Berkshire.

Most Worshipful the Grand Master of England H . R . H . the Prince oi Wales , K . G . ; the M . W . the Pro Grand Master the Earl Amherst ; the RW . the Deputy Grand Master the Earl of Warwick ; and the Grand Officers of England present and past . His lordship said he took upon himself to inform

the Prince of Wales of the present gathering which , with the exception of that held on the occasion of the installation of the late Duke of Clarence was , he believed , the largest that had ever taken place in the Province . Fie regretted the unavoidable absence of his old friend and comrade Earl

Amherst , who did him the honour of installing him as Prov . Grand Master . He was also sorry they had not the pleasure of seeing among them his old friend the Earl of Warwick , who was an excellent Mason , and did so much in a quiet way to promote the interests of Freemasonry , particularly

in the Midland Counties , where he was greatly beloved . Other Grand Officers had , of course , been invited to attend , but unfortunately the notice had been rather short . However , they had with them Lord Addington , Grand Master of

the sister Province of Bucks , whose presence gave him the greatest pleasure . All the Grand Officers were earnest men who strove to do all they could to promote the best interests of Freemasonry .

Lord Addington , in responding , assured the company that the whole of the Grand Officers were only too glad to do anything in their power to support their much beloved Grand Master . He was very pleased to have the honour of proposing the next toast , the health of the Provincial Grand

Master of the Province Lord Wantage . He was old enough to recollect the Crimean War , and the extraordinary wave of enthusiasm which passed over the country when they heard that a young Scotch soldier ( Lord Wantage ) carried the colours of the S . cots Guards up Inkerman . Not only did

he do that , but when victory had been gained he gave his earnest care and attention to the wounded . When this gallant soldier returned home , and was married , they realised in his case the happy saying that " None but the brave deserve the fair . " In common with many of his countrymen , he

( Lord Addington ) joined the volunteer force , of which for so many years Lord Wantage took the lead . Therefore it gave him much pleasure to attend that day and propose his Lordship ' s health . He was sure they would all join him in heartily wishing Lord and Lady Wantage long life , happiness and prosperity .

The toast , was drunk with the greatest possible enthusiasm , and special cheers were given for Lady Wantage . The Provincial Grand Master , in reply , thanked Lord Addington for the very kind way in which he had proposed the toast . There had been long comradeship between them

in the peaceful field of home , a . comradeship which always drew men together , and they were mutually interested in a common and a good cause , that of the Volunteer movement , in which thousands of our countrymen banded themselves together thirty-eight or more years ago to defend their hearths

and homes . Lady Wantage- and himself were very pleased to have had the opportunity of welcoming the Masons of Berkshire to their home at Lockinge , which was surrounded by natural beauties . They had fine open downs close at hand , with lands bearing splendid crops , and lovely flowers of all

kinds . He hoped they would see at Lockinge much to admire and appreciate , and perhaps something to imitate- His Lordship then proceeded to refer to the South African war , and dwelt specially on what he considered to have been the merciful way in which the campaign had been conducted by

Lord Roberts and other commanding officers downwards . He also touched upon the appallino- state of things existing in China , but they could only hope and believe that all was being done that could be done to avoid sacrifice of human life in that distant Empire . They could only trust to the Great Architect of the Universe to overrule events there

for the best . Lord Wantage assured the Brethren that he should always be glad to advance the interests of Masonry to the utmost of his power , and he thanked , them for having come to Lockinge in such numbers in response to his invitation .

The Deputy Prov . G . M . then proposed the health , of Lady Wantage , who , he observed , was always ready to promote any good work in the county , as elsewhere .

The Prov . G . Secretary gave the health of the Visitors , coupled with the name of Bro . 'McLeod Secretary R . M . I . B ., who , in reply , congratulated Lord Wantage , on presiding over a happy , harmonious and very charitable Province ,

Berkshire.

