The Alexandria Herald

By captain J. Gould, jr. of the brig Prudent, from Africa, we learn, that in April, the English Government took possession of the forts and establishments on the Coast of Africa, lately belonging to the "African Company," and immediately placed them under Colonial laws and restrictions. Sir Charles McCarthy, governor general and commander of Western Africa, arrived in the Iphigenia, and on the 5th of April issued the king's proclamation, and closed the port to all foreigners. The Prudent was generously supplied with an anchor by com. M. who evinced a disposition to do any thing consistent with his duty for the protection of the American commerce on the coast.

Com. sir Rt. Mends, with the Iphigenia, Myrmidon, Pheasant and Morgiana, and a Portuguese brig, captured, were at Acra in April. Com. M. had information that a vessel said to be an American brig, had been cut off by the Natives, at a place near St. Andrews, on the windward Coast; the captain and mate killed--vessel run on shore, and crew made slaves. He intended sending a sloop of war up to obtain the property and survivors, or punish the Natives by destroying their town.

The Prudent was plundered of sundry cabin stores, &c. by a piratical schr. under Swedish colors, in Jan. which vessel with two others, slave schrs. were captured in Feb. by the patriot privateer Columbia.

The squadron under com. Mends, in the short space of two months, captured exceeding 2000 slaves principally in the Calabar and Bonny Rivers. It is a subject of regret that our cruizers do not visit the leeward coast, where our commerce wants protection, and the slave trade is most extensively carried on.

Com. M. fell in with a U. S. Gov't. schr. in charge of Lt. Hunter, and supplied her with 30 men and an officer, by request of Lt. H. of whom Sir Robert spoke in the highest terms of commendation, as an officer of uncommon merit.

From the Gold Coast Gazette, May 21.

We have the highest gratification of announcing the return to this anchorage of H. M. frigate Iphigenia, commodore R. Mends, from a brilliant and successful cruize to the river Bonny, having captured six slave vessels, with no less than 1656 slaves on board. The captured vessels have been sent to Sierra Leone for adjudication. We understand from the best authority that the boats of the Iphigenia and Myrmidon, under the command of Lt. Mildmay, met with great resistance; the slave vessels were so moored across the river that they presented a formidable battery, and altho' the English colors were displayed in the boats, the brutal and piratical slave dealers opened a fire upon them, which they incessantly kept up, till vanquished by the intrepidity and bravery of our tars.-- The Iphigenia and Myrmidon had each one man killed, and several wounded; the loss on the side of the iniquitous slave dealers was very great; many of them leapt over board and were instantly devoured by the sharks. We regret to say, that a few of the slaves, who were on the decks of the slave vessels, during the action were severely wounded, and a poor female lost both legs, and another her right arm. The Myrmidon was afterwards sent to the river Calabar, where it is fully expected she will fall in with some more of these robbers of the population of Africa. The Morgiana captured, off Lagos, a Portuguese slave vessel, with 142 slaves.

It is scarcely four months since the gallant commodore arrived on the western shores, and in that short period he has captured eight slave vessels, with 1856 slaves.

A few days ago a Portuguese slave vessel was seen at anchor off Winnebah. We have just heard of another Portuguese slave vessel at anchor off Commenda.

[The Iphigenia has since arrived in the West Indies, on her way to England.]

Palladium.