Devonshire.

DEVONSHIRE .

A CONVOCATION of this Provincial Grand Chapter was held at the Freemasons' Hall , Princess Square , Plymouth , on Wednesday , 1 st inst ., for the installation of Grand Superintendent-Designate Sir Staffold Northcote , Bart ., M . P ., and other business . The Installing Officer was Comp . W . Wither Bramston Beach , M . P ., Third Grand Principal of England and G . Superintendent of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight , and the ceremony was most impressively performed .

The election of Comp . Blakell as Treasurer was proposed by Comp . Allsford , and seconded by Comp . Henry Stocker , and agreed to unanimously . Comps . J . R . Lord and J . W . Cornish were appointed Auditors . Comp . J . Stocker Scribe E . presented his report of the returns of Chapters in the Province , showing a total number of

888 subscribing members , an increase of 16 over the previous year , and the amount paid in dues and fees £ 39 2 s , an excess of £ 1 4 s 6 d . The names of 63 Companions were removed from the register during the year , by death , resignation , or exclusion , and 73 new members were admitted by exaltation , and 6 by joining . The number of past . First Principals returned was 301 .

Sir Stafford Northcote , having been installed as Grand Superintendent , appointed and invested the Officers of Provincial Grand Chapter for the ensuing year , as follow :

Comp . G . C Davie - - - - H . John Lane - 3 . John Stocker ... - Scribe E . Jno . Sampson .... Scribe N . James Hy . Blackell - - - Treasurer " Hy . Jerman .... Registrar

J . Joliffe ----- Principal Sojourner J . Munday - - - - - 1 st Assistant Sojourner 3 . Shapter ----- 2 nd Assistant Sojourner Jno . Bray - - - - - Sword Bearer C Philp - - - - - ¦) C A . Nicholson - - - - [•Standard Bearers

W . T . Gill ) J . R . Lord ----- Director of Ceremonies Chas . Emmett - - - - \ James Hoyten - - - - r Assist . Dirs . of Cers . W . King ) W . Ridge - Organist H . Reynolds ... - Assistant Scribe E . H . Shooter ----- Janitor .

The sum of £ 5 5 s was voted to the Widows Fund of the Province , on the motion of Comp . Allsford , and £ 30 to the Boys Institution ( to be placed on the list of the Second Principal , who is going up as a Steward ) , on the proposition of Comp . Westlake . At the conclusion of the business the Grand Superintendent proposed a cordial vote of thanks to Companion Beach for his kindness in coming down and acting as Installing Officer-.

Comp . Davie , seconding the motion , observed that everybody who had much to do with Masonry knew how invaluable had been the services of Companion Beach to Freemasonry in England . If he was not the " Father of the House of Commons , " he was certainly the " Father of Freemasonry " at the present time .

Comp . Beach returned thanks . He stated that twenty years ago he came into Devonshire to instal Lord Ebrington as Prov . Grand Master . He bad now discharged a similar most pleasant office in Arch Masonry , for he was fully convinced his friend Sir

Staftord Northcote would preside over that Chapter with the same ability that he bad displayed in the other degrees of Freemasonry . He was fully rewarded for his trouble by the excellent attendance , and the great interest shown in the Province in the event .

'The Scribe E . said they had now parted company with Comp . W . G . Rogers , who for the long period of twenty-two years had been the second Principal of the Province , and for many years was Prov . Scribe E . He was a perfect worker in the degree in his younger days , and it must be matter of regret that he had been obliged to sever his connection with them . He wished to move a resolution expressing tbeir appreciation of Comp . Rogers ' services , and that it be recorded on the minutes .

This was seconded by Comp . Lord , cordially endorsed by the Provincial Superintendent , and unanimously agreed to . The Chapter was afterwards closed in ancient and solemn form .

Many of the Companions subsequently dined together at tbe Duke of Cornwall Hotel . The Provincial Grand Superintendent Sir Stafford Northcote , M . P ., presided , and gave the loyal toasts . Comp . Westlake responded for the Officers of Grand Chapter . He said he felt that Devonshire was honoured by his being made an Officer of Grand Chapter immediately following a similar Office conferred upon Comp . John Stocker , and as representing Devonshire he felt very proud of the honour .

Comp . Davie said tbe very pleasing task fell upon him of proposing the toast of tbe evening the Hon . Sir B . Stafford Northcote , Bart ., C . B ., M . P ., Grand Superintendent of Devon . Two yeais ago Sir Stafford Northcote was installed Provincial

Devonshire.

