The Chancery Lane Safe Deposit.

THE CHANCERY LANE SAFE DEPOSIT .

Bro . the Right Hon . R . N . Fowler , M . P ., Lord Mayor , will open the above on the 7 th inst ., which is the best and most conveniently fitted building yet erected for such a purpose , no expense has been spared by Mr . Thomas Clarke , the proprietor , to render it both lire and burglar proof , and Messrs . Milner has assisted materially in carrying out

efficiently Mr . Clarke ' s instructions to use the most modern improvements and inventions in constructing the safes , which stand in the centre of the block of buildings recently erected at the Holborn end of Chancery Lane , and covering an area of 75 , 000 superficial feet . Electric lighting is used in the vestibule and strong rooms , not only for the sake of safety , but also for the convenience of the renters , who are likely to form no inconsiderable body , as there are no fewer

than 5 , 000 integers or safes in thc before mentioned strong rooms . A pleasing admixture of marble construction , and a free use of tesselated pavement have have done much toward beautifying the structure which bids fair to be one of the sights of the Metropolis . After the opening ceremony , a banquet will take place in an adjoining hall , at which , at least 150 influential gentlemen will be entertained by Mr . Clarke , the Lord Mayor presiding .

Masonic Club At South Shields.

MASONIC CLUB AT SOUTH SHIELDS .

The new Masonic Hall at South Shields , in connection with St . Hilda ' s Lodge , No . 240 , is considered one of the finest and most complete buildings of the kind in the north of England , and the brethren belonging to other towns who visit it speak in high terms regarding it . There is not only a large and commodious and splendidly furnished

lodge room , but comfortable and convenient ante rooms . In connection with the new Masonic Hall , a club has been established , and which , since its inauguration , has attained great success , no less than 130 of the brethren being associated with it . It is splendidly furnished , and fitted with two first class billiard tables . Facilities are also afforded for the enjoyment of various games . Refreshments at moderate prices can also be obtained on the premises .

The club possesses an energetic secretary in Bro . J . Heppell . The entire building does great credit to the contractor , Bro . Atkin , and on its erection the brethren were exceedingly fortunate in securing the services of so able and experienced a Clerk of the Works as Mr . Lindsay , who has attained great reputation in this respect , not only as regards the various public works with which he has been connected in South Shields , but in many other large towns where his services have been called into requisition .

"Atholl" Lodges In North America, 1757, 1813.

"ATHOLL" LODGES IN NORTH AMERICA , 1757 , 1813 .

DY WILLIAM JAMES HUGHAN . Dedicated to M . W . Bro . Daniel Spry , P . G . M * It is very confusing to anyone , not versed in the vagaries of the "Atholl " Grand Lodge ( or "Ancients , " ) ^ started as a secession from the Premier Grand Lodge of England , in

17 SO-1 , who seeks to unravel the history of the origin and growth of " Atholl" Freemasonry in North America , or indeed , anywhere . The custom was to sell extinct warrants to the highest bidders , new charters being then issued , but preserving the original numbers , so that three distinct lodges may be represented under the same number 1 I shall deal with the subject according to priority of existence , rather than that of numerical precedency , and therefore commence with A . D . 1757 :

1 . —NOVA SCOTIA . No . Cj . —Provincial Grand Lodge , Nova Scotia . December 27 , 1757 . Copies of this charter , and of its re-issue , June 2 , 17 S 4 , are to be found in the "History of Freemasonry in the Maritime Provinces of British America , " by Bro . J . Fletcher Brennan , the best of the kind ever written , *!* to which I refer my readers . Bro . Brennan thinks

there could be no propriety in numbering this Provincial Warrant with so high a number as 65 ; " neither would there be if it meant 65 Provincial Grand Lodge Warrants ; but it did not . The numbers were given in consecutive order to lodges , or Provincial Grand Lodges , irrespectively ,-hence , it simply means that 64 charters had been issued before No . 65 , i . e . ot lodges or Provincial Grand Lodges .

This number was not on the " Union" List of 1 S 15 , published in 1 S 14 , of the united roll of the two rival Grand Lodges . No . 66 . —George St ., Halifax , N . S . December 27 , 1757 . No . 6 7 . —George St ., Halifax . N . S . December 27 , 1757 . These two lodges were , respectively , the first and second that were chartered by the " Ancients " for any part of America ; and with the Prov . Grand Lodge , No . 65 , were

on all lists until 1 S 13 , after which they were removed , and never appear again . I refer , of ) course , to the official lists published in this country ( England . ) No . 155 . —St . Andrew's Lodge , ' Halifax , N . S . March 26 , 17 G 8 . Including the Provincial Grand Lodge , this was No . 4 in Nova Scotia , and , happily , still exists . Its number was changed in 1 S 14 to iSS ; in 1 S 32 to 137 ; and in 1 SG 3

to 1 ib ; but has since been removed from the roll on joining the Grand Lodge of Nova Scotia . No . 156 . —Halifax , Nova Scotia . March 20 , A . D . 17 GS this was probably a military lodge , and on becoming extinct , was re-issued in 1 S 09 , to the " Royal Horse Artillery , '' at Colchester , England .

