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most impressive , and at no time more so than when tho Prince of Wales gracefully , and with evident affection , placed his son in the seat he himself had been occunvine :.

After the installation his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales , together with the Duke of Clarence and Avondale and his Royal Highness the Duke of Connaught , with the various Officers of Grand Lodge and Provincial Grand Lodge , proceeded to Messrs .

Sutton ' s ( the Royal seedsmen ) , where they were received by Mr . Martin Hope Sutton , who introduced to his Royal Highness the other member of the firm , and then conducted the Prince of Wales and the distinguished company to the banqueting hall , which

was beautifully decorated . The banquet took place in a large room on the extensive premises of Messrs . Sutton , and it is noteworthy that nowhere else in the

town of Reading could sufficient accommodation be found for the large company which were expected to , and did , assemble on this memorable occasion .

Earl of Lathom , the Duke of Fife , Lord Suffield , the Earl of Euston , Mr . W . W . B . Beach , M . P ., Sir Francis Knollys , Colonel Stanley Clarke , Sir H . A . Isaacs , Colonel Foster Gough , LL . D ., the Senior Grand Warden , Junior Grand Warden : Colonel Shadwell H . Clerke ; tlio Grand Chaplain ,

At the banquet his Royal Hig hness the Duke of Clarence and Avondale presided as Master of the Province , on his right being his Roval Hig hness the Prince of Wales and on his left his Royal Highness the Duke of Connaught . Their Royal Highnesses were supported by Lord Carrington , the

Grand Treasurer , Lieut .-Gen . Laurie , Colonel S . Dnnlop , Thomas W . Tew , Hugh D . Sandeman , President of the Board of General Purposes , Grand Secretary for ! German Correspondence , President of the Board of j

Benevolence , the Assistant Secretary , tlie Grand Pur- ! suivant , Assistant Grand Pursuivant , Rev . J . S . Brownrigg , I Rev . C . J . Newlyn , Rev . R . W . Pope , Rev . R . J . Simpson , Richard Eve , Edward Terry , Horace T . Marshall , E . Letchworth , F . Richardson , & c .

After grace had been sung , his Royal Highness the new Provincial Grand Master gave the toast of the Queen and the Craft , which was heartily received . His Royal Highness the Duke of Connaught , on ¦ rising to propose the next toast , was loudly cheered . He said :

I have been asked to propose a toast which I am sure will meet with a very warm reception from all brethren here present . It is the health of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales . Brethren , I am sure thafc I shall only be * expressing the opinion of all of us when I assure his Royal !

Highness thafc we appreciate most highly his coming amongst us on this interesting occasion . We are well aware of the many and onerous dnties that are required of , him , therefore we all the more appreciate ifc when he comes i amongst ns as he has done to-day . It has been an occasion i

of great interest to us all , and especially to myself , as repre- i senfcing another Province and also a distant district of the Empire—I refer to Bombay . It has been an especial pleasure to me to have been present to see his Royal Highness instal my nephew the Duke of Clarence and Avondale . I am sure that our Grand Master has made a most excellent

choice in the appointment which he has just made . His first object , as you know , is to promote the interests of the Craft . We have seen the great development of Freemasonry since his Royal Highness has been at our head , and we thank him most -warmly for the admirable manner

in which be conducts everything for the good of the Craft . I hope be will allow me , on this the first public occasion I have been present at since the high honour was conferred upon me of giving me the rank of Past Grand Master of England , to say that it is an honour that I appreciate mosfc

highly , and thafc I thank him for having given me a distinction which has only been given on rare occasions in the annals of Freemasonry . Brethren , I ask you without further preface to join with me most warmly in drinking the health of his Royal Highness our Grand Master .

The Prince of Wales , m response , said : —

I must apologise if I cannot raise my voice , bufc I am suffering , as I dare say many of you are in this inclement

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weather , from a rather severe cold . At the same time allow me to respond most cordially for the very kind way in which you have all received my health , and I am very much touched by the flattering terms in which my brother haa proposed it . I have not forgotten that four years ago I

installed him at Brighton as Provincial Grand Master of Sussex . That was in the summer , and I remember we had remarkably fine , warm weather on that occasion ; now four years later , I have had the pleasure of installing my son , amidst snow and frost . Although the weather outside

has been inclement , all I can say is that my reception and his has been most warm , and we also , thanks to the kindness of Messrs . Sutton , have this spacious room for our banquet . Though we are here as Masons—and not , as is generally the case here , as seed—still I hope that the good

seed sown here to-day will take root , and as Freemasonry is increasing and flourishing throughout the kingdom , I have little doubt that in this Province of Berkshire it will equally flourish and increase . I thank you very much for your kind reception of me , and I assure you of the pleasure

it has given me to tako part in to-day ' s ceremony . You know well enough that whenever time permits I am always ready to como forward in the interests of Masonry . Before I sit down I have to give fche health of the Jnnior Provincial Grand Master . He is naturally still young , and

inexperienced in Masonry , but I feel sure he will do his utnost in carrying out the duties which havo been thrown upon him to-day . I ask you all to drink most cordially his good health , with which I wish to couple prosperity to this Province .

His Royal Highness the Duke of Clarence ancl Avondale , who was received with loud cheers , said he had to thank the company for the kind way in which they had received the toast , and his father for the very flattering remarks he had made . Ho continued : —

I assure you I consider ifc a very great honour indeed that has been conferred upon me to-day—an hononr I shall ever remember as long as I am connected with Freemasonry , which I hope will bo for many years fco come

I can assure you that I will endeavour to discharge to the best of my ability the duties imposed upon mo now in this Province , which I represent , and I feel sure that I can have no better Deputy than the brother opposite ( Mr . J . T . Morlnnd . )

His Royal Highness next proposed the Grand Officers , coupled with the name of Lord Alcester G . S . W . ; at the same time , in the name of the brethren of the Province , he welcomed back from Australia Lord Carrington , Past Grand Master oi the Grand Lodge of New South Wales . Lord Alcester in the absence of the Earl of Lathom , responded on behalf oi the Grand Officers ; and Lord Carrington , in answer to loud calls , expressed the fraternal and affectionate greeting of the United Grand Lodge of New South Wales to the Province of Berkshire , and its congratulations upon the honour conferred upon the Province by the selection of the illustrious Prince who had that day been appointed

to rule over its destinies . Those greetings , be continued , were none the less sincere—coming from 14 , 000 Masons , who constituted 180 Lodges—because they came from an independent Grand Lodge . Tbe Grand Lodge of England had wisely given

the Grand Lodge of New South Wales independent government ; but there was nofc a single Mason in New South Wales who signed the charter who would not have cut off his hand had he thought it would in any way weaken his connection witb the great old country from

which they all sprang . He spoke for every Mason and for every Australian when be said , in the presence of the illustrious Prince who would some day reign over England , that his Royal Highness would have no more loyal or dutiful subjects than those who lived in the sunny land of

Australia . The English Government had wisely given self-government to the different colonies , and worthily they deserved that trust . In like manner self-government had been given to their Masonic bodies . They were thus bound together , and he predicted that so long as tbe sun continued to rise upon the earth , so long wonld the great