The Express.
London, England, 1862-02-03 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, MONDAY EVG, FEBRUARY• 3,

when hard premed at home, are fond of attract-
ing a temporary supply of money to their relief
from this country. It is true that, *Mord* to
a Gazette return published a few days age, we sent
to Franca in the course of the year 1861 es much
as 8,903,1721. in goods and commodities of
various kinds, against 5,249,9801. in 1860, showing
an excess of 3,653,1921., of which 953,1711. seems
to have arisen on corn alone. But our trade with
France has not been one-sided. If, under the
new Treaty, she has taken an increased amount of
our goods, we have helped to adjust the •balance
by increasing our imports of hers, as any one may
see for himself by merely walking along the tho-
roughfares of the metropolis and noticing the vast
variety of articles which, from their elegance of
design and delicacy of finish, claim a French
origin. The Owette has somewhat eagerly antici-
pated the lagging monthly Board of Trade returns,
by telling us what the year's exports to France
have been, but it does not say what the imports
from France have been, so that the means of com-
parison are wanting. After all, the exchanges are
the best barometer.
The great advance which bank share property
has latterly made in public estimation does not
seem to have met with the attention it deserves.
Our banks perform so influential a part in the
e 130110111), of COVIEIOIOII that it is very important
they should be confided in and recognised as
worthy of implicit trust. A gratifying proof of
public confidence has been afforded daring the last
few months in a constant and very eager demand
on the part of investors for the shares in all the
more important establishments, particularly the
metropolitan, properly so called. The demand
has been uniformly in exams of the supply, and
the rise in the market value of this kind of pro-
perty has been far greater than most persons
imagine. Below we give a comparative statement
of the prices of the shares in some of the principal
banks now and at this date bet year :

11 Isms. Psil Prim at *la
91,04499 dm.
Pm" piss.
Awe. i... ~..
Nsos tat tiellsit ler.(Lbsi) 60 N N 111 Illt
60 Au4tra3
aila all 64 el 911 70
' 25 Nutt of= at 111 tie til let
100 Bank et
100 Clty
TO 3011949. 1104691116, rad Nor
graham Obeel•Ted ell 141 19 z 1 161 161 z d
24 Ueda% 0941111944 Brit a
dastitilia all eti in
40 London and dotty
N Larks rebus* lO SS SS z 4 N N
ifs teem eo ersminwsr
II Odse6sl Now GeNssalles
NI OWN= ark
II Vasa se ANNA' all 4061 419 le 40
N Vales of Loin IS is $1 SI IS se
Of the bunks motioned in the above, it will be
seen that is oily a single instance—the Bank of
Australasia—hos the price declined. All the
others have risen, and in the cm of most of the
establishments which confine themselves strictly
to English banking busmen the difference is very
great. The London and County, London Joint
Nock, and Union Bank of London, ell exhibit a
eonsiderable advance, but the rine in City Bank
shares la no lees than 151., and in London and
Westminster 131. The most rapid movement of

all, however, has been in those of the Bank of
London, which stand now at 75 to 77, against 51
to 53 last year, being a difference of no less than
241. a share. The slam paid per share in this
Wiliam being 501., it may be said that, in point
of market vans, the Bank of London is esteemed
to be better than it waist this time last year by a
sum equal to one-half of the paid-up capital. The
rise represents nearly 150,0001. London and
Westminster Bank Shares are now at a premium
of 551. on 201. paid ; London and County at a
premium of 221. on 201. paid ; London Joint
Stock at a premium of 26/. on 101. paid, and
City Bank at a premium of 351. on 501. paid.
These facts testify surely enough to the exceed-
ingly profitable character of the very useful funo-
tions discharged by the London joint-stock
banks. All the existing establishments have

long ago passed the point at which
there were real difficulties and dangers
to contend against. Their position and business
are now recognised and established; their con-
nexions grow even faster than does the trade of
the country, with which they are indissolubly
bound up ; and they have a wide and assured field
of success before them. The high position accorded
within the last two year. to the Bank of London,
the youngest of the banks in operation, is perhaps
the moat significant fact of all. We cannot won-
der that :new competitors seek to enter so pro- '
seising a field. Indeed, were not the public alive
to the wide difference between merely forming •
bank and acquiring a large and paying business
(which canuot be attained without great time and
pains), there would almost be room to apprehend
a bank mania.

