[Footnote 81: Mr. Bain married a daughter of the late Benjamin Salter and grand daughter of Malachi Salter, one of the first Members of Assembly for Halifax, the ancestor of Mr. Benjamin Salter of this city.] A court for the summary trial of actions in the town was established this year. The Commissioners named by the Governor and Council were James Forman, Richard Tremain, William Minns, Charles Boggs and James Tobin. The Commission bears date in April of this year. In addition to the public schools before mentioned, Mr. Thomas Crosskill kept a good school for young men in rear of the Acadian School, entrance from Barrington Street; his classes were more advanced than those of Mr. Bromley. Mr. Addison kept his classical academy in Marchington's Lane. There were several schools for young girls. Miss Wenman kept a school for small children in Granville Street; she was one of those who were burned out in the great fire before mentioned. Mrs. Henry in Barrington Street and Mrs. McCage, for young ladies, also in Barrington Street, in the brick house lately the property of Mrs. Doctor Slayter. On the 25th April, 1818, a public meeting was called to petition the British Government to make Halifax a free port so that foreigners might have access and take cargoes of the produce of the country or merchandise imported into it; accordingly, on the 27th May, an order of the Prince Regent in Council was obtained making Halifax and St. John, New Brunswick, free ports. Halifax was declared by proclamation of the Governor bearing date August 13th. At the request of the inhabitants of the town an Act of the Legislature was obtained this year authorizing the leasing of 25 acres of the Common for a period of 999 years at a small ground rent. The lots were each 60 feet in front by 330 feet deep. These lots were gradually disposed of and the broad street known as Spring Garden Road was laid out with the lots fronting on it. Very few of these lots were built on at first, and not until many years after was there any appearance of improvement in this part of the town. The only residence westward of the General's quarters was the house of old Colonel Pyke, the Police Magistrate, which stood in the field next his brewery. About this time the late John Stayner, of Water Street, commenced to erect the building known Brookside, afterwards the residence of the late Hon. Joseph Allison. Many years afterwards John Spry Morris, the Surveyor General, erected the building, and planted the trees, lately occupied by D. Cronan. The fields on the west side of Queen Street, opposite the General's quarters, known as Pedley's Fields, or Smidtville, were not then built upon and the whole space from the present line of Queen Street to the Tower Road was occupied as pasture for cattle. Queen Street led up to Fort Massey military burial ground; it was covered with grass and seldom used except for military funerals.