bally occupied himself at first in the law office of his uncle, who had studied law at leipzig, but was soon appointed "camarash" (treasurer) of the salt magazines established in the danube ports; in this capacity in 1829 he saved from destruction the large stores of provisions and ammunition which the russians had gathered at zimnicea during the war against turkey. in recognition tsar nicholas i conferred upon him the order of st. anna, sending it personally by the hand of general kisselef, and awarded him the privilege of trading unrestrictedly throughout the russian empire. in 1836 bally was appointed cashier of the "agie" (police department), an office which he occupied for ten years without any remuneration. an ardent patriot, he even frequently provided the necessary funds for his office, at the same time contributed to the establishment of the first fire-brigade in bucharest, and maintained at his own expense a band of italian artists who were invited to that city to foster a taste for the theater in wallachia.