rough the voyage of investigation.

Next, after brass, we will take steel, divided into heavy and light steel
toys.

* * * * *

HEAVY STEEL TOYS.--Heavy steel toys are the name by which, by a sort of
Brummagem Bull, a variety of articles which are the very reverse of toys, and
which are often not made of steel at all, are designated. Heavy steel toys
are tools or articles of an implement nature, used in domestic economy.

The list includes nearly 600 articles. Among these are included the tools of
carpenters, coopers, gardeners, butchers, glaziers, farriers, saddlers,
tinmen, shoemakers, weavers, wheelwrights, as well as corkscrews, sugar-
tongs, sugar-nippers, boot-hooks, button-hooks, door-scrapers, calipers,
printing-irons, dog-collars, chains, whistles, tinderboxes, and tobacco-
stoppers.

Hammers occupy a leading place, of which there are two or three hundred
varieties, belonging to different trades, each of which is divided into eight
or ten different weights. Birmingham has the largest share of the heavy toy
trade, although there are extensive manufacturers in Sheffield and
Wolverhampton. Fine edge tools are chiefly and best made at Sheffield.

This trade increases annually in importance, as it consists of articles which
are greatly in demand in new countries; and new markets are opened by every
new colonising enterprise of the Anglo-Saxon race. The manufacture includes
a great deal of wood-work for handles, as well as iron and steel. For
although many axes are made for the American market, after special patterns,
and with national mottoes, no handles are ever sent, as the backwoodsmen have
better wood for their purpose at command. Our axe handles are stiff; a
backwoodsman must have a flexible handle or haft.

The Germans once tried to compete with us in the home market, but the attempt
was a failure.

As an instance of the odd accidents that affect the Birmingham trade, about
three years ago, when flounces were in fashion, a great demand sprang up for
pinking irons, previously only used for ornamenting the hems of shrouds. A
workman informed the correspondent of the Morning Chronicle that he had
earned about 3 pounds a week for two years at making them.

The scientific tools of housebreakers are known to be made by certain
journeymen in the steel toy trade. On the other hand, hand-cuffs, leg-irons,
and similar restraining instruments are manufactured for home use and
exportation.

Occasionall