called the Narrows, with Bedford Basin, a sheet of water six miles by four in size, capable of containing all the navies of the world.

The city and harbor of Halifax are protected by 11 different fortifications, and in every way the port is considered one of the safest and best on the globe.
Halifax is the chief naval station of British North America, and the only station now occupied by troops. There are 2 regiments of the line, besides artillery and engineers, stationed in the city. They have a large handsome and comfortable brick barrack at the north end overlooking the harbor.

Opposite the city stands the pretty little town of Dartmouth. The scenery around Halifax end Dartmouth is charming. The North West Arm, a narrow arm of the sea, about 2 miles W. of the city, is very pretty ; this arm is about 3 miles long and about | of a mile in width. Some pretty villas along its shores add considerably to the natural beauty of the locality.

The city of Halifax is governed by a mayor and alderman, assisted by a stipendiary magistrate and about 40 policeman. The streets are lighted with gas, and the houses supplied with gas and water.

The city has extensive steam communication with various parts of the Dominion of Canada, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland, the United States, the West Indies, and Great Britain. Railway lines connect it on the E. with Pictou and on the W. with Annapolis, and with St. John, N.B., the United States and the provinces of Quebec and Ontario. Halifax is the south eastern terminus of the Intercolonial railway. There are owned here over 100 square rigged vessels, as many schooners, and a host of small craft.

Halifax sends 2 members to the House of Commons and 2 to the Provincial Legislature.

It is the seat of the Sees of the Anglican Bishop of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island ; and of the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Halifax.

15 newspapers are issued in the city, 4 of which are daily, 5 sectarian, 1 the advocate of temperance, and the rest political and general.

Halifax was originally called "Chedabucto" or "Chebucto," but in 1749, when it was proclaimed the capital of Acadia, which then comprised Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, it was called Halifax, in honor of the Earl of Halifax, an active promoter of the enterprise which resulted in founding the city. In 1790 it contained 700 houses and 4,000 inhabitants, in 1828 1,580 houses and 14,439 inhabitants, and in 1871, 4,326 houses and 29,582 inhabitants. The value of assessed property in 1870 was $10,753,872.

The number of arrivals in 1872 was 1,387 (tons 363,847) and the clearances 1,024 (tons 290,527.) Total value of imports $10,655,079: exports $4,678,684

Lovell's gazetteer of British North America; J. Lovell; Montreal, 1873

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