The Sun.
London, England, 1851-12-30 00:00:00

30, 1851.

ready to hand at 303. per ton, and an r.mnl nrofil.
reatb:Jdby tfic:

201. each, and tb tint d9posit 1/. 25., and only
would be allowed for preliminary expenses, so that
I Is. would be returnable if the Act was not obtained.
Hs begged, in conclusion, to move .—" That the plan
proposed by the Great London Drainage Company
for draining the metropolis, by diverting all the soil
and soilage into tunnel sewers, thereby intercepting
the same tor use for agricultural purposes, and pre-
serving the river Thames from pollution, is deserving
of public support, and this meeting pledges itself cor-
dially to assist the proposed undertaking."
Mr. HAT, the engineer to the company, seconded
the resolution, and excused himself for taking such a
part in the proceedings on the ground that the pro-
ject was only in its infancy. He said he had minutely
examined the " borings" of London, and had no
hesitation in saying that the whole line of proposed
tunnelling would pass through a bed of blue clay of
sufficient thickness to guarantee the stability of any
tunnel made in it:. The plan of the Commissioners of
Sewers would not confine the work to the blue clay
stratum.

The first resolution was carried nem. con.

Mr. MOREWOOD said he had already the names of
five respectable merchants of the city of London, and
as a grat deal of work had to be got through within
the next few days, he would propose that Mr.
Frederick Mildred, of Nicholas-lane, and Mr. C. R.
Thompson, of Winchester-house, Old Broad-street,
be requested to receive the names of gentlemen who
might be desirous of being inserted in the prospectus
as directors ; and that as the Parliamentary contract
must be lodged on Wednesday next, that they also be
requested to insert two names of gentlemen qualified
to act as trustees, in whom would be vested the further
prosecution of the project.
Mr. CLARKE seconded the motion, which was then
decided to be carried nem. con.. and the proceedings
terminated.

