Devonshire.

voted by the Committee of Petitions , a balance of upwards of £ 220 remained in hand . This report was also adopted . The report of the Fortescue Annuity Fund was read by the Secretary Bro . F . Pollard , showing five candidates

on the fund . A vacancy has just been declared , which will be filled on llth September , and for which there are five candidates . The revised rules of the Fortescue Fund , as adopted at the annual general meeting of governors on 3 rd July last , were approved and confirmed , after slight discussion .

Bro . J . B . Gover P . P . G . Secy ., presented the report of the Committee of Petitions . After recommending the payment of various sums to Brethren and Widows , the report suggested the division of eighty guineas

equally amongst the Men ' s and Widow ' s Funds of the E . M . B . I . and B . M . I , for Boys and B . M . I , for Girls . The report was unanimously agreed to . On the proposition of Bro . E . T . Fnliord P . P . G . T ., seconded by Bro . John Brewer P . P . G . J . W ., Bro . Allsford , of Plymouth , was elected Prov . G . Tieas ., Bro . J . B . Loid P . P . G . T . and J . W . Cornish P . P . G . T ., weie

appointed Auditors . Bro . the Eev . W . Whittley P . G . D . ( Eng . ) , was nominated for election on the Board of Management for

tbe B . M . I , for Boys . The D . P . G . M ., in a few well-chosen sentences , presented a Centenary Warrant to Lodge Benevolent , No . 303 , under whose banner tbe Piov . G . Lodge met tbat aitemcon , the Benevolent Ledge having completed

its continuous 100 years working on 1 st May last . Bro . Burden , the W . M ., in receiving the Warrant , expressed his thanks to the presiding officer and to the large number of Brethren who had assembled on that occasion . Incidentally Bro . Buiden alluded to tbe fact tbat bis grandfather was one of the founders and among

the first Masters of the Benevolent Lodge , and also that his father had likewise preceded him in the chair . The following Prov . G . Officers were then appointed : Bros . Lieut .-Col . Vernon - - Senior Warden G . N . Burden - Junior Warden Rev . Dr . Lemon - - ) n , , . Rev . W . French - -I Chaplains

W . Allsford ... Treasurer Major G . C . Davie - - Secretary A . H . Dymond - - - Registrar W . R . Lisle - - - | „ . -p . W . T . Orchard- - - | Senior Deacons

W . E . Chapell - - - ) T ¦ -n J . Grant - - -j Junior Deacons G . S . Bridgman - - Superintendent of Wks . J . R . Lord - - - Director of Ceremonies W . R . Velvin - - - Assist . Dir . of Cers .

C . A . Nicholson - - ) -p . , ^ . , ~ W . Pengelley - - -j Deputy Dir . of Cers J . Hoyten . - - - Sword Bearer W . C . Martta - - -1 Standard Bearers

W . Hector - - - Organist W . Harper - - - Assistant Secretary E . M . Ellis - - - Pursuivant A . C . Titherley - - - Assistant Pursuivant H . Shooter - - - Tyler T . W . Atherton - A

J . J . C . Evans - H . W . Pengelly c . , H . R . Grover - - -h Stewards . W . Edwards - G . Hooper - ; A banquet followed at Bro . Bryde ' s London Hotel , when a large number of Brethren sat down together

under the presidency of the Prov . Grand M . Viscount

Ebrington , who had been detained by a County Council engagement from attending the Prov . G . Lodge earlier in the afternoon . The usual Loyal and Masonic toasts were honoured .

Cornwall.

CORNWALL .

THE Annual Meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of Cornwall was held on Tuesday afternoon , 31 st ult ., in the Masonic Hall , Falmouth , Sir Charles B . Graves Sawle , Bart ., the Provincial Grand Mark Master , presiding . He was

supported by the Deputy Provincial Grand Master ( Bro T . Chirgwin , J . P ., Mayor of Truro ) . The usual business of the Provincial Grand Lod <* e was transacted , and at tho conclusion a cold collation

Cornwall.

well served at the Boyal Hotel by Miss George , the manageress , was partaken of , the customary toasts being submitted .

The Freemason's Life-Boat.

THE FREEMASON'S LIFE-BOAT .

