Owing to the frequent alarms of fire and other disturbances in the town this winter, the Magistrates made application to the Legislature for an Act to establish a night watch, and accordingly, on the 5th May, a nightly watch was established by order of the Governor and Council for three months.
During the spring of 1818 and the previous autumn, several vessels arrived in this port with emigrants from Europe, many of whom were found to be in a most destitute condition. They could not be permitted to remain a burden on the town and the Governor and Council advanced funds to assist their removal to the country, and Mr. Samuel Cunard and Mr. Michael Tobin were intrusted with the funds for the purpose.
"On the 9th February there remained of these emigrants in town only 20 families and 30 single men. Their distress and that of the humbler classes in the town this winter induced the Governor to place £100 more in the hands of Messrs. Tobin and Cunard to be used by them to mitigate the suffering of the poor in general. They, in consequence, established for a time a public soup house, beginning with 50 gallons of soup a day; but in three days they were obliged to double the quantity, finding that 50 pounds beef and vegetables, producing 100 gallons a day, did not more than answer the demand. The fitting up of the place and eight days' issue cost over £50, and they supposed the money would be all gone in a fortnight more. They attended constantly in person at the daily issues and say that 500 daily partook of the gift. They estimated that £200 more would be required to keep up the establishment until the pressure of want should be alleviated in some other way. The first £50 was paid out of the Arms Fund, £100 from the Treasury, and the House voted £200 on 10th February for temporary relief of the poor at Halifax."—[Murdoch.]
Eight armed fishing vessels were seized this summer by the ships of war on the station, and brought into the Harbor of Halifax. Five were released and three condemned in the Court of Vice-Admiralty.
A general election occurred this year. The poll for the County and Town of Halifax was opened at the County Court House on Monday, 15th June, and continued until Wednesday, when one of the candidates, Mr. Richard Kidston, having withdrawn, the other two, Mr. John Albro' and Mr. H. H. Cogswell were returned. Capt. Thomas Maynard, R. N., was Sheriff this year. He resided in the old house in Jacob Street formerly known as the Grenadier Fort, which stood on the spot where the Trinity Church has since been erected.
Among the events of the year worthy of notice was the appearance of Anthony H. Holland, proprietor of the Acadian Recorder newspaper, (which had been established in 1813) at the Bar of the Assembly to answer charges of having published severe animadversions on public affairs, particularly from some remarks relative to Edward Mortimer, one of the County members, for which Mr. Holland suffered a short imprisonment. This affair, with the letters of Agricola, which now began to appear in the same paper brought that paper into public notice.
A Bill was introduced into the House of Assembly this session by Mr. Shaw, who resided near the Three Mile House, for lighting Water Street, but it does not appear that the object was effected.
Paper money, issued from the Provincial Treasury, had been for some time in circulation and had to some extent taken the place of the Spanish Silver, which had been, heretofore, the only circulating medium in the town.
During the month of February this year, the harbor was blocked up with float ice as far down as George's Island. Between 13th and 20th, persons crossed from Dartmouth on the ice at the Narrows.
In the "good old days when George the Third was king," his birthday, the 4th June, was celebrated with great enthusiasm at Halifax. A levy at Government House, a review of the troops, and sometimes the militia on the common, and a royal salute from the Battery and shipping in harbor, terminating with a ball in the evening.