Provincial.

MINNEHAHA MINSTREL LODGE , No . 2363 . A REGULAR meeting was held at the Victoria Hotel , Manchester , on Monday , 22 nd ult ., Bro . Fred Hilton P . P . G . D . C . W . M . As there was no particular business to engage the attention of the Officers , the ceremony of initiation was rehearsed , Bro . Harry Bowes acting as candidate . An early adjournment was made to supper , this being followed by the festive board , where Loyal and Masonic toasts were submitted and duly responded to .

ST . CLEMENT LODGE , No . 2442 . THE members met at the Lodge room at the Bell Hotel , Leigh , on Saturday , ' 13 th ult ., for general business and the installation of the new W . M . Bro . H . Barrow , of Forest Gate , who succeeds Bro . William Beecrott . The installation ceremony was performed by Bro . W . E . Bridgland P . M ., in an admirable manner .

Other business included the raising of Bro . J . R . Deeley , the acceptance of Bro . W . T . Buxton and the proposal o £ Bro . W . F . Saunt as joining members . After the Installation had been completed a banquet took place at the Middleton Hotel , when Bro . William Beecroft was presented with a handsome Past Master's jewel , and the usual toast list was gone through .

EOYAL AEOH

EXCELSIOR CHAPTER , No . 1042 . AT a meeting held on Thursday , 25 th ult ., at the Masonic Rooms , Great George-stceet , Leeds , Comps . John Basil Mays and John Ripley were installed in the chairs of Z . and H . respectively , for the ensuing year , the ceremony being performed by Comp . William Flockton P . Z . P . P . G . 1 st Assistant Sojourner , and James Wood Blackburn I . P . Z .

EMPIRE CHAPTER , No . 2108 . rpiHE annual installation meeting was held at tho Criterion , Piccadilly I Circus , W ., on Monday , 1 st inst . Comp . Frank Jameson M . E . Z . opened the convocation , assisted by Comps . E . W . DennissH ., and Hermann Klein J . After the minutes of the previous meeting had been read and confirmed ,

the ballot was taken and proved unanimous in favour of Bros . Franz Duetsch and Oscar Goldstein , both members of tho Empire Lodge , who , being in attendance were admitted and regularly exalted to the sublime degree of Royal Arch Masons . The ceremony was admirably rendered by Comp . Jameson , Comp . J . Sefton Majors acting as Principal Sojourner .

The mystical lecture was explained by Comp . William Shurmur P . P . G . J . Essex in his usual impressive manner , and ho afterwards conducted the ceremonies of installation of the Principals , namely Comps . E . Warden Denniss as Z ., Hermann Klein as H ., and James Speller as J . Tho following Officers were also appointed : —Comps . William Shurmur Scribe E ., A .

Davidson Kemp Scribe N ., E . E . Harding Treasurer , J . Sefton Mayors P . S ., Vincent S Galsworthy A . S .. Ernest Courage Std ., and H . Evenden Janitor . With a very pleasant and cordial speech tho M . E . Z , on behalf of tbe Chapter , thanked Comp . Frank Jameson for his able services during the past year , and presented him with a handsome P . Z . ' s jewel as a souvenir of his term of office .

Comp . Jameson modestly expressed his thanks for their kind appreciation , and said that any service he could render to the Chapter would always be at their disposal . Comp . A . J . R . Trendall P . G . S . B . England was accepted as a joining member . Three Brethren were proposed as exaltees at the next convocation ,

and the Treasurer ' s report , showing a very satisfactory balance , was accepted . Comp . Warden Denniss received the congratulations of the Companions , and there being no further business the Chapter was closed in solemn form and the company adjourned to dinner . The customary congratulatory speeches ensued , and a very pleasant evening was passed , several of the Companions present contributing to the entertainment .

Masonic Conversazione At Bournemouth.

MASONIC CONVERSAZIONE AT BOURNEMOUTH .

