glass, requiring the work of 1,800 men to put it
together. 287 local exhibitors applied for space amounting to 22,070
sup. feet, namely, 10,183 feet of flooring, 4,932 feet of table area,
and 6,255 feet of wall space. The "glory" of this exhibition was the
great crystal fountain in the centre, manufactured by Messrs. Osler, of
Broad Street, a work of art till then never surpassed in the world's
history of glass-making and glass cutting, and which now pours forth its
waters in one of the lily tanks in Sydenham Palace. Many rare specimens
of Birmingham manufacture besides were there, and the metropolis of the
Midlands had cause to be proud of the works of her sons thus exhibited.
Fewer manufacturers sent their samples to the exhibition of 1862, but
there was no falling off in their beauty or design. The Birmingham Small
Arms trophy was a great attraction.

~Explosions.~--That many deplorable accidents should occur during the
course of manufacturing such dangerous articles as gun caps and
cartridges cannot be matter of surprise, and, perhaps, on the whole,
those named in the following list may be considered as not more than the
average number to be expected:--Two lives were lost by explosion of
fulminating powder in St. Mary's Square, Aug. 4. 1823.--Oct. 16, same
year, there was a gunpowder explosion in Lionel Street.--Two were killed
by fireworks at the Rocket Tavern, Little Charles Street, May 2, 1834.--
An explosion at Saltley Carriage Works, Dec. 20, 1849.--Two injured at
the Proof House, Sept. 23, 1850.--Five by detonating powder in
Cheapside, Feb 14, 1852.--Thirty-one were injured by gas explosion at
Workhouse, Oct. 30, 1855.--Several from same cause at corner of Hope
Street, March 11, 1856.--A cap explosion took place at Ludlow's, Legge
Street, July 28, 1859.--Another at Phillips and Pursall's, Whittall
Street, Sept. 27, 1852, when twenty-one persons lost their lives.--
Another in Graham Street June 21, 1862, with eight deaths.--Boiler burst
at Spring Hill, Nov. 23, 1859, injuring seven.--An explosion in the
Magazine at the Barracks, March 8, 1864, killed Quartermaster McBean.--
At Kynoch's, Witton, Nov. 17, 1870, resulting in 8 deaths and 28
injured.--At Ludlow's ammunition factory, Dec. 9, 1870, when 17 were
killed and 53 injured, of whom 34 more died before Christmas.--At
Witton, July 1, 1872, when Westley Richards' manager was killed.--At
Hobb Lane, May 11, 1874.--Of gas, in great Lister Street, Dec. 9, 1874.
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