Our Weekly Budget.

< i people had been killed , and a very considerable number more or less seriously injured . It is believed that many others are still missiug , so that the lists of death is not yet complete ; while of tho injured many are reported as having been fatally hurt . The inquest was begun on Thursday .

The Horse Show was opened on Saturday morning , at the Agricultural Hall , Islington . The attendance that day was greatly in excess of any previous opening day . Shortly after ten o ' clock the judges of the Hunter classes commenced operations , and the work was continued through

Monday and Tuesday , the leaping prizes for ponies having been reserved for the latter day . The genial summer weather of Monday drew crowds of visitors , nor has the more variable weather of the following days proved any

drawback to the attendance . Yesterday was the last day , and , all things considered , we imagine the management will have every reason to be satisfied with the results of the Exhibition .

On Saturday the Civil Service Athletic Club , availing itself of the usual holiday which is granted for tho Queen ' s birthday in all Government offices , held their annual athletic meeting at the Lillie Bridge Grounds , West Brompton . There was a good muster of spectators , though

the day was by no means favourable for outdoor recreation . The arrangements were under the charge , as usual , of Mr . William Morse , and gave entire satisfaction . Mr . F . A . Hawker acted as judge , and Messrs . Beauford and Eaton as starters . The only new feature was the introduction of the

now deservedly popular Tug of War , in which one of tho teams representing the India Office ultimately won the prize . The same day the London University College held their Annual Athletic Meeting at the New Stamford Bridge Ground of the London Athletic Club . In the way of cricket

there have been several first class matches , in one of which , between North and South , for the benefit of the Cricketers ' Fund , Mr . W . G . Grace made one of his tremendous scores . He played for the South , and made 261 out of 452 from the bat . The North were easily beaten in one innings , their

two totals together only reaching 296 . In the match between Cambridge and the Gentlemen , the former were victorious in one innings by 56 runs . The Inter-University match is fixed for the 25 th instant and following days , and to judge from the performances of the rival elevens , there

is every reason to expect that victory will incline to the Light Blue . Yachting and other sports are in full swing , and on Saturday last was held the usual Middle Park Yearling sale . There were forty-two lots sold , the amount realised being 12 , 285 guineas , or an average of 273 guineas per lot . The highest price was 1 , 500 guineas .

On Wednesday evening , the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress entertained , at dinner , at the Mansion House , Her Majesty ' s Judges , together with a considerable number of the members of the bar of England , there being

over 200 guests . The Lord Chief Justice replied to the toast of the Judges , Lord Hatherley responded for the House of Lords , Mr . Roebuck for the House of Commons , aud the Solicitor General for the Bar . The health of the

Lady Mayoress was proposed by the Lord Chief Justice , and acknowledged on her behalf by Sir Robert Carden . The health of the Lord Mayor having been duly honoured , ancl the other toasts disposed of , the company separated , about eleven o ' clock . The same evening , several

important festivals were held . At that of the Royal General Theatrical Fund , held at Freemasons' Tavern , the Duke of Beaufort presided , and subscriptions were announced to the amount of nearly £ 800 . At the dinner in aid of the Funds of St . Mary ' s Hospital , Paddington , Bro . J . D .

Allcroft presided , ancl over £ 700 were subscribed . The Earl of Dnnmore took the Chair at the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution , at Willis ' s Rooms . In the course of the evening the Secretary announced subscriptions ancl

legacies to close on £ 11 , 000 . At the Albion , Mr . Baron Pollock presided at the Solicitors' Benevolent Association Festival . Subscriptions to between £ 500 ancl £ 600 were announced .

