SHEFFIELD, in the beginning of the 17th century, was still only a large village. It now displays all the features of a manu facturing town of the first importance. The principal manufacture is that of cutlery in all its branches, indeed of everything that can be fabricated of iron or of steel. The vast build ings used for the grinding of all kinds of tools and implements by steam power form one of the curiosities of Sheffield. Silver plate and plated goods form also one of the staple manufactures. Brass-foundries are numerous. Articles in Britannia metal and German silver are also manufactured. Brushes, buttons, combs, and optical instruments, are also made here to a considerable extent; and various workmen are employed on manufactures which are connected with the staple commodities of the town, such as Cabinet-ease makers, haft and scale presssers and cutters, powder-flask and shot-belt makers, silver refiners, wood turners, &c. There are also many mercantile houses, some of which confine themselves to the home markets, while others export to the Continent, to Brazil, the Cape of Good Hope, but especially to the United States of. North America. The spring knife makers and table knife makers are the largest classes of ar tisans. The fork makers are an unfortunate class, owing to the injurious effects of what is called dry grinding: the dust of the stone and metal rises in clouds, and is necessarily in haled by the workmen, the average duration of whose lives is thus very much shortened. It is to the immense coal bed occupying the surrounding district that Sheffield owes its prosperity ; for much of the iron which is there converted into steel comes from Sweden.
It would be difficult to enumerate all the kinds of articles manufactured in this busy town, made principally of steel. They com prise pen, pocket, pallet, table, and other knives, anvils, vices, augurs, gimblets, awls, axletrees, traces and bits, Britannia • metal goods, coach springs, razors, edge tools, fenders and fire-irons, files, German silver goods, mathematical instruments, machinery, saws, scales, shears, scissors, scythes, sickles, silver and plated goods, skates, snuffers, spoons, steel plates, steel ornaments, musical instruments, &c.—all of which are represented at the Great Exhibition. Some of the curi osities of Sheffield industry are mentioned. under CUTLERY, and FELE ; and we may here notice a contribution to the Exhibition, con sisting of a clasp knife only three-eighths of an inch in length when open, and so small as to go within the stem of a tobacco pipe. It is not by these trifles, however, that the commercial importance of Sheffield industry is shown ; it is in those larger and useful pro ducts which are known in every part of the world where English goods penetrate.
There is a School of Design at Sheffield, which is gradually infusing a taste into those who have to determine the patterns to which goods shall be wrought.