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NOTICE . —BACK NUMBERS . Brethren who desire to complete thoir sets of the FREEMASON ' CHRONICLE , should make early application for Back Numbers . At present all are in print , but of somo we havo only a few copies left . Cases for binding the several volumes can be had at the Office , G 7 Barbican .

Our Weekly Budget

OUR WEEKLY BUDGET

THE debates in both Houses of Parliament on the first night of the Session excited a strong feeling of interest , tho public being naturally anxious to learn what indications Ministers would give of the policy they had pursued , and would pursue , in reference to the Eastern

Question . There was a further degree of interest attending the meeting of the House of Lords , as tho Earl of Beaconsfield would certainl y take the oath and his seat . Accordiugiy ) when tho new Earl was ushered , with some form , into the august assembly , the cheering which greeted him

from both sides of tho House was both spontaneous and hearty . This episode over , the debate on the Address was opened by Viscount Grey de Wilton , followed by the Earl of Haddington . Among the other Peers who took part in it were Earl Granville and the Earl of Derby , tho Duke of

Argyll , who introduced a little warmth into the discussion , and tho Earl of Beaconsfield , who spoke very briefly , but in admirable taste . The proceedings since then call for no remark . In the House of Commons , the debate was opened b y Lord Galway , who moved , and Mr . Torr , who

seconded , the Address ; the other principal speakers being the Chancellor of the Exchequer , Mr . Gladstone , Lord Hartington , and Mr . Hardy . On Friday the usual array of questions was submitted . On Monday , in the course of the sitting , Mr . Sclater-Booth obtained leave to introduce a

Property Valuation Bill , the Attorney-General a Patents of Inventions Bill , the Lord Advocate a Roads and Bridges ( Scotland ) Bill , and the Solicitor-General for Ireland a Supreme Court of Judicature Bill , and County Officers and Courts Bill for Ireland . These were subsequentl y read a

first time . On Tuesday , Mr . Fawcctt moved a resolution on Indian Finance , but the Government opposed him , and he was defeated b y 173 to 123 . On Wednesday afternoon , the question whether an Irish Church Acts Amendment Bill should be read a second time or not , was decided in

the negative , by 150 votes to 110 . Somo opposition was then raised to the introduction of a Bill , having for its object the regulation of the Sale of Intoxicating Liquors on Sunday . It was introduced , however , and read a first time . The Queen left Buckingham Palace on her return to

Osborne on Iriday morning , accompanied by the Princess Beatrice . The Prince and Princess Christian have also left London for Cumberland Lodge , Windsor . The Prince and Princess of Wales are still at Marlborough . As regards Prince Leopold , wc announced , last week , that his Roval

Highness would be prevented , by considerations of health , from presiding at tho Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution Festival on Monday . As to other members of the

Royal Family , we may stato that tho Duke of Counanght has recovered from the slight accident he met with when starting- to hunt with the Duhallow Hounds , that tho Duchess of Edinburgh has left- Athens , to return to Malta .

Our Weekly Budget

whither her husband has also sailed , in H . M . S . Sultan , to join her . Tho medical profession has lost ono of its brightest ornaments . Sir William Fergusson died at his residence in Georgo Street , Hanover Square , ou Saturday morning , at

the comparatively early age of 68 . Sir William was born at Preston Pans in 1808 , and having studied at the High School and University of Edinburgh , resolved on the study and practice of surgery , for which purpose he became a pupil of Dr . Thomas , the famous teacher of anatomy . It is

almost needless to say that thero has been no more skilful operator in our time , and as years passed on Sir W . Fergusson obtained the highest honours in his profession . In 1840 he became professor of Surgery in King ' s College , London , and shortly afterwards a Fellow of tho Royal

Society . In 1849 ho was appointed surgeon in ordinary to the ' late Princo Consort , and surgeon extraordinary to tho Queen in 1855 ; was raised to a baronetcy in 1866 , and became sergeant surgeon to Her Majesty the year following . He was a Fellow of the College of Surgeons , and its

President in the year 1870-1 . Death resulted from exhaustion supervening on dropsy and Brig ht ' s disease . On Wednesday his remains were removed from London to Spittlehaugh , near West Lindon , Peeblesshire , and were there interred in the family vault yesterday .

The annual meeting of the Barristers' Benevolent Association was held on Tuesday , in Middle Temple Hall , under the presidency of Sir John Karslake , in support of whom there were present Lord Coleridge , Lord Justice Amphlett ,

Mr . Baron Pollock , Mr . Justice Manisty , the Solicitor - General , and other distinguished members of the profession . From the report it appears that the invested funds now accumulated from donations amount to £ 3 , 232 , that

ninety-four members joined the Association during the past year , and that the annual subscriptions now amount to £ 852 , being £ 160 in excess of last year ' s total . In the same period grants have been made to the extent of £ 586 ,

and £ 151 since the beginning of this year . The chairman , on moving tho adoption of the report , made strong appeals to all present to assist in the work of the society . Baron Pollock seconded the motion , which was agreed to nem con . A vote of thanks to Sir John Karslake for presiding

brought the proceedings to a close . A shocking case of cruelty is reported from the Slough Petty Sessions . A farmer and his wife were brought up for dreadfully ill-treating a nurse girl in their employment , one Caroline Carter , aged seventeen years . Evidence was

given that the pair haa Habitually beaten the girl , and that when she escaped from the house she was in a dreadfully exhausted condition , that one of her arms was broken , and her body covered with bruises . The prisoners were remanded , bail being refused . A large number of people

were present to hear the case , and hissed and groaned at Mr . and Mrs . Morris both on their arrival and in court . There are at the present moment no less than sixteen fishing smacks missing from Yarmouth , and seven from Lowestoft , and this is said to be the greatest casualty that

has befallen the district since the gale in December 1867 , when 319 lives were lost , and 326 vessels lost or damaged on the coast of England . The number of men on board the now missing smacks is about one hundred and fifty ; but as the safet y of four of them has been established , one of which had been driven no less than two hundred miles

from the fishery , hopes are entertained that a large majority of the remainder may yet be found . Wo cordially echo these wishes . Matters do not look quite so promising in the East as they did a short time since . It is said that Russia hag

determined on her course of action , that six more corps d ' avnu ' e will be mobilised forthwith , and that war will certainly break out at an early date . Meanwhile , the negociations for pence between Turkey on the one part , and Servia and Montenegro on the other , are reported to bo

progressing , though not , perhaps , as rapidly and satisfactorily as could be wished . Turkey , however , seems in earnest , and is extremely modest in the terms she proposes for acceptance . From other capitals of Europe rumours reach this couutry nearly every day , which are , to sny tho

least , conflicting . Austria and Russia are going hand in hand , and Germany , it is said , will soon adopt their policy . On the other side , all this is as strenuously denied . The

one thing certain is , that the political horizon in the East is very far from being clear . What will be the outcome of it all , no one can foresee . We can only hope that peace will be preserved .