TO Horsa Lodge , No . 2208 , belongs the credit of having initiated and carried out the unique and interesting function which took place at the Bournemouth Masonic Hall on Tuesday , 23 rd ult . In London and some other parts of the country it is by no means a novelty for Brethren to arrange for the occasional entertainment of lady guests at Masonic Lodge rooms ; but nothing of the kind has ever been attempted in Bournemouth till Lodge

Horsa took the matter in hand . There haa , of course , beeu an annual ball —for which all the local Lodges have joined forces—but never before have the doors of the Lodge room been thrown open , and ladies been invited to assemble and make merry within the sacred portals . That they gave as ready and eager response to so unique an invitation almost goes without saying ; and it is equally certain that the experiment having proved so great a success , will be repeated till Masonic Conversaziones probably become as

regular , and as much anticipated a fixture , as the Masonic Ball . The arrangements made by the Officers and Brethren of the Lodge were admirable ; there was only one matter for regret , and that was entirely beyond their control . Had it been within their power to extend the accommodation of the premises , they would have invited a larger company , and also have given those who attended some fuller facilities for the inspection of tho many Masonic treasures and works of art which they had so industriously collected . Besides a veritable museum of curiosities , works

of art , and Masonic regalia and insignia , the evening ' s programme included an excellent selection of vocal and instrumental musio ; a revelation of some of the mysteries of nature and science , including demonstrations of the marvellous powers of the Rontgen X Rays—for which the thanks of the Lodge are due to Bro . Maegillicuddy M . R . C . S ., and Bro . G . E . Bridge '— -and an exhibition of microscopes and electrical and chemical apparatus , with slides illustrating the animal , plant , and mineral kingdoms , in charge of Bro . J . H . Williams . There was , it will be seen , no lack of entertainment , and that of a very varied character .

The guests were received by the Worshipful Master of the Lodge Bro . C . Pearce , who subsequently expressed the very great joy ifc gave him to see so many ladies visiting Lodge Horsa . The " outside world , " as a rule , thought

Masonic Conversazione At Bournemouth.

that the ladies did not appreciate Masonic work , but he took the presence of the ladies there that evening as a proof that they did . Bro . Pearce also took occasion to express his thanks , and the thanks of the Lodge , to tho many friends who had assisted them , remarking that they had cheering messages aid kindnesses from all parts of the country , near and remote—while the old Lodgo of Hengist , Amity , Unity , and , indeed , all the Lodges of the district , had held out friendly hands to them , demonstrating that they were one united body , with one common end .

At the request of the W . M ., Bro . Speth followed with a humorous address , mainly with reference to some of the exhibits which he had brought from London , making particular mention of two sets of prints , which professed—he only said professed—to reveal the working of a Masonic Lodge . The ladies were at liberty to infer what they liked from them ; perhaps with their natural intuition they would be able to comprehend the mysteries , but the difficulty was to say which of the two sets was correct , for they did not show the same thing .

The musical programme , which had been arranged under the direction of Bro . G . E . Bridgo , was , like other features of the festival , carried out in a most satisfactory manner . The exhibits included the charters and banners of fche local Lodges , and of the Hengist Chapter , with a portrait of Thomas Dankerley—a natural son of George II ., one of the most eminent Masons of the 18 th century , and one of the founders of the Lodge of Hengist , at Christchurch , in 1770 . This was

lent by the Lodge of Hengist , and an oil painting by Philip Van Dyke , of another Thomas Dunkerley , probably a son of the former , and Provincial Grand Master-of Dorset from 1780 to 1802 , was lent by the Lodge Amity , Poole . The Lodge of Hengist also exhibited autograph letters from the Prince of Wales ( who when visiting Bournemouth in 1890 wrote that he was " proud to have an opportunity of meeting the members of a Lodge which can boast of so ancient a history , " ) and from King Oscar , who , regretfully

declining an invitation to attend the Lodge in 1888 , sent his " salutations with all the honours ; " a Master's gavel made from olive wood brought from Jerusalem , and presented to the Lodge by Bro . the Rev . Gordon Brown ; a large painting representing Lady Jane Grey passing the dead body of her husband on her way to execution ; and a fac-simile of Benoist's celebrated engraving , " A geometrical view of the Grand Procession of the Scald Miserable Masons designed as they were drawn up over against Somerset

