The Sun.
London, England, 1861-08-12 00:00:00

WEST COAST OF AFRICA.

The Royal Mail steamship Ethiope, A. P. French,
commander, arrived in the Mersey on Saturday
from the West Coast of Africa, Teneriffe, and Ma-
deira. Her dates are :—Old Calabar, June 29 ;
Camaroons, July 1 ; Fernando Po, 2; Bonny, 6;
Brass and Nun, 7 ; Benin, 8 ; Lagos, 10; Accra,
12 ; Cape Coast, 14 ; Cape Palmas, 17 ; Sierra
Leone, 21; Bathurst, 25 ; Teneriffe, 31 ; and Ma-
deira, August 2.

The news by the steamer is rather important,
and it shows that the slave trade, so far from de-
creasing, is rapidly reviving, and that the illegal
traffic is carried on chiefly under the American flag.
At Porto Novo matters continued unsettled, and
the West African Herald gives the following de-
scription of the battle of Porto Novo :
"It has already been recorded in this journal
four months ago, that the late Mr. Foote, her Ma-
jesty's consul at Lagos, went up to Porto Novo in
the gunboat Brune, for the purpose of negotiating
with the king of that place. The king having re-
fused to accede to the terms of the treaty, and
treating the consul's message with contempt, Mr.
Foote caused a shot to be fired over the town,
and the Brune left the place. The Porto-Novians,
much elated at the departure of the Brune, congra-
tulated themselves, and declared that if the vessel
came again they would have her up on the beach,
and convert her into a war-canoe for the king. On
the 2Gth of April last the consul went up with a
considerable force to recommence hostilities. Com-
modore Edmonstone commanded in person. The
force consisted of her Majesty's ships Bloodhound,
Brune, and the Fideliter. The Bloodhound could
not get further up the lagoon than Beechy, so that
the Brune and Fidelitcr had it all to do themselves.
They were assisted by ten boats. The Porto-No-
vians mustered in large force on the banks of the
lagoon."
The following is from the native journal Iwe
Irollin, published at Abbeokuta :
" The expedition consisted of the Brune and
Fideliter. Each of'these had attached to it a num-
ber of boats—ten, it is stated. Four of these were
armed with 24 and 12-pounder howitzers, the re-
maining six were rocket boats. The expedition
reached the barrier above Badagry at four p.m. on
the afternoon of Thursday, and after two hours'
hard work pulling and hauling the sailors effected
a narrow passage, which was forced by the Fideli-
ter. She was immediately followed by the Brune,
and thus in the space of two hours and a half was
overcome what it had taken the Porto Novians six
weeks and more to prepare. Some Iso canoes made
a miserable attempt to save their reputation by
firing a few shots, but a rocket or two from the
long 52 of the Brune sent them flying up the river
at their best pace. Next morning at seven a,m. the
flotilla had reached Porto Novo ; and as soon as

they came abreast of the town a heavy musketry
fire was opened upon them from both sides of the
river, which, however, was not replied to by the
English for some little time. When once the boats
opened fire with rockets, shell, and shot, it was
vigorous and well directed, so much so that within
an hour the town was in flames, which gradually
increased until they rose high above the lofty trees
that hitherto afforded the inhabitants grateful
shade. The Iso canoes again took to flight, and
remained through the day far out of gunshot, and
watched the game of war in tolerable security.
The boats of the squadron were in two divisions,
one under the commodore, the second under Capt.
Raby, of her Majesty's ship Alecto. Finding the
town burning furiously in their rear, the defenders-
-of this den of infamy ran for the beach, and advan-
tage was taken of this by Captain Raby, V.C., who
was in his gig with two mer, , to land and spike a
gun—not, however, without being severely wounded
by the explosion of the gun during the act of spik-
ing. Seeing that the natives had not plucked up
courage to cut off this party, permission was given
to about 50 marines and blue jackets to land, in
order to set on fire some well-built houses that had
hitherto withstood the rockets and flames.
The landing was effected without molestation,
and a new quarter of the town was thereby set fire
to. It appears that the warriors had not up to this
time retreated from the town, for Captain A. T.
encountered one
he shot with his
standing
d in
eas t d
0I
on
rdiwaa
yR, ewg
hi mo
me n t ,
revolver, and met a second, whom he was about also
to despatch, when his revolver missed fire, and had
the native rushed at him he must have cut him
down before he could draw his sword ; but, deeming
prudence the better part of valour, he took to his
heels and hid himself. _

town now being in this quarter thoroughly
fired,at 11.30 the troops re-embarked, and returned
to their ships and dined. At 1 o'clock, being re-
freshed, and a fresh supply of ammunition served
out, the boats of Captain Baby's division formed in
line abreast, and advanced within 15 yards of the
reeds from whence the natives still kept up a brisk
fire from a point rather lower than where the gun-
boats had anchored, and where it was subsequently
discovered they had an ambuscade.
From this
point it was found difficult to dislodge them, until
rockets and round shot found out their weak point,
and sentomm
flyingthieniralrl
edtirreeacttiino
g ranks directions.
by the
. Great havoc
was
grape and canister of the boats, as well as the c themit e
d n
well-
directed shot of the marines. The opportunity was
now seized upon by Captains Baby and Jones to
land and spike a second gun and carry off their
last flag. It was now seen how great had been the
havoc inflicted upon the enemy, by whose own ac-
count they admit their loss to be 1,000 killed and
as many wounded. After this the firing became
very weak and desultory, so the English amused
themselves by firing shot and shell at the principal
houses left standing. About 4 p.m. the gunboats
and flotilla steamed away for Lagos and rejoined
the squadron outside the bar. The vessels compos-
ing it have since steamed off in various directions.
The loss on the side of the English was only one
man killed and five slightly wounded."

From Fernando Po we learn that her Majesty's
ship Prometheus, Commander Bedingfield, senior
officer
from
o f the
the Southsouth,
been
e had arrived
relieved by the
Alecto, Captain Raby. The Prometheus reports
the south coast very unhealthy, and several
there
Europeans had died in the Congo at Fish Bay and
other places. The slave trade, notwithstanding the
most diligent and watchful exertions of the cruisers,
continued very brisk, in consequence of which all
legitimate commerce was dull, and it was even an-
ticipated that some of the factories on the coast
would have to close. Captain Bedingfield, who had
been, while on the south station, in active co-opera-
tion with the American squadron, had taken two