Correspondence.

and other papers , when giving tho reports of tho Metropolitan Gas Examiners . Mr . Hardy favours ns with las estimate for plant for 2000 iucaudescent lamps , at from £ 4 , 200 to £ 5 , 200 ( the margin of £ 1000 being on one item— the dynamo machine ) . With respect to the cost of tho engine and boilers , it is a pity he did not consult an engineer as to the cost of such articles ; he would then , perhaps , have been surprised at the very low figures he has named as the cost . But , talcing his own

figures , he has forgotten to state that , for safety , in case of a breakdown , and to provide for heavy repairs , he must have duplicate machinery and apparatus ; and as the engine-house is put down at the low sum of £ 200 , and the lamps are not included in tho total for plant , we have simply to double his amount for plant—say £ 10 , 400—for 2000 incandescent lamps . Even these fignres melt into

insignificance when Mr . Ilardy comes to the ( purely imaginary ) coat for working expenses . I say imaginary , because he does not say , " I find from experience that during so many months' work at the Crystal Palace the working expenses have been found to be so and so ; " but he gives his own idea of what he considers they should be . Well , he gives certain mysterious figures as to the cost of working

expenses for the 2 , 000 incandescent lights , making a total of £ 2 , 500 per annum . Now , if any one will add up the fignres given , he will find that an error has been made of £ 1 , 000 per annum , the total being £ 3 , 500 . In these figures , on the annual cost , Mr . Hardy states the time for burning to be from dusk till midnight . Why he stops at midnight is best known to himself , as the public lamps burn from

dusk till dawn ; but perhaps it i 3 to keep clown the working expenses on machinery rnnning on till dawn . He then goes on to compare the cost of the electric light with gas ; and to do this he starts with the price of g » s at 3 s 4 d per 1000 feet . Why 3 s 4 d ? Why not 2 s lOd , the price charged to the Brash Electric Light Company for lighting their premises in Belvedere Road ? However , he compares

the cost of gas light ( 3 s 4 d per 1000 feot ) with the incandescent lights at the imaginary illuminating power of from 16 to 20 candles , with plant some thousands of pounds below the actual amount required , a mistake in the total working expenses of £ 1 , 000 per annum , and the machinery runuing till midnight instead of till dawn '; and by these means he arrives at the unwarrantable conclusion that

incandescent lights are cheaper than ordinary gaslights . It may be said that , as I am connected with gas companies , I must be strongly biassed in favour of gas . Well , so I am ; but I am also biassed in favour of truth , and of facts ns to the real cost of electric lighting . I will ask this question : If electric lighting t ' s so much cheaper than gas , why do the Brush Electric Lighting Company light

their premises with gas ? their gas bill for last quarter being more than £ 40 . With regard to increasing the light of the London streets by night , I hold , perhaps ( for one connected with gas companies ) peculiar views on this subject , as I think it a folly and a shame to waste more money on the artificial illumination of public thoroughfares than is

absofrittefy necessary to enable the public to find their way about , and the police to do their duty . Artificial illumination in any form is , and to me it appears as if it ever will be , a costly process ; but , if we are determined to turn night into day , in the face of Nature ' s opposition , we can only do so at the cost of health and by heavy money expenditure . If , in this electric light excitement , there are those who

like to blaze up the interior of their houses with a flood of garish light for their midnight entertainments , let them do so ; but I respect and admire the thrifty vestryman who desires to keep down enfravagtMitlighting for pubKc thoroughfares , and who will not tax the overburdened to desman to meet the luxurious wishes of the rich , nor make free with other people ' s money to aid electric light companies to advertise their speculations . MAGNUS OHREN , Assoc . M . Inst . C . E .