House , in the Strand , on the 27 th April 1742 . " The " Scald Miserable Masons" were , it is said , a Society organised in ridicule of Freemasonry , which came to the fore once a year , just about the time when the Freemasons were escorting their retiring and new Grand Masters to the hall appointed for the general feast . " It would appear to have been composed of boot-blacks , chimney sweeps , scavengers , and all the tag , rag , and bobtail of London , and its sole purpose was to organise a mock procession

in scorn of Masons . ' Lodge Amity , Poole , beside the portrait already referred to and other exhibits , had sent its "historical biscuit , " —an oldworm-eaten ship biscuit preserved by the Lodge as a memento of their gratitude and Brotherly affection for Jacques de Bon , Captain of the Janon , French privateer , of St . Malo , who , on 30 th December 1813 , captured a Poole brig commanded by Bro . Stephen Packe , " and after treating him and his crew with every mark of kindness , restored him to his vessel , and sent on board a dog , which before had been taken from a Brother , with a biscuit

suspended by a string round his neck , signifying he would not keep a Brother ' s dog in bondage nor see him want bread . " From its storehouse of Masonic treasures , the St . Cuthberga Lodge , of Wimborne , had also sent a valuable collection of articles , including an original engraving of the " Procession of Miserable Masons before Somerset House , " a Masonic chart depicting the rise and progress of Masonry in England from its introduction until the year 1866 , & c . Lodge Unity , Wareham , sent some of its ancient regalia and jewels , together with their black-letter " breeches " Bible .

The chief individual exhibitor was Bro . G . W . Speth , F . R . Hist . S ., whose collection of jewels , medals , seals , & c , was not only large , but representative of various branches of Masonry—English and foreign . Bro . Speth also had a large variety of Masonic clothing , and several sets of amusing caricatures of Masonic ceremonies—French copper-plate engravings of the last century . Bro . F . J . W . Crowe P . Prov . G . O . Devon , of Marsden , Torquay , was also an exhibitor of Masonic clothing , ancient and modern—Irish , French , Dutch , Italian , Hungarian , Greek , German , Norwegian , & c .

Bro = . G . E . Turner ( Blandford ) , J . J . Brazier , J . E . Marsden , F . R . W Hedges Secretary Royal Masonic Institution Girls . Horace Budden , Deane Webb , Chapin ( Poole ) , H . Harvey , Minty , J . J . Fisher , 0 . H . Mate , H . Robson , W . Mate , and J . M . McLeod Secretary Royal Masonic Institution Boys , wero also amons the exhibitors .

Bro . Harvey ' s collection included , besides other " objets d'art , " some beautiful miniatures of William Pitt ( Earl Chatham ) , Her Majesty Queen Caroline , Marie Stuart , & c . An old map of Hampshire ( date about 1750 ) , sent by Bro . C . T . Miles , excited special attention from the fact that it shows " Bascomb " ( Boscombe ) , but has no mention of " Bournemouth , "—and the Burn , though shown as rather a pretentious stream , is without a name , and wholly in the county of Dorset . " Bascomb " is located nearly up to

Christchurch Head , —at about the spot where Southbourne now stands . Another historic item was an oil painting by J . W . Carmichael ( lent by Mr . W . J . Day ) , giving a view of Bournemouth from the sea , as it appeared in 1861 , when Thornbury ' s pier was in course of erection . The picture is by an artist of recognised position , and is valuable as ameansof judging what Bournemouth was thirty-six years ago , and of noting the wonderful transformation which has since taken . place .

The exhibits , we should add , were all placed under the charge of Bros . G . W . Speth and H . B . Harvey ; whilst other " special Officers " appointed for duty in connection with the conversazione were Bro . H . Youngman P . M . 1571 Director of Ceremonies , and Bros . T . Cox and F . J . E . Evans-Vaughan Assistant Directors of Ceremonies . The tasteful and effective arrangement of the room was the work of Bros . W . J . M . Dowden and W . Hankinson . Handsome furniture for the equipment of the hall and cloak rooms was lert

by Bro . W . Hogg , and Mr . D . Drake supplied air-tight cases for the display of some of the most valuable exhibits . Bros . H . T . Pottle and J . H . Williams Stewards of the Lodge had charge of the refreshment department ; while Bro . J . J . Brazier P . P . S . G . D . discharged the duties of Secretary , the completeness and perfection of his arrangements contributing very considerably to the success of the evening ' s proceedings . — " Bournemouth Directory . "

THE GREAT NORTHERN RAILWAY COMPANY have again issued a very handy book , containing lists of the principal Dog and Poultry Shows , Cattle and Horse Fairs , Racing Fixtures , and Agricultural Shows for 1897 . The list is produced in convenient pocket form , and copies may be obtained gratis on application to the Superintendent of the line , King ' s Cross Station , G . N . R ., or to the Company ' s Provincial Agents .