one of those towns which, within the pre- sent generation, have grown up with rapidity since the es- tablishment of the cotton manufacture. It is situated in the hundred of Salford, in the county of Lancaster, eight miles from Manchester, and 186 from London. It stands on the river Medlock, very near the source of that and of another stream called the Irk, in a district abounding in coal. Oldham had been created into a market-town; and was by the reform act constituted a borough, with the power of returning two members to the House of Commons. It is parochially united with Prestwick, and these places com- prehend ten townships, extending over 21,160 acres, with a population, in 1831, of 67,579 persons. The whole is a manufacturing district, making fustians and spinning cotton yarn, and also having a great trade in making hats. The town of Oldham is, for the most part, of very recent erection, containing many large piles of buildings destined for manufacturing purposes, and a proportional number of small dwellings for the workmen; but all are discoloured by the smoke which issues from numerous steam-engines, few of the proprietors of which reside within the town. It has a fine large parish church, and, as is usual with such a population, a very great variety of places of worship for the several discordant and dissenting sects. At the first election for this borough, it was distinguished by its selection of Mr Cobbett as one of its representatives. The population of the township of Oldham amounted in the year 1801 to 12,024, in 1811 to 16,690, in 1821 to 21,662, and in 1831 to 32,381.