Our Weekly Budget.

absorbing an interest . Frenchmen , however , certainly do not relish the action of our government . The Great Northern powers are very reticent on the subject , nor do their official organs give us any clue to the views they hold . On Wednesday , a balloon accident occurred in France , by which the

passengers , including the celebrated aeronaut M . Godard , sustained all of them injuries of a more or less serious character . The news from America refers principally to the President ' s message , which , considering the rumours afloat as to serious differences between Spain and the United States ,

on the subject of the insurrection in Cuba , was looked forward to with some interest . However , General Grant ' s utterances are of a reassuring character , and there seems to be not the slightest danger of any interruption to the amicable relations prevailing between the two countries . While ,

on the one hand , President Grant thinks it more than probable that Spain may fail in putting down the insurrection in Cuba ; ho is also of opinion that the insurgents deserve not to be acknowledged as belligerents , having thus far given no evidence of their ability to establish anything

like a government . The other important point in General Grant's message referred to the resumption of specie payments . The state of affairs remains unchanged in Spain . The Carlist and Alphonsist armies still confront each other , but in consequence of the weather , military operations

appear to be postponed indefinitely . A Carhst courtmartial has sentenced Saballs , one of his generals , to deprivation of his military and civil rank , and four years imprisonment . The annual festival in connection with the Russian Military Order of St . George has been celebrated

at St . Petersburgh . Tho Czar presided at the banquet , and proposed the health of the Emperors of Germany and Austria , who are both members of the Order . The Czar ' s speech is said to have caused some excitement in French political circles , yet the speech , as reported , contains nothing

which will explain the excitement . There is little to report as to the insurrection in the Herzegovina . An engagement was reported to have taken place some time since between

the insurgents and the Turkish troops , under Raouf Pacha , with a loss of 10 , 000 to the latter . It turns out , however , the loss is only 1 , 000 , and further news , perhaps , may still further diminish this number .

The regular monthly meeting of the Royal Masonic Institution for Ao ; ed Freemasons and the Widows of Freemasons was held on Wednesday , the 8 th instant , at Freemasons' Hall , Great Queen Street . Bro . Lieut . Col . Creaton V . P . in the chair . The Secretary , Bro . Jas . Terry ,

read the minutes of the former meeting , which were confirmed . The report of the House Committee and the Warden ' s report were read and confirmed . Six candidates were placed on the list , and one case was deferred . The

meeting was then adjourned . There were present—Bros . S . Rawson , J . E . Saunders , B . Head , J . Brett , W . Stephens , Newton , T . W . White , C . Hogard , J . Constable , Richards , R . H . Giraud , A . H . Tattershall , C . Lacey , J . A . Farnfield , J . Bellerby , W . Hilton , T . Cubitt , and F . Adlard .

A Special General Court of the Governors and Subscribers of the Girls' Institution will bo held this day at Freemasons' Hall , the business being : "To consider , and , if approved , adopt the Report of the Special Committee , appointed by the Quarterly General Court , on tho 9 th October 1875 , with reference to the subject of providing

accommodation for an increased number of Girls , the scheme to be submitted having also been recommended by the General Committee , on the 25 th November . And further , in the event of the adoption of the Eeport , to nominate a Building Committee , who shall bo charged with the superintendence of the necessary works , with full power to draw cheques and perform all such duties as may appertain to their office . "

The fifth annual concert in aid of the Post Office Orphan Home will take place this day , 11 th December , at St . James ' s Hall , under the patronage of the Right Hon . Lord John Manners , M . P ., Postmaster-General , on which occasion the following talented artistes have promised their

services : —Madame Liebhart , Miss Marion Severn , Madame Osborne Williams , Suchet , Champion , Misses L'Estrange , Mary Davis , Ponna and Pu'ham , and Bros . T . Lawler ,

Fa ? 'quharson , & c . Madame Albert , a talonted pupd of Sir Julius Benedict , will make her first appearance . The conductors are Sir Julius Benedict , Bro , Wilhelm Ganz P . G . O ., and Herr Lehmeyer .

