BIRMINGHAM, the chief t. in Britain for metallic manufactures, and supplying much of the world with hardwares, stands near the center of England, in the n.w. of Warwickshire, with suburbs extending into Staffordshire and Worcestershire, 112 m. n.w. of London. Built on the e. slope of three undulating hills, on the Rea and the Thames, on a gravelly foundation overlying clay and new red sandstone, and supplied with plenty of water, it is one of the best drained towns in England, while the means which have been adopted for the prevention of smoke-contamination of the atmosphere are so far effectual that the air is unusually clear and salubrious. The older part of B. is crowded with workshops and warehouses; but the modern is well built, and possesses some architectural beauty. Among the finer buildings are the post-office, the corpora tion buildings, the town hall, the exchange, the rooms of the royal society of artists. B. began very early to be the sent of iron manufactures, from its vicinity to a forest and extensive iron mines; but its industry and trade were long small. Its high commercial importance dates from the 17th c., when the restoration of Charles II. brought from France a fashionable rage for metal ornaments, and B. supplied the demand with unex ampled vigor. From being the "toy-shop of Europe" of Burke's time, B. now con structs steam-engines, hydraulic-presses, and crystal palaces; and its hardwares arc unequaled in the world for quantity, variety, and value. Pop. 1690, 4000; 1801, 60,S22; 1851, 232,841; 1861, 296,076; 1871, 343,7§7. B. returns three members to parliament. It produces upwards of £5,000,000 worth of goods yearly, chiefly articles made of gold, silver, iron, brass, steel, mixed metal, plated metal, glass, papier-mache, japanned and electrotyped articles; including firearms, ammunition, swords, metal ornaments. toys, jewelry, buttons, buckles, lamps, pins, steel-pens, tools, locks, bedsteads, saddlery, steam engines, and all sorts of machinery. In B. 1000 ounces of gold are made into chains weekly; at least 70 ounces of gold-leaf are used weekly; 30,000 gold rings are made yearly; 150,000 ounces of silver are used yearly; a billion of steel-pens are made yearly, more titan 500 tons of steel being used; above 80,000 copper coins are struck daily; 20,000,000 nails are made weekly at one work; 5.000,000 firearms were made between
1804 and 1818; and during the Crimean war the government were supplied with 3000 muskets weekly. The button manufacture of B. is very large. The steam-engines in B. are estimated as equal to 10,000-horse power, and consume 6C0 tons of coal daily. In B. above 20,000. families are engaged in trade, manufacture, and handicraft. if has more than 170 places of worship, about 60 belonging to the Establishment; a grammar school, founded in 1552, with a yearly revenue of £12,000; a queen's college connected with the London university; a well-conducted literary and scientific institute (the :Mid land institute); a free reference and central public library, also five free brimeli libra ries; a Roman Catholic college and cathedral; a botanic garden; an art-gallery; and four public parks. It is famed for its charitable institutions, and in B. was originated the system of annual collections for local charities. The town-ball can hold 6000 persons, and has a magnificent organ, and a musical festival is held in it onee every three years. Of the many ways of spelling time name of this city, the oldest is that given in hoomx day Book—namely, Bermingeham. This was corrupted into Brummagem, a name which has become synonymous with worthless wares with a glittering outside. B. took the parliament side in 1643, supplying swords, and using them well against prince Rupert and his lancers. In 1791, a B. mob denounced the distinguished Dr. Priestley as an atheist and Jacobin. destroyed his house, library, and apparatus, besides much other property; a statue has recently been erected to his memory. Near Ilanclsworth, a little to the s. of B., were the famous Soho works, founded by Watt and Boulton, where steam-engines were first made. Handsworth church has a statue of Watt by Chantrev. and a bust of Boulton by Flaxman. Darwin, author of Zoonomia, and Witheritgz, time botanist, lived in Birmingham. Thomas Attwood originated the political union 'here. which greatly hastened the passing of the reform act in 1832, and the enfranchisement of Birmingham.