University of Virginia Library

HALIFAX.

Soon after the commencement of the settlement of this
town, printing was introduced, and a newspaper published
with the title of

It first appeared in January, 1752, and was printed
weekly, on half a sheet of foolscap paper, by John Bushell,
from Boston. The circulation of the Gazette was in a
great measure confined to the town, which was then a
mere garrison. After a trial of some months the publication
of it was for a long time suspended; at length it was

revived, but not issued at regular periods till about the
autumn of 1760; which was soon after Bushell died.

Anthony Henry commenced the republication of this
Gazette in 1761. His first paper was marked No. 1, and
a cut was placed at each end of the title; the one on the
right appeared to be designed for a fowler pursuing game;
that on the left was a ship. He continued to print it
weekly, on Thursday, in a very indifferent manner, and
with few customers, until 1765, when the British stamp
act was enforced in the colony.[1] It was then printed on
stamped paper. Not more than seventy copies were issued
weekly from the press. The subscribers did not amount
to that number. The Gazette had been printed on a half
sheet; but after the stamp act went into operation, it appeared
on a whole one, because there was only one stamp
on a sheet. Not more than six or eight reams of stamped
paper, of the sort appropriated to newspapers, had been
sent from England for the colony; the whole of which
came into the possession of Henry, and in a few weeks it
was expended; or rather the stamps were, unknown to him,
by the assistance of a binder's press and plough, cut from the
paper; and the Gazette appeared without the obnoxious
stamp, and was again reduced to half a sheet. The imprint
when printed on a stamped sheet, was—"Halifax,
(in Nova-Scotia); Printed and Sold by A. Henry, at his
Printing-Office in Sackville-Street, where all persons may
be supplied with a whole Sheet Gazette, at Eighteen Shillings
[three dollars and sixty cents] a year, until the publisher
has 150 Subscribers, when it will be no more than
Twelve Shillings, Advertisements are taken in and inserted
as cheap as the Stamp-Act will allow."

In 1766, another newspaper was published in the place,
handsomely printed and well edited; but Henry, after a
short suspension, continued his Gazette. In 1770, the
other paper was discontinued; and, in consequence thereof,
Henry obtained an accession of customers. He placed the
king's arms in the title of the Gazette, which he altered to
The Nova Scotia Gazette and the Weekly Chronicle. The size
of the paper was enlarged, and the typography was much
improved. The publication ceased in 1800, on the death
of the printer.

This paper was first published August 15, 1766. It was
handsomely printed, weekly, on a crown sheet, folio, on a
new long primer type. The day of publication was Thursday.
Imprint, "Halifax: Printed by Robert Fletcher,
and Sold by him at his Shop near the Parade; where all
Sorts of Printing is executed neatly, correctly and expeditiously.
Subscriptions received at Twelve Shillings[2] a
Year, or Three Pence a Paper. Advertisements of a
moderate Length inserted at Three Shillings[3] each."

This Gazette was printed until 1770, when the publisher
who came from England, returned to that country, and the
paper was discontinued.

No other newspaper was published in Nova Scotia till
after the war commenced.