The Express.
London, England, 1849-08-13 00:00:00

THE WEST COAST OF AFRICA.

By her Majesty's sloop Contest, 12, Commander
Archibald Macmardo, just arrived at Spithead from
the west coast of Africa, we are in receipt of intelli.
getce from the slave-coast to the 11th July, and from
the more southern and distant portions of that coast
to the Ist of June. The slave-trade was particularly
brisk on the Benguela division of the station, judging
from the number of captures which have been recently
made there. There was not much apparently doing
on the Bights of Benin, nor on the Sierra Leone line
of coast. Off Benguela and the adjoining slave-
haunts to the northward, no less than six vessels had
been captured during the month of May, two of
which bad human cargoes on board, and in such a
state of filth and destitution as cannot well be con-
ceived, much less described. In a small schooner, cap-
tured off Old Benguela, by the Contest, on the 30th
of April last, no less than 180 human beings
were huddled together on the upper decks, ex-
posed not only to the winds and weather, but to the
violence of the waves which occasionally washed the
decks of the vessel from stein to stern. In the begin-
ning of May, off the same slave haunt, the Cygnet,lo,
Com. Robertson, picki.d up a similar vessel with 300
on board,and it was currently repotted that the Boxer,
late an American vessel of war, bad escaped from this
coast but a few days previously, with 500 on board.
The oilier vessels captured here were all empty, one
schooner by Dart, nether by Spy, athird by Dolphin,
and a large barque completely fitted for the slave
trade, by a Portuguese cruiser. We regret exceed-
ingly to have to announce the death of Captain W. C.
Wood, of the Philomel, who expired off Loando on
the 4th June, after a long and protracted illness from
repeated attacks of fever. The Philomel is now com-
manded by the flag lieutenant, who will, doubtless, be
confirmed in the death vacancy. She is the next on
the roll for England, and is expected to
leave the coast on the let of August.
The Centaur, steam-rrigate, Capt. Buckle, with the
flag of Commodore Fanshawe, C. 8., had arrived at
Loando on a tour of inspection of the division of
cruisers on the south coast. He would afterwards
proceed to Bt. Helena. The Cygnet was off Beng-
uela, but was to be relieved by the Scalark, on her
passage from A'cension, after which she was to join
the northern division on the Sierra Leone coast The
Cyclops steam-frigate and the Firefly steamer were
on passage from the Bights to the south coast.
In the Bight of Benin the following vessels are
cruising: viz., Rattler and Tearer, steamers, and
Kingfisher and Barletta, brigs. Tenzer has been re-
markably successful, having captured three fine ves-
sels during her short term of service in these waters :
of them had 590 slaves on board.

THE EXPRESS, MONDAY EVENING, AUGUST 13, 1849.

evening's amusements; I think we may hope-that they will
not be altogether thrown away, but that we shall rethe from
these halls with a huhu* of gratitude lied hopetstkees—not,
on the one hand, mourning over the loss of an irrevocable
past, nor, on the other, indulging in dreams of an impassible
future—but with gratitude to the Almighty Giver of all Good
for eastb,g our lot in such fair times. Lubec and gentlemen.
I bid you welcome once more to the halls of HAdon, and I
trust that nothing may occur to diminish your pure and en-
tire feeling of enjoyment. (The noble lord resumed his seat
amidst the most hearty demonstrations of delight and ap-
proval.)
Mr. CAvannien then followed is an entertaining speech,
in which he lamented that Haddon Hall had net filled a
page in the glowing pages which had Immortalised
Peveril of the Peak." He, however, cape. sod a belief
that Sir Walter Scott had &lofted the country only from
hearsay, and had consequently left a void which he emoted
might be filled by some member of the Bagwell and High
Peak Institute. _ _

The Bishop of MADILAS. is an approgliate address, claimed
fellowship with the sons of the Peek virtue of a fifteen
year's residence among them, and cone aded by offering to
their intent museum a small collection of catioaidem which he

Mr. it:Awe, M.P., rejoiced much to find that the institu-
tion wss supported and encouraged by the clergy of Bake-
well and the district, and paid the vicar a high compliment
for the enellenee of the lectures he had delivered on scien-
tific subjects to the members during the lest winter.
J. H BARIUM, Esq., ezpressed thegeneral regret that was
felt at the abstain of the Duke of Rutland from the festive
scene which gave animation to those old halls in which his
grace's ancestors had reignedkngs of the Peak?' His
grime, he was certain, would have felt the most lively satisfies-
don in being surrounded with so goodly a party of happy,
joyous faces, mane of them those of his own dependents and
tenantry, whose fathers for centuries had found honour and
happiness in their connection with his grass's anewstora, whose
children for many generations, he hoped, would remain, with
equal satisfaction, connected with his grace's posterity.
(Lead cheers.) Mr. Barker concluded by calling upon ail
motet to exclaim heartily and unanimously " God save the
Vernon." (Loud and long continued cheering.)
" God save the Queen'r was then sung with great enthu-
siasm, the solo pans being executed with power and sweet-
ness by Mrs. Sunderland, a local offish' of great celebrity.
The CHAIRMAN then, in a tamtons speech, dismissed the
company to the tense*, where they viewed an admirable
display of fireworks, discharged from the flag turret of the
Eagle Tower, the most elevated part of the edifice.
At the cmclualou of the fireworks the company proceeded
to the ball-room, where the merry dance was kept up with
great spirit until an early hour the following morning.