The Sun.
London, England, 1853-03-11 00:00:00

THE COAST OF AFRICA.

Ccorrespondent of the Times on the coast writes—
" The mail screw-steamer Forerunner returned to
Gambia on the 21st of February, having performed the
tour to and from Fernando Po, touching and landing the
mails at all the intermediate ports, and going up several
rivers, in 35. days. On the same evening (the 21 t) the
steamer left Bathurst for Goree, Teneriffe, Madeiia, and
Plymouth.

Several English vessels had arrived at Gambia--the
Orion and Kate Kearney—the latter after a run of 16
days from Plymouth. French vessels were also coming
briskly in for ground-rent cargoes.
" The Bathurst merchants are justly diseonterited at
the foreigners trading in London, Liverpool, and other
ports, with British goods, conveying them to Mbreda,
the small settlement of the French on the river Gambia,
and then circulating the English manufactures among
the adjoining natives up the river, escaping the fpur per
cent. duty imposed upon the British merchants, and
thereby underselling the lawful traders. The 1 paltry
settlement of Albreda, unworthy of a great nation like
France, although a mercantile thorn in the side of the
Gambia community, ought to be exchanged for an equi-
valent in some other colony.
"Admiral Bruce, Commander-in-Chief of the African
squadron, arrived at Gambia in the flag-ship Peinelope,
Captain Lyster, on the 28th of January, and on the Ist
of February proceeeded to Matagong, Sierra Leone,
Lagos, and the Bights. The squadron, with a few ex-
ceptions, was healthy. The Admiral had destroyed
several slave settlements and barracoons, and is not
likely to remain idle down the coast.
" His Excellency Governor O'Connor, having suffered
from repeated attacks of fever in January and February,
embarked in the Forerunner for a short visit Co Tene-
riffe.

" On the morning of the 22d of February the Fore-
runner arrived at Goree, delivered and received the
mails, and proceeded on her voyage in less than two
hours.

" Commodore Boudin, Commander-in-Chief of the
French squadron, in the flag-ship El Dorado and five
steamers, with 600 soldiers, were on the eve of starting
to punish the Bijooga savages (cannibals), who plundered
a French vessel and butchered the crew—the custom of
these wretches, who torture and devour any miserable
beings wrecked upon their inhospitable shores. It is to
be hoped the brave old Commodore will give the natives
a wholesome lesson, and teach them that Europeans are
not to be insulted or eaten with impunity.
" His Excellency the Governor-in-Chief of Senegal
and Goree and Commodore Boudin visited Governor
O'Connor on board the Forerunner. Two notorious
slave-dealers, Captain Salas and his mate, who had been
convicted at Gambia, the former sentenced to six years'
transportation, broke out of the gaol at Bathurst and
escaped to Goree, where the Governor had caused them
to be arrested on suspicion. His Excellency ordered
the Spaniards to be placed in the military prison until
handed over to persons authorised by the Go4ernor of
the Gambia to receive the felons. This is the proper
understanding to exist between foreign, nations ,in their
distant colonies and settlements.

" The African Mail Steam Company as yet lave no
right to complain. The Hellespont, Commanded Watts,
left Gambia with a full cargo on the 26th of Ndvember.
The Propontis, Commander Glover, crowded with pas-
sengers and a full cargo, no room for 15 tons of wax, at
Bathurst the 4th of Feb. ; and the Forerunn4r, Com-
mander Atkins, with a full cargo from the Sou* Coast,
the cry again No room.' At daylight, on the 27th,
the Forerunner made the Peak of Teneriffe, and, after a
few hours' delay, proceeded on to Madeira."

COMMANDER It. C. MICRELL.—Amongst the appoint-
ments will be seen that of Commander R. C. Michell as
inspecting commander of the coast guard. This is one
of the first appointments of the First Lord Si James
Graham, and we can safely affirm that no one ;will find
fault with it. If others are made with the mine impar-
tie! spirit, they will amply bear out Sir James raham's
profession in the House of Commons. Commander
Michell is one of that class of officers who has gained
every step by his own services and merit ; he has never
had political interest, nor friends born before him with
power to assist him, though he comes from a long line of
a noble family. His last command was H.M.S.) Sappho
in the West Indies, on the iron-bound coast of Honduras,
whose shores and waters the advancing sailor seek strewed
with the wrecks of successive years. On this dttngerous
coast he had the misfortune of striking on a sunken
reef,—it might have befallen the ablest, and we have-it
on the surest and best testimony, from pilots and practi-
cal men in those seas, that the Sappho was the only ves-
sel, under similar circumstances, ever saved from total
wreck, others having gone to a thousand pieces. She
was hove off from the reef with the loss of her rudder. A
gale of wind set in, she parted her cable on the edge of
the reef, but the noble behaviour of her officers and crew
preserved her from wreck and to H. M. service. Let it
be observed, this service was performed by Ceinmander
Michell when he was weak and suffering from a recent
attack of fever, and after he had broken his arm on two
different occasions in the execution of his deity. We
repeat again, well will Sir James Graham bear out his
assertions of disinterestedness if other appointments are
made in the same spirit of impartiality.—P(iresmouth,
Times.

RAILWAY' SHA RE MARKETS.

LIVERPOOL-MARCH 10.

STOCK EXCHANGE.—The market was better to-day, and
closed steadily, but without much business.—Caledonian,
32} ; Chester and Holyhead, 22i ; Eastern Counties, 13 ;
Great Western, 91; Lancashire and Yorkshire, 77 ; Ditto
(fifth shares), 4 9-16 d. ; Leeds Northern, 16 ; Liverpool,
Crosby, and Southport, 171 • London and North-Western,
119 A ; Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincoln, 29$ : Midland,
761 • l ; South Eastern and Dover, 23R $ ; York, New-
castle and Berwick, 14; Manchester, Sheffield, and Lin-
coln (6/. new), $ p.