No . 211 . —St . John's Lodge , Halifax , N . S . November 4 , ¦ 7 So . This lodge also continued on the roll ( as did original ? ° v'SS ) , until the formation of the Grand Lodge of Nova scotia , its numbers being 2 O 5 in 1814 ; 187 ^ 1832 : and 'Oiin 1 SC 3 . No . 28 . —Coast of Halifax . Issued for London , 1753 . t occurs as " Coast of Halifax " in the list of 1 S 07 , and in that year was at Gibraltar , but was soon extinct .

2 . —PENNSYLVANIA . No . Co . —Philadelphia . June 7 , 175 S . This was the th ' ¦< ° A fcre granted for any portion of the United States by Atholl Masons , " and was retained on the register until I SIJ , it was > however , long before then , on the roll "A 1 , P rand Lodge of Pennsylvania , and is the oldest Atholl" Lod ge at the present time in America . No . Sg . —Philadelphia . June 15 , 17 G 1 . This was lost in ansit , and another was re-issued June 20 , 1764 , with the

"Atholl" Lodges In North America, 1757, 1813.

same number . It continued on the "Atholl " Register until 1 S 13 , but existed as such only on paper , after formation of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania . Transcripts of these , and much information can be found in Bro . C . E . Meyer ' s excellent introduction to the Grand Lodge Reprints , and the Grand Memorial Volume of the Masonic Temple .

3 . —SOUTH CAROLINA . No . c ) 2 . —Charlestown , S . C . October 10 , 17 G 1 . This lodge occurs on the lists of 1 S 07 and 1 S 13 , but not afterwards . I shall not trace any of these lodges after they are removed from the roll , as that is not my present purpose . No . 190 . —Charlestown , S . C . September 30 , 1774 . Called " Ancient York Lodge , " and was on 1 S 07 and 1 S 13 Registers , but not on any later . No . 236 . —Charlestown , S . C . May 26 , 17 S 6 . This , also , was on the lists to 1 S 13 , but not on the " Union " Roll .

4 . —QUEBEC . Nos . 9 ( and 213 ) . —Albion Lodge , Quebec . This lodge has a curious history , and though datingAom 1751 , it reallyas respects Quebec , & c—is from the year 17 S 1 . ( a ) This lodge was originally formed in London as No . 9 , and collapsed . Thc Warrant was sold in 1757 ( 6 ) to No . 50 London , for £ 5 5 s ., the latter being re-issued { c ) to Plymouth , December 3 i , i 7 G 3 , and is now No . 54 , Rochdale .

No . 9 again collapsed , and was re-issued to { d ) brethren in London in 1771 for five guineas . Then it again fell through , and was bought by ( c ) No . 213 , chartered July 3 , i / Si , ' for New York , in 17 S 7 , for five guineas , and thus 213 became No . 9 ; and appears at Quebec ( Royal Artillery ) in lists of 1 S 07 , and 1 S 13 . At the "Union" of December 1 S 13 , it became 17 on thc roll of 1 S 14 , and so continued down to the renumbering of 1 S 63 , until it joined the Grand Lodge of

Quebec ; and has foe long been known as the " Albion " Lodge , No . 2 . (/) No . 213 was re-issued to Stonehouse , Devon , and is now No . 1 G 4 , Sidmouth , also in Devon , England Here then , are six lodges represented , with only two numbers , viz : 9 , and 213 ! Nos . ( 40 and 265 ) . —Quebec . This lodge was originally granted to Warrington , in 1 755 , and in 1791 , No . 2 G 5 , " Merchant ' s Coffee House , " Quebec , ( warranted in the same year ) , bought the extinct charter , and took its

number . ( 40 ) Not on the roll after 1 S 13 . No . 2 G 5 was re-issued to Maidstone , Kent , ( extinct ) . No . 241 . —Royal Artillery , Quebec . October 22 , 17 S 7 . Afterwards St . John's Lod ^ e , Quebec , and is now No . 3 on the roll of that Grand Lodge . Its numbers have been altered as follows : 302 in 1814 ; 214 in in 1 S 32 ; and 1 S 2 in 1 S 63 . 5 . —NEW YORK . No . 169 . —New York . July 13 , 1771 . First held , it is