Diary For The Week.

DIARY FOR THE WEEK .

We shall bo obliged if tho Secretaries of the various Lodges throughout the Kingdom will favour us with a list of their Days of Meeting , & c . as we have decided to insert only those that are verified by the Officers of the several Lodges .

SATURDAY , lltb . DECEMBER . 1120—Great City , City Terminus Hotel , Carmon-strcot , KG . R . A . —Sinai Chapter ot Instruction , Union Tavern , Air-street , Bogent-atreot , at 8 . 1 til—Peace , Masonic Rooms , Meltham . 308—Prince George , Station Hotel , Bottoms , near Toduumlen . 1391—Commercial , Freemason ' s Hall , Leicester . 155 t >—Addiscombc , Alma Tavern , Addiscombc . ( Emergency . )

MONDAY , 13 th DECEMBER . 5—St . George anil Corner Stone , Freemasons'Hall . 45—Strong Man , Old Jerusalem Tavern , St . John ' s Square , Clerkenwellj at 8 ( Instruction . ) 136—Good Report , City Terminus Hotel , Cannon-street , E . G . 057—Leigh , Freemasons' Hall , W . C .

10—Derwenc , Castle Hotel , HigU-strcct , Hastings . 08—Royal Clarence , Freemasons' Hall , Bristol . 75—Love and Honour , Royal Hotel , Falmouth . 88—Scientific , Red Lion , Petty Curry , Cambridge . 102—Unanimity , King ' s Anns , North Wa 1 sham . ° 105—Fortitude , Huysho Masonic Temple , Plymouth . 151—Albany , Masonic Hall , Newport , I . W . 189—Sincerity , St . Gcorsre ' . s Hall , East Stonohouso .

210—St . Hilda , Freemasons' Hall , South Shields . 20 ' 2—Salopian , Lion Hotel , Shrewsbury . 290—Royal Brunswick , Freemasons' Hall , Sheffield . 302—Hope , Masonic Hall , Bradford . 307—Prince Frederick , White Horse Hotel , Hebdon Bridge . 311—I ' eace and Unity , Militia Mess Rooms , Preston . 3 S 8—Prudence , Three Tuns , Halesworth , Suffolk . 411—Commercial , Flying Horse Hotel , Nottingham .

007—Ohicholey , Court House , Thrapstone . 650—Star in tho East , Pier Hotel , Harwich . 605—Montagu , Royal Lion , Lyme Regis . 751—KasUiov , Feathers Hotel , Ledbury . 855—Sympathy , Swan Hotel , Wootton-under-Edgo . 893—Meridian , National School Room , Millbrook , Cornwall .

941—Do Tabloy , Royal George Hotel , Knutsford . 919—Williamson , Royal Hotel , Monkwearinouth . 1073—Greta , Court-buildings , Keswick . 1373- St . Hubert , Freemasons' Hall , Bridge-street , Andover . 1396—Morning Star , Queen ' s Hotel , Newton Abbot . R . A . 404—Watford , Freemasons' Hall , Watford . K . T . Stuart , Freemasons' Hall , Watford .

TUESDAY , 14 th DECEMBER . R . A . 145—Prudent Brethren , Freemasons' Hall , Great Queen-street , W . C . R . A . — Metropolitan Chapter of Improvement , Jamaica Coffee House , St . Michnol ' s-alley , CornhiU , at 0 . 30 . 93—Social , Freemasons' Hall , Norwich . ] 31—Fortitude , Masonic Rooms , Truro . 24 —Merchants , Masonic Temple , Liverpool . 234—Shakspcare , Masonic Rooms , Warwick . 319—New Forest , Masonic Hall , LvmiiiL'ton .

