Trafalgar.—­See “Nelson” and “Statues.”

Train Bands.—­The Trainbands of former days may be likened to the militia of the present time, but were drawn from every parish in the hundreds, according to the population.  A document in the lost Staunton Collection, gave the names and parishes of the men forming “Lord Compton’s Company of Foot for the Hundred of Hemlingford” in 1615, being part of the “Warwickshire Trayue Bands.”  Birmingham supplied six men armed with pikes and six with muskets; Birmingham and Aston jointly the same number; Edgbaston one pike; Coleshill three of each; Sutton Coldfield. four pikes and six muskets; Solihull three pikes and four muskets; Knowle the same; Berkswell two pikes and five muskets; and Meriden one pike and two muskets.  These Trained Bands numbered 6OO men from Coventry and the county in 1642, besides the Militia and Volunteers of Warwickshire, which were called up in that year.  These latter mustered very strongly on the days for review and training, there being at Stratford-upon-Avon (June 30) 400 Volunteers well armed and 200 unarmed; at Warwick (July 1 & 2) 650 well armed; at Coleshill (July 4) 8OO almost all well armed; and at Coventry near 800 most well armed—­the total number being 2,850, making a respectable force of 3,450 in all, ready, according to the expression of their officers, “to adhere to His Majestie and both Houses of Parliament, to the losse of the last drop of their dearest blood.”  These fine words, however, did not prevent the “Voluntiers” of this neighbourhood opposing His Majestie to the utmost of their power soon afterwards.

Tramways.—­These take their name from Mr. Outram, who, in 1802, introduced the system of lightening carriage by running the vehicles on rail in the North of England.  The first suggestion of a local tramway came through Mr. G.F.  Train, who not finding scope sufficient for his abilities in America, paid Birmingham a visit, and after yarning us well asked and obtained permission (Aug. 7, 1860) to lay down tram rails in some of the principal thoroughfares, but as his glib tongue failed in procuring the needful capital his scheme was a thorough failure.  Some ten years after the notion was taken up by a few local gentlemen, and at a public meeting, on December 27, 1871, the Town Council were authorised to make such tramways as they thought to be necessary, a Company being formed to work them.  This Company was rather before its time, though now it would be considered, if anything, rather backward.  The first line of rails brought into use was laid from the buttom of Hockley Hill to Dudley Port, and it was opened May 20, 1872; from Hockley to top of Snow Hill the cars began to run September 7, 1873; the Bristol Road line being first used May 30, though formally opened June 5, 1876.  The Birmingham and District Tramway Company’s lines cost about L65,000, and they paid the Corporation L910 per year rental, but in May,