But we should still form an inadequate idea of this place, and consequently of the state of the manufactures of England, (for when they are the subject, to omit, or partially i to notice Birmingham, would be to do great n justice to it,) if we permitted the reader to suppose, from our silence, that all the manufactures carried on bete are of the minute kind, which the list that we have given might lead them to suppose. Our object in giving that list, as we have already remarked, was principally to exhibit a picture of the curious, minute, and almost endless variety of the articles which this place produced. But, besides these, all the more ponderous productions of the casting furnace and rolling mill are here seen on the largest scale, and of the most perfect workmanship. We need only mention Messrs Bonbon and Watts ma nulactory at Soho, in which the most stupendous steam engines that ever lent their aid to the labour of man, as w ell as an infinite variety of toys, in every species of me tal and composition, are made.
' capital employed in the manufactures of Birming ham is not very large. There are, indeed, in its immedi ate neighbourhood, ten sets of iron works, which are sup posed to have cost 50,0001. each; but in the town itself, most of the manufacturers are men of small capital ; some not possessing more than -IOW. or 5001.; and many not more than 20001. or 30001., employing from five to thirty hands. The whole amount of capital in Birmingham, (exclusive of the very large works,) is supposed not to exceed half a In ill ion.
The work is partly carried on in work-shops, and partly in the houses of the workmen. Women are principally employed in polishing the goods, in the glass-toy branch, and in making of braces. Boys are chiefly employed by the out-workers as apprentices, and receive the first year about one shilling a week, and the last year from five to ten, besides their clothing : but they receive their food at home. The wages of the men varies very much, both as to the particular branches in which they are en gaged, and according to the state of trade. In some branches, where very superior skill, and great experience and attention, are requisite, perhaps as great wages are gut, as can be obtained by any workmen in London.
It is impossible to state the number of men engaged, even iu the most considerable of the Birmingham manu factures, or the exact value of the articles manufactured. The population of the town itself, and of the manufactur ing discwhich extends about 15 miles, is estimated at 400,000; and it is supposed that nearly 100,000 are em ployed in the production of coals and minerals, and in the rough preparation ol iron, for the manufactures of Bir mingham. In the brass fuundery branch, which is almost confined to the town, about 10,000 men are employed. In the button trade, from 7000 to 10,000. In the making of braces, a manufacture hut lately introduced, about 1000.
In the jewellery and gilting trade, from 6000 to 7000. In the making of many of the toys, a very small capital is employed, the value of the article consisting almost en tirely in the labour employed in manufacturing it ; thus a watch-key, which, perhaps, goes through twenty hands, will, after all, sell for Id. or I id. Perhaps the greatest number of hands arc engaged in the burnishing line, it being supposed that nearly 20,000 are thus employed. The article of plated saddlery, which is the principal pla ted article not made generally at Sheffield, as well as at Birmingham, employs a considerable number of persons.
Nor must the manufacture of muskets be forgotten, though that now, it is to be hoped, will be almost at an end. In time of war, muskets of the value of 400,0001. were manufactured in Birmingham. Some years ago, when the trade with America was open, between 200 and 300 tons of steel were annually sent thither from this place. The total value of all the articles made in the town itself, is estimated at 2,000,0001., of which one half are sold for home consumption. By far the greatest proportion of the other half was sent to the United States when the commercial intercourse was open, and the re mainder to South America, Spain, Portugal, Malta, Scc.
Hitherto we have chiefly confined our notices to the manufactures of Birmingham itself; but the neighbour hood, including several populous towns, also demands our attention: some of these towns participate in the manufactures of Birmingham ; others carry on manufac tures little if at all followed in Birmingham. Pontypool, in Monmouthshire, was formerly famous for its manu facture of japan-ware; but it is now continued there on ly on a very small scale, by the descendants of the fami ly that first established it. At Birmingham, Bliston, and Wolverhampton, however, it is carried on with great spirit and success, and to a considerable extent. Wol verhampton also very largely partakes with Birmingham in the manufacture of screws ; but it is particularly no ted for the skilfulness of its locksmiths, in constructing locks, which are exceedingly curious ; some of them partaking of the nature of clock work, and being of very minute size. A great part of the ironmongery is made by the farmers of the adjacent country, (who, as well as the females, are regularly brought up to the business,) and sold by them to the great manufacturers. Saddlers iron-mon gers are a class of manufacturers, some of whom are found in Birmingham, but who chiefly reside in Wolverhampton and Walsall ; they cut out bridles and stirrups, and also manufacture and fasten on the iron work belonging to them. But the most extensive, as well as the most cu rious branch of the hard-ware manufacture, carried on in the vicinity of Birmingham, is the nail trade. Very few nails are made in the town itself; but in Dudley, Westbromwich, and Stou•bridge, and in all the country round these places, the making of nails is the chief em ployment. It is supposed that in the nailer}' district, at least 30,000 people are employed. This manufacture is almost entirely carried on in the houses and cottages of the labourers. Men, women, and children, all work at it, and the display of forges at the doors of the houses is very striking. All the work is done by the piece,—bundles of iron being delivered to the work people, out of which they are expected to make a certain quantity of nails. In no trade, perhaps, do the labourers work so hard as in this. With their utmost efforts, from early in the morning till late at night, a man can seldom earn more than twelve or fourteen shillings a week. Nails used to be exported to the United States. None are sent to the Continent. This trade, which formerly used to be very extensively diffused over most parts of England, is now almost entirely confined to the neighbourhood of Bir mingham. There are, however, manufactures of them at Little Dean, in Gloucestershire, Halcsowen in Shrop shire, and some other places. They were also made at Chowbent, in Lancashire, till the cotton trade super sed ed them.