Installation Of Lord Brooke, M.P. As Prov. G. Master Of Essex.

motion of Lord Brooke , seconded by Bro . Philbrick , passed with acclamation , and briefly but gracefully acknowledged . Votes of thanks were also passed to the Major-General commanding the district and the Officers of the Garrison for their services in escorting the Duke ; to the High

Steward of the Borough and others for placing their carriages at the disposal of the Committee ; to Miss Daniel , proprietress of the Soldiers' Home , and Miss Campbell , its Lady Superintendent , for their assistance in allowing the use of the building ; and to the officials of the Great Eastern Bailway

Company , and those in particular at the Colchester Station , for the very great convenience they had afforded . Bro . the Rev . C . J . Martyn having , on behalf of Lord Waveney , Prov . G . M . Suffolk , and the Province itself , offered his congratulations to Lord Brooke , and the Duke of Albany

having discharged a similar duty on behalf of his own Province of Oxfordshire , in which Lord Brooke was initiated , the proceedings were terminated , and the brethren adjourned to luncheon in the Corn Exchange , the Band of the 7 th Hussars supplying an admirable selection of

instrumental music , while the following artists from St . Paul ' s Cathedral were equally pleasing in the vocal music which graced the entertainment , namely : Bros . H . J . Dutton , T . W . Hanson , and Edward Wharton , Bro . C . Esmond , P . P . G . O ., and Organist of St . Mary ' s , Colchester , being the conductor and accompanyist .

After lunch , Bro . Lord Brooke proposed the usual Loyal and Masonic toasts , that of the Grand Officers , Present and Past , being acknowledged by Lieut . General the Hon .

Somerset J . G . Calthorpe Past G . J . Warden . These were followed by a similar compliment to H . R . H . the Duke of Albany as Installing Master , in proposing which Lord Brooke said : —

" I will not inflict npon you a long speech , because I am quite sure that my words would not be adequate to convey to yon onr hearty and kindly feeling towords his Royal Highness on this occasion . It has been an act of great kindness towards myself , brethren , on the part of his Royal Highness to come down here to-day . I know how

many duties always fall to his Royal Highness s lot , and how ready he always is to discharge them , no matter at what personal inconve . nience . Therefore , when at yonr request I appealed to his Royal Highness , and asked him to come and give ns the great privilege of his presence here to-day , I felt that if he possibly could he would not

refuse my request . I feel it to-day a very great honour and pleasnre in having been installed by his Royal Highness . 1 will not weary you with my past history , bnt I may go back a little bit , to tell you that my earliest recolleotions of Freemasonry are connected with his Royal Highness ; that when , at Oxford , I

went through the first ceremonies of Freemasonry , I was assisted into the Brotherhood by his Royal Highness . Therefore , some time having elapsed , it is a matter of peculiar pleasure to me , as you may imagine , that his Royal Highness should put the finishing touch to my Masonic experience . Now , brethren , it is needless for

me to recount the many occasions on which his Royal Highness has taken part in Masonic ceremonies , bnt we all know that his Royal Highness at the present moment occupies a distinguished position amongst Freemasons , that he has filled many , and most important offices , not only in the Grand Lodge , but as Master of many

wellknown and important Lodges in the country , and , brethren , we return to his Royal Highness on this occasion the warmest , the deepest , and most heartfelt thanks we possibly can for honouring us here in Essex . In this assembly , on this peculiarly Masonic occasion , it is perhaps difficult for me to allude to the pleasure which I am quite

certain his Royal Highness ' s visit mnst have given to the town of Colchester at large . It is a matter of deep regret to his Royal Highaess , as to all of ns , I am sure , that so unfortunate a day should , to a certain extent , have marred the proceedings , but notwithstanding the inclemency of the weather , we have been able , 1 trnst , we

Freemasons of Essex , and the inbabitants of Colchester , have been able to give his Royal Highness a reception , though perhaps not so magnicent as we could have wished , yet still to great extent not unworthy of

the town of Colchester , and have shown his Royal Highness that it is with the very deepest feeling of affection that we have entertained him to-day . I will not detain you longer , but give yon the health of his Royal Highness the Duke of Albany .

The toast was received with much enthusiasm . In repl y , the Duke , who rose amidst renewed and heart y cheering , said—Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master and Brethren , —I return yon my most hearty thanksfirstto the Riht Worshipfnl Grand

, , g Master for the kind and too flattering terms in which he has alluded to me , and next to you all here present for tbe kind manner in which yon have received the toast proposed . I have already told yon , and l can only repeat it again , that it has been a very great pleasnre to We to come here to-daynot onlfor the of installing an old j fTUl 1

, y purpose » » w - — * -m—j | . u w — vu- •v > vuv - UUUV W . lUUWUIIlUg UU VU •Tiend , but also for the purpose of visiting Essex . I very much r fSret that the weather has been so unpropitions that I have not been awe to see the beauties of the city , bnt although that has been impos-... - — w j ( ¦— — — » . » w-. 'vu £ ju Vuuw uuu WW * - ' * - * 4 « i |/