Arrangements heave been made for the customary visit of the Festival Stewards and annual distribution of prizes on Tuesday next , the 27 th instant . The R . W . Bro . the Lord Mayor , Sir John Whittaker Ellis , Barfc ., G . J . Warden , who will preside , the day following , at the Festival , has

kindly undertaken the duty of occupying the chair , and we doubt not there will be a merry and numerous gathering of the brethren and ladies interested in the success of the Institution . The proceedings will commence at one p . m ., and the band of the Institution will contribute towards the

entertainment of the visitors . After a Part Song by the Choir , a Debate will take place on the question , " Are the Mental Capacities of the Sexes Equal ? " two farces , " The Man with the Carpet Bag , " by Mr . S . A . A'Beckett . and " B . B ., " by Messrs . M . Williams and F . C . Burnand , will

be played , and several Part Songs will be given at intervals . Nor will the " inner man " be overlooked , as a cold collation will be served in the Hall at 4 . 30 p . m . We have great pleasure in noting that R . Head , who took second class honours , Seniors , in the Cambridge Local Examination last

December , has been awarded nine prizes , of which six were first ; while A . R . Parker , third class honours same Examination , has secured eleven , one being the silver watch and chain given by the Supreme Council A . and A . Rite

for good conduct . H . P . Palmer , silver medallist ( good conduct ) and V . J . Lee , Canonbury gold medallist , have been awarded six and four prizes respectively . Bro . Captain Wordsworth ' s prize of two guineas for elocution has yd to be adjudged .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Berkshire And Buckinghamshire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF BERKSHIRE AND BUCKINGHAMSHIRE .

rpHE brethren of this Province met on Monday last , at Reading , J- where the annual meeting was held , under the presidency of the Right Worshipfnl Sir Daniel Gooch , Bart ., M . P . The Provincial Grand Master was supported by his Deputy , the Very Worshipfnl Brother the Rev . J . Stndholme Brownrigg P . G . C ., and the following Officers of tho Province , viz .: —Bros . Thomas Taylor P . M . 1410 Grand Senior Warden , John Wilson P . M . 209 Graud Junior Warden ,

Rev . Nicholas T . Garry 414 Grand Chaplain , Rev . Gilbert Henry Layton 591 Grand Junior Chaplain , Charles Stephens P . M . 414 Grand Treasurer , Ephraim Davey P . M . 1566 Grand Registrar , Robt . Bradley P . M . 414 Grand Secretary , Leopold M . Nixon P . M . 771 and 1501 Grand Senior Deacon , William Ferguson P . M . 1101 Grand Junior Deacon , Charles Edward Belcher P . M . 1770 Grand

Superintendent of Works , William Biggs P . M . Acting Grand Director of Ceremonies , Stephen Knight P . M . 574 Grand Direotorof Ceremonies , Dick Edwards Radclyffe 209 Assist . Grand Director of Ceremonies , Edward Margrett P . M . 1101 Grand Standard Bearer , William F Large P . M . 840 Grand Pursuivant , Charles Nowell Assist . Grand Purs ., Edward Blackwell , Rd . Dowsett 1101 , J . W . Martin 414 , Jos .

E . Sydenham 414 , C . A . Charubin 591 , James Wilson Thorpe 1787 Grand Stewards , W . Hemmings Graud Tyler . Amongst the Visitors were the R . W . Sir Francis Burdett , Bart ., Provincial Grand Master Middlesex , W . Bro . Reginald Bird Deputy Provincial Grand Master Oxon , Bro . J . L . Thomas P . G . A . D . C ., Bro . James Terry P . P . G . S . W . Norths and Hunts , Sec . Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , J .

G . Poole P . M . 1417 South Africa , R . P . Spice P . G . S ., W . W . Morgan FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . The Past Provincial Grand Officers were represented by Bros . H . D'Almaine P . S . W ., H . H . Hodges P . S . W ., B . T . Fountaine Treasurer , J . Weightman P . J . W ., Charles Oades P . G . Registrar , Arthur Weloh P . G . Registrar , W . Biggs P . G . Secretary , W . S . Cantrell , J W . Hounslow , J . W . Blowers P . G . Senior Deacons ,

J . E . Danks , J . T . Brown , E . Baker P . G . Superintendents of Works , C . W . Cox P . D . C ., W . P . Ivey P . S . B . The Lodges by Bros . Rev . R . P . Bent P . G . O . W . M . 1894 , Rev . W . A . Hill P . G . C ., Rev . Arthur Fearon P . G . C ., Eastern Archipelago , J . H . Clarke P . M . 1887 , Major Shanks P . M . 1887 P . G . W . Devon , S . G . Kirchhoffer P . M . 1899 P . G . S . W . Surrey , E . C . "Knight W . M . 948 , W . B . Wilson W . M . 574 ,

