Our Weekly Budget.

rocket factory of Woolwich Arsenal , and four men were seriously injured . The trial of tlie action for libel by Mr . Wybrow Robertson against Mr . Labouchere , the proprietor of the journal called Truth , concluded on Friday with a verdict for the defendant .

According to the latest telegrams from India the Afghan campaign may bo regarded as virtually closed for the season . The Ameer , Shore Ali , is stated , " npon official information , to have quitted Cabul with the remaining members of the Russian mission . His son , Yakoob Khan ,

has been released , and now exercises tho chief authority m Cabul . General Browne has occupied Jollalabad without opposition , and General Roberts is preparing for winter quarters in the Kuram Valley . A force has been sent to punish the Afridi tribes , who have been attacking baggage

trains ; but generally the natives on the Afghan frontier profess friendship towards the British forces . Tho Russian Press has adopted a conciliatory tone towards Great Britain , and to the " courteous explanations" of Lord Beaconsfield is ascribed the better feeling prevailing between the two countries . There are rumonrs that a new Russian loan

is about to be offered for subscription in the European capitals . The apprehensions of Nihilist conspiracies are exciting the Russian police to great activity , arid numerous arrests have been made throughout the Empire . The students at the Universities are displaying an unruly spirit ,

and severe measures against them are expected . The Bulgai-ian opposition to tho Commissioners in East Ronmeh ' a has been modified , it is believed in pursuance of further instructions given to tlie Russian authorities in consequence of the threatened withdrawal of the Commissioners .

A letter from Prince Bismarck has been published in the German newspapers , in which , after examining the financial condition of the empire , he recommends a revision of tariffs , with a view to obtaining increased revenue from foreign imports . This suggestion of a return to a

protective system of fiscal policy meets with considerable opposition in the Press . The French Chambers have adjourned for the Christmas vacation . M . Gambetta was entertained at a dinner by the commercial travellers of Paris , and in the course of a speech in reply to a

complimentary toast , he congratulated the country upon the success of the Republic and the falsification of alarmist prophecies . The marriage of the Duke of Cumberland with the Princess Thyra of Denmark was celebrated at Copenhagen on Saturday evening . The negotiations between

the German Government aud the Vatican are not proceeding satisfactorily , and at Rome doubts are cast upon the sincerity of the Berlin Ministry . The new Italian Ministry , under Signor Depretis , has assumed its functions , but it is

not thought probable that its existence will be vory prolonged in face of the opposition in Parliament . In New South Wales a coalition Ministry has been formed under the presidency of Sir H . Parkes .

Our attention has been called to one or two errors which crept into the sketch of Freemasonry in North Wales and Salop , which appeared in these columns in the week ended 14 th December ( see pages 335-0 , Vol . VIII . ) Our correspondent informs us that Oswestry does not yet boast a

Royal Arch Chapter , and that Bro . W . H . Spaull is not Grand Scribe E . of the Provincial Grand Chapter . We are always willing to correct any errors into which we may have fallen , and offer our apologies for having done so .

back no further than 1875 , and in tin Calendar for that year , as in those for 1876 , 7 , 8 , 9 , this ntry is made in two places . Tbe name of " Comp . W . H . Spanll , Bryntirion , Oswestry , " oecnrs as Prov . G . Scribe , for the first timo in 1877 , the office being left vacant in tho two

pre-However , we were misled by the Grand Lodge Calendars for 1878 and 1879 , both which contain , in their respective lists of R . A . Chapters the following entry : — " 1432 , Fitznlan , Wynnstay Arms Hotel , Oswestry . 1 st Fri . " In the Lods-e Lists ( he Fifzalan Lode-e is marked with a *

indicating that it has a Chapter attache d to it , and iu the distribution of Chapters under the several Provincial Grand Chapters we find entered under North Wales and Shropshire ,. " Oswestry 1432 . " As regards the other errm-, we can only say that in this last case—the

distribution of Chapters—wc find under NortI Wales and Shropshire that Sir Watkin W . Wynn , Bart , M . P ., is set dowi , as Grand Superintendent of the Provii . ce , having been so appointed as far back as 1859 . It will be enough if we o'o