Grand Master of Devonshire Freemasons , and they felt it would be beneficial that he should also rule in this supreme degree , so closely were they allied together . They were clannish in Devonshire , and were , therefore , all the more glad to be ruled

over by one of good old Devonshire stock . They were delighted to welcome him as their Provincial Grand Superintendent , for they knew in Sir Stafford they had one who would take an interest in all they did , and place Masonry only second to his more public duties .

Sir Stafford Northcote , in reply , said he would endeavour to merit in some way the eulogies of Comp . Davie . If he failed ifc would be entirely his own fault , for he had had sufficient experience of Devonshire Freemasonry to know that he could count most confidently on the cordial and loyal support of his Brother Freemasons . It was a source of pride to him that he had

been called upon to preside over the destinies of Freemasonry in that Province , and no one more sincerely and earnestly desired the prosperity of the Order than he did . He concluded by proposing the health of the Installing Officer , Companion Beach . They had seen the ability with which he discharged his duties , and they knew the estimation in which he was held in Masonic

circles throughout the country . Personally he had known their distinguished guest for the last eighteen or twenty years in a more stormy atmosphere . Comp . Beach was " the father " of that insignificant body , the House of Commons , and one of its most popular and justly respected members—respected by men of every shade of political opinion .

Comp . Beach , in reply , said he had come among them with the greatest feelings of pleasure , and was very grateful for the way in which they had received him . He could not claim to be , like their Grand Superintendent , a Devonshire man , but he did the next best thing—he came to Devonshire and got a wife . Therefore , he could not say he was totally unconnected with the

Province . Since he was appointed to the high position of Third Grand Principal , he had felt it his duty to perform many offices with regard to Royal Arch Masonry . He had been to tho extremity of Wales and into far Northumberland to instal Prov . Grand Superintendents , and it was pleasant to see Freemasonry carried out in different Provinces and in different manner , but

always with the same good feeling prevailing . It had been a great pleasure to him during a long Masonic life to do what he could for the benefit of the Order . He had hardly joined the Order before he became a Steward of the Boys School , and was thus brought into contact with the great benefit Freemasonry was conferring , and he was glad that in the Royal Arch Freemasons could find further scope for their energies .

Companion Sach proposed the Provincial Grand Officers present and past , for which Comps . Hoyten and J . W . Cornish responded . Companion Cornish expressed a hope that more Masons would proceed to this sublime degree , and suggested , that the

meetings of the Chapters should be put upon the Craft circulars . Comp . J . Kinton Bond gave the toast of the Earl of Mount Edgcumbe Grand Superintendent , and the Prov . Grand Chapter of Cornwall , and Comp . Major Rendle was called upon to acknowledge the toast .

Comp . Fortescue proposed the Visitors , which toast was heartily received and responded to by Comp . John Lane , who said he was connected with the Province a quarter of a century ago , and he should be always glad to come among them to plead the cause of the Old Peoples' Institution .

Some excellent songs were sung by Comps . J . Richards and Major Rendle . Comp . Wingate gave a beautiful violin solo , and Comp . Beach , M . P ., a recitation . — " Western Morning News . "

Gloucestershire.

GLOUCESTERSHIRE .

' I lHE annual meeting 'of this Provincial Grand Lodge was JL held on Tuesday , at Tewkesbury , under the presidency of the Provincial Grand Master the Right Hon . Sir Michael E . Hicks Beach , Bart ., and was very numerously attended , nearly 200 Brethren gathering from all parts of the Province . The arrangements of the day provided for the hospitable

entertainment of the Brethren without neglecting the proper despatch of Masonic business , says the " Cheltenham Examiner . " The members of Lodge St . George , which is located at Tewkesbury , were responsible for these arrangements , and well discharged their self-imposed duty . Opportunities were given for the

leisurely inspection of the Abbey and the interesting old houses in the town , to those who could spend an hour or two in Tewkesbury before Provincial Grand Lodge was opened , and hospitality was generously dispensed by wore than one of the

resident Brethren . The chief attraction of the earlier part of the day was , however , a " Lodge of recreation , " at which tbe members of the St . George ' s Lodge entertained such of their visitors as could give the morning up to out-door enjoyment . The pretty and commodious steam launch " Jubilee " had been