manufacturers of articles in Britannia metal numbered 75 in 1824, against 19 in 1874, wire-drawers in the same period coming down from 237 to 56.  The Directories of the past ten years have degenerated into mere bulky tomes, cataloguing names certainly, but published almost solely for the benefit (?) of those tradesmen who can be coaxed into advertising in their pages.  To such an extent has this been carried, that it is well for all advertisers to be careful when giving their orders, that they are dealing with an established and respectable firm, more than one bogus Directory having come under the notice of the writer during the past year or two.  The issue of a real Post Office Directory for 1882, for which the names, trades, and addresses were to be gathered by the letter-carriers, and no body of men could be more suitable for the work, or be better trusted, was hailed by local tradesmen as a decided step in advance (though little fault could be found with the editions periodically issued by Kelly), but unfortunately the proposed plan was not successfully carried out, and in future years the volume will be principally valued as a curiosity, the wonderfully strange mistakes being made therein of placing the honoured name of Sir Josiah Mason under the head of “Next-of-Kin Enquiry Agents,” and that, too, just previous to the exposure of the numerous frauds carried out by one of the so-called agents and its curiousness is considerably enhanced by the fact that a like error had been perpetrated in a recent edition of Kelly’s Directory.

Discharged Prisoners’ Aid Society in 1882 gave assistance to 642 persons, at an average cost of 9s. 9-1/2d. each—­L315 19s. 4d.  L161 16s. 5d. of this amount came from the convicts’ gratuities, while the cost of aiding and helping them took L192 2s.

Dispensary.—­Established in 1794; the first stone of the building in Union Street was laid December 23, 1806, and it was opened for the reception of patients early in 1808, the cost being about L3,000.  It has been one of the most valuable institutions of the town, thousands receiving medical assistance every year, and is supported by voluntary subscriptions.  A branch Dispensary was opened in Monument Road, Feb. 27, 1884.  Provident Dispensaries, to which members pay a small monthly sum for medicine and attendance, were organised in 1878, the first branch being opened at Hockley in October of that year.  In the first fifteen months 3,765 individuals, paid subscriptions, and about L577 was paid for drugs and doctors fees.  There are also branches at Camp Hill and Small Heath.

Dissenters.—­In 1836 there were 45 places of worship belonging to various denominations of Dissenters here; there are now about 145.—­See “Places of Worship.”

Distances from Birmingham to neighbouring places, county towns, trade centres, watering places, &c.  Being taken from the shortest railway routes, this list may be used as a guide to the third-class fares—­ Reckoned at 1d. per mile:—­