Arizona republican., 1917-03-20
IN
HISTORIC SPOT
At OLD HALIFAX

the neutral ship by which the dis
missed diplomat was journeyins would
have been far less irksome if his eX-
cellency had been permitted to visit
the picturesque city which occupies a
commanding position on the eas1
slope OF a peninsula iutting into the
deep waters of the Bay OF Cehbucto on
the southeast coast of the far larger
peninsula of Nova Scotia" says a
war geography bulletin just issued by
the National Geographic society,
which has for its subject this Nova
Scotian city.
From its foundation in 1749 the
town has been a center Of British
military activity, and it was estab
lished at the instance of the New
England colonists who had recognized
the advantages of the wonderful har-
Dor, whence d'Anvilles fleet had made
its futile descent upon the New Eng
land coast in the course of the long
war between France and Great Brit
ain. The towli was the first English
speaking settlement in the midst of
the French colonies of Acadia and il
speedily took on Importance. Within
five years from its founding it be-
came the seat of British North Amer
lean government and Britons have
long termed it the Warden of the
Honor of the North. Its harbor Is
deep and ample and claimed to BE-
sufficient 10 float all the Havies OF
Europe Eleven forts command its
spacious waters, ana up to 1905 Hall
fax was ar active center of British
military activity n that year, how
ever, as mark of friendly relations
with the United States all British reg
ular troops We're W;indrawn and the
care of Halifax and its Qualifications
was committed to the government OF
the Dominion Of Canada. With the
outbreak of the European war how
ever, Halifax was again made military
and naval headquarters for British
America and many German prisoners
have been interned upon the we'll
guarded islands of its harbor Here,
too, was the chief port of embarkation
for the numerous contingents which
Canada has contributed to the English
armies. and the scenes of today must
call to mind the earlier and even more
active movements of the towns history
During the NapOleonic wars Halifax
was the scene of many demonstra
ton of English proWess. The pri
v2teers, fitted out by enterprising Hal
igonians frequently returned with
their prizes, distinguished French pris-
oners made use of the enforced hospi-
tanty of the citadel, built by Prince
Edward, son of George ", which still
caps the highest ground and is a land
mark far to sea. The first prizes of the
war OF 1872 were brought by their
British captors to Halifax; and it was
70 this capacious shelter that the Shan
non brought the captive Chesapeake.
1t was from Halifax that the success
full naval expedition against tho coast
To- ho
of prize courts which followed the ar
rival of the victory ships, together with
the social gaities which marked the
government house at that period gave
to the place an Intensity of life which
it has never since equalled
Following the capture of Washing
ton a British brig and transport ship
arrived at Halifax bearing a large num-
her OF fugitive slaves from Virginia,
whose descendants still populate negro
colonies on the outskirts of the town.
Another and larger and more important
addition TO the population of Halifax.
however, came at the conclusion of
peace between the mother country and
the revolving American colonies in 1888.
when thousands of loyaists preferrng
the old flag 10 the new, left the states
ard renewed their British allegiance
in Nova Scotia. BY them was laid the
foundations of the now cOnsiderab BILE
city OF st. John. while many of them
settled in Halifax, where they contri-
buted at once and in no small measure
to the enterprise of the community
and where their descendants still re-
tain that devotion to the empire which
has had 50 remarkable a demonstra-
uonAIn these last troubled years for
Britain's farflung lines.
Among these was Sir John Went
worth the last royal governor of New
Hampshire, who succeeded his uncle,
Bennirg Wentworth, in that post He
was made governor of Nova Scotia
received a baronetage. was finally re-
tired with a liberal pension and died at
Halifax in 1920 at the age of 81.
HallfaX has always been eSStentially
English. 1t is nevertheless surround
ed by the settlements which the ear
lier French had established in that part
of the world beginning as early as
1904, and it was not until ITO that
British sovereignty was definitely set
up. BY the treaty of Utrecht U713-14
the Acadians were permitted to re-
main in sthe country. continuing their
religion, or to leave with their personal
effects. From 1855 to 1862 however
no less than $4,000 Acadians were
Eyangeline' has immortalzed their
sufferings
The remaining French have receiv-
ed wide liberty in religion and politics
IN the effort of the dominant race to
wipe out the bitter memories of those
Garner days but their loyalty is prob
ably of the intellect rather than of the
heart. indeed, Sir Wilfrid Laurier. in
1897, in an address delivered in Paris,
said: We are loyal to France. the
great nation that gave us life. We are
faithful to England, the great nation
which has given us liberty While
Etienne Pascal Tache has declared
that the last shot fired on American
SOIL III defense of the British soil would
be fired by French Canadian
The environs of Halifax are delight
full. The city is capped by it's citadel,
picturesque Maftello tower; and the
Arm three mile ford. is marked by
Chain Rock, whence a boom used to be
stretched, with frigate moored inside.
to repel the enemy. The roads were
all lads out by army engineers with a
view of transporting men from point
TO point in maximum numbers and in
minimum of time. and the result is a
series of beautiful wooded drives con-
structed in the soundest principles of
road making, and fringed with many
allies and Bride paths which lead into
the woodland maze.
The harbor is never closed by ice
and the development of the port as
| planned by the dominion government
looks to one of the largest centers OF
water trans shipment on this side OF
the ocean. When completed, these i'm
provements will find Halifax as the
climax of the grand Canadian trans
continental railway scheme-the trans
| shipment point intended to guarantee