TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 



143 



extend and further organize it. " The Association for the Promotion of Adult 

 Education " is a capital example of what may be done in that direction. Tempe- 

 rance societies have done much and are doing much ; but a quieter mode of action 

 would be advisable. Provident societies are increasing, and have now generally 

 adopted the principle of holding their meetings apart from the public-house. 



Old vile habits are certainly disappearing ; more literature is circulated and of a 

 far better tone ; the people themselves seem awake to their deficiencies and eager 

 to retrieve. The last strikes and lock-outs showed what even ten years had done 

 in diffusing information, quickening intelligence, and raising almost a .new order 

 of workmen. We may hope that in time, though we cannot free South Stafford- 

 shire from smoke and grime — therein is its wealth — still it may be said of the 

 district, having regard to its moral purity, it is "black but comely." 



The following Table exhibits the statistics of population at various periods, and 

 the relative facilities of secular and religious instruction. The Table is necessarily 

 imperfect : there is great difficulty in getting correct statistics in these matters, a 

 difficulty arising from various causes. The centres of population change rapidly in 

 this district ; the Table, however, is sufficient for our purpose, and trustworthy in 

 the main. 



Town. 



Wolverhampton township 



Dudlev parish , 



Walsall 



West Bromwich 



Wednesbury , 



Bilston 



Willinghall 



Darlaston 



Kingswinford , 



Tipton 



Smethwick township 



Sedgley parish 



Cannock 



Wednesfield 



Of this population one-fifth is engaged in the mines, a third in the manufacture 

 of iron, less than a half in the branches of industry where skilled labour is de- 

 manded. But the Table is every year becoming less and less trustworthy, so rapidly 

 does population change its centres of increase in this wondrous district. Cannock, 

 for instance, will in all probability quickly be lost in the amazing extension of its 

 hitherto unknown neighbour, Brownhills. There collieries are being opened, and 

 fresh ground occupied with astonishing rapidity, and Cannock Chase is threatened 

 with absorption in the insatiable demand tor coal. 



Now let us place side by side with this arranged representation of the vast 

 aggregation of population the following statistics of the educational and religious , 

 facilities : — 



Wolverhampton. 



Public day-schools 



Sunday-schools 



Literary, scientific, and other 



institutes 



Protestant churches 



Dissenting chapels 



Catholic chapels 



Other places of worship 



Dudley. 



Public day-schools 



Sunday-schools 



Mechanics' and other institut 6 



Protestant churches 



Dissenting chapels 



Catholic chapels 



Other places of worship . . . 



1814. 



3 

 3 





 1 

 2 

 1 

 



1864. 



14 



20 



3 



4 



11 



2 



4 



