production of such an article, and in 1850 one was made at the works of F. T. Rufford, Esq., which gained the Gold Isis Medal. It had been thought impossible to manufacture such an article in one piece because of the great contraction which all pottery undergoes in burning, but after much patient experiment, the ingenuity and skill of the practical men in Mr. Rufford’s works produced a perfect and beautiful vessel which may be said to be imperishable, will never discolour, is cleansed without labour, and is incapable of retaining the poison of any contagious disease in an active form. The clearness of the colour (white or marbled) is effected by veneering china on the inner surface of the fire clay, and the contractile effect of burning is overcome by assimilating the two clays. Many public baths are now supplied with this useful article, which bids fair altogether to supersede the metallic baths. The number of hands employed at Stourbridge in the manufacture of bricks and other articles from fire clay is about 900. The town has been considerably improved since 1820: the bridge over the Stour was widened in 1840; a new market hall has recently been erected, and the inhabitants generally seem to have somewhat of the spirit and enterprise expected in a flourishing manufacturing place. The manufactures of KIDDERMINSTER are of many years standing. In 1536 it was enacted that “No person of what degree or quality soever they be, shall make within the shire of Worcester any manner of woollen cloths, except only within the city of Worcester, the borough and towns of Kidderminster, Evesham, Droitwich, and Bromsgrove, under pain of forfeiting, for every broad cloth elsewhere made, the sum of ten pounds;” and in the time of Charles II an act was passed “for regulating the manufacture of Kidderminster stuffs.” Arras, frieze, cheneys and ratteens, poplin, prunellas, rich brocades and quilted stuffs were all made here in their turn, but the CARPET MANUFACTURE, to which the town has entirely owed its prosperity and fame in later years, was not introduced till the middle of last century. At first the Scotch carpets only were made, but afterwards Wilton and Brussels, and the Kidderminster goods at once acquired celebrity for substantial workmanship and brilliancy of colouring. At the beginning of the present century there were probably about 400 looms at work here, but there are now at least 3,000. The trade has of course been subject to many fluctuations, and there have been several seasons of severe distress amongst the weavers, which have been for the most part coincident with stagnation in other departments of manufacture, and are traceable to the same general causes. During the last ten years the business has been comparatively prosperous, there has been a great increase of production, and the tapestry carpeting is largely exported to the Continent, where its cheapness secures sale in the teeth of the elegant, but costly, “velvets” of France.