The town was again harassed by press gangs from Admiral Murray's ship. The Admiral had persuaded the Governor and Council to allow him twenty-four hours power over the inhabitants to man his fleet—though Capt. Home had been previously refused the privilege in January.
In December the Marine Society, which had been established by the merchants of Halifax several years previously, was re-modeled and extended in its operations. About this time a project had been formed by Governor Wentworth for uniting the waters of Halifax Harbor with the Bay of Fundy by a canal from the River Shubenacadie, and rendering the river navigable. Suggestions on the subject had been made to Governor Wentworth by persons whom he supposed competent to judge of the feasibility of the project, and was very sanguine of success in the work if not interrupted by hostilities. It does not appear, however, that any attempt was made this year towards effecting the object, but three years after (1797) the sum of £250 was voted for a survey of the projected canal.
All public lands in the town were this year granted to trustees. A grant of part of the King's Stores for a fishmarket was made, also the Province Building ground and the Grand Parade. The old English burial ground opposite the present Government House on Pleasant Street had been originally set apart, in 1749, as a general burial place for the inhabitants of the town. It consisted of two acres and a quarter, but the title had not passed out of the Crown. It was this year granted to the Church Wardens and Vestry of St. Paul's Parish. They have been considered to hold it in trust for the original purpose for which it was dedicated. The old poor house burial ground was also included in this grant.
The French prisoners brought from St. Pierre and Miquelon, who had been lodged in the town with others who had been taken in prizes, were sent, in the month of July, to the Island of Guernsey.
We find Captain George of the Hussar receiving permission from the Council to fill up the complement of his men by impressment. In July following a similar application from Capt. Knowles of the ship Daedalus was refused. Admiral Murray, it appears, obtained another license in September to press through the town for seven days.
Commodore George informed the Governor that intelligence of the state of the defences of the town had been, or was likely to be, communicated by the French prisoners, through persons from the United States, to the French ambassador at Washington, and suggested an embargo on all vessels going to the United States for the present until he should receive intelligence from Admiral Murray. The Collector of the Customs at Halifax was accordingly ordered not to clear any vessels to the United States until further orders.
The following gentlemen were added to the Magistracy of the town: Michael Head, M. D., George Sherlock, Francis Green, J. M. F. Bulkeley, J. B. Dight, John Phillips, M. D., Johnathan Tremaine. James Clarke was Sheriff. Among the advertisements which appeared in the newspaper this and the previous year was a notice that sedan chairs would stand for hire in Barrington Street, also at the Court House, for the convenience of the public. The principal merchants and ship owners in the town between 1787 and 1795 were Geo. Bell, Hardware and Glass Store in Granville Street, near the town guard, then kept in the old house behind Masons' Hall; Peter Smith, Wines & Groceries; James Veitch, Groceries and General Store, shop opposite the wood yard; David Hall & Co. Dry Goods Store in Hollis Street, opposite old Government House; Charles Handesayde, Boot & Shoe Maker in Granville Street; Alex. and Robert Leslie, Dry Goods Store at the corner of Duke & Hollis Streets, near the Pontac; Lawrence Hartshorne, Hardware Store at corner of Granville Street, between the Market House and the Parade; Wm. Forsyth & Co., Importing Merchants; Linnard & Young, Tailors, in Marchington's Buildings, Upper Water Street; George DeBloise, General Dealer; John Butler Dight, Importing Merchant, and Winkworth Allen and the Messrs. Cochran. William Minns, Stationer, Benj. Salter, Importing Merchant, Chas. Geddis, Watch Maker & Jeweller, lower side the Parade; John Hill, Cutter, Hollis Street; Edmond Phelan, "Golden Ball" tavern, Hollis Street; Wm. Brindley, Wines, etc., Forman, Grassie & Co., Importing Merchants, store on the Long Wharf (late Copeland's); Hall, Bremner & Bottomley, Dry Goods, etc.
Between '95 and '99. James Romans, Boot & Shoe Maker, corner of Duke & Granville Streets; Wm. Dickie, Dry Goods, Phebe Moody, Dry Goods, Matthew Richardson, General Store, Robert Chrisley, Dry Goods, John McMasters, Dry Goods, Edward King, Livery Stable, John Kidston, General Dealer.
In 1798 the firm of L. Hartshorne & Co. was changed to Hartshorne & Boggs.
Moody & Tidmarsh, Dry Goods, Thos. Wallace, Dry Goods, etc., opposite wood yard; J. Hemmington, Grocer, near the Navy Yard; Lyon & Butler, General Dealers, Saml. Leddiet, Soap Boiler from Liverpool, kept the London Porter House above the Grand Parade; Philip Garrell, Tailor, Fraser, Thom & Co., Importing Merchants, Marchington's Wharf; Robert Scaiff, successor to Wm. & Thos. Williams, Hardware, Jewellery, etc., Forsyth, Smith & Co., Importing Merchants, James Leaver, Lower Water Street, Dry Goods, David Seabury, Auctioneer, Joseph Davis, Dry Goods, Michael Head, Apothecary, Saml. Hart, Dry Goods, D. Marshall and D. Fraser, both Importing Merchants, Wm. Annand, Groceries, etc., Saml. Greenwood, Mast Maker, Ed. Bartlett, Dry Goods, Marchington's Wharf; Jacob Miller & Son and Philis, Boyd & Philis, Importing Merchants, Tremain & Boggs, opposite the fuel yard, Hardware, etc., Thomas Roby, Merchant, Granville Street, Brymer & Belcher, John Grant, Wm. Forsyth & Co., Jonathan Tremain, Merchants, James Moody, Grocery & General Store keeper, Hollis Street, Michael Wallace, Wines, Groceries, etc. C. C. Hall & Co. appear to have been the leading dry goods shop keepers; their store was in Marchington's buildings near the Ordnance. Charles Hill, Auctioneer, James Forbes, Wine, Groceries, etc., Water Street, near Fairbanks' Wharf. Andrew Gallagher kept the British Tavern opposite Marchington's Wharf. Sabatier, Stewart & Co., General Merchants; their firm was dissolved in 1790. William Millett, Auctioneer, King & Stoe, Shop-keeper, No. 6 Marchington's buildings, near the British Tavern; Thomas Russel, shop-keeper, store near the Coffee House; Alex. Morrison, Bookseller, Thos. Donaldson, Confectioner, Etter & Tidmarsh, corner of the Parade, British Merchandise, D. Curry & Co., Dry Goods, James Frame, Cabinet Maker, Jonathan & John Tremain, Hardware, etc., David Rudolph, near the Golden Ball, Dry Goods & Groceries, Richd. Woodroffe, Furrier, near the South Barracks.