Creche.—­An institution which has been open in Bath Row for several years, and a great blessing to many poor mothers in its neighbourhood, but it is so little known that it has not met with the support it deserves, and is therefore crippled in its usefulness for want of more subscribers.  The object of the institution is to afford, during the daytime, shelter, warmth, food, and good nursing to the infants and young children of poor mothers who are compelled to be from home at work.  This is done at the small charge of 2d. per day—­a sum quite inadequate to defray the expenses of the charity.  The average number of children so sheltered is about 100 per week, and the number might be greatly increased if there were more funds.  Gifts of coal, blankets, linen, perambulators, toys, pictures, &c., are greatly valued, and subscriptions and donations will be gladly received by the hon. treasurer.

Crescent, Cambridge Street.—­When built it was thought that the inhabitants of the handsome edifices here erected would always have an extensive view over gardens and green fields, and certainly if chimney pots and slated roofs constitute a country landscape the present denizens cannot complain.  The ground belongs to the Grammar School, the governors of which leased it in 1789 to Mr. Charles Norton, for a term of 120 years, at a ground rent of L155 10s. per year, the lessee to build 34 houses and spend L12,000 thereon; the yearly value now is about L1,800.  On the Crescent Wharf is situated the extensive stores of Messrs. Walter Showell & Sons, from whence the daily deliveries of Crosswells Ales are issued to their many Birmingham patrons.  Here may be seen, stacked tier upon tier, in long cool vistas, close upon 6,000 casks of varying sizes containing these celebrated ales, beers, and stouts.  This stock is kept up by daily supplies from the brewery at Langley Green, many boats being employed in the traffic.

Cricket.—­See “Sports.”

Crime.—­A few local writers like to acknowledge that Birmingham is any worse than other large towns in the matter of crime and criminals, and the old adage respecting the bird that fouls its own nest has been more than once applied to the individuals who have ventured to demur from the boast that ours is par excellence, a highly moral, fair-dealing, sober, and superlatively honest community.  Notwithstanding the character given it of old, and the everlasting sneer that is connected with the term “Brummagem,” the fast still remains that our cases of drunkenness are far less than in Liverpool, our petty larcenies fewer than in Leeds, our highway robberies about half compared with Manchester, malicious damage a long way under Sheffield, and robberies from the person not more than a third of those reported in Glasgow; while as to smashing and coining, though it has been flung at us from the time of William of Orange to the present day; that all the bad money ever made must