PROSPERITY OF BIRMINGHAM.
The year just drawing to a close has been de-
cidedly one of the most prosperous ever experienced in
the trading, annals of Birmingham. From January
down to the moment at which we write the tide of
prosperity has encountered in its flow very, few of the
impediments usually attendant upon commercial trans-
actions so vast that the manufactures are spread over
almost every civilized clime. As we have no dispo-
sition to enlarge unduly upon this cheering state of
affairs, neither is there the slightest ground or pre-
tence of reason to be urged of a contrary character.
One of the very oldest names connected with the mer-
cantile concerns of the town publicly declared, only a
day or two since, that an experience of 45 years had
not revealed to him any thing like the general pros-
perity that has been experienced during the last
twelve months. The gentleman to whom we refer
is Mr. Van Wart, whose connexions extend
almost throughout the entire American continent.
In the opinion which he entertains there is
scarcely a manufacturer or merchant of eminence
hereabouts who does not concur. This is not the
head under which to enter into public discussion, but
the undoubted fact may at least be stated, that from
the earliest moment when the free-trade principle
came into active operation, the aspect of commercial
concerns hereabouts began to undergo a rapid and
ultimately a complete change. Instead of months of
languor and depression, accompanied by fitful visits
of comparative prosperity, the last five years have
been characterised by a continuation of good trade—
by a steady demand for the goods manufactured—by
the openiag of new markets hitherto of trifling value
—by an immense improvement in the quality of tee
manufactures both as regards design and workman-
ship, and by a degree of prudence in the conduct of
trade, such as has never perhaps before been exhibited
where the temptations to overtrading are increased by
competition, or by the desire to ac quire wealth. In
the five years just gone by, there has been (with two
exceptions) scarcely a failure worthy of notice in
the town or district. In point of magnitude the
Stourbridge Bank failure stands alone, and the
instability of the concern has been evident for years.
That fruitful year for embarrassments, 1847, pro-
duced in the Birmingham district little beyond tem-
porary difficulties of inconsiderable amount, and
there have been abundant indications since,
that speculations beyond the limits warranted by
capital have been the exception rather than the rule.
Perhaps the best index to this fact is to be gleaned
from the flourishing condition of the chief joint-
stock banking establishments in the town, most of
which have sprung into existence in the last twenty
years. Neither has the year just closing been merely
a succes'ful one so far as may be estimated by the ex-
tent of the orders executed, although the enormous
ratio in which hardware orders have increased might
afford matter enough for congratulation; but it has
been marked by an improvement in the conduct of
business, and every disposition has been shown by the
leading manufacturers to profit by the fine collection
of foreign products displayed at the Great Exhibition,
the excellence of which in many respects far surpassed
that of our manufactories. This defect in our goods
has been attributable to two causes—first, to indispo-
sition on the part of the manufacturers to pay for
modelling; and secondly, to the badness of the school
in which most of the modellers have been educated.
Guided
,by no normal rules of art, and deficient in
that acquired refinement of taste which a judicious
course of artistic discipline is designed to im-
part, the amateur's fancy has hitherto ran
riot, and designs of the most meretricious
character have been too frequently the result. In the
department of lamps and chandeliers these fine speci-
mens of a bad system were to be seen in no incon-
siderable number in the Great Exhibition, but still
more so in the smaller one here in 1849. The excuse
of second-rate manufactures is that such articles found
more purchasers amongst the general public, whose
preference for the gaudy and inelegant has arisen from
pretty much, the same cause that has led to its pro-
duction. A better example has, however, recently
been set by several of the leading manufacturers, who
have an eye to their ultimate credit rather than im-
mediate profit, and it is an example that must be
generally followed. Lamp and chandelier making has
become one of the most valuable branches of our
manufactures ; the export trade has very largely in-
creased during the last year or two, and the demand
for the home trade, especially for lamps, has extended
in at least equal proportion. Throughout the whole
of the year the orders have been extremely large, and
are so even at this moment. Cabinet brass-foundry,
one of the oldest of the Birmingham trades, has been
generally brisk, with the exception of a slight
lull in the month of October; but the partial
slackness has ceased, and all the manufac-
tories are in fell work, with at least a
sufficiency of orders to carry them over the two
next dreary weeks. The brass-cock founders report
that their trade is steady, and generally in ns satis-
factory a condition as could be wished. Hook-and-
eye and steel-pen trades are reported to be brisk, the
demand for the latter for the foreign trade being
greatly on the increase. The pin-makers have had a
sufficiency of orders to keep the works well going
throughout the year, and are still in pretty much the
same condition. Under the head " light steel toys"
are comprised a multitude of articles in general use:
in this branch the export trade has very much in-
creased, especially for the colonial market; during
the autumn there have been some very good orders ;
at present there is a slight depression, but it is of a
very trifling character. For " heavy steel toys" the
trade continues good ; the edge-tool makers, espe-
cially, are well off fir orders; their consignments to
South America have been immense during the last
eighteen months—a fact which is, perhaps, mainly
attributable to the low price of the raw material. The
iron wire drawers have had enormous orders during
the last twelve months, and still continue Lucy, chic fly
in consequence of the quantity required for the electric
telegraph. The japanners have had a capital trade
throughout the year; just now the orders arc not quite
so brisk. For papier mache goods very large orders were
received whilst the Exhibition was open • of these many
are not yet completed, and the bulk of the orders are
for the foreign market. Tee electro-platers have been
bush throughout the year, the orders having been
larger than were ever before known : in this branch
the demand for goods seems very likely to be very
greatly increased. The gunmaliers, sword cutlers,
engine makers, and fender and fire-iron makers, all
speak cheerfully of the condition of their various
trades, and of the materials for congratulation which
the expiring year affords. In other branches of minor
importance the reports are equally satisfactory ; the
various branches of button trades are at present expe-
riencing a scarcity of orders, not an unusual circum-
stance at this period of the year ; neither has the at-
tempt to re-introduce the fancy gilt buttons been at-
tended with even partial success. The fancy trades
are languid just now, except in a single article—gold
complain-
ing n
chains—for which the orders have been enormous
all the year. The factors,o7
laroes e s
s
sebu
lies chiefly in the fancy gods
that the orders for the home market are less than
usual this month, a stimulant being generally given
to the trade consequent on orders for the Christmas
presents. At most of the works in the districts the
hands are in full work; at Walsall the saddler's iron-
mongers have a fair average amount of orders, and at
Bilston the tinplaters are working full time. The
gloss makers are said to be extremely busy both jn
the manufacture of crown and plate glass; and in a
those branch where competition has as yet been scarcely
felt,
t ha tof
f gas
engaged se
fitting,
g there is every reason to be-
lieve that ed in the trade have quite as
much work as they' can execute, and this has been
the case for a considerable time. The eailers, both
in the town and district, are in full work, and the
impetus recently given to the gun trade of Birming-
ham has °pelted equally beneficially for the gun-
lock filers or Darlaston. The foreign trade geeeeally
has been good throughout the year, especially as
relates to all the markets of the Mediter-