BIRKENHEAD, A seaport town and Parliamentary borough in Cheshire, England: situated opposite Liverpool, on the left bank of the Mersey (Map: England, C :3). It includes the townships of Claughton, Orton, Tranmere• and part of Higher Bebington. The grow th of the town has been very rapid since the opening of its first great dock in 1847; its floating and dry docks now cover an area of over 165aures. They are, with those of Liverpool, under the man agement of the Mersey Docks and harbor Board. (See LivEnvom,.) The streets of the town arc regularly laid out, and the buildings, as :t rule, are substantial. Among the notable building; are the handsome town-hall, the merchants' hall, and the ma•ket-hall. The educational institu tions include Saint Ahlan's 'Theological College, a school of science and art, and a public library. Birkenhead has for sonic years been celebrated fur its extensive ship-building yards, some of the largest iron ships afloat having been built there. The notorious Confederate cruiser Lama was built by the Alessrs. Laird. to whose enterprise. more than to that of any other tinn, the town owes its present importanee'. In the neighborhood of the docks are the Canada \\ orks for the construction of gigantic bridges; the I'd'itannia machine•y-wo•ks, and others.
Ifirkenhead has a number of street railway lines, which arc owned by the corporation, but leased to private companies. Birkenhead is conneelf'd with Liverpool by a ferry once owned by the Priory of Birkenhead, now by the town, amid by the Mersey Tunnel. opened in 1886. Birkenhead was incorporated in 1877 and sends one member to Parliament. The town's affairs are adminis tered by a mayor, a municipal council of forty two and a board of aldermen of thirteen mem bers. ( See GREAT 11RITAIN, paragraph on Lora/ florernmcnt.) The town owns its water-works, which net an annual profit of about $26,000. It also owns its gas-works and an electric-light plant. the former netting annually about $73,000, the latter involving a slight deficit. Refuse is for the most part burned in destructors; the sewage is discharged into the sea. The town nmintains pub lic baths. markets, a slanghte•-house, and a cem etery. There are three tine municipal parks. Population. in 1801, 99,857; in 1001, 110,026.