HALIFAX, a city, port of entry, capi tal of the Province of Nova Scotia, and county-seat of Halifax co., on Halifax Harbor; and on the Intercolonial and the Dominion Atlantic railroads. It is the largest community and only city in the province. The harbor of Halifax is one of the best in the world, 6 miles long, with an average width of a mile, and protected by 11 fortifications. At the N. end of the bay is a narrow channel con necting with Bedford Basin, a sheet of water, 6 miles long, by 4 miles wide, capable of sheltering all the navies of the world. Halifax is the chief British naval station in North America, and in 1901 was the only station on the Atlan tic coast occupied by British troops.
Public Interests.—The city is well laid out, the streets are spacious, and cross each other at right angles. Many of the houses are of wood, but many also are handsome brick and stone edifices. The most notable buildings include Gov ernment House (official residence of the lieutenant-governor), the Academy of Music, City Hall, the Masonic Temple, Y. M. C. A. Buildings, the Wellington Barracks, Roman Catholic and Church of England Cathedrals, St. Paul's Church (one of the oldest churches in North America), Provincial Building, the Armory, Admiralty House, Military Hospital, Dalhousie College, Free Li brary, Provincial Hospital, and Court House. The Citadel, a fortress of earth and granite, occupies the summit of the hill commanding the city, is over a mile in circumference, is the strongest fortifi cation in America, and one of the strong est in the world, and the work of many years. The city is lighted by gas and electricity, and is the seat of the see of the Anglican Bishop of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, and of the Ro man Catholic Archbishop of Halifax. The Public Gardens, covering some 17 acres, are considered the finest public gardens on the Continent, and the mili tary band concerts given there form one of the chief attractions for visitors to the Maritime Provinces of Canada.
Point Pleasant Park, a handsome nat ural woods, chiefly of spruce and pine, and the "Dingle," a private natural park of great extent, thrown open to the free use of the public, are among the chief pleasure grounds. The North West Arm, an inlet of the sea, on the W. side
of the city, is a charming bay, on the shores of which are many of the villas of the merchants.
Business Interests.—Most of the com merce of the province is carried on in Halifax, and the city has considerable West Indian trade, exporting lumber, fish and agricultural products, and re ceiving in exchange sugar, rum, molasses and other sub-tropical products. The chief industry of the inhabitants is di rected to manufactures, shipbuilding, commerce and fisheries. The principal manufactures are iron castings, machin ery, agricultural implements, nails, gun powder, cordage, leather, boots and shoes, soap and candles, cotton and woolen goods and wooden ware. There are also sugar refineries, distilleries and breweries.
History.—Halifax harbor was origi nally known as Chedabucto or Chebucto bay, but in 1749 the city was founded on the W. shore by Lord Cornwallis, made the capital of Nova Scotia, then Includ ing New Brunswick, and named in honor of the Earl of Halifax. It was incor porated as a city in 1842. It is governed by a mayor, elected annually by the citi zens, and 4 controllers and 12 council men, elected for two years. The city sends two members to the Canadian House of Commons, and three to the Provincial Legislature. Pop. about 46, 600. On Dec. 6, 1917, the collision of two munition vessels off the harbor caused an explosion and conflagration that destroyed property over square miles, and was followed on the next day by a severe blizzard. The catastrophe caused the death of 1,158 persons, while upward of 4,000 were injured and 20, 000 were made homeless.
HALL (hal), or SCHWABISCH HALL, a town of Wurttemberg, in the deep valley of the Kocher, 33 miles E. by S. of Heilbronn. Like other places in whose names the word Hall or Salz occurs, Hall has considerable saltworks, the brine being obtained from Wilhelms gliick, 5 miles distant. There are also cotton-spinning and weaving, silk and machine manufactures and tanneries. The Gothic church of St. Michael (1427 1525) has excellent wood-carvings. In 1276 Hall was made a free imperial town; it had enjoyed since 1228 the right of minting money; here were coined the first silver heller (huller) or farthings. In 1802 it was added to Wurttemberg. Pop. about 10,000.