said , at Boston , and really an Army Lodge of special distinction . It was on the lists of iSo 7 and 1813 , but not later . No . 210 . —New York . February 20 , 1779 , and on the lists only of 1 S 07 , and 1813 . Warrant surrendered in 17 S 9 , and new charter issued to the Temple Lodge , held in the same city . The fact is , a number of Lodges were kept on the roll that ought not to have been , for they paid nothing ,

and made no returns for many years , prior to 1 S 14 . No . 212 . —New York . ( "Solomon ' s" Lodge , Royal Exchange . ) November 1 , 17 S 0 . Same remarks apply to this lodge as to No . 210 . No . 219 . —Provincial Grand Lodge , New York . September 5 , 17 S 1 . This was a Provincial Grand Lodge Warrant , bait not on the roll after 1 S 13 .

0 . —NEWFOUNDLAND . No . 1 S 6 . —St . John's , Newfoundland . March 24 , 1774 . This lodge became 226 at the " Union , " and 159 in 1832 ; but was off the roll before the last re-numbering in 1863 . No . 247 . —St . John's , Newfoundland . March , 17 SS . It became 312 from 1 S 14 , and 220 from 1 S 32 ; but was erased

before A . D . 1 S 63 . No . 249 . —St . John's , Newfoundland . March , 17 S 8 . It was soon erased , then re-issued in 1 S 04 , to Woodbridge , England , numbered 315 in 1 S 14 , and was struck off the roll after the new numbers of 1 S 32 , as 222 . No . 250 . —Placentia , Newfoundland . May , 17 SS . The lodge became 317 in 1 S 14 , but was erased before 1 S 32 .

7 . —CAPE BRETON . October 1 , 1801 . ( North America ) . It was originally 326 , then 415 in 1 S 14 , and was erased before the 1 S 32 numeration . ( A military lodge . ) S . —EAST FLORIDA . No . 204 , at Lancashire , England , in 1777 ; and was at St . Augustine , East Florida , January 3 , 177 S , being rewarranted at Preston in 1 S 03 , now No . 155 , Liverpool .

Besides these , there were two Provincial Grand Lodge Warrants granted , respectively , to "Lower" and "Upper " Canada , March 7 , 1792 , as numbers 273 and 274 , which , singular to state , were continued on the United Roll as 343 and 345 , but were erased before the 1 S 32 numeration . Of course , there were , doubtless , other military lodges than those enumerated , which visited the hospitable shores of North America , * but if they stopt there , I have no

particulars of their numbers and habitation , as the Grand Lodge Roll is silent . There were , also , a number of lodges issued by local authorities ( Provincial ) in North America , but as fees were not sent on to London , no notice was taken of their existence , save those granted in Nova Scotia , & c , in the " Atholl" List of 1 S 07 , but they were not inserted in the list of 1813 , or elsewhere . I hope to follow with those lodges granted by the " Moderns . " —Canadian Craftsman .

Obituary.

Obituary .

BRO . ASHLEY , P . M . No . 1715 . It is with great regret we announce the death , a short since of Bro . Ashley , one of the founders and twice VV . M . of the Arthur John Brogden Lodge , No . 1715 , Grange-over-Sands , W . Lancashire . Bro . Ashley had laboured most conscientiousl y and with very great success as Master of the Cartmel School , and his death which oceured after a lingering illness has caused a void which it will not be easy

to fill . The funeral took place on Monday , the 20 th ult ., in Cartmel Churchyard , when among those present to pay their last tribute of respect to the memory of our deceased brother , not only the children of the school he had loved so much and worked for so assiduously , but also very many of the inhabitants , a numerous gathering of members of his lodge , and the following brethren from

neighbouring lodges , namely , Bros . Bagot , P . M . 1221 , P . P . G . S . of W . West Lancashire ; Case , P . M ., and P . Z . 995 ; P . G . S . D . W . Lanes . ; W . Harrison , P . M . 995 ; Swan , S . W . 995 j J . Atkinson , 995 , * Whiteside , P . M . 1398 , P . P . G . S . B . W . Yorkshire ; Townley , S . W . 1398 ; G . Sewell , P . M . 302 , P . P . G , 0 . W . Yorkshire ; and Thompson , of Kendal .

The Theatres.

THE THEATRES .

Miss Kate Santley requests us to state that thc report of her having disposed of the Royalty Theatre is not true . She has no intention of parting with it . It will be re-opened shortly . * * « Mr . J . S . Clarke is now appearing * in his old characters at the Strand Theatre . Just now he is playing Major Wellington de Boots in " A Widow's Hunt , " and the house resounds with laughter .

