The Express.
London, England, 1853-03-09 00:00:00

THE AFRICAN MAILS.

PLYMOU TH. TUESDAY, 11 P.M.
The African Navigation Company's steamer Fore-
runner, Commander J. B. Atkins, arrived this even-
ing, at eight o'clock. Left Fernando Po, Jan. 30th ;
I Lagos, Fab. 4th; Cape Coast Castle, 7th; Sierra
Leone, 14th; Goree, 21st ; Teneriffe, 22nd; and Ma-
deira, 28th. Has 70 tons of palm oil, 25 tons of ginger
and pepper, 15 tons of bees wax, 35 bags of cochi-
neal, and 2,000 ounces of gold.
On the outward passage Commander Lynch, of
the United States navy, went in her from feneriffe
for Jamaica, where she joined the United States
ship-of-war, John Adams, and proceeded down the
coast vie Sierra Leone, to survey and find a suitable
place to which the Americans could emigrate.
At Fernando Po—her Majesty's steamer Electro,
barque Gambia, and brig Daisy. At Cameroons,
Jan. 30th—barque Garoon, brig Mary Mohawk, and
Timhuetoo. At Old Calabar, Feb. Ist—ships Africa
and Tapley, barque Decima. At Bonny, Feb. 2nd—
ships Elizabeth Bibby and Polonia, barques hoe
and Cleopatra, brigs Swiftsure and Mary Ann,
schooner Visitor. At Lagos—her Majesty's brig
Britomart and steamer Electro. Italian brig
Indicator; Hamburg brig Julia, Hamburg, Time,
Asia, and Portuguese schooner Belos. At %Vhydah,
Feb. 4th, French brig of war Messenger, and British
barques Anna Watson and F *m. The African mail
packet Faith arrived at Sierra Leone, all well, on
17th Feb.

HEAVY Show-FALL IN FRANCE.-The depart-
mental journals of France give accounts of accidents in
various places in consequence of the ity of the weather.
An individual was found dead on the 2nd in the snow near
Beaufort (Jura), and another in the mountain of La Latelle,
not far distant. The postman from Pontarlier to Chem-
pagnole, having been obliged to take the bags on foot in
place of in a mail cart, found on hie way in the snow the
dead body of a man, near Dompierre • and two other dead
bodies near Censeau, the latter being those of a poor woman
and her son, a boy of twelve years of age. All c inmunis
cations between Pontarlier and Switzerland were nut a
stop to, as also those between Champagnole and Lons-
le-Saulnier. The snow was to such a depth on the road
to Geneva that the mails were fifty hours behindhund,
and the country postmen could not do their service. In
the department of the Ain, a man of 35 years of age,
who was proceeding from Chavannes to Sffiignat,
was so overcome by the thick snow falling around
him that he sank exhausted on the toad, and was only dis-
covered the next morning. By prompt aid his lite was
saved. A considerable number of birds have been found
dead, whilst others have allowed themselves to be taken
with the hand. One man brought not loss than 000 of
various kinds to Beurges. A servant man of M. Bertrand,
of Serres, who was sent with a large loaded cart, drawn by
four horses, to Vic (Meurthe), being surprised by a heavy
storm of snow, not far from Arracourt, finding it impos-
sible to get the horses to draw the cart farther, thought it
hut to abandon the cart and save the horses. It would
appear, however, that he must have fallen with the horses
soon after into a deep ravine, covered over with snow, as he
was found there dead the next morning, two of the four
horses having also perished. In the Vosges, a postman was
found dead in the snow, in the canton of Dompierre, his
leather bag being firmly secured under his coat; and in the
canton of Barney a poor little sweep was found lying dead
in a heap of snow.
PRINTERS' PENSION SOCIETY. - The annual
general meeting and thirty-first election of this society took
place at the London Tavern, on Monday, to receive the
report of the committee and appoint the officers for the year
visiting. The report congratulated the subscribers ott the
prosperous condition of the society. At the annual dinner,
at which Douglas Jerrold, Esq., presided, the suns of 4001.
was realised, and there had been an increase in the amount
of annual subscriptions and donations amounting to within
about 171. of the sum paid for pensions. The legacy of the late
Ilenry Fley, Esq., had been invested with the Commis•
sioners for the Deduction of the National Debt, the interest
of which would be devoted to the formation of a " Fley
pension" of 71. 12s. per annum. The committee had added
4701. 14s. 10d. to the funded property (2211. 14e. 10d. being
for interest), and making the whole amount invested 6,2371.
lie. 24., bearing interest at the rate of 31. 16s. per cent.,
with the exception of 2541. Four pensioners had died
during the year, elle of whom had reached the age of 82.
From the financial statement it appeared that at the last
report there was a balance of 501. 15s. 61d ; since then had
been received, subscript:one and donations, 5581. 8s Gil.;
anniversary dinner (net profit), 3921. 15s. ; Printers' Dra-
matic Association, 191. Gs. Bd,• interest, 221/. 14s. ;
legac, of the late Henry Fley, Esq., with interest, 2511.;
maleing the total receipts 1,4911. Os. 61d. The expendi-
to.re left a balance in hand of 155/. 17s. 31d. The report
was received and adopted. The meeting proceeded to the
election of four pensioners on the general funds, the candi-
date fifth on the poll to the Whittingham Pension, and the
male candidate nett highest on the poll to the Fley Pension.
FEES IN TIIE COURT OF CIIANCERY.-Yeaterday
a parliamentary paper was printed, showing the state of
the suitors' fund and the suitors' fee fund of the Court of
Chancery. The excess of fees above the charges on the
suitors' fee fund, for the year ending the 26th November
last, amounted to 3,2:i51. IS, 3.1., the charges bting
132,0911., 16s. 3d., and the receipts 135,3471. 14s. 6d. The
fees were very considerable in the cour e of the year. In
the Masten' offices they were 35,816'. 6.. 2.1., and is the
Taxing Masters' offices 23,651/. trs. 11d. Thefecs paid into
court during the :;:liad from the 25;11 November, 1851: to
November last, amounted to the enormous sum of
1 136,8381. Bs. 8,1.