HARTLIT COLLIERY RELIEF FIIND. —The number
of imbseriptioes forwarded to the Mansion-I%oton, in aid of
the fund for the relief of the sufferers by the Hartley
Colliery accident has been increasing daily since Monday
last, and on Saturday they poured in in overwhelming
numbers, and at the close of the day the whole amount
received on Warder alone was 1,4021. 7s. Ad. being a
larger amount than was received on any one of the pre
ceding days, making a gross total of 7,0331. received et the
Mansionkome alone. iconoert in to be gives at St. Janes's-
hall on the Neh butane, in aid of the fund. Mdlle, TietPine has
(as we learn from the Clever re), with cherecteriatio prompti-
tude, acceded to Mr. Mapleson's request to aim at the
forthcoming cowed for the benefit of the wives and
children of the late unfortunate sufferers at North Shields.
She intimates that, if necessary, she will sing "spin sod
again" until their wants are permanently rMieved. Such
earnest and heroic besevoleSes will not, we are Imre, be
forlotteu by the public.
THE HARTLEY COLLIERY AOOIDINT.--13ir George
Grey has instructed the local inspector of mines in the New-
castle district, Mr. Dunn, to institute a searching inquiry
into the state of the New Hartley Colliery, and the cameo
of the late detresaing accident la ceder to obtain the
tallest information, the Secretary of BMW has specially ap-
pointed Mr. Kenyon Blackwell, who boa bad great expo-
risme is mines and collieries, to set with Mr. Dann, and to
report fully to the Home Department
THE RIVAL AMERICAN VIHNZIA AT SOUTH-
AurroH.—PnoTßAHrroi, FEL i—The Federal war
steamer Tuscarora, since she left Southampton Water, has
been lying at the mouth of the Lymington river in the
Solent, for the purpose, no doubt, of being as near as
possilAs the telegraph station at Hurst Castle, to hear
tidings of the movements of the Confederate war steamer,
Nashville. On Saturday afternoon the royal mall steamei
Tyne met the Tuscarora outride the Needles, steaming to
westward. She palmed clom to the Tyne. A pilot re
petted that she had been round the Isle of Wight. She
seas expected to return to Yarmouth Roads to-&y. The
Nmhville is apparently prenariog to leave Southamptos.
Se has moved from her position near the graving docks to
mar the dock entrance. Attempts have been made to put
itearms on board of her, by the crew takes on board one
er two rides at a time, but they were sad by the can-
Was. The captain of the Nashville has, it is said, deter-
mined to fight the Tummy's, end sink his ship in the
silissopt rather than surrender.
Mr. W. C. Sargeaunt, of the Colonial-office, has
bees appointed commissioner to represent the colony of
Natal at the Exhibition of 1862. Mr. Wade, Chinese Secre-
tary is appointed Secretary of Legation at Pekin. Colonel
Nada, Secretary of legation at Pekin, is appointed Seam
tan, of Leption in .1111,110.
I' consequence of the resignation of Sir John
Lama some modifications and reductions will be made
(ape the Mesmer) in the duties of the Mapectors of pre.
sees and of the inspectors of mines. There tined to be four
=of prisms mid four inspentem of mines and
These were reduced on death el Villignatage be
them Oa the resignation of Mr. Leonid llweer, Sir Jan
illftesid teak the mining district al Oman& l• MUMS II
the prime of that part of she UMW_ Klagdista at as
aditisaal ersaisnatea ci 1100 E a yaw, bleat et the ten
selry. with ass saved. The pins el tepselar et Ws
.01 as
be Sled sp. the mend nsmids.
Baker sad Mr. Redgnive. havlal eesesated to &Me the
dating' between titan. The lespasteasidp of pals.. will
be modified, in eonaNISII•O9 et lie Sop imeames et re-
formatories having added esaiiinity be the defies to be
perterted.