Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Correspondents . All Letters must bear the name and address of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications .

Re GRAND TREASURERSHIP 1891

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Will you kindly permit me , through tho medium of yonr valuable paper , to explain to those brethren—London and Provincial—who had kindly offered me their support for the above , why I was not nominated at the meeting of Grand Lodge on Wednesday last . First let me say that , at the request of many Brethren , 1 agreed to

be proposed , as it was felt that it was the turn for a Provincial Brother to come forward , seeing that the last three Grand Treasurers were from Metropolitan Lodges , and if Bro . Everett wero elected he would make the fourth in succession . Bro . Everett was a candidate in 1889 , when Bro . Edward Terry was elected , and in 1890 he stood aside for tbe present Grand Treasurer , Bro . Augustus Harris , but was again to be proposed for the coming

year . After consulting with my friends , and in order to avoid a contest , I deoided not to be nominated this year , and so allow Bro . Everett to be elected unopposed , being well aware of his standing in the Craft , and how much he had done , for many years past , for all the Masonic Charities .

A strong opinion was expressed by my friends that I ought to be proposed , in order to place myself in evidence before the Craft , even if I afterwards withdrew in favour of Bro . Everett , but I felt wero I to do this it might look like an arrangement ; I therefore adopted the course whioh I thought was best . I am only writing this letter so that the brethren may know why

I was not nominated , especially as I have had the question pnt to me many times since Wednesday night last . I have consented to be nominated next year , and I venture to hope that some courtesy will be extended to me by Bro . Everett and his supporters , and that I may count npon the generous and fraternal assistance of the Brethren generally . Youra fraternally ,

J . S . CUMBERLAND , P . M . 1611 and 2128 , P . P . G . W . N . and E . Yorks P . Z . 1611 , P . P . G . 3 . N . and E . Yorks . 3 Cedars Road , Beokenh & m , Kent , 8 th December 1890 .

The Hub And Stanley Mss.

THE HUB AND STANLEY MSS .

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —On a matter of opinion Bro . Norton and I can afford to differ , bnt I cannot allow him to ascribe to me opinions whioh I never held or expressed . His last letter to yon is a tissue of misstatements aB far as I am concerned , and of errors as regards the Stanley MS . I have never said that either MS . was

copied from the , other . In my first communication to you I stated that the " Hub is an aconrate duplicate of the Stanley MS ., " which is not the same thing at all . I have nowhere stated that the Hub " looks much older than" the other MS . Its ink is more faded , but this may arise from originally inferior quality . I may have said something of the sort to Bro . Norton in a private letter , which he

has twisted into the above inaccurate opinion , but as I have preserved no copy , I am unable to say anything certain on this head . My private notes show that the two MSS . are not by the same hand , but that tbey were probably written at the same period because the style is so similar . I never said that the Stanley MS . looks " clean aDd new . " Such a statement would be very far from correct , the

roll is even in places worn into holes from constant usage . It will tbns be seen that every line of Bro . Norton referring to my alleged opinious contains a serious perversion of them . In matters of faot he is equally at sea . He should be more carefnl and make sure of facts before committing himBelf to print , but the Stanley MS . haB not " appended to it the said Prentice Charge . "

The appendix is in this case a doggrel rhyme , a so-called prophesy of Roger Bacon , in an obviously later hand , which from internal evidence may be set down as circa 1714 . This appendix is not found in any other MS ., it is a unique feature , and a very valuable one , of tbe Stanley roll . Yours fraternally , G . W . SFETn .

A year or so ago I was on the side of Bro . George Everett in his candidature for the office of Grand Treasurer of the Freemasons . Bro . George Everett was not then successful , but it is no disgrace and hardly a disappointment to run a good second to so distinguished » D actor and popular a Freemason as Bro . Edward Terry . I have

now tbe pleasure of stating that , such formidable opposition ns Bro . Terry's having been removed through effluxion of time , Brother George Everett is now Grand Treasurer nominate among Free and Accepted Masons . Long may he wave , and may the funds increase and multiply under his guardianship !—Referee .

Railway Facilities At Christmas.

RAILWAY FACILITIES AT CHRISTMAS .

THE GREAT WESTEIIN RAILWAY COMPANY have made arrangements for the issne of tickets of all classes at no less than 12 of their City and West End offices in tho metropolis , viz .: —193 and 407 Oxford Street , 23 New Oxford Street ; Holborn Circus ; 29 Charing Cross ; 5 Arthur Street East , London Bridge ; 82 Queen Victoria Street ; 269 Strand ; 43 & 44 Crutched Friars ; 26 Regent Street ; 67 Gresham Street ; aud 4 Cheapside ; at either of which places

tickets can be obtained on and after Thursday , December 18 th . This arrangement oannot fail to be a boon to those travellers who detiro to avoid the trouble of obtaining a ticket at a crowded Railway Station . The Booking Office at the Paddington Station will also be open for the issue of tickets each day dnring the week preceding Christmas

day . Ordinary tiokets obtained in London between December 18 tb and 24 th will be available for use on any day between and including those days . Cheap Third class tiokets at reduced fares will be issued from London to the Yeovil and Weymouth distriots and to stations in the West of England ; similar tickets will also be issued from those distriots to London .

In order to meet the extraordinary demands upon the Company ' s resources occasioned by the enormons parcels traffic despatched both from and to London at Christmas time , Bpecial fast trains carrying parcels only , and calling at the principal intermediate BtationB will ran between London and Plymouth , Birkenhead , Worcester and New Milford .

