MILITARY AND CIVIL. . 87

convey mails and passengers between the Island and sister Provinces, and was subsidized by the government. This month also witnessed the importation from England of a superior Hand Fire Engine, and a Company of thirty-five members was organized to command it under Captain Benj. Davies. There were now five -Fire Engines available in the town, No. I and 2 town Engines; one at Coles’ Biewery, one at Birnie’s Foundry, each worked by the men of their respec- tive establishments and the Engine at the Barracks attended to by the soldiers.

Steady progress and development was being made by the Island, for trade had been opened up, not only with England and the Colonies, but also with the United States, while sundry articles of Island manufacture became greatly improved, particularly in implements of husbandry, carriage factories, etc. Yet there were many drawbacks, the lack of the circulation of money led to a system of barter between merchant and consumer which often involved the latterin debt. The land question, too, was a source of great discontent, which

has been abolished, as far as absentee proprietorship is concerned.

As the summer trade of 1844 opened up with the mother country, quite a number of passengers continued to arrive, settling in various parts of the Province. On the 2nd July, a detachment of the 52nd Light Infantry, under Captain Forestor, was sent here to relieve a Company of The Rifles, who had been stationed here for the last two years; but were again replaced in August by a fresh detachment of Rifles, in

consequence of the headquarters of the 52nd being ordered to Quebec.

To record within these pages the many accidents which occurred on the Island during these early days would occupy ‘ a much larger space then the writer has at his disposal. But mention of the following calamities will suffice. The first accident by fire that we mention, was a dwelling house in Tryon Settlement, the property of James Bullpit, it was consumed by fire during a terrific snow storm on the night of the 28th January, 1845, and about 4 o’clock next morning, the storm still raging violently, the citizens of Charlottetown were aroused by the appalling cry of fire! fire! sounding loud above the tempest. A house situated to the north-east of Queen Square, belonging