THE current number of " The life-boat Journal is of especial interest to members of our Order , as containing details of services rendered by the Life-boat

presented by the Craft in 1877 , and stationed at Clactonon-Sea , which although now a matter of somewhat ancient history will yet be of interest , as evidence of the good Freemasonry is able to accomplish outside the limits of

its Lodges . The details of the service rendered are thus given in the " Journal : " " On the morning of the 4 th January , while a whole gale was blowing , with a very heavy sea , the coxswain of the Life-boat saw a vessel stranded on the Buxey Sand . The crew of the Life-boat Albert Edward were summoned , and the boat put off to the assistance of the vessel , the masts of which had already fallen over her

side . The boat steered for the wreck , and , on nearingher , the crew could be seen clinging to the deck house and other portions of the vessel , the heavy seas breaking over them . The boat kept to windward , let go her anchor , and slacked away until she came to the end of her cable , but could not get near the vessel . It was then decided to lift the anchor and drop down again , but it was

discovered the anchor had fouled something in the sand and could not be raised . The cable was therefore cut and sail was made , but on getting to the lee side of the ship her masts and gear , which weie lying alongside , rendered it impossible to get near her in the heavy sea . Signs were made to the ship ' s crew to attach to a rope scmelhing which would flcat , and slack away until it reached tne

Life-boat , but this attempt to obtain communication was frustrated , for the object veered by the men fouled some of the wreckage . The boat then sailed to windwaid , and again making for the vessel threw the giapnel into the rigging . Three of the crew then crawled out on the mast , and a rope was thrown to them to make fast ; unfortunately the first man instead of doing so clung to the boat and

was diagged into her . The grapnel becoming unhooked , the boat was again drhen away , and the other two men crawled back to the s-hip . Once more the Life-boat men strove lo get to the vessel , and having thrown the grapnel on board , were enabled to haul the boat between the spars to the wreck , thereby enabling five men to jump into her . The master being too much exhausted to do so , a rope

was thrown to him and he fastened it round his body ; but , as the coxswain was about to lift him into the boat , a heavy sea came , and there being so much ice in the boat he missed his foothold and was thrown oveiboard between tho wreck and tho boat . Fortunately he had hold of one end of the rope attached to the captain , and was hauled into the boat ; he , however , received a severe blow and cut over one of his eyes . The captain was dragged

through the surf by means of the rope and was also taken into ihe boat . The whole of the wrecked crew—seven men in all—having thus been rescued , sail was made , and at 230 p . m . the Life-boat arrived at Clacton pier after a fearful journey , the boat and those on board her being covered with ice . The wrecked vessel was the brigantine St . Alexei , of Copenhagen , bound from Valberg for Stanraer with a cargo of wood .

In recognition of the gallant conduct of the Life-boat crew an extra reward was granted to them by the Institution . His Majesty the King of Denmark graciously awarded ft silver medal to Mr . W . Schofield , Coxswain of the Life-boat , and the sum of £ 10 to the crew of the boat in acknowledgment of their brave services on this occasion . These rewards were publicly presented to thc Life-boat men by tho Countess of Warwick , who at the same

time presented medals granted by the Institution to the Coxswain in recognition of his general gallant services , and to Maurice Nicholls , Robert Osborne and John Grier , who had been members of thc Life-boat crew for many years and had been out in the boat on very many occasions of service . Other medals presented by public subscription were also handed to thc Life-boat crew , together with a pecuniary reward generously given by the Mayoress of Colchester . "

The " Journal" gives a mass of other matter of general interest on the all important work of saving life at sea , including the annual Wreck Chart for 1892-93 , compiled from the Board of Trade Eegister , and concludes its article on the Beturns of the year with the following

observations : " Sad as the loss of lifo which takes placo year after year from shipwreck on our shores undoubtedly is , it is a matter for great thankfulness that notwithstanding in a little more than a generation as many as 26 , 628 lives have so perished , no less than 27 , 961 lives were saved in the same period by means of tha boats of the Royal National Life-boat Institution and the other means employed and rewarded by the Institution .

The clear duty still remains for all , old and young , rich and poor , to do what in them lies to minimise " sorrow on the sea , " ancl to aid , even if the contribution be a very small one , in maintaining efficiently the Life-boat Institution , which points to its grand life saving record in the past as an incontestable proof of the very great benefits it has conferred and is still conferring , not only on this country , but on the other countries of the world , deserving in return gratitude and loyal support .

Contributions to the Life-boat Fund will be thankfully received by all bankers in the United Kingdom , and by the Secretary , Charles Dibdin , Esq ., at the Institution , Adelphi , London . "