On Wednesday , December 24 th , the 1 . 0 & 5 . 0 p . m . traina from Paddington to Plymouth will be extended to Falmouth and Penzance ; and the 6 . 20 p . m . train from Paddington to Bristol will run to Exeter , a Special train will leave Paddington at 10 . 0 p . m . for New Milford , and will call at the same stations as the 9 . 15 p . m . ordinary train , and a special Express to the West of England will depart at

11 . 50 p . m . ( Midnight ) . On Christmas Day the usual Sunday service of trains will be run , bnt for the convenience of persons who are unable to leave town before the morning of Christmas Day , the 5 . 30 a . m . train will run as on week days to Oxford , Bristol , Weston-Snper-Mare , Worcester ,

Banbury , Leamington , Birmingham , Dudley and Wolverhamptoo , in which towns the London morning papers will consequently ie distributed at the usual hoar . On the afternoon of Sunday , December 28 th , special trains will ran to London from Plymouth , Swansea , and Wolverhampton , calling at the principal intermediate Stations .

THE LONDON AND NORTH WESTERN COMPANY announce that the ticket offices at Euston , Broad Street , Kensington , and Willesden Junction will be open throughout the day from Monday , December 15 th , to Wednesday , December 24 th ( Sunday excepted ) , so that passengers wishing to obtain tiokets for any destination on the London and North Western Railway can do so at any time of the day

prior to the starting of the tra ' as . The tiokets will be dated to suit tho convenience of passengers . Tiokets for all the prinoipal stations on the London and North Western system and its connections can be obtained at any time—Sundays and Bank Holidays excepted—at the following Town Receiving offices of the Company : —15 Queen Street , E . C . ; Spread Eagle , 3 Whittington Avenue , Leadenhall Market , E . C . ;

Swan-with-lwo-Necks , 65 Gresham Street , B . C . ; 13 Eastcheap ; Cross Keys , 1 Wood Street , Cheapside , E . C . ; 22 Aldersgate Street , E . C . ; 65 Aldgate , E . ; 30 West Smithfield , E . C . ; 8 and 9 Clerkenwell GreeD , E . C . , * Bolt . in Tun , 64 Fleet Street , E . C . ; 116 Holborn , E . C ; George and Blue Boar , 285 High Holborn , W . C ; 43 New Oxford Street , W . C . ; Universal Office , Spread Eagle , Piccadilly Cirons , W . ;

34 Parliament Street , Westminster ; Golden Cross , Charing Cross , W . C . ; Hotel Windsor , Victoria Street , S . W . ; 231 Edgware Road , W . ; Atlas Office , 167 Tottenham Court Road , W . C . ; 70 St . Martin's Lane , W . C . ; 3 James Street , Covent Garden , W . C ; Lion , 108 New Bond Street , W . ; 496 Oxford Street , W . ; Griffin ' s Green Mau and Still , 241 Oxford Street , W . ; 33 Hereford Road , Bayswater , W . ;

Knigbtsbndge , 34 Albert Gate , S . W . ; Kensington , 33 High Street , W . ; 117 High Stroet , Borongb , S . E . ; 233 aDd 23-1 Blackfriars Road , S . E . ; Surrey Railway Office , 138 Newingtou Causeway , S . E . ; 194 Westmiuster Bridge Bond , S . E . ; Idlington , " Angel , " 5 Pentonville Rond , N . ; London Brighton , and South Coast Company's Office , 8 Grand Hotel Buildings , Charing Cross ; and at Gaze and Sons' Offices ,

142 Strand , W . C . The ordinary service of express and mail traius will be supplemented by additional express traina as named below : — ON CHRISTMAS EVE , WEDNESDAY , DECEMBER 24 TH , a special train will leave Euston at 2 . 35 p . m . for Bletchley , Wolverton , Nortbnruptoo , Ragby , principal stations on the Trent Valley Line , and Stafford , in advance of tho 2 . 45 p . m . ordinary train from London ( Enston ) .

The 4 . 30 p . m ., Enston to Birmingham , will be divided—the first portion , whioh will run express to Coventry and Birmingham , will lsave Easton at 4 . 25 p . m . ; the second portion of the train will leave Euston at 4 . 30 p . m . as nsaal , aud convey passengers for Northampton , Rn- > by , Coventry , Birmingham , Walsall , Dudley , aud Wolverhampton . The 7 . 0 p . m ., Euston to Birmingham , will be divided , the first por : ion ,

which will run express to Coventry and Birmingham , will have Enston at 6 . 55 p . m . ; tbe second portion of the train will leave Easton at 7 . 0 p . m ., and convey passengers for Bletchley , Northampton , Rugby , Coventry , Birmingham , Dudley , WolverhamptoD , and Walsall . THE NIGHT IRISH MAIL , DUE TO LEAVE EUSTON S . 20 P . M . WILL NOT

LEAVE UNTIL 9 . 0 P . M . Passengers from Birmingham , Liverpool , » nd Manchester , for Holyhead and Ireland , will leave at the usual hours , and will be taken forward to Holyhead iu advance of the London train . The mail packet for Kingston will not leave Holyhead until the passengers from London are on board . The 12 . 0 night train from London ( Easton ) , due at Warrington at 5 . 15 a . m . on Christmas Day , will be extended from VVarriugton to Carlisle , Edinburgh , au < 4