Our Weekly Budget.

her available forces are numerically inferior to thoso of her powerful antagonist—at all events , as the case stands now , and according to the latest advices . She has , however , a large and warlike population to draw upon , while in the matter of the sinews of war , we do not think there is much

to choose between the two powers . The peace negotiations with Servia are reported to be going on most favourably ; if terms are arranged , the Turks will have a pretty considerable force set free for other purposes . Turkey and

Montenegro , however , do not , it is said , get on quite so well together . So long , however , as there is no collision between the powers , we may go on hoping for the best , though that best offers , admittedly , no very brilliant prospect .

France has lost one of her most gallant soldiers m tho person of General Changarnier , who died recently , at the advanced age of eighty-four . Changarnier had earned for himself the reputation of being a very dashing officer , and had distinguished himself in several campaigns , but

especially in Algeria , before the overthrow of the Government of the late King Louis Philippe . Ho was one of those exiled by the late Emperor Napoleon III . at the time of his coup d ' etat , but he might have returned to France had he so chosen , as soon as the Emperor ' s position on the throne

vras considered safe . This , however , he did not do . When the war of 1870 broke out , he placed his sword at the Emperor ' s disposal , and was one of tho chiefs who became prisoners of war by the capitulation of Bazaine on October 1870 . The gallant officer was buried with such military pomp as became his rank and services .

The latest advices from the United States , point to the election next month of the Republican candidate Hayes to be President , though the accounts express a strong belief that his opponent , Tilden , is really the elect—with an

honest and snbstantial majority at his back . Perhaps however , we had better defer naming the successor to General Grant till he has been formally inaugurated at Washington , on the 5 th prox .

A special meeting of tho House Committee of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys will bo held this afternoon , at Freemasons' Hall , for the purpose of considering the most

practical way of extending the School at Wood Green , so as to admit of tho number of pupils being increased to three hundred , or about one hundred and twenty in excess of the number now on the muster-roll of the Institution .

In our report last week of the regular Committee meeting , on the 14 th inst ., of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , it was erroneously stated that Bro . Lieut .-Col . Creaton moved that an addition be made to the list of twenty-four male and eighteen female candidates . It should

have been an addition of fifteen male and fifteen female candidates , thus bringing up the numbers to twenty-four of the former and eighteen of the latter . The numbers , however , were correctly given in our leading article on tho Festival .

The cousecration of the Beaconsfield Lodge , No . 1662 , will take place this day ( Saturday ) , at the Chequers Tavern , Marsh-street , Walthamstow , at 3 . 30 o ' clock precisely . V . W . Bro . John Hervey , Grand Secretary , will perform the ceremony ; he will also instal Bro . Walter T . Christian as the first Worshipful Master .

The Confidence Lodge of Instruction has been removod to Bro . Ford ' s , the Blue Anchor Tavern , No . 3 Colemanstreet , E . G ., where the Lodge will meet in future , at 7 p . m ., under the able preceptorship of Bro . Gottheil .

The Truro Rose Croix Chapter will hold its banquet at the Red Lion Hotel , Truro , on Tuesday next , the 27 th instant .

We understand that the M . E . Z . Superintendent of Royal Arch Masons for Herts , Ex . Comp . Halsey , M . P ., intends holding the next Provincial Chapter at Hertford , on 21 st March .

Our Weekly Budget.

We havo received an early number of a new weekly journal , bearing the title of Cotton , and intended to be an organ of the cotton trade and its allied and auxiliary industries . To judge from the contents of this particular issue , tho protection and promotion of this trade and its

connected industries will bo in excellent hands . Cotton gives us tho idea of a well-conducted , carefully written journal . Ifc 13 also well-furnished with all the important items from foreign parts relating to cotton . The new venture has our best wishes for its success . Wo trust the career before it may be a long and prosperous one .

ing , and , as far as our means of judging extend , trustworthy . In noticing the omission on our part to mention tho Masonic Advocate among our American exchanges , our contemporary , we presume , is referring to the sketch of the Masonio Year , 1876 , at the end of our last volume , and tho

In the current number of tho Masonic Advocate , published at Indianapolis , our esteemed contemporary expresses a hope that successive issues reach us in due course , as they are mailed regularly . They do so reach us , and aro always very welcome . The nows they contain is always

interestshort account wo gavo in it of American Masonic literature , The omission in this particular case was purely accidental Nevertheless , we apologise for tho oversight ; for oversight it was , to leave unnoticed a journal so well-conducted and written , and to which we are so frequently indebted for important items of news .

At a meeting of the Grand Lodge of Minnesota , held at St . Paul ' s , last month , a series of three resolutions on the Coloured Question was passed by the immense majority of 327 to 7 votes . By the first of these the Grand Lodge of Minnesota declined to recognise the Prince Hall

Grand Lodge on account of the irregularity of its formation . By the second , Grand Lodge declared its inability to recognise any charters as having validity in the State except such as aro issued by its authority , and to issue charters except to Masons of its obedience . The last resolution declares that colour is neither a bar to , nor a

recommendation for , the reception of the Masonic degrees in its jurisdiction , and that every subordinate Lodge may make Masons of any persons possessing the requisite qualifications , that is , who are free-born , of lawful age , good report , and well recommended .

It has long been known that the climate of Algeria is favourable to the growth of the tobacco plant , and Franco has not been slow to take advantage of this . Large quantities of the plant are grown , and tho quality is very highly appreciated by competent judges . So excellent indeed are

the cigars made from tho Algerian leaf , that no less than three prize medals have been awarded to the producer , M - Melia . We have had several opportunities of testing their merits—that is , we have smoked cigars of two or three different brands , and we were very highly pleased with

them . Considering the prices per hundred , ranging from 13 s Gd for Palatinas , to 53 s for P . U . Non Plus , we were not only pleased , but surprised , as we had again and again paid at far higher rates for inferior qualities of cigars . Tho sole agent for the sale of these Algerian cigars is Bro . A .

Oldroyd , of Leyton , London , E ., and as we know that very many of our readers are amateurs of the weed , we recommend them to experiment with a box . To tho more cautious we suggest tho trial of a sample packet of

twenty-five , at prices in proportionate rates — oS bd Palatinas , 14 s P . U . Non Plus . In either case , be the trial made with box or packet , we feel satisfied , from a personal experience of the cigars , that they will be well pleased with the experiment .

HoitowAT > OIXTMEXT AITD FILLS . —Abscesses , Erysipelas , Piles . —Unvarying success attends all who treat theso diseases according to the simple print . d directions , wrapped r . id each pot aud box . They are invaluable to tho young aud timid , whose bashfulness sometimes endangers life . A little attention , moderate perseverance , and trifling- expense will enaolo the most dillidont to

conduct any case to a Iin-ppy issue without , c-rp-suur secret infirmities to any one . Tho Ointment arr sts the spreading inflammation , restrains the excited vessels , cools tho overlie ; ^ cd skin , alleviate .-.. lUvo ' . ib ' mg aud smarting pains , aud gives great ease . The same directions nl = o clearly point out when and how Holloway a Fills arc to be taken , that their purifying and regulating powere may assist , by adjusting and strengthening tho constitution .