The Express.
London, England, 1852-01-01 00:00:00

LOCAL SHARE MARKETS.

Ltrnaroot, Dec. 31.—Our share market has kept steady
throughout the day, and closes firmly with price. fully sup-
ported. Aberdeen, 121— Birkenhead, Lancashire, and
Cheshire, 111 d.—Ditto (late Chester and Birkenhead), 161
—Caledonian, 161 1 1 I—Chester and Holyhead, 211—
East Lancashire, 16—Lancushire and Yorkshire, 6111
I—Ditto (fifth shares), 7 916 d.—London and North
Western, 1181 I—Ditto (new 1-shares), 3j c. c.p.—
Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincoln, 341—Midland, 681
Ic. —North Union B (guar. by L. and N. W. and Lan.
and York.), 177—North Western, 12 d.—South-Eastern
and Dover, 211 2 11—York and North Midland, 231 1—
Great Southern and Western, 351.
BIRMINGHAM, Dec. 31.—There was not much business
done in this market to-day, but prices continued firm.
Shrewsbury and Birmingham B's were done at 41. 13s. 9d.,
and, in local stocks, Birmingham Canals at 95, and Bir-
mingham Banks at 281.
MANOHLITIR, Dec. 31.—Prices opened firm, and there
was a good business, but the market closes weaker. There
was a Marge sale of East Lancashires, which opened at 151,
reached 16, and closed at 16 13-16; Leeds, 4; Midlands,
681 ; Sheffield., 311,1 N 1 ; York and North Midland, 221;
London and North estern, 1171; and Dover., 211.
LERDS, Disc. 31.—We have had a rather weaker market
this morning, but without any material change in quota-
tions. Closing sales.—Caledonians, 161 ; Lancashire and
Yorkshires, 64; North Westerns, 111. 16.. 3d.; Leeds
Northern., 16; York and North Midlands, 231; North
Western pref., 14; Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincoln-
shires, 341 ; Midland stock, 681.
BRISTOL, Die. 31.—We had a good business done to-day,
and at greatly increased rates. Ores: Westerns were done
as high as 88, and Bristol and Ezeten advanced to 81.

THE FORTIFIED LINE or ENCEINTE ROUND PARIS,
which has caused so much observation and discussion, is
composed of a rampart, ditch, covered berm (broad enough
to be manned by skirmishers, or riflemen), and raised gluts,
as accurately as I could measure them—which any person
is allowed to do—of the following dimensions: Height of
the masonry of the escarp, above which is an earthen
parapet, 33 ft.; breadth of the ditch, from 65 to 150 ft.;
height of crest of glacis above the bottom of the ditch, 26 ft.
The masonry of the escarp is so well covered in front,
that it would evidently be impossible to breach it front •
distance; and the enceinte, being a bastioned line, is in
every part thoroughly well flanked; besides which, its ex-
tent is so great that, practically speaking, it pomessesalmost
the advantage of being a straight interminable front, which
of course would prevent an enemy from enveloping its
works for the purpose of enfilading them. The cowl-
tencarp has not been riveted ; and thus not only has
• great expense been saved, but as tho army of de-
fence would always be on a very large scale, the slope
upwards to the covered berm and crest of the glacis would
enable columr.s of troops of 10.000 or 20,000 men to make
sorties on extended fronts from the ditch, which would
again afford them most easy and convenient shelter if re-
pulsed. The passage through the enceinte for the high-
roads (similar to that in which my carriage was steadiest)
would, of course, have proper gates, barriers, and loophole,)
defences applied whenever there appeared any probability
of their being required, and at the same time the works
would he armed. The fortifying of l'aris is generally
acknowledged to have been • very judicious measure,
and in this opinion I quite concur. Wars will here-
after be more likely to be made by coalitions than
formerly, and France more than any other country
likely to ba attacked by a powerful coalition. The armies
of the continent of Europe are much larger titan
they used to be ; and from these facts combined, it is un-
deniable that France may be assailed by 400,000 or 500,000
I men at once. Under such circumstances, the old lines of
frontier-fortresses would not, as they were intended, afford
the resource of chocking the enemy at the threshold for
months, because he would have forces enough to mask or
watch them, as also his commun.catanns, unit to make a
dash at the capital with 100,000 or 150,030 troops, as was
dose in 1814, and again after Waterloo, and as, on similar
principles of his own originating, Napoleon did in 1809
and 1812, &e. Besides this, the frontiers of Fran. e,
by the peace of 1815, have itf ell left comparatively open
as regards the covering by fortresses, and thus all
the studies and labours of Vauban, Louis XIV.,
and Bonaparte, have been completely annulled. If
Paris, therefore, could be male defensible, so as to
afford time, before it were taken, to give to the government
a chance of reorganising new armies, and of then acting
upon the more extended lines or operations of the invader,
it would more than replace the advantages of the frontier-
fortresses, inasmuch as the movement, against it would be
much more diticult to support, and consequently much
ranee dangerous to attempt.—lkaa's Faggot of French
Shoe.