Our Weekly Budget.

vious years . Further , on going back to our p 282 , Vol . IV ., we find , in the agenda paper for the Quarterly Communication then about to be held on the 1 st November 1876 , among tho petitions for new Chapters received and submitted bo Grand Chapter for approval , the following entry : —

2 nd . From Companions Edward Bremnor Smith as '/ ,., Robert dc la Poor Beresford as II ., Samnol Hazlitt as J ., and sis others , for a Chapter to be at taolied to the Fitv . alan Lodgo , Xo . 1132 , Oswestry , to bo called the " Fitzalan Chapter , " and to meet at the Wyustay Arms Hotel , Oswestry , North Wales .

Wc think our correspondent will admit thafc these statements , taken as they were from official . sources , were a sufficient authority for what wo said . We are willing to admit we had been informed thero was no Royal Arch

Chapter at Oswestry , and that Royal Arch Masons had to travel to Shrewsbury or Welshpool in order to attend tho duties of a Chapter . We must plead guilty , therefore , to having preferred Official announcements to the information derived from an individual . But the mistake was nofc

an unlikely one to make . At all events , we have now made the only reparation in our power , by announcing , on the responsibility of onr correspondent ' s information , that Oswestry has no R . A . Chapter as yet , though the prayer of several Companions for one , to bo known as " tho Fitzalan

Chapter , " No . 1482 , Oswestry , was granted in November 1376 . Wc thank him , also , for his courteous communication , which will doubtless have clue effect in official circles , and incline those whom it may concern to be more careful for tho future in the compilation of Grand Lodge Calendar .

On the 12 th December the City Choral Society gave a performance of sacred and secular music at the Ward School Rooms , Aldersgate Street , London , E . C . Brother Edwin Moss ably wielded the baton , and was assisted by

the following artists : Miss Prince , Miss E . Buttcrworth , and Bros . Arthur Thompson and De Lacy . The concert was a decided success , and the promoters presented the amount realised to their conductor , Bro . Edwin Moss , in recognition of his valuable services to the Society .

•From one of our exchanges we extract the following item — The Leinster Marine Lodge of Australia , after working centum - onsly and successfully for fifty-five years under its Irish warrant ,

held its monthly meeting , under the Grand Lodge of New Sonth Wales , ab the Masonic Temple , Clarence Street , on Monday evening , tho 14 th October ; but owing to the excessive heafc of the weather the attendance was not so largo as usual , only seventy members being present , besides a sprinkling of visitors .

Mark Masonry.

MARK MASONRY .

We avo informed that tho Right Honourable Lord Skelmersdale M . W . Grand Mark Master Mason has given directions for the constitution of two BOW Provinces in the Mark Degree—Dorsetshire and Gloucestershire—and has appointed Bro . Montague Guest , of Bore Regis , Blandford , iu the County of Dorset , Provincial Grand Master of the former , and Bro . tbe Rev . C . R . Davy , Tracy Park , Bath , Provincial Grand Blaster of the latter .

Obituary.

Obituary .

BRO . BRYAN WORMALD . ON Thursday , the 19 th instant , there was a melancholy gathering of York brethren at the Cemetery , for the purpose of paying a last tribute to the memory of their lato Bro . Bryan Wormald , who died on tho previous Tuesday . Bro . Wormald was raised in the York Lodge ( then called

the Union Lodue ) , No . 236 , in the year 1807 , and quickly rose to the office of Warden ; his failure of health then precluding his acceptance of the chair . He was a Rojal Arch , Murk , and Hose Croix Mason , and had passed through the Preceptor ' s chair in the Ancient Ebor

Preceptory ( K . T . ) , a degree m which he always took a keen nterest . One of his last acts was to sign a number of honora ^ - certificates for members of the Mary Commandery Pilgrimage who hail been elected by the Preceptory . At

he funeral the pall was carried by K . Sir Knights 1 . Cooper and T . B . VHiytehead , and Sir Knights J . S . Cumberland , Keswick , I ' alliser and Simpson , and a l ) ' / . uitil ' ul floral cross , bearing the motto of the Order , anJ v . ^ . X by the Preceptory rested ou the coffin .