371— -Perseverance , Freemasons' Hall , Maryport . 406—Northern Counties , Freemasons' Hall , Maple-street , Newcastle-on-Tvne . ( Instruction . ) * 414—Union , Maso l ' c Hall , Grey Friars ' -road , Reading . 443—St . James ' s , Masonic Hall , St . John ' a-placo , Halifax . 198—Peaco and Harmony , Masonic Rooms , St . Austell , Cornwall . 503—Belvidero , Star Hotel , Maidstor o . 510—St . Martin ' s , Masonic Hall , Lisl . eard . 560—Vernon , Swan Hotel , Stouvport .

026—Lansdowne of Unity , New Hall , Chippenham . 723—l ' anmure , Wellington Hotel , Aldershot . 903—Gosport , India Arms Hotel , Gosport . 1007—Howe and Charnwood , Bull ' s Head , Loughboro ' . 1067—Royal Forest of Dean , Lodge Rooms , Nownfiam ' . 122 S—Beacontreo , Red Lion , Leytonstone , tic 8 . ( Instruction ) 1384—Equity , Walker ' s Commercial Hotel , Widnos , Lancashire . 1402—Jordan , Masonic Hall , Torquay . 1465—Ockenham , Talbot Hotel , Cuckfield , Sussex . R . A . 591—Buckingham , George Hotel , Aylesbury .

WEDNESDAY , 15 th DECEMBER . 193—Confidence , Masons' Hall , MasoJis ' -avemte , B . C ., at 7 . 30 . ( Instruction ) 1524-Duko of Conuaught , Havolock Tavern , Albion-road , Dalston , at 8 . 0 . ( Instruction . ) 20—Royal Kent of Antiquity , Sun Hotel , Chatham . 125—Prince Edwin , White Hart , Hythe , Kent . 137—Amity , Masonic Hall , Thames-street , Poole . 140—St . George ' s , Trafalgar Hotel , Greenwich .

22 —St . John ' s , Commercial Hotel , Town Hall Square , Bolton . 213—Loyalty , Masonic Hall , Court-place , Guernsey . 216—Royal Union , Freemasons' Hall , Cheltenham . 2 ( U—Unanimity and Sincerity , Clarke ' s Hotel , Tauntou . 285—Love and Honour , George Hotel , Shopton Mallet 290— ' . hi' dersfield , Masonio Hall , Huddersnold . 299— hi ulatiou , Bull Hotel , Hartford . ( Instruction . ) 301—Apollo , Swan Hotel , Alcoster . 311—South Saxon , Froemasons' Hall , Lowes .

321—Moira , Wellington Inn , Stalybridge . 537—Zetland , 55 Argylo-street , Birkenhead , 581—Faith , Drovers' Inn , Openshaw . 006—Scgontium , Masonic Hall , Carnarvon Castle . 610—Colston , Freemasons' Hall , Bristol . 625—Devonshire , Norfolk Arms , Glossop . 679—St . David's , Black Lion Hotel . Abm-rlm-x

681—Scarsdalo , -Masonic Hall , Market-phico , Chesterfield 962—Sun and Sector , Assembly Rooms , Workington 1019—Sincerity , Freemasons' Hall , Wakotield . ° lOiO-Walto i , St . Lawrence Boys' School , Cro ' vlands-streot , Kirkdalo . 1206--Cn ic Ports , Bell Hotel , Strand-street , Sandwich . 1212—Elms , Masonic Hall , Homo Park , Stoke , Devounort 129 t-St . Alban ' s , Royal Hotel , Great Grimsby . 1337—Anchor , Masonic Rooms , Urn-hum House , Northallerton 1315—Victoria , Cross Keys Hotel , Eccles . M . M . 175—St . Michael , Masonic Rooms , Helston , Cornwall .

THURSDAY , 16 th . DECEMBER . 27—Egyptian , Hercules Tavern , Loadonhall-stroat , E . G . ( Instruction 1 49—Gihon , Guildhall Tavern , Gresham-streot , E . G . £ ? , ~ 5 llia « ' ? 2 } Tllvovn . Air-street , Regent-street , W . at 8 . ( Instruction . ) 813—New Concord , Rosemary Branch Tavern , Hoxton . 1260—Hcrvey , 152 Fulham-vuad , a ' , -i . ( Instru-Jtion )