T . R . Lynch W . M . 631 , S . Bradley P . M . 414 , Charles A . Barrett W . M . 945 , and about eighty other members of Lodges in the Province . The Prov . G . Lodge was opened at the Foresters' Hall , Weststreet , when tho Prov . Grand Seoretary called over the roll of the Lodges in the Province , and it was found that all were represented . With but one exception the Provincial Grand Officers of the year

were in their several places ; this speaks well for the zeal desplayed by the Craftsmen of the Province . On the motion of the Deputy Prov . G . M . the minntes of the last Prov . G . Lodge , held at Aylesbnry , on the 20 th June last year , were taken as read . The Prov . G . Seoretary reported that Bro . the Rev . J . S . Brownrigg D . P . G . M . had , on the 14 th September 1881 , consecrated the Hersohel Lodge , at

Slough . He further stated that , on the 3 rd May , a Masonic Hall waa dedicated by the Prov . G . M . at Aylesbury . From the financial statement it appeared that the receipts for the previous year amounted to £ 20810 s 2 d , the present balance in hand being £ 101 8 s 3 d . The Charity Committee's Report was next read , the total receipts , including a balance in hand from last year , were £ 163 10 s , tho sum of

£ 74 5 s being the amount of tho present balance . On the proposition of tho Prov . G . Master it was unanimously resolved that the sum of £ 26 5 s bo voted from the Provincial to tho Charity Fund , and that £ 105 be appropriated from the Charity Fund to the various Lodges who had contributed . Tbe Prov . G . Master then briefly addressed the brethren : he congratulated them on the steady progress

Freemasonry had made during the year . He hoped other towns in the Province would follow the example of Aylesbury , and have Lodgerooms of their own , thereby avoiding the necessity of meeting at public establisments . He was also gratified at being able to offer them his congratulations npon the prosperous state of the Charity Fund . The report as to the condition of the Lodges in the Province

came next ; this showed the following membership : —Etonian 75 , Union 63 , Hope 61 , Buckingham 52 , Methuen 16 , Windsor Castle 62 , St . Johns 19 , Scientific 62 , Abbey 42 , St . Barnabas 39 , Grey Friars 28 , SS . Peter and Paul 41 , Alma Mater 11 , Wycombe 31 , Ellington 7 , Watling Street 29 , Vale of White Horse 28 , Grenville 19 , St . Hilda 19 , Herschel 22 , and Wellesley 18 . The re-election of Brother

Stephens , of Reading , as Prov . G . Treasurer , wa 3 then proposed by tho D . P . G . M . The Prov . G . Master seconded the nomination , remarking upon the satisfactory manner in which Brother Stephens had always performed his duties . The election was unanimous , and Bro . Stephens , replying , thanked the brethren for the honour done him , assuring them that to fulfil the duties of the office was a pleasure

to him . The Provincial Grand Master referred to a letter that had been received from the Grand Secretary , as to Brother Clabon's proposal to increase the quarterages to the Benevolent Fund . A discussion followed , the D . P . G . M . expressing himself as decidedly opposed to anv increase ; he feared it would interfere with the flow of

benevolcnno which was being carried on successfully throughout the Province by the contributions to tho Charity Fund . On motion of the Provincial Grand Master , it was resolved that the different Lodges in the Province should be asked for an expression of op inion , and a letter was ordered to be sent to each Lodge by the Provincial

Grand Secretary . The following brethren were invested with the Charity jewel : —Bros . Joseph Andrews S . D . 209 , Charles Stephens P . M . 414 , F . J . Ferguson S . W . 414 I . G . 1899 , Walter B . Wilson W . M . 574 , F . H . Lvon P . M . 574 , Gust . A . Charubin 591 , Andrew Mc-Dowell W . M . 948 , Charles M . Footit Steward 1566 . The Officers for the ensuing year were then invested : — Bro . Reg . C . Montit W . M . 414 ... Sotiior Warden Lewis Poultou W . M . 591 ' ... Junior Warden