HALIFAX, is the principal town of the county of the same name in Novia Scotia, one of the British possessions in North America. It is situated on the Bay of Chebucto, which is very spacious, and is able to contain, in perfect security, 1000 of the largest vessels. The town, which is about two miles long, and one-fourth of a mile broad, is situated on the west side of the harbour, on the declivity of a commanding eminence, elevated 236 feet above the level of the sea. In consequence of the streets intersect ing each other at right angles, the houses are arranged into oblong squares. The Royal Naval Yard, supplied with military stores of all kinds, stands at the north end of the town. The accessible nature of the harbour, and its prox imity to the principal interior settlements of the province, render it the fittest place in British America for a seat of government. Halifax is entrenched with forts of timber. The country around the town is rocky, and the soil unfit for cultivation. The imports of Great Britain, alone, into the
single port of Ilalifax, amounted in 1810, to 600,0001. In 1790 and 1791, the whale fishery from the port of Halifax employed 28 sail of ships and brigs from 60 to 200 tons burthen. The principal exports from Halifax are the fish caught upon its coasts, great quantities of which are sent to the West India Islands. The amount of tonnage em ployed in the trade to and from the West India islands, and entered at the custom-house of Ilalifax, was, in 1792, 64891 tons outwards, and 6571,1-4 tons inwards. Roads are opened from llalifax to all the settlements in the province. Population, 1000 houses, and 8000 inhabitants. Some ac counts state the population so high as 15,000 or 16.000. West Long. 63° 35' 45", North Lat. 44° 44'. See Morse's Geography ; Raynal's History of the East and !Vest Indies ; Gray's Letters from Canada and NOVA SCOTIA.