B I R M I N G H A M. 
6<§ 
fidered among the firft advantages enioyed by this town : 
as thereby the attention of the induftrious nianufafturer 
can feldotrt be called otfby the interference of party-inte- 
reft; and that grand principle, which fhould ever animate 
a commercial eftab'ifitment, univerfally pervades tire great 
body of the inhabitants, that of the uninterrupted appli¬ 
cation of each individual to his own peculiar concerns. 
Here was a court of requefts eftablifhed in 1752 ; and a 
lamp-act in 1773. Among the foremoft of its charitable 
endowments, mult be ranked the General Hofpital. This 
is a large edifice, eredted on the edge of the town, at above 
7000I. expence, voluntarily fubferibed, as is its prefent 
fupport, amounting to about 1000I. per annum, in which 
upwards of feventy patients are accommodated weekly 
upon an average, and a ftill greater number are relieved 
as out-patients. The free-fehool is alfo an excellent foun¬ 
dation, and fo well endowed, that, befides being adequate 
to the liberal fupport of the principal grammar-fehool, it 
is capable of maintaining eight inferior fchools, in diffe¬ 
rent parts of the town, for the younger children of both 
fexes; and alfo feven exhibitioners at Oxford, at 25I. 
each. Here are two parifh-churches, and three chapels 
of eafe, befides that in Deritend. Of the former, St. 
Philip’s is juftly admired for the beauty of its architecture 
and fituation, being built in a light elegant (tile. In each 
fteeple is a fet.of mufical chimes, which play every three 
hours, and a different tune every day in the week. The 
chapels are all modern handfome edifices, particularly St. 
Paul’s. There were two handfome chapels for diffenters, 
in one of which the celebrated Dr. Prieftley was minifter; 
but they were both deftroyed in the riots in July 1791 : 
they have, however, been fince rebuilt. There is a weekly 
market on Tluirfdays, which is plentifully fupplied with 
every kind of provifion, and well ftored with live cattle 
of all kinds; and two fairs yearly, on the Thurfday in 
Whitfun-week, and on the 29th of September, for black 
battle, horfes, fheep, hogs, &c. 
This town derives an important advantage from its na¬ 
vigable communication to mod parts of the kingdom, 
whereby the great expence incurred by land-carriage is 
avoided, and her heavieft products conveyed to the mod 
remote diftance, without a material addition to their ori¬ 
ginal price. The Old Canal brings various raw materials, 
and the produce of the Wednefbury collieries, thereby 
fitpplying fuel at little more than half the price formerly 
paid for it. This cut was, in 1772, extended to Auther- 
iey, from whence there is a communication to the Severn, 
and thereby to Shrewsbury, Glouceller, Briftol, and, with 
the Trent, to Gainfborough, Hull, and London. There 
is likewife a junction with the Grand Line, running along 
the Pottery in Stafford (hi re, and thence extending to Man- 
chefter and Liverpool; thus conveying the manufafturcs 
of Birmingham and its vicinity, entirely by water-carriage, 
to the principal ports of the Britifh Ocean, the Irifh Sea, 
and St. George’s Channel. By the New Canal, a commu¬ 
nication is opened by Fazely to Fifherwick, Tamworth, 
Polefworth, Athetftone, Nuneaton, and Coventry, to Ox¬ 
ford, and from thence, by the Canal, or Thames, to Lon¬ 
don ; thereby obtaining a navigable conveyance to the 
fouth-eaft extremity of the kingdom, and diffufing as it 
were from a centre, in four grand and oppofite points, the 
various produfts of Britifh induftry, to be difperfed from 
her chief ports, amongft the inhabitants of every clime : 
and thus railing, in every known region of the globe, a 
perpetual monument of the commercial fuperiority of the 
Hritifh empire. 
