In 1800
The town clock was erected by the merchants of Halifax who raised money
by
subscription for the purpose. The clock was installed in 1803.
In 1809
A local Insurance Company was formed known as the "Fire Insurance
Association of Halifax" and is still going but under new caption.
In 1812
The City was the scene of much military and naval activity - Britain was
fighting
with France as well as the United States, and the arrival of the "H.M.S.
SHANNON" the morning of June 6th, 1813, with her prize the United States
frigate "Chesapeake," was the most dramatic local incident of the war.
In 1813
The "Acadian Recorder" began to be published and about the same year the
"Acadian" and "National Schools" were established and were a great
improvement over the existing schools of the day.
In 1814
The first theatre was erected - previous to this year, there were several
"music
houses."
In 1818
Halifax was made a free port - not the free port as we understand it to-day.
The
customs restrictions at the time were not so varied and numerous but the
change was to allow a freer movement of goods and thus build up the port.
In 1819
A paper mill was erected and operated for many years.
In 1820
The Province Building was completed the corner stone having been laid in
1811
and the cost considered a very large amount in that day £52,000 or
practically
quarter of a million dollars.
In 1840
The first regular trans-Atlantic steamships were inaugurated by the Cunard
liner
"Britannia" and about the same time the same Company commenced the
operation of steamships in the West India trade from Halifax.
In 1842
Halifax was incorporated and elected its own Mayor and Alderman - for many
years it had been under military rule. Since the latter year, progress
had been
gradual but firm, and, for many years, Halfax was known as the Wealthiest
City, per capita, in the Dominion. It was from this City some of the principal
financial establishment of Canada emanated - notably among those being
the
Merchants Bank of Halifax, now known as the Royal Bank of Canada and the
Bank of Nova Scotia.
