MILITARY AND CIVIL. 155

becomes lit-up, remaining so until a certain hour next morning. Its bell, too, is large and weighty, and when striking the various hours of the day, is audible for a long way off.

The first event of this year, 1875, to be noticed is a disastrous fire, which occurred at the grocery store of one McDougall, on Kent Street. The alarm of fire was given about the hour of I o’clock in the morning, but owing to the great depth of snow lying upon the streets, and severity of the weather, the firemen with engines were unable to reach the scene of conflagration until much property had been destroyed. Houses burnt: Rufus McDonald, hotel; George Snelgrove, store and dwelling ; T. Turner, dwelling; McDougall, store ; J. B. Pollard. store and dwelling: This night may be regarded as the coldest of the season, the thermometer was said to register twenty-one degrees below zero, and when water came in contact with the iron work of No. 12 hand engine it congealed, and the steam engine “ Rollo ” rolled overin the deep snow while on its way to its station, but notwithstanding that, the fury of the devastating element was kept confined to the destruction of the above named property by the brave exertion of the firemen and other citizens.

The annual meeting of our local parliament took place during March, and notwithstanding that Confederation has considerably limited the scope of its actions, yet it has found some very important matters to legislate upon. This session the Compulsory Land Bill, which put an end to the leasehold system—against which the country had been struggling for a century—was passed; as well as other Bills of lesser note.

Fourteen years have now elapsed since the first organization of volunteers took place in Charlottetown. During that period their military services were freely bestowed ; while at the same time their proficiency in drill and skill in the art of rifle shoot- ing, gave them a prominence amongst the marksmen of the sister colonies. But now a change in their future destiny had taken place, a change subjecting them to the appellation of Active Militia of Canada,—rules, regulations and command under the militia authorities of the Dominion. Thus the Island became incorporated as a military district, of which the names of the officers comprising the staff and of those attached to the active militia,—of this date —are here given :—