The Express.
London, England, 1849-07-10 00:00:00

WEST COAST OF AFRICA.

The French government has received a repnt from
Capt. Bouet Willaumez,comma,iding that French naval
division on the we stern coast of Africa. It gives an
account of his proceedings in an expedition which ho
mare against the natives of Aka, who Lad committed
great ravages on the Frerch settlements of Goree tied
the Grand Bassam River. After detailing the various
acts committed by the La•ives, he 'eye:
On the morning of the 15. h April, 150 men from the Pe-
nelope, 25 from the CIaMAII, and 25 from the Adour, pro.
ceeded in the boats of these ships to our settlement, where
the y were joined by a small p ry of black soldiers. The
par., was then divided into four column., and proceeded up
the river to attack Yahon. The men effected a landing at
da)break, under cover of the fire of the boats, and, ad.
ranting rapidly, took poveseion of the village, as well as
three others adjoining it, and set fire to them. The natives
had fled at our approach, and taken refuge in the adjoining
words, from whence they kept up a hamming and well di-
r-eted fire; bat our seilare drove them from their poeitioo at
the point of the bayonet. What this attack was going on in
the interior, some other men, from the Caiman end the
Adour, demoted tome other vi loges close to the shore. The
reeistaaest wade by the natives was very desperate. Their
loss must have been severe.

The report concludes with a list of the essaelties
on the part of the French, which amounts to four
men killed and twenty-two wounded, And states that
the result of the attic% was that the chiefs of the ad-
Vining country came to make their submission to the
French, and paid in gold dust for the injuries which
had been deue to the French with went.

EXTRAORDINARY SWIMMING MATCII.—This OMR-
ing one of the most interesting swimmiog matches which
tare for many ye era past taken plea in the Thames, came
off at Landon Old Bridge Stairs, between Walker and
Kettle, two amateur swimmers. The distance to be con-
tested for was from London Bridge to Greenwich, without
stopping, and for a wager of 151. a side. The men appeared
at their post at bsl -put six o'clock, in excellent trim, and
upon the signal being given they effected an excellent start,
accompanied by the proprietors of the various metropolitan
baths, George Pewters, the champion, and numerous others.
For a short distarce Kettle, who had been throughout
the favourite, maintsiaed an excellent position, but
by the time S•. Katharine'. Docks were reached,
Walker had taken the lead by twenty yards, swim-
ming in an easy and graceful manner, while Ket-
tle wee labouring moat clumsily end meet ineffec-
tually to regain the lost ground. Walker continued in-
creasing the distanze between him and his opponent until
he reached Greenwich, when he had le ft him some 200 yards
behind. The distance was accomplished in an hour and six
minutes by Walker, and an hour and eleven minutes by
Kettle.

