On 9th February, an advertisement appeared in the "Gazette," as follows: "I am directed by His Excellency the Governor, to acquaint the several gentlemen called upon on Friday last to form a Fire Company, that he desires their attendance at the 'Golden Ball' on Thursday next, at twelve o'clock, to agree to rules and regulations. (Signed) Jas. Gautier." On 15th August, the jail was broken open, and a prisoner for debt, one Livesay, who had been imprisoned at the suit of William Stairs, escaped, for which Sheriff Green was prosecuted; Green stated that he had repeatedly represented to the Council the insecure state of the jail. Mr. James Clarke succeeded Mr. Green as Sheriff of Halifax, this year. The Dockyard at this period was in full operation. The Commissioner in charge was the Honorable Henry Duncan, who was also a member of His Majesty's Council. Doctor John Haliburton, father of the late Chief Justice Sir Brenton Haliburton, was Surgeon of the Naval Hospital, Mr. Provo Wallis was Master Superintendent, Elias Marshall, foreman of shipwrights, William Lee foreman of carpenters, Alexander Anderson and Provo F. Wallis, Chief Clerks. A great scarcity of bread was felt in the town this summer. Vessels sent to Canada for wheat, returned empty. On the 9th July, the Governor received a letter from the Governor of Canada, stating the great scarcity of provisions in the Province of Lower Canada or Quebec, that a famine was dreaded, and requesting him not to obstruct the exportation of corn and flour from Halifax to Quebec. But the Justices of the Quarter Sessions presented a memorial which had been laid before them by the bakers of Halifax, setting forth that there is not more of flour in the town than sufficient to provide bread for three or four days, whereupon it was ordered by the Council that no vessel be permitted to clear out with bread or flour to Quebec, except the brigantine "Ceres," until further consideration. There were amateur theatrical performances this winter at the Pontac. It would appear that the old theatre in Argyle Street, in the recollection possibly of some of the oldest inhabitants, was in operation this year. We find plays advertized to take place there in February and March. This building stood on the spot on which the present Acadian School was afterwards erected. It was the only theatre in the town during the time of the Duke of Kent. It was afterwards occupied by Walter Bromley as a public school upon the Lancaster plan, until removed to make way for the present building, in the year 1816. The first Agricultural Society was formed in Halifax in the year 1789; the Hon. Richard Bulkeley was the first president, and Mr. James Clarke,[54] (afterwards Sheriff Clarke,) was the first secretary. [Footnote 54: Sheriff Clarke was father of the late David Shaw Clarke, for many years Clerk of the Peace, and one of the police Magistrates of the town.]