of the Local Government Board that every separate loan should be repaid
in a certain limited number of years, when so large an amount as 6-1/4
millions came to be handled necessitated a consolidation scheme, which
has since been carried out, to the relief of present ratepayers and a
saving to those who will follow. The whole of the liabilities in the
Borough on loans were converted into Corporation three and a half per
cent. stock at the commencement of 1881, the operation being performed
by the Bank of England. The tenders for same were opened Jan. 18th, when
it was found that £1,200,000 had been applied for at and slightly over
the minimum rate of £98 per £100. The remaining £800,000 was allotted to
a syndicate, who afterwards applied for it at the minimum price. Persons
having money to invest cannot do better than visit the Borough
Treasurer, Mr. Hughes, who will give every information as to the mode of
investing even a £10 note in the Birmingham Corporation Stock.

~Council House.~--See "_Public Buildings_."

~County Areas.~--The total areas of this and adjoining counties are:--
Warwickshire 566,458 acres, Worcestershire 472,453, Staffordshire
732,434, and Shropshire 841,167.

~County Court.~--First opened in Birmingham at the Waterloo Rooms,
Waterloo Street, April 28th, 1847. R. G. Welford, Esq., Q.C., acting as
judge until September, 1872. He was followed by H. W. Cole, Esq., Q.C.,
who died in June, 1876; James Motteram, Esq., Q.C., who died Sept. 19,
1884: the present judge being W. Chambers, Esq., Q.C. The Circuit (No.
21) includes the towns and places of Aston, Atherstone, Balsall Heath,
Curdworth, Castle Bromwich, Erdington, Gravelly Hill, Handsworth,
Harborne, King's Heath, King's Norton, Lea Marston, Little Bromwich,
Maxstoke, Minworth, Moseley, Nether Whitacre, Perry Barr, Saltley, Selly