of April, 1878; and another ran for part of the summer, in 1880, to Leamington.  The introduction of railways set many persons to work on the making of “steam coaches” to travel on the highways.  Captain Ogle coming here on one of his own inventing September 8th, 1832, direct from Oxford, having travelled at from ten to fourteen miles per hour.  Our local geniuses were not behindhand, and Messrs. Heaton Bros., and the well-known Dr. Church brought out machines for the purpose.  Both parties started joint-stock companies to carry out their inventions, and in that respect both parties succeeded, for such was the run for shares, that in June, 1833, when Heatons’ prospectus came out, offering to the public 2,000 L10 shares, no less than 3,000 were asked for in one day.  There was also a third company in the field, the “London, Birmingham, and Liverpool,” with a nominal capital of L300,000; but none of them prospered; for though they could construct the engines and the coaches, they could not make receipts cover expenses.  Heatons’ ran theirs for some little time to Wolverhampton and back, and even to the Lickey; the Doctor came out every month with something new; and even the big Co. managed to bring one carriage all the way from London (August 28th, 1835).  Others besides Captain Ogle also came here on their iron horses, and there was plenty of fun and interest for the lookers-on generally—­ but no trade and no interest for the speculators.  For steam coaches of the present day, see “Tramways.”

Coal was not in common use much before 1625, and for a long time was rather shunned by householders, more especially in the rural parts where the black diamonds were looked upon as something altogether uncanny.  Prior to the opening of the first canal, the roads leading from the Black Country daily presented the curious feature of an almost unending procession of carts and waggons bringing the supplies needed by our manufacturers, and high prices were the rule of the day.  The first boatload was brought in on November 6th, 1769, and soon after the price of coal at the wharf was as low as 4d. per cwt.—­See “Trades.”

Cobbett delivered a lecture on the Corn Laws, &c., at Beardsworth’s Repository, May 10 1830.

Cobden.—­There was a general closing of places of business here on April 6, 1865, the day on which Richard Cobden was buried.

Cockfighting.—­Aris’s Gazette of December 26, 1780, announced in one of its advertisements that “the Annual Subscription Match of Cocks” would be fought at Duddeston Hall, commonly called “Vauxhall,” on the New Year’s day and day after.—­The same paper printed an account of another Cockfight, at Sutton, as late as April 17, 1875.