Church Defence Associations met in the Exchange, Jan. 18, 1876, and on the 9th of Feb. the advocates for disestablishing and disendowing the Church said their say in the Masonic Hall, resolutions in favour of sharing the loaves and fishes being enthusiastically carried by the good people who covet not their neighbours’ goods.  A Domestic Economy Congress was held July 17, 1877.  A Church Conference held sittings Nov. 7, 1877.  The friends of International Arbitration met in the Town Hall, May 2, 1878, when 800 delegates were present, but the swords are not yet beaten into ploughshares.  How to lessen the output of coal was discussed March 5, 1878, by a Conference of Miners, who not being then able to settle the question, met again June 17, 1879, to calmly consider the advisableness of laying idle all the coalpits in the country for a time, as the best remedy they could find for the continued reduction of wages.  The 18th Annual Conference of the British Association of Gas Managers was held here June 14, 1881, when about 500 of those gentlemen attended.  A considerable amount of gassy talk anent the wonderful future naturally arose, and an endowment fund of L323 was banked to provide a medal for “any originality in connection with the manufacture and application of gas,” but the Gas Committee of Birmingham, without any vast improvement in the manufacture, still keep to their original idea of sharing profits with ratepayers, handing over L25,000 each year to the Borough rates.  On Bank Holiday, August 6, 1883, a Conference of Bakers took place here, and at the same date the 49th “High Court” of Foresters assembled at the Town Hall, their last visit having been in 1849.

Conservative Associations have been in existence for at least fifty years, as the formation of one in December, 1834, is mentioned in the papers of the period.  The present one, which is formed on a somewhat similar plan to that of the Liberal Association, and consists of 300 representatives chosen from the wards, held its first meeting May 18, 1877.  Associations of a like nature have been formed in most of the wards, and in Balsall Heath, Moseley, Aston, Handsworth, and all the suburbs and places around.

Constables.—­In 1776 it was necessary to have as many as 25 constables sworn in to protect the farmers coming to the weekly market.—­See also “Police.”

Consuls.—­There are Consulates here for the following countries (for addresses see Directory):—­Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Chili, France, Germany, Greece, Liberia, Portugal, Spain and Italy, Turkey, United States, United States of Columbia, and Uruguay.

Convents.—­See “Religious Institutions.”