The Sun. — 1865-01-11 (London, England)

WEST COAST OF AFRICA.  The Royal Mail steamer Armenian, Ca iptain Leamon, arrived at Liverpool yesterday ma ruing, with the West African mails, 50 passengers, 1,000 bales of African cotton, 1,308 ounces of gold dust, 9,029 dols., 1,900 fr., and 2,472 sovereigns.. Her dates are—Benin, Dec. 7 ; Fernando Po, Dec. 2 Brass River, 4th ; New Calabar, 6th ; Bonny, 7th ; Lagos, 10th ; Accra, 11th ; Cape Coast Castle, 14th Sierra Leone, 21st ; Bathurst, 25th ; Tenerife, 31st ; and Madeira, Jan. 2d. The Armenian brings 27 passengers in the cabin, and 25 distressed seamen, being portions of the crews of the wrecked vessels Laughing Water, Governor Elias, and Bagdad Packet.  Trade was brisk at Fernando Po, notwithstanding the smallpox still prevailed to a great extent among the native population. The screw steamer St. Patrick, with convicts on board for the south coast, had put into Fernando Po in a disabled condition— her machinery damaged. The vessel would be detained at least a month for repairs. There is nothing of importance to report from the Cameroons. The river was healthy, but business was at a complete stand-still.  A slight improvement has occurred in trade at Old Calabar since the sailing of the last steamer. The ship Moult= sailed for Glasgow on the 28th of November. When off the bar, her commander, Captain Kiddie, committed suicide by jumping overboard. His body came up alongside the vessel the next day. The chief officer of the ship Golden Age was put in charge, and the vessel sailed from the bar on the 30th. The Navigator arrived from Glasgow on the 28th of November.  Trade has much improve 4 at Bonny during the month of December, oil being freely brought down from the interior. The ship Flora M'lvor arrived on the 27th of November, and the Rattler on the same day. The Elizabeth Tatham entered the Bonny river on the 2d of December. The captain and part of the crew of the ship Laughing Water, wrecked on Bonny bar, came home in the Armenian. Brass was healthy, but there was very little business doing in oil. Trade at Benin still stopped in consequence of the fine imposed by Commodore Wilmott on the natives for outrages committed on Dr. Henny's establishment not being paid. There is a balance of 30 puncheons of oil still owing, which the traders were n hopes would be settled during the month of January. Trade very brisk at Lagos since the roads from Abeokuta had been opened. A great quantity of cotton was daily arriving. There were at least 4,500 bales in the town when the Armenian sailed; she brought 1,200 bales. There were 1,500 slaves in irons at Wydah ready for shipment. Her Majesty's ship Zebra was stationed off the port, and had her boats cruising in search of the vessel, which is said to be a large steamet, the same that has made several voyages with large cargoes so successfully, and the one that has given our cruisers upon more than one occasion such annoyance. The schooner Commodore, from London to Lagos, passed Addah on the 11th of December.  At Accra trade had slightly improved, and several lots of cotton had arrived from the Volga. The brig Governor Elias was totally wrecked on the 27th December. The crew were saved and landed at Accra.  An average amount of business was doing at Cape Coast Castle during December, and a good trade is looked for in the coming season. Her Majesty's ship was to sail on the 16th for Lagos.  The mail steamer M'Gregor Laird arrived from England and sailed for the leeward on the 16th December. The barque Manners Sutton passed the Cape on the 15th. Business was very dull at Sierra Leone. Great preparations were being made for the races and the Exhibition. Lieut. Hawkins, of her Majesty's ship Pandora, died on the 24th of November. There is not much of importance to report from Bathurst. Several small lots of cotton of a very superior staple had arrived from the interior. The brigantine Monarch, laden with cotton, had been towed in by the steamer Saxon to Teneriffe, dismasted, and mate washed overboard. The mail steamer Calabar arrived from England on the 30th ult., and sailed same day from Teneriffe. The steamer Bagdad Packet, from Liverpool for Matamoras; put into Madeira, was surveyed and condemned, and the crew sent home in the Armenian. Not less than eight blockade runners had arrived, en route for Bermuda, from England during one week. On the afternoon of the 6th January the Armenian fell in with the new ship Phyrne, abandoned at sea. The ship is 1,300 tons register, and was bound from St. John's, N. 8., to Liverpool, with a car so of timber. The Phyrne was abandoned about the 10th December, off the Portuguese coast, with .10Ss of  PRICE 4d. STAMPED 5d  rudder, and the insurance effected on her by her owners in Liverpool amounted on last Monday to about 20,0041. Capt. Leamon, of the Armenian, sent a boat alongside the derelict, which on examination proved to be perfectly tight and seaworthy, as she had only 19 inches of water in her hold. He at once put on board a volunteer crew, under the command of Capt. M'Kenzie, who was returning on leave of absence from the coast, where he commanded the African Company's ship William Money. Capt. M'Kenzie, after receiving a supply of provisions, water, rope, and some sails, was directed to steer north, as the weather was fine, and the wind fresh from the south-west. When boarded the Phryne's hull was in very good order, as were also her masts and yards. She had four sails bent, but, beyond this, the ship was stripped of all her running gear. By this arrival we learn the death of the well.. known African traveller, Dr. Baikie, who expired, after a very short attack of fever and dysentery, at Sierra Leone, on the 30th November last. By the previous mail we announced that Dr. Baikie, after travelling for six years in the interior of Africa, and after having established a native . colony some distance from the confluence of the Niger, had returned to Lagos on the 21st Oct. in her Majesty's ship Investigator, which had been up the Niger 400 miles on a cruise. Dr. Baikie intended returning to Liverpool by the last mail, but in consequence of being obliged to assort and re-arrange the accumulations of over six years' travel in an uncivilised country, he was compelled to postpone his voyage. The deceased gentleman was born at Arbroath, Scotland, and was educated for the medical profession in Edinburgh. He would at the time of his death be ab9ut 40 years of age.  Railway and other Companies,