HALIFAX, the capital of Nova Scotia, stands on the s.c. or outer coat of the penin sula, in lat. 44° 39' n., and lat. 37' west. Thought it was founded only in 1749, yet so favorably was it situated, that in 1750 it supplanted Annapolis as the seat of govern ment. The harbor of Halifax is one of the finest in the world. It is entered from the s., extends northwards about 10 in., and terminates in a magnificent sheet of water called Bedford basin, is spacious enough for the entire navy of England, and offers all the year round easy access and safe anchorage to vessels of any magnitude. The harbor has two entrances, made by M'Nab's island, of which the western only is navigable for vessels of large tonnage. Halifax, with its suburbs, extends along the slope of a hill, an$1 is over 2 m, in length, and about three-quarters of a in. in width. The streets are we'll laid out, and at right angles; and handsome granite and free-stone have superseded wood. The dockyard, covering 14 acres, is among the finest in the British colonies. The principal edifices are the province building (which contains the government offices), Dalhousie college, government house, military hospital, admiralty house, lunatic and blind asylums. provincial penitentiary, court-house, exchange. post•oflicc, theater, work
house, jail, etc. Halifax also contains 24 places of worship, and is the scat of two bishops. It is an important military post, being defended t by strong forts and batteries one of which, called the Citadel, stands on the summitt of the hill on which Halifax is built, and is said to be, after Quebec, the strongest fortification in America. Halifax and Quebec are now the only places in Canada where British troops are retained; the troops occupy extensive and handsome barracks overlookine. the harbor. Halifax is the chief naval station for British North America. The head offices of the Nova Scotia railway, and the Nova Scotia electric telegraph Company are situated here. It has railway communication with Annapolis, Pictou, St. John, Truro, and Windsor. The Mort engrosses nearly the whole of the foreign trade of the colony. In the year ending June 30, 1872, the exports amounted to $4,678,684, and the imports to $10,055,579. 1 he population of Halifax at the census of 1871 was 29,582.