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EXTRAORDINARY SUSPENSION OF A POLICE IN-
srEerow..—The fallowing circumstance his given rise to a
good deal of rem eta during the oast week. In the early part
of last week, Mr. T. F. William., M.P., of 41, Berkeley.
square, was brought to Marlban.ushstreet Police Court,
charged on the polite-sheet with having mai* an indecent
execute the over night is licotinek-street. Mr. W•
it appeared, was seer, about elan at nighe, in the midole
of Bentinchstreet, Oxford. street, a public thoroughfare,
committing a nulacce. A female who lived in the street,
feeling herself imulted by the exposure, which she was com-
pelled to witness, called the nuisince-committi r a black-
guard, and added ;hat she bad a good mind to Rive him in
charge to the police. A tradesman, named B eldwin, re-
siding in Regent-street. having also witnessed the conduct
of Mr. Williams. wont up to him and desired him to
chows • mere retie ed position, there being a wall or gate-
way near by which a public exposure might be avoided. It
is alleged that Mr. Williams would not, comply with the
decent request, upon which Mr. Baldwin, acting, as he said,
on public grounds, gave him into custody. Mr. Williams
was taken to Vine-street station-house, and the charge
ageism him was ended by Mr. Baldwin to Inspector Whall,
the officer on duty. Mr. Williams gave no contradiction to
Mr. Baldwin's statement, and refused to give his name or
address, or to state anything further than that he was
" • gentleman." The mein c.or having heard the state-
ment of Mr. Baldwin, that a female bad been shocked
at the sap wure she had witnessed, that Mr. Bald,
win had made • request, in vain, for the inde-
cency to, cow., as he and other inspectors have
been accustomed to do in all small it mane, booked
the charge and detain, d the alleged Cttier. The deten-
tion may he atteihireil to the circuit) tone. of the refuge! on
the part of Mr. Williams to give his name and address.
Had he given reliable information to the iosprctor that he
was a gentleman, the re can be no doubt that the ordinary
course would have been taken as in cases where persons of
respectability are concerned— the defendant's own bail would
faint been accepted for his appearance at the police court
the following morning. The inspect..r, however, did nut
gain any clue to the r. al station of his poisoner until eight or
nine in the morning, when the cue was heard by Mr.
Hardwick, at Merlboreugh-street police court. Mr. Bald-
win repeated the evidence he gave at the station house,
and proved that an exposure was witnessed by himself,
and also by a female, who had appealed to him on
the subject. The defence of Mr. Williams was, that he
had intended to visit one o• the theatres, in o:fated-stem ;
that finding there was no performance that night, he walked
down some el the bye-streets until he came to Bentinck-
street. He declared he had no intention to insult any one.
Mr. Hardwick who heard the case at lull length, did not
appear to doubt for a moment that an outrage on pu4lie
decency bad been committed, hut as the " intent " wan nu.
fully made out, and as Mr. Williams had been locked up in
the station.howe all night, he considered that sufficient
punishment had been sustained, and discharged the defend-
ant with a caution to be more reserved in his proceedings
for the future. Seven or eight days afeer this occurrence,
Inspector Whall was summoned to Scotland yard, before
Mr. Mayne, oce of the police ccmmiasioners, and suspended
for having takes the charge against Mr. Williams.—Sunelay
Paper.
Tile REPRESENTATION OP SOUTH NORTHUMBER-
LAND.—Tne liberals of the north of England will be glad to
learn that efforts are now making to return, on the nest
vacancy, a thorough free trader and reformer, in conjunc-
tion with Mr. Saville 041 e, for the southern division of
Northumberland. Rumours have been current that it is
the intention of Matthew Bell, Esq., to resign his seat ; but
whether this be so or net, we are certain that if proper steps
be taken, two good and true men may be return .d when-
ever an election shall occur. A resolution hu bean adopted
to attend to the rerzistration, and this will be efficiently
carried out. The reiteration of a few facts will show that the
success of the Wormer; in South Northumberland can scarce-
ly be doubted. In 1832, when the last Contest took place,Mr.
Bell had only a majority of 96 over M.. Ord, and on that
occasion many electors voted for Mr. Bell who did not agree
with him in general politics, but who believed that he,being
a coal owner, would advance the commercial interests of this
district. Few of these would now vote for a protectionist.
It is well known that no lord or landlord can coerce or un-
duly influence any considerable number of the electors, a
great majority of whom are freeholders. We believe the
Anti-Corn-law league strengthened the liberal interest in
this division by elmethinst like 500 Twee, and as many voters
reside in Newcastle and North &Weis, and bribery or treat-
ing could not now be safely practised, the coat to a candida.e
or his supporters would be merely trifling. Those who h.ve
originated the present movement deserve commendation and
encouragement, for if the battle of lineralism is to be fought
it must be at less* commenced in the Registration Courts.—
Newcastle Guardian.
A Email CLEtts's PAY.—A case of no ordinary
general interest was dulled ou Saturday last at the County
Court at Falmouth. The clerk of the church of this parish
brought an action against the churchwarden for 21.. the
amount of his all( ged.annual salary for the year 1848-40.
It appeared to have been proved in coat that the successive
clerks for a long series of years had annually granted them by
the several churchwardens' estimates from church rates the
sum now claimed until the year 1843, at which period the
plaintiff was the deputy clerk; that, owing to certain changes
at that time introduced in the mode of performing divine
service in the church, the general vestry of the parishioners
reduced and cut off many of the churchwardens' estimate—
among them the clerk's salary, fixed at Is. per annum instead
of 21., the payment of which salary had subsequently been
made yearly. About twelve months' ago, the rector, on the'
decease of the clerk, appointed the plaintiff to succeed to
the office. This case having been deliberated on three
followicg court days, the learned Judge delivered'
judgment to the effect that the salary of the
clerk of the church at Falmouth, having been !mid
by the annual vote of the vestry from the church rates, and
not by deed as from freeh dd land or inheritance, he could
net have a right to 21. as claimed tor hie annual stipend, nor
more than the amount voted as annual wages by the parish-
loners ; that one vestry could not control the estimates of a
following meeting.
STATE OF TRADE AT SHEFFIELD.—The Sheffield
Tenses says," We era glad to hear from the leading mann-
fac nun and merchants in the town that there is a consider-
able improvement in the staple trades, and of a nature which
bids fair to he permanent, being the result of orders for
goods actually wanted, and not simply • speculative anticipa-
tion. It is, of course, a great delight to usto be able to re-
cmd this improvement. If all classes in the town would put
their shoulders to the wheel, discard jealousies, and man-
fully enter the ranks of modern competition in improvements
and design, we are convioced that the trade of the town
might not only be revived but brought to a probably higher
pitch than it ever yet reached ; for no part of England pos-
sesses so many natural advantages for prosecuting mambo-
tuns of almost any kind as Sheffield."