Report of a Special Committee of the City Council, on the Improvement of the Fire Departmentand Also, on the Best Means of Obtaining an Additional Supply of Water for Fire Purposes, for the City of Halifax, N.s.

''Report of a Special Committee of the City Council, on the Improvement of the Fire Department'' is an official document authored in 1859, likely during the Victorian era. This report serves as a governmental publication detailing the condition and evaluation of the fire department in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and examines strategies for improving fire safety and water supply for the city. The primary focus is on addressing vulnerabilities exposed by recent fire incidents and enhancing the fire department's capacity through both manning and infrastructure improvements. The report outlines the need for an expanded and more efficient fire department, citing the current insufficiency of firemen as a critical issue, suggesting that the number should be increased from one hundred to four hundred. It discusses the potential adoption of steam fire engines and proposes a dual approach for enhancing the city's water supply—either through the purchase of the Halifax Water Company's existing works or by implementing a new scheme proposed by Edward Longard, which would draw water from Birch Cove Lakes. The report calls for urgent consultation with an experienced engineer to make informed decisions on the best methods to achieve a more robust fire safety infrastructure for Halifax.