and the Collieries at Ketley, in the same county; the Birmingham Screw Co., at Smethwick; the Manchester Steel Screw Co., at Bradford, Manchester; Mr. John Cornforth, at Berkeley Street Wire and Wire Nail Works; and Messrs. Lloyd and Harrison, at Stourport Screw Works.  The purchase money for the various works amounted to L1,024.000, Messrs. Nettlefold’s share thereof being L786,000, the Birmingham Screw Co.’s L143,000, the Manchester Co.’s L50,000, Messrs. Cornforth, Lloyd and Harrison taking the remainder.  The firm’s works in Heath Street are the most extensive of the kind in existence, the turnout being more than 200,000 gross of screws per week, nearly 250 tons of wire being used up in the same period.—­See “Screws.”

Nickel owes its introduction here to Mr. Askin, who, in 1832, succeeded in refining the crude ore by precipitation, previously it having been very difficult to bring it into use.  Electro-plating has caused a great demand for it.

Nuts and Bolts.—­In addition to a score or two of private firms engaged in the modern industry of nut and bolt making, there are several limited liability Co.’s, the chief being the Patent Nut and Bolt Co.  (London Works, Smethwick), which started in 1863 with a capital of L400,000 in shares of L20 each.  The last dividend (on L14 paid up) was at the rate of 10 per cent., the reserve fund standing at L120,000.  Messrs. Watkins and Keen, and Weston and Grice incorporated with the Patent in 1865.  Other Co.’s are the Midland Bolt and Nut Co. (Fawdry Street, Smethwick), the Phoenix Bolt and Nut Co. (Handsworth), the Patent Rivet Co. (Rolfe Street, Smethwick), the Birmingham Bolt and Nut Co., &c.

Optical and Mathematical Instruments of all kinds were manufactured here in large numbers eighty years ago, and many, such as the solar microscope, the kaleidoscope, &c. may be said to have had their origin in the workshops of Mr. Philip Carpenter and other makers in the first decade of the present century.  The manufacture of these articles as a trade here is almost extinct.

Papier Mache.—­This manufacture was introduced here by Henry Clay in 1772, and being politic enough to present Queen Caroline with a Sedan chair made of this material, he was patronised by the wealthy and titled of the day, the demand for his ware being so extensive that at one time he employed over 300 hands, his profit being something like L3 out of every L5.  It has been stated that many articles of furniture, &c., made by him are still in use.  Messrs. Jennens and Bettridge commenced in 1816, and improvements in the manufacture have been many and continuous.  George Souter introduced pearl inlaying in 1825; electro-deposit was applied in 1844; “gem inlaying” in 1847, by Benj.  Giles; aluminium and its bronze in 1864; the transfer process in 1856 by Tearne and Richmond.  Paper pulp has been treated in a variety of ways for making button blanks, tray blanks, imitiation jet, &c., the very dust caused by cutting it up being again utilised by mixture with certain cements to form brooches, &c.