BIRMINGHAM, is in many respects the most remarkable of our manufacturing towns. It dates its productive industry from early times. Being situated at a moderate distance from the Staffordshire iron mines, which were unquestionably worked at a very early date, and placed in a district which was distin guished as woody (the northern or Arden di vision of Warwickshire), it offered great faci lities for smelting the ore of iron, which, before the introduction of the steam-engine, could only be effected by means of charcoal. The iron being prepared on the spot, it is natural to suppose that a colony of artificers would settle here, and that they would early acquire skill in the use of the material. In the time of Leland, Birmingham was inha bited by smiths, that use to make knives and all manner of cutting-tools ; and many lori mers that make butts, and a great many nailors.' A place thus characterised by the industry and ingenuity of its inhabitants, waited only for more favourable circumstances to increase its wealth. This change appears to have taken place in the 17th century, when, on the restoration of Charles IL, a fondness for metal ornaments was introduced from France, where the exiled king and his adhe rents had long resided, and Birmingham took the lead in the manufacture of the glitter ing trifles which the taste of the age de manded.
Camden, who travelled through England in the 16th century, a few years after Leland, says of Birmingham, in his ' Britannia,' that 'most of the inhabitants be smiths ; to which Bishop Gibson, in his edition of Camden, published in 1722, adds, ' and other artificers in iron and steel, whose performances are greatly admired both at home and abroad.' The editor was, however, scarcely correct if he meant it to be understood that the manufac tures of the town were in his time confined to iron and steel goods. Various fancy articles in other materials were then regularly made, and the manufacture of brass goods had commenced. The use of this valuable com pound metal has continually increased during the last hundred years, and the talent of the designer has been tasked in the invention of new forms, and in the_adaptation of classical models to the purposes of modern domestic comfort and ornament. The introduction of the stamp especially, which was first applied to the multiplication of copies of smaller wares, as buttons, buckles, and cloak pins, and which was at length adapted, by increas ing its power, to the production of large forms, has caused the greatest change in this branch of manufacture. There are establish
ments in Birmingham which have from two to three hundred thousand dies employed in stamping In plated wares the style and form were long deficient in grace, but the taste and spirit of Messrs. Boulton and Watt were instru mental in improving the forms of the articles usually produced ; and an increasing fami liarity with antient models, and with the florid and playful style of the age of Louis XIV., continues to give new impetus to this manufacture. The introduction of the nev mixture called Albata, or British plate, wee the forerunner of a very large branch of menu facture at Birmingham. The convenient ma terra] called Britannia metal is also largely manufactured here.
The founding of iron is rapidly improvii4 and extending itself in this town. A compa ratively few years ago the principal cast arti cles of this material were heavy kitchen articlet grates and stoves; but increased care in the selection of the metal, and a desire to produce elegant forms at a cheap rate, have caused cast iron articles to be manufactured of small size and of light and tasteful patterns, which, when coloured by bronzing, almost equal the more expensive brass wares ; and in hollow vessels such perfection in thinness and light. ness is attained, that the use of beaten copper is almost forgotten. The iron-work of Mr. Paxton's Palace of Industry has been pre pared under the direction of the eminent Bir mingham firm of Fox and Henderson. The manufacture of guns was introduced at the commencement of the last century, and has been carried on to an immense extent; nearly 5,000,000 of fire arms were supplied from Birmingham between the years 1804 and 1818 inclusive, to meet the demands of go vernment and of private trade. A proof-house, under the conduct of a master, wardens, and trustees, was established by act of parliament in 1813 where the fabric of all guns and pis tol barrels is tried by a heavy charge : all those which sustain the explosion receive a stamp, to counterfeit which is felony ; and to sell such barrels without the stamp is punish. able by heavy fines. There is also a govern ment proof-house for the ordnance depart ment, a comprehensive and interesting esta blishment near the Walsall Road, at the northern end of the town.