Birmingham is distinguished by a variety of chari table endowments. The free school, a very ancient institution, but the present building, a large and hand some edifice, with a neat tower in the centre, and a statue of Edward VI. in front, was erected in 1707 ; the blue coat school, established in 1724, which re ceives 150 boys, and 40 girls ; the dissenters charity school, into which tO boys and 20 girls arc admitted; the workhouse, founded in 1733, which possesses a revenue of R17,000, raised from the inhabitants by an assessment of 6d. in the pound, and which affords relief to 7000 persons ; the general hospital, erected in 1766, supported by voluntary contributions and many large bequests, which possesses an income of about R 1000 per annum, and which, upon an ave rage, accommodates upwards of 70 patients weekly.
Among the public institutions of Birmingham may he mentioned the libraries, the first of which was founded in 1779, containing about 10,000 volumes, and supported by more than 500 subscribers ; a mu seum in New street, the property of Mr J. Bisset, stored with a variety of natural and artificial curiosi ties ; the bathing accommodations at Lady Well, where arc seven marble baths, provided at all times with hot or cold water, and particularly one appro priated for swimming, 36 yards by 18, situated in the centre of a garden, furnished with 24 recesses for undressing, and the whole surrounded with a high wall ; the new theatre, built at an expense of W14,000, the front of which is of hewn stone, and to which a tavern and assembly-room are annexed ; Duddeston gardens, or Vauxhall, disposed upon a principle simi lar to those of London, for music and other entertain ments ; and the barracks, which occupy five acres of land, held by government at one penny per yard, and which accommodate 162 men.
Birmingham was never incorporated, and possesses no chartered privileges ; but, in consequence of this circumstance, the industry of the place is not disturb ed by election politics, and its magistrates, though without any borough influence, are not inferior in re spectability to those of any city in the kingdom. They arc chosen annually ; and consist of a high bailiff, who inspects weights and measures ; a low bailiff, who summons juries, and chuses the other offi cers ; two constables, and one head borough ; two high tasters, who examine the quality of the beer ; two low tasters, who inspect the meat exposed to sale ; and two leather sellers, whose offices are now merely nominal. A court of requests, established by act of Parliament in 1752, and consisting of 72 commission ers, three of whom make a quorum, meets every Fri day morning ; and the clerks, who attend to give ju dicial assistance, are always practitioners of the com mon law.
But the most prominent feature in the town of Bir mingham, and the most deserting of particular notice in every description of the place, is the amazing va riety, extent, and excellence of its hardware produc tions. It may safely be pronounced to be the princi
pal manufacturing town in the world; and stands un rivalled in the superior quality and cheapness of its commodities. The principal manufacture carried on.
by the people of Birmingham, in the earliest periods of its history, was the tanning of leather, and it con tinued for nearly 700 years to be a noted market for that article; but, towards the end of the last century, this branch of trade was so completely abandoned, that in 1795 there is said to have been only one tan ner in the place. Before the Revolution, its other ma nufactures were confined to coarse iron wares ; but the skill of its artists was brought into greater notice and exertion by the following circumstance. William III. having expressed his regret, that it should be necessary to import fire arms from foreign countries, Sir Richard Newdigate, member of Parliament for Warwickshire, engaged, on the part of his constitu ents, to supply the demands of government ; and an order, which was sent to Birmingham, having been speedily and satisfactorily executed, it has continued from that period to furnish the greatest proportion of muskets, swords, and other small arms. The but ton and buckle trade next became the most extensive; and, in one shop, the former article has been known to be manufactured to the value of R800 per Within the last century, every species of steel manu facture has been produced in the utmost abundance and perfection ; and a very large street has received the name of Steelhouse lane, from the extensive works of this kind which it contains. There is a consider able whip manufactory and type foundery, and three extensive breweries of ale and porter.
Of late years, very great additions have been made to its trade and manufactures ; and there would be no end to an enumeration of its multifarious produc tions. Among the principal articles, however, may be mentioned an immense variety of buttons, buckles,, and snuff boxes ; toys, trinkets, and jewellery ; po lished steel watch chains, cork screws, &c. ; plated goods for the dining and tea table ; japanned and ena melled articles ; brass works of every description; swords and fire arms ; medals, and coins of various sizes and metals ; copying machines and pneumatic. apparatus's ; the more ponderous productions of the casting furnace and rolling mill ; and, in short, every hardware commodity that can be considered as curi ous, useful, or ornamental. The manufactories esta blished here for all these different articles are conduc ted upon the largest scale, and with the most asto nishing ingenuity ; but by far the most remarkable and extensive is that at Soho, above two miles from Birmingham, the property of Messrs Boulton and Watt, which deserves a more particular description than can be admitted in this place, and for which our readers are referred to the article Sono..