The Birmingham riots, in 1791, fo dreadful, and fo de- 
ftrufttve, arofe from the following circumftances. To 
commemorate the revolution in France, a number of gen¬ 
tlemen dined at the hotel, in Temple-row, on Thurfday, 
the 14th of July. A tumult being fufpe<Sted, two magif- 
trates and the conftables, though not of the company, at¬ 
tended in the houfe, and every other precaution was taken 
to preferve the peace. A vafl concourfe of people affem- 
tojed round the hotel by two o’clock. About five, the 
.3 
mob began to (hew figns of turbulence ; and, before fix, it 
was recommended to the gentlemen to retire for the fake 
of peace ; and, though they inftanrly complied, yet the 
multitude (till increafed, and threatened deftrufction. In 
order to appeafe the difcontent;ed, the conftables intro¬ 
duced parties of twenty-four or thirty at a time, to con¬ 
vince them that none of the company remained ; but to 
no purpofe, for in a few minutes they entirely dcmolifhed 
the windows of the hotel. From thence they proceeded 
to the New Meeting, (the conventicle of Dr. prieftley,) 
which they firft gutted, and then fet fire to it. By half 
paft ten o’clock it was entirely in a blaze ! In the mean 
time they burnt the doftor in effigy. The roof of the 
meeting fell in about half paft eleven o’clock at night, and 
became a burning heap of ruins ! The Old Meeting (hared 
the fame fate. The rioters then proceeded to Dr. Prieft- 
ley’s houfe at Fairhill, about a mile from Birmingham. 
It appears, though extremely abftemious himfelf, that 
the doctor’s cellar was well ftored, for its contents lilen- 
ced the rage of more than forty of the rioters, who lay 
ftretched on the lawn before the dodtor’s houfe, in a (late 
of intoxication; and many others peiifhed in the flames, 
not being able to walk or (land. Dr. Prieftley luckily 
made his efcape, but his fine philofophical apparatus, cu¬ 
rious manulcripts, and moft valuable library, were de¬ 
ftroyed. After they had thus completed the deftruttion 
of Dr. Prieftley’s houfe, the earl of Aylesford, and fome 
other gentlemen, led a great part of the rioters to Bir¬ 
mingham, in hopes of difperfing them, but without •ef¬ 
fect. A great number, about one o’clock on Friday, af- 
fembled round the elegant manfion of Mr. John Ryland, 
(formerly the relidence of the celebrated Balkerville,) 
which had been enlarged and beautified at a great expence. 
The moft foothing means were adopted to make them de- 
(ift, money was offered, but to no purpofe; for, firft ex- 
haufting the contents of the cellar, they then fet fire to 
the houfe and furniture. The conflagration was dreadful! 
About half paft three, the inhabitants were fummoned by 
the bellman to aftemble in the New Church-yard, where 
two magiftrates attended, and fwore in feveral hundred 
conftables, compofed of every defeription of inhabitants, 
who marched away to difperfe the rioters ; when a mod: 
dreadful conflict took place. The conftables were entirely 
defeated, many of them wounded, and one killed. The 
1110b being victorious, and heated with liquor, every thing 
was to be dreaded. Several attempts were yet made to 
amufe them, but in vain. They exacted money from the 
inhabitants ; and at ten o’clock at night began the deftruc- 
tion of other houfes, and then preceded to the feat of 
John Taylor, Efq. banker. There, five hundred pounds 
were offered them to delift, but to no purpofe, for they 
immediately fet fire to that beautiful manfion, which, to¬ 
gether with its furniture, ftables, offices, See. were re¬ 
duced to a heap of ruins. Thus they proceeded, till, on 
Sunday morning, the people of Birmingham became the 
trembling fpedlators of the tremendous conflagration of 
Moftey-liill, the feat of lady Carhampton, and three other 
noble manfions, all burning at the fame inftant; and where 
the rioters deliberately killed ducks, geefe, and turkeys, 
which, half broiled on the burning ruins, they devoured 
with favage ferocity. Many of the rioters were fuffbeated 
or Girnt, by the walls falling in upon them. Their groans 
pierced the ears of the multitude. Next morning the bo¬ 
dies were dug out, but fo mutilated as not to be known. 
The mob carried on their deiigns with lingular zeal. Had 
they received regular orders for their conduct, they could 
not have^been more fyftematic in their proceedings. Not 
a houfe but what belonged to diffenters was pulled down. 
And, during the whole time, they continually (houted, 
“ God fave the king.” “ Long live king, and the confti- 
tution in church and ftate.” “Down with the diflen- 
ters, down with all the abettors of French rebellion.” 
“ Church and king.” “ Down witli the rumps.“No 
Olivers.” “ No falfe rights of man.” 
On Sunday night the military arrived, confiding of the 
Oxford 