The political excitement in France , especially in Paris , has not yet cooled down . On the contrary , the greatest bitterness prevails . Whatever else they may manage better m France than in other countries , it is manifest they do

not get on so well in matters political as we or the Germans do . However , though the present crisis there would , m ordinary times , be the talk of everybody , it is the war "which attracts the chief attention of the political world . Thus far the operations on the Danube have been confined

Our Weekly Budget.

to occasional bombardments , now of Widdin , now of Kalafat , aud other places . Hitherto , of course , the weather has been the chief obstacle to greater activity on the part of the Russians , having rendered the rapid movement of troops impossible . However , we hear now , that

the Danube , which had risen amazingly by reason of the rains , is now falling to its usual summer level , and no doubt when the Czar has arrived on the scene of action , an attempt to cross the river will be made in several places at once . Such at least appears to be

the general belief . There are also rumours that Servia is again about to mix herself up in the war , as though the beating she received from the Turks last autumn were not enough for so small and insignificant a principality . As for Roumania , she must be in a sorry plight . Whether

Turkey or Russia wins , there is little doubt ifc will take years before Roumania recovers from the present disturbance of peace . As for Montenegro , we hear , at length , thafe these hardy but cruel mountaineers have beon seriously defeated by the Turks , and if the latter can succeed in

capturing Celtigne , it will be possible for them to despatch a portion of their forces to do battle , either on the Danube , or in the neighbourhood of the Balkans . The tenor of the news from Asia is generally unfavourable to the Turks . They have not only not recaptured

Ardahan , but they are said to have been obliged to retire their force , before the superior armies of Russia . There is a rumour that Kars is invested , and that it is only a question of days when Erzeroum will fall . Batoum ,

however , still holds out , in spite of the efforts of the Russians , and it is said that the insurrection in Caucasus is extending No doubt , as the summer advances , we shall hear of infinitely more momentous events than any that have as yet occurred .

Bro . Charles Bennett , official shorthand writer to Grand Lodge , desires to inform the Craft that he is not the Charles Bennett , shorthand writer , whose name is now so frequently before the Courts of the country in certain legal proceedings .

The Keystone anticipates that the Triennial Conclave of the Grand Encampment of the United States , which ia to be held in August , at Cleveland , Ohio , will prove as magnificent a gathering as that of the same Grand Body held in 1871 at Baltimore , or at New Orleans in 1874 . We learn from the

same source that at the annual Conclave of the Grand Commandery of Michigan , on the 9 th ult ., the following were elected Grand Officers for the year—namely , Sir Knights Hugh McCurdy G . Comm ., H . F . Knapp D . G . Comm ., F . Henderson G . Genlmo ., W . B . Wilson G . C .

Genl ., G . W . Wilson G . Prelate , R . G . Chandler G . S . W ., J . B . Newton G . J . W ., M . S . Smith G . Treasurer , W . P . Iunis G . Reg ., and W . V . Griffiths Grand Sent . The day previous , the Grand Chapter of Connecticut elected Comps . H . W . Coye Grand High Priest , Joseph K . Wheeler Grand Secretary , and other Grand Officers for the ensuing year .

The Masonic Jewel contains a long account of Bro . S . Patton , Past Grand Master of Mississippi . Bro . Patton was born iu the year 1813 , and was initiated in 1842 , in Livingston Lodge , Alabama . In the same year he received all the Chapter degrees . In 1843 , he took the Council

degrees in Tuscaloosa Council , No . 4 , and the same year became S . W . of his Mother Lodge , being advanced to the position of W . M . the following year . In 1850 , having removed into Mississippi , which was his native State , he obtained a dispensation for Patton Lodge , No . 129 , and

became its first W . M . In 1853 , he obtained a dispensation for the Patton Chapter , No . 152 , Lauderdale Springs , and was chosen its first High Priest . In 1854 , he Avas elected G . H . Priest of the Grand Chapter of Mississippi . The same year he took part in the organisation of the Grand

Council of Mississippi , and was appointed its first " T . Ill , Grand Master . " He received the order of Knighthood the year following , in Mississippi Commandery , No . 1 , Jackson , and became Grand Captain General in the Grand Commandery in 1858 , and Grand Commander in 1872 .

He was elected Graud Master of Mississippi in 1864 , and re-elected the following year . Bro . Patton played a not unimportant part in the Civil War , holding high rank in the Confederate army . He was the means of rendering service to two Federal