Correr.—This article has been declining during the
year, and heavy losses must have been sustained. Native
Ceylon may be considered the Consols of the coffee market,
and the prices indicate pretty accurately those of other
descriptions. The year opened with a large quantity of
native held by speculators, but with public opinion against
the speculation. On Jan. I the prices were Ms. to 575. ;
March 1, 465. to 475.; June I, 395. to 40s. ; September 1,
3se. to 395. ; December 1,40 s. to 40e. 62. ; and
the quotation to-day, 31st December, 395. to 395. 6d.
The reduction in the duty on foreign coffee brought this
description into competition with British plantation for
home consumption, and large parcels of Costa Bios have
been bought by the home trade derlers, hut this has been
partly counterbalanced by exporters buying good and fine
coloury plantation Ceylon as a substitute for Costa Rica and
other descriptions which formerly the differential duties ex-
cluded from our markets. The deliveries for home con-
sumption this year has exceeded that of 1850 (which•was
very small) about 700 tons. The importation fur the year
has been 22,000 tons, against 22,700 tons, 1850. The deli-
veries for home consumption, 14,700 tons, against 13,940
tons. The stock on band is 1,800 tons, against 19,200 tons
1850.
CHICORY still continues materially to interfere with the
consumption of this article. Nearly ooe•third of this
uncle If adulteration is used, and of course buyers who
send for and presume they have a pound of coffee delivered
to them by the grocer, have only three-quarters of a pound
delivered, and the importer sells so much loss.

TALLOW MARKET.—THIS DAY.
Ths Tallow market is unaltered, at the following quota-
tions:—Petersburg Y.C. on the spot, Ns. 9d. ; new year
(1852), aia.; January and March, 3C4.

SMITHFIELD HAY MAItKET.—TIIIS DAY.
Messrs. Cooper and Doyle report trade very heavy, at the
following quotations: Prime Meadow Uay, 664. to 78e ;
interior, 60s. to 63v. Uowen, 665. to 60t. Clover, old,
70s. to 80s. Straw, 225. to Zs.

COALS.-Lotennsr, Disc. 31.-CLOSE or Tilt M• 11.
urx.-Allerdean Hartley, 13,.; Carr's Hartley, 141.;
Chester Main, 14,. 64. ; Rulings' Hartley, 14s. ; Howard's
West Hartley Netherton, 14s. ; Newcastle Hartley, 141. ;
Ravensworth West Hartley, 14s. ; Redheugh Main, 13e. ;
Tanheld Moor, 14e. ; Tanfield Moor Butes, 14s. ; Townley,
14s. 64. ; Tyne Main, 12s. 91. ; Walker Primrose. 12e. 6d. ;
Wylam,llsl. 9d.; Walls End Burnhope, 14s. ; Walls End
Bell and Brown, 15e. 3d. ; Walls End Elm Park, 151. 3d.;
Walls End Goeforth, 15s. 3d. ; Walls End Heaton,
15e. 32. ; Walls End Riddell, 1.5 e. ; Eden Main, 16s. 34. ;
Lambton Primrose, 164. 6d. ; Walls End Belmont, 161. ;
Walls End Braddyll, 17s. 6d. ; Walls End Helton,
17s. Gd. ; Walls End Lamhton, 171.; Walls End Lumley,
16s. ; Walls End Pensher, 16s. ; Walls End Russel's
Helen, 175.; Walls End Scarborough, 16s. ; Walls End
Stewart's, 17s. Gd. ,• Walls End Whitwell, 14s. 94.;
Walls End Hartlepool, 17s. 6d. ; Walls End Heugh Hall,
16.. 3d.; Walls End Hunwiek, 145.; Walls End Kelloe,
17s. 31. ; Walls End South Hartlepool, 17s. ; Walls
End Thernley, 16e. 3d. ; Walls End Whitworth, 14s. 3d.;
Walls End Adelaide Tees, 16s. 641. ; Walls End Cleaveland
Tees, 15s. Gd. ; Walls End Matlean's Tees, 14s. 64. ;
Walls End South Durham, 15s. 3d. ; Walls End Tees,
17s. 3d. ; Walls End West Cornferth, 15s. 3d. ; Cowpen
Hartley, 14s. ; Derwentwater Hartley, 14s. ; Hartley,
131.6 d. ; Helton Nuts, 13s. ; Nixon's Merthyr and Cardiff,
21s. ; Sydney's Hartley, 141. ; Whitworth Coke, 20e.-
Ships at market, 246; sold, 101.