VWf'Me I observed the whole way through the town , on all sides , the Kind welcome which has been extended to me . Brethren , the pleasing ° nty devolves on me now of proposing a toast , which , with all due « e * erence to your Master , I must really call the toast of this day . Jjord Brooke has , unfortunately , taken out of my month the very

Installation Of Lord Brooke, M.P. As Prov. G. Master Of Essex.

words I had intended to say . I was going to allude to the long Masonio connexion I have had with your Prov . Grand Master . He has told yon all about that , and I can only speak of him now and propose his health as that of a very old and very intimate friend . I had two years ago the pleasnre of installing biui , if I may use that term , by

acting as his " best man at his marriage . And now to-day I have had the pleasure of installing him as head of this distinguished Province . I do not know what will be the next step . No one can wish him joy to-day more sincerely than I do , and at the same time I must

congratulate this Province on having such a Master at its head . Brethren , I give yon the toast of " Tho health of yonr Worshipful Provincial Grand Master , the Lord Brooke , " tho toast being received with enthusiastic cheering , followed by " three times three , " led by His Royal Highness .

In acknowledging the honour done him , Lord Brooke expressed his thanks , and also referred in the warmest terms to his predecessor , of whom he said—I know that the late Lord Tenterden was most zealous , not only in his dnties as a Freemason , bnt also in any work to which he pot his

hands , and it would be , I think , very unseemly of me , if on this occasion I did not pay a tribute to his memory—a tribute whioh I am snre will be appreciated by all those whom I address . You will therefore understand my feelings of diffidence in succeeding Lord

Tenterden , for I am well aware that a very large and important Province of this sort requires a great deal of attention , and I hope , when it comes to real work and business , you will not find me wanting whom you have placed in this important position . I feel that I shall receive yonr indulgence and forbearance to the very greatest extent .

His lordship concluded by proposing the health of his Deputy , Bro . Philbrick , who , on rising t » return thanks , met with a cordial reception , the other Officers of the Province being included in the toast . At this stage of the proceedings , his Eoyal Highness and Lord Brooke being under

the necessity of leaving to fulfil other engagements , the chair was taken by Bro . Philbrick , who proposed the toast of the " Visitors , " coupling with it the name of Major-General Laurie , Grand Master of Nova Scotia , who responded as follows : —

As I have been called upon in my capacity of Grand Master of the Colony of Nova Scotia , to address you in reply to this toast , I would say a word or two in connection with Nova Scotia , whioh is , perhaps , little known , and because little known I think rather misunderstood . I may say my first acquaintance with Nova Scotia dates from

the time I was a little boy in the nursery . I was then , whenever I was troublesome , told to go to Nova Scotia . I had no idea that after serving in three other parts of the world , I should finally be sent to that Colony , and find it was not in any sense a penal settlement , I found many associations connected with home . I found one of the most

prominent and enterprising counties in Nova Scotia was named after the Shire town of Colchester . It contained tho finest iron mines , it contained great farming land ; ib was a county that always took the first step forward in all agricultural exhibitions , and I hold therefore that there must be some connection much more than sentimental or

merely in the name between the County and this well-known shire town and agricultural community . Perhaps I may refer to the fact that there was a personal association in connection with your chief guest of to-day . When , eight years ago , I was called npon to lay the fonndation . stone of a new Freemasons' Hall to accommodate the' in .

creasing numbers of our Fraternity at that Colony , the builders took np a foundation-stone , which , on examiuation , proved to have been laid fifty years before by His Royal Highness the Dnke of Kent , the grandfather of the Dnke of Albany , who has been your gnest to-day . Ton see , after all , we were associated together in more ways than at

first would come to our minds , and it was gratifying to me when I succeeded to the place that the Dnke of Kent bad so ably occupied , and became President of an independent Lodge which looked back to old English associations . I can assure you that nothing gratifies the members of the Fraternity , who number something like one

hundred Lodges , over whom I have the honour to preside , more than to know that they are kept fresh and green in the memory of the brethren on this side of the Atlantic , from whom , perhaps , they are to a certain extent separated , but only in name . I trust that all the

Lodges belonging to the Grand Lodge of England will always feel the same pleasant , friendly , and fraternal sentiments towards our Colonial Lodge as they at present do . On behalf of the Visitors I would desire to offer you my hearty thanks for the kind reception yon have given to them and to me .

The toast of the Local Committee was entrusted to Bro . the Rev . C . J . Martyn , Dep . Prov . Grand Master of Suffolk , and acknowledged by its Chairman , Bro . Sowman , W . M . No . 51 , shortly after which the meeting rose , and the brethren dispersed for home .

It is needless to say that everything passed off most satisfactorily . The meeting was a very large and enthusiastic one , among those present or invited being Bros General Laurie , Colonel Malet de Carteret , Montague Guest , Lieut .-General the Hon . Somerset J . G . Calthorpe ,

Sir Charles Du Cane , Revs . Dr . Cox , R . J . Simpson , C . J . Martyn , A Hall ; Bros . Colonel Shadwell Clerke , Dr . Wendt , Major John Penrice , John A . Rucker , Thomas Fenn , Captain N . G . Philips , Peter de Lande Long , Reginal Bird , Colonel C . H . Gregory , 0 . A . Murton