SHEFFIELD, an important manufacturing t. and parliamentary borough, in the West Riding of Yorkshire, and capital of an independent district, called Hallamshire (see Smast); it is picturesquely situated on several hills that shipe toward the confluence of the rivers Sheaf and Don, 140 m. n.n.w. of London, with which it is connected by the Great Northern and Midland railways, and 43 rn. s.s.w. of York. The town, gem rally, is well built. It possesses many fine public buildings, such as the original parish church, supposed to have been erected in the reign of Henry I., 240 ft. long by 130 ft. broad; St. Mary's Catholic church, surmounted by a tower 200 ft. high; the town-hall, cutlers' hall, cora exchange; the new market-hall, or Norfolk market. with a roof of glass and iron, erected by the duke of Norfolk at a cost of about £40,000; music-hall, assembly rooms, theaters, etc. There are extensive botanic gardens, and a fine cemetery about a mile from the town; ninny churches; numerous educational establishments, such as the free grammar school, the collegiate school, the Wesley college, a rameasterien and many national schools. free writing-schools, school of art, besides denominational schools, etc.; also a mechanic;' institution, established in 1832. • The mechanics' library (1828) is now merged into the free library, which contains upward of 11,000 volumes. There are like wise many charitable institutions. As Far hack as the time of Chaucer. Sheffield was noted for the 11111111f:1C:tire of cutlery; and at the present day an endlessvariety of articles' in brass, iron, and steel is produced at the many manufactories with which the town abounds; such as knives of every description, silver and plated articles, britannia-metal goods, conch-springs, spades, spindles, hammers, files, saws. hollers, stoVes, grates, but
tons, etc. In March, 1861, a new embankment. constructed for the Sheffield water com pany, at Bradfield, gave way, and let out a body of water 95 ft. high from a reservoir 78 acres in exteut. The destruction of life and propeily by this flood was unprecedented in England: 250 persons perished; mills, houses, and hamlets were swept away from their foundations, and, apart front the ruin of the Bradffeld dam, damage was done to private property to the extent of close upon £300,000. In 1866 trade outrages, in the form of " rattening"-3 local name for the stealing of tools and wheel-hands—and of unscrupu lous treatment of the lives and limbs of non-union num, which haillor more than twenty years been a disgrace to Sheffield, were brought to a prompt check hy a royal commissicn, procured, among other influences, by the loyal outspokenness of the local press. Two fine churches have been recently erected—All Saints, a cruciform, early second pointed edifice, hi 1867; and Sharrow church, of the late first French pointed period, in 1868. Since 1871 the introduction of the manufacture of armor-plates, railway-springs, tires, and rails has given a remarkable impetus to the growth of the tOwn. The Albert half, erected in 1873, is a conunodious building which seats 3,000 people. Sheffield has three public parks, one of which was presented to the town in 1878. Pop. '71, 230,946. The borough returns two members to parliament. Mary queen of Scots was imprisonet in Sheffield manor-house, about 2 m. from the town, for 12 or 14 years.