Berkshire standing very high among the Provinces which supported the Masonic Charities most generously-The Prov . G . M ., in complimentary language , proposed the health of the Provincial Grand Secretary , expressing the hope of all present that Bro . Martin might long be spared

to hold the Office , the duties of which he performed so ably . Bro . Martin briefly returned thanks , after which the numerous company repaired to a shady part of the grounds , where several Brethren from St . George ' s Chapel , Windsor , executed an excellent programme of music , under the conductorship of Bro . Kearton .

The guests perambulated the grounds at will , and towards five or six o ' clock they began to take their departure homewards , highly delighted with their visit to Lockinge .

The arrangements were most satisfactory , and reflected great credit not only upon the Provincial Grand Secretary , whose organising ability is well known , but also upon Lord Wantage ' s household staff . — " Reading Mercury . "

Surrey.

SURREY .

Resignation of the Prov . G . Master—Appointment of a successor CONSIDERABLE regret is expressed throughout the Province of Surrey at the announcement made at the Provincial Grand Lodge meeting held on Thursday of last

week , at Croydon , that owing to his many official and public engagements the Earl of Onslow had been compelled to ask the Prince of Wales M . W . G . M . to accept his resignation of the Offices of Provincial Grand Master in the Craft , and Provincial Grand Superintendent in the Royal Arch . It was further announced that the Prince of Wales h . ad

appointed as the noble Earl ' s successor Brigadier-General J ohn Davis , A . D . C . General Davis resides at Whitmead , Tilford , Farnham , but at present is on military duties at

Gosport . He is a member of the Royal Alfred Lodge , No . 777 , Guildford , and of the Army and Navy Lodge , •No . 1971 , Aldershot , and a Past Master of the Jerusalem Lodge , No . 197 .

Lord Onslow was installed as Provincial Grand Master at Guildford , by the late Earl of Lathom , in July 1895 , succeeding the late Col . Noel Money , who died the previous February .

Hampshire And Isle Of Wight.

HAMPSHIRE AND ISLE OF WIGHT .

npHERE was a record attendance at the Provincial Grand I Lodge meeting held at the Town Hall , Portsmouth , on Monday . The luncheon , held in the Mayor ' s Banquetting Hall , was presided over by the Provincial Gr ; and Master the Right Hon . W . W . B . Beach , M . P . On his right was the

Mayor of Portsmouth Bro . Harold R . Pink W . M . United Brothers Lodge , No . 1069 , and on his left the Deputy Prov . G . Master Bro . Edgar Goble P . G . Swd . Br . Eng ., Past Dep . Prov . G . Master Brother J . E . LeFeurve P . G . D ., R . Loveland-Loveland , Q . C ., President of the Board of General Purposes ,

Rev . F . B . M . Norman Lee P . G . Chap ., Bro . Daniel Mayer S . G . D ., Bro . Brig .-Gen . J . Davis P . D . G . D . C . Eng . P . P . G . S . Warden . The Prov . Grand Lodge Officers and Brethren from various Lodges in the Province numbered about a hundred and twenty .

Full justice was done to an admirable and well served repast , supplied by Mr . D . Pyle , Southsea . The toast list was necessarily brief . The Prov . Grand Master , in proposing the Queen and the Craft , alluded to Her Majesty ' s undoubted interest in

the welfare of all her subjects . " lhe number of times Her Majesty had visited Netley Hospital and spoken to every man within its walls was astonishing , and it was impossible to pay too high credit for the energy she had displayed . Altogether Her Majesty had shown herself a worthy

Sovereign of a great country . The health of the Most Worshipful the Grand Master H . R . H . the Prince of Wales was also given from the chair , and enthusiastically honoured . The Mayor of Portsmouth proposed the M . W . the Pro

Grand Master , the Deputy , and the rest of the Grand Officers present and past , the toast being coupled with the names of Bros . Loveland-Loveland and the Rev . Norman Lee , who suitably responded . The Deputy Provincial Grand Master proposed the