MILITARY AND CIVIL. 61

places along the various highways. Over 2,000 gallons of brandy, 3,000 gallons of gin, 2,000 gallons of wine and 54,000 gallons of rum, were imported during the year, and there were also several distilleries of whiskey in the country, while a brewery had been established within the capital. Ship-building was extensively engaged in, the registered tonnage of this branch of industry for the year being 7,747 tons, while the number of vessels that arrived from the Mother Country during the sum— mer was 18 and from the colonies 128. The exports of the colony amounted to £95,426 and the imports to £85,357.

His Excellency Governor Ready, sailed on the 10th day of December for England, having been escorted to the wharf by the members of the Council, where a kind farewell was taken. As a token of respect a salute of seventeen guns was fired from George’s Battery, and again when abreast of Fort Edward the salute was repeated. Another salute of thirteen guns from George’s Battery announced that the Hon. George Wright had been sworn in as Administrator of the colony.

During the early part of October. a terrible calamity befell the flourishing district of Miramichi, by which hundreds of people perished and many others were left destitute of the means of subsistence. The woods near the town of Newcastle had been on fire for some time previous, but not to such an extent as to excite alarm until the night of the 7th, when the wind began to blow from the north-west, and the inhabitants were aroused by a tremendous roaring noise in the woods, but before they could ascertain the cause the whole of the surround- ing forest was in a blaze. The Town of Newcastle and Douglas Town, together with miles of forest were enveloped in flame, from which the unfortunate inhabitants were unable to make their escape and perished in the fire. Great branches were torn from the trees and whirled through the air like feathers by the howling winds, while burning timbers and flaming huts were carried before it with amazing rapidity. So fierce was the gale that pieces of charred or burnt wood borne on the wings of the tempest landed on the fields on the western part of this Island, where they were picked up by the inhabitants. During the nights of the conflagration a bright light was seen from Char- lottetown to illuminate the western sky, the brilliancy of which

made an indelible impression on the then youthful mind of the writer.