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Key Events in the History of Nova Scotia: 1798.
§"The winter of 1797-8 was again very severe." See Perkins, for example: "6 March, 1798: The snow so deep as to stop all communication with the Country." The road from Halifax to Windsor was blocked with snow and people from both end work to open the road up; "the prince ordered the troops to assist, the way was cleared; and on the evening of Sunday, 20 February, 35 cattle, that had been detained on their way for near a fortnight, reached town." (Murdoch.)
§Nelson re-enters the Mediterranean in May, 1798, and, in August, he destroys the French fleet at the Battle of the Nile. Nelson found the French fleet at Aboukir Bay, and on the morning of the 1st of August, leading the way in his flag ship between the shore and the anchored French fleet, ruined it in a terrible fight that lasted for twelve hours. "Few victories," Green writes, "in history have produced more effective results than the battle of the Nile. The French flag was swept from the waters of the Mediterranean. All communications between France and Bonaparte's army was cut off; and his hopes of making Egypt a starting-point for the conquest of India fell at a blow." (News traveled slowly in those days, so, three months were to pass before the news of Nelson's victory was to reach Halifax, but when it did "salutes were fired and the town illuminated." (Murdoch) Perkins writes of this British success: "9 November, 1798: The general news is that Admiral Nelson has defeated the French fleet. " And on "23 November: ... A packet had arrived at Halifax, with the pleasing intelligence that Admiral Nelson had followed Bonaparte to Alexandria, and had gone into the Harbour and taken thirteen sail of the Line & 100 transports, that Halifax was illuminated [Liverpool decides to do the same, see entry of Dec. 11th] on the occasion, and that Bonaparte was fighting with the Egyptian people. ..."
§June: Malthus' Essay on the Principle of Population.
§8 June: "... Three gentlemen from the settlement of Nictaux, in the County of Annapolis ... are come thro the woods on the business of cutting a road from this town to Nictaux. ..." (Perkins.)
§"H.M Sloop of War Rover, 18 guns, Captain George Irvin, sailed from Halifax, N.S., on June 20, 1798, with Lieutenant-General James Ogilvie and his suite, for Sydney. On June 24th she struck on a ledge of rocks near the Island of Scatari, one life was lost, and although efforts were made to save the rigging and other materials the Rover was expected to be totally lost on Point Nova." (Fergusson.)
§July 6, 1798: Passed by the American Congress, An Act Respecting Alien Enemies: "That whenever there shall be a declared war between the United States and any foreign nation or government, or any invasion or predatory incursion shall be perpetrated, attempted, or threatened against the territory of the United States, by any foreign nation or government, and the President of the United States shall make public proclamation of the event, all natives, citizens, denizens, or subjects of the hostile nation or government, being males of the age of fourteen years and upwards, who shall be within the United States, and not actually naturalized, shall be liable to be apprehended, restrained, secured and removed, as alien enemies."
§The Sedition Act of 1798. This was another in a series of laws passed by Congress, which, on the surface, were designed to control the activities of foreigners in the United States during a time of impending war.
§September 25th: "Dreadful storm and gale of wind. ... Cobequid road is cleared." (Haliburton) At Halifax "nearly all the wharves ... were swept away, and most of the shipping in the harbour damaged. The tide rose to an unprecedented height, overflowed water street and did much damage to property. Perkins writes, "3 Oct: ... [A Capt.] arrives from Halifax, and reports that dreadful destruction had happened at Halifax in the late Gale of wind. Capt. Barss's Brig Elizabeth, having soldiers aboard, was drove on shore at Dartmouth, and is much damaged, & some soldiers drowned. [At least one other vessel had soldiers on, also.] ... Many other ships and vessels have gone on shore, & some sunk, & others over set. The wharves much damaged, & some stores, etc. ..."
§The Duke of Kent, in August had a fall from his horse. It was soon reolized that he was in need of medical attention that might best be given in London. So, on Sunday morning, October 21st, the prince embarked, "with his suite," in the H.M.S. Topaz. The Topaz with the royal standard flying and with guns blazing from the men-of-war in the harbour and from citadel hill, sailed on October 23rd; she reached Portsmouth on 13th of November.
§October 25th the ship Harriet, "burthen 600 tons ... [and] pierced for 24 guns" is launched at Pictou.
§October: Lyrical Ballads was published.
§November: News is received at Halifax of Nelson's victory at the Nile.
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Peter Landry
2012 (2020)