SOHO, the name of a set of works, or manufactory of a variety of hard wares, belonging to Mr. Boulton, situated on the borders of Staffordshire, within two miles of Birmingham, now so justly celebrated as to claim a short notice in this place. About thirty or forty years ago, the pre mises consisted of a small mill and a few obscure dwellings. Mr. Bolton in con junction with Mr. Fothergill, then his partner, at an expense of nine thousand pounds, erected a handsome and exten sive edifice, with a view of manufactur ing metallic toys. The first productions consisted of buttons, buckles, watch chains, trinkets, and such other articles as were peculiar to Birmingham. No velty, taste and variety, were, however, always conspicuous : and plated wares, known by the name of Sheffield plate, comprising a great variety of useful and ornamental articles, became another per manent subject of manufacture. To open channels for the consumption of these commodities, all the northern part of Eu rope was explored by the -mercantile partner, Mr. Fothergill. A wide and ex tensive correspondence was thus esta blished, the undertaking became well known, and the manufacturer, by becom ing his own merchant, eventually enjoyed a double profit. Impelled by an ardent
attachment to the arts, and by the patri otic ambition of formiliF his favourite Soho into a fruitful seminary of artists, the proprietor extended his views, and men of taste and talents were now sought for and liberally patronized. A successful imitation of the French or moulic orna ments, consisting of vases, tripods, can delabra, &c. &c. extended the celebrity of the works. Services of plate, and other works in silver, both massive and airy, were added, and an assay office was established in Birmingham. Mr. Watt, the ingenious improver of the steam-en gine, is now in partnership with Mr. Balaton, and they carry on at Soho a manufactory of steam-engines, not less ' beneficial to the public than lucrative to themselves. This valuable machine, the nature and excellencies of which are de scribed in another place, (see STEAM-alt ours,) Mr. Boulton has applied to the operation of coining; and to the rolling of iron from bars into thin sheets; to the pur poses of button-making, and a number of other mechanical operations, of the high ' est utility to the national wealth and prosperity.