An adaptation from Ouida ' s " Fuck , " termed " Heartless , " was brought out at the Olympic , but to-night ( Saturday ) , witnesses a change of the programme . The less said and seen of such pieces as " Heartless" the better . A play by Sir Randall Roberts , Bart ., who is or was Mr . Wyndham ' s stage manager , is to be brought from the Grand Theatre , Islington , to thc Olympic , to-night ( Saturday ) . * # *

Mr . D avid James has fallen back on one of the plays in which he years ago made himself so famous , the consequence of which is that a more delightful evening cannot be spent at any theatre than at the Opera Comiquc just now . " The Guv'nor " is announced as being thc joint work of Messrs . E . Lancaster and R . Recce . We think next to the retired butterman in "Our Boys" Mr .

James ' s acting ofthe deaf boat builder is his best character sketch . This farcical comedy is wonderfully true to life , and boiling over with fun from first to last , and thc fun is of that sort that every one may listen to . Of the other members of the original cast we believe that not one appears in thc revival , but Mr . James has surrounded himself with a very strong cast . _ Mr . Gardiner ably replaces Mr . Thorne as 1 the stammering young man , whose proposal for the hand

of the daughter of the boat builder is mistaken by thc deaf father for an offer for the purchase of a cutter . Mr . Irish works hard as Butterscotch , and is very droll . Bro . Lestocq makes a smart groom . Miss Helen Forsyth is very attractive as Kate Butterscotch . Miss Lucy Buckstone plays naturally and gracefully in thc little love scene in the second act . We think " The Guv'nor " is good for a run ; we hear it is drasving a full house every night .

* * * Mr . Thomas Thorne has shown the best laste in submitting to the fiat of thc Press , who were unanimous in their condemnation of " Under Fire . " He has not tried to bolster it up , but closed his house , and has re-opened the charming little Vaudeville with one of its own sort of plays . There is only one fault to find , not about the comedy , but

the management . Why was not " Open House" produced ere this ? Mr . Thorne is known to have had it in hand for two years just before poor Bro . Byron ' s death , but it is only another instance that managers are not always good judges , and woise still when they are actors as well . Mr . Thorne seemed of late to imagine that he is a pathetic actor , but he is not . Whatever he plays in he

plays well . but a character in a farcical comedy suits him best . All doubts as to the success of "Open House " are set at rest . It is written in one of its author ' s happiest veins of humour , only surpassed , we think , by "Our Boys . " What spirits Bro . Byron must have had to write such a merry play whilst suffering under the cruel malady which soon after took hislifeaway—far too soon . There is not one dull

line in it . In his character of Jack Alabaster Mr . Thorne produces as humorous a creation as any lately seen on the stage . This Alabaster is a humbug , whose hypocrisy is hidden under a country-bred and uneducated manner , and who by stating that years ago he saved the life of Mr . Cayley , coolly hangs up his hat at Cayley ' s and lives on him , and makes mischief between everyone . It is not till

the end that it is found out that his part of the life-saving was the administering of a few taps after Cayley has been got out of the water . It is because he plays domestic tricks and makes everybody miserable , with an air of simplicity and good nature , that the part is so full of interest . His display of his knowledge of thc classics causes many a ripple of laughter , as when he says " de

mortuis nil nisi bonus , " he is corrected and told it is "bonum , " he replies , quite satisfied himself , " the insurance companies call it bonus , and they ought to know . " The character was probably written for Mr . Thorne . Mr . William Farren , an old and amorous gentleman , plays splendidly with Mrs . Canninge , and we almost think they have never been seen in more suitable parts . Miss Kate

Phillips too must be praised for the firm and fresh way she p lays the soubrette part . Mr . Cranford puts his heart well into all he has to do , and Miss Cissy Grahame has at last opened her teeth , and articulates her words , and thrown over other unattractive mannerisms . There is one great regret which no one can but feel , and that is that while we arc made to laugh so heartily , he who is the cause of our mirth is not with us and never saw his piece played . Bro . Byron

once caused the Vaudeville to have a run of four years with one piece , and he has given them a farce which will make Mr . Thome keep for many a day , "Open House . " VVe could not help noticing in coming away how the face of the well-known acting manager seemed lit up , and how numbers of persons crowded round Mr . Alport to express their admiration of the latest addition to the popular pieces produced at tbe Vaudeville .

The Craft Abroad.

The Craft Abroad .

THE G . ORIENT OF ITALY . According to the January number of Revista della Massoneria Italiana , the meeting of the Grand Orient of Italy was held in Rome on the iGth of that month , under the presidency of Grand Master Petroni . Before the session was brought to a close , Bro . Adriano Lcmmi was elected Grand Master ; Bro . P . Aperti , Additional Grand Master ; and Bro . L . Castellazo , Grand Secretary . Bro . Joseph Petroni is now Past Grand Master , and Bro , F .-Curzic * , Honorary Additional Grand Master .