The Birmingham Building Society, No. 1, was established in May, 1842, and re-established in 1853.  It has now 1,580 members, subscribing for shares amounting to L634,920.  The last report states that during the existence of the society over L500,000 has been advanced to members, and that the amount of “receipts and payments” have reached the sum of L1,883,444.  Reserve fund is put at L5,000.

The Birmingham Building Society, No. 4, was established in June, 1846, and claims to be the oldest society in the town.  The report, to end of June, 1883, gave the number of shares as 801-3/4, of which 563-1/4 belong to investors, and the remainder to borrowers.  The year’s receipts were L10,432, and L6,420 was advanced.  The balance-sheet showed the unallotted share fund to be L18,042, on deposit L3,915, due to bank L2,108, and balance in favour of society L976.  The assets amounted to L25,042, of which L21,163 was on mortgages, and L3,818 on properties in possession.

St. Philip’s Building Society was began in January, 1850, since when (up to January, 1883) L116,674 had been advanced on mortgages, and L28,921 repaid to depositing members.  The society had then 326 members, holding among them 1,094-1/4 shares.  The year’s receipts were L13,136, and L7,815 had been advanced in same period.  The reserve fund was L3,642; the assets L65,940, of which L54,531 was on mortgages, L7,987 deferred premiums, and L2,757 properties in hand.

Several societies have not favoured us with their reports.

Law.—­There are 306 solicitors and law firms in Birmingham, 19 barristers, and a host of students and law clerks, each and every one of whom doubtless dreams of becoming Lord Chancellor.  The Birmingham Law Society was formed in 1818, and there is a Society of Law Students besides, and a Law Library.  At present, our Law Courts comprise the Bankruptcy and County Courts, Assize Courts (held pro tem in the Council House), the Quarter Sessions’ and Petty Sessions’ Courts.

League of Universal Brotherhood.—­Originated by Elihu Burritt, in 1846, while sitting in the “Angel,” at Pershore, on his walk through England.  He came back to Joseph Sturge and here was printed his little periodical called “The Bond of Brotherhood,” leading to many International Addresses, Peace Congresses, and Olive-Leaf Missions, but alas! alas! how very far off still seems the “universal peace” thus sought to be brought about.  Twenty thousand signatures were attached to “The Bond” in one year.  Far more than that number have been slain in warfare every year since.