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:--

Miles.
Aberdare........... 111
Aberdeen........... 437-1/2
Abergavenny ..... 79
Abergele .......... 109
Aberystwith ..... 123-1/2
Acock's Green ..... 4-1/4
Albrighton ........ 20
Alcester ........ 24
Aldershot.......... 111-1/2
Alnwick ......... 52-1/2
Alrewas ......... 26
Alton Towers ...... 52-1/2
Alvechurch......... 13-1/2
Arbroath........... 310
Ashbourne.......... 56-1/4
Ashby-de-la-Zouch . 41-1/2
Ashton-under-Lyne..