Freemasonry In 1896.

On the 15 th April , as previously announced in the paragraph relating to the Chivalric and High Grade Masonry , the fifth annual conference of the Supreme Councils , 33 . of the A . and A . Rite in England , Ireland , and Scotland , was held in Dublin . In

September the Victoria Lodge , No . 176 , Castlebar , was consecrated by Bro . Dr . Clarke , Dep . Prov . G . Master of North Connaught , Bro . J . S . Hume being subsequently installed as the first W . Master . In November the Committee of the Masonic

Female Orphans' School , Dublin , elected Miss E . Russell Jones . a former pupil of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , to be Head Mistress , and she will doubtless render valuable service in that capacity to the Dublin Institution . For any further

information respecting Irish Freemasonry we regret to say we have no alternative but to refer our readers to the local press , which is at least as well posted in the Masonic as in the non-Masonic news of the day .

THE COLONIES , & c .

In this , the concluding section of our review of "Freemasonry in 1896 , " our attention will be directed principally to those lodges which still retain their connection with the Grand Lodges of the United Kingdom . As our readers are aware , there are both in British North America and Australasia several

independent Grand Lodges , which have been formed at different times during the last 40 years out of lodges warranted by the Grand Lodges of England , Ireland , and Scotland . There are seven such lodges in British North America , and we are glad to say , from the reports that have reached us , that all of them have

fared prosperously , while as regards the Grand Lodges of Canada , British Columbia , and Manitoba , we find they have made substantial progress . Of the four independent Grand Lodges in . Australasia — those of South Australia , New South Wales , Victoria , and Tasmania , all have prospered and

seem likely to go on prospering . In the case of the United Grand Lodge of Victoria , his Excellency Bro . Lord Brassey , Past G . Warden of England , was installed M . W . G . Master by Bro . the Hon . Chief Justice Way , M . W . G . M . of South Australia , on the 4 th May , the services of Bro . Sir W . J . Clarke , Bart .,

who till then had presided in that capacity , being retained as Pro G . Master . As regards the Grand Lodge of Tasmania , we cannot do otherwise than sympathise with it on the grievous loss it sustained shortly after last Christmas by the sudden death , through sunstroke , of its M . W . G . Master , Bro . E . 0 .

Giblin . As regards New Zealand , we are pleased to be in a position , to record that there , is every prospect of putting an end to the discord which has prevailed among the brethren in that Colony by the too hasty establishment of a Grand Lodge of New Zealand . We mentioned at the outset of this review

that our Grand Lodge had authorised his Royal Highness , the M . W . G . Master to take what steps he might think proper , consistently with the honour of our Grand Lodge and the rights and privileges of all lodges desirous of remaining in allegiance to it , with a view to recognising the Grand

Lodge of New Zealand , and thereby restoring harmony among the members of the several Constitutions . It will have been seen , also , from one of our most recent articles that Bro . Bell , Immediate Past G . Master of New Zealand , when on a visit to England during the present year , had interviews

with several of the leading functionaries of Grand . Lodge , and from what passed at those interviews , as recorded by Bro . Bell himself , there is every reason to hope that the negotiations then informally entered upon will sooner or later be brought to a satisfactory conclusion . As for the Colonial Masonry which has

never known any other supreme authority than lhat of the Grand Lodges of the United Kingdom , there ' is little doubt they have fared exceedingly well . We have to deplore the losses by death of Bros . T . Irwin Miller , G . J . Ryan , M . D ., and Peter , Cunningham , Dist . G . Masters , respectively , of Northern China ,

the Argentine Republic , and Canterbury ( N . Z . ) , while to the universal regret of the brethren in Bengal , Bro . the Hon . Sir H . Thoby Prinsep has resigned the office of Dist . G . Master of Bengal , which he has filled with conspicuous ability , tact , and judgment for the last 18 years . On the other hand , Bro .

Maj-Gen . Sir George E . Wolseley , K . C . B ., has been installed as Dist . G . Master of the Punjab , in succession to Bro . Lieut .-Col . Massy , while the vacancy in the Dist . G . Mastership of Barbadoes , caused by the return to England of Bro . Col . John Elliott , C . B ., has been filled by the

appointment o ( Bro . John Locke who had the honour of being installed in office by no less a personage than his Excellency Bro . Sir James Shaw Hay , K . C . M . G ., Governor of

the Island . On the 10 th June , Dunedin was the scene of a grand Masonic ceremony , when Bro . T . Sherlock Graham , Dist . G . Master under the English Constitution of Otago and Southland , laid the foundation-stone of the Otago Agricultural Hall , which

Freemasonry In 1896.

is being erected in that city . Again , on the 5 th August , the British Lodge , No . 324 , Cape Town , had the honour of entertaining Bro . R . W . Shekleton , Q . C , Deputy Grand Master of Ireland , the cordiality that was exhibited both by the hosts and their distinguished guest being of the most delightful character .

There have also been constituted several new Masonic bodies in different parts of the British Empire , while , above all , the true spirit of Masonry , its tenets and principles , are kept well impressed on the minds of the brethren by such papers as the Canadian Craftsman , the Australasian Keystone , the Indian

Masonic Review , and other well-known and well-informed Masonic periodicals . In short , we have every reason to be satisfied with the position which is now occupied by all the various branches and offshoots of Masonry in the Colonies and Dependencies of the British Crown . May all future records be as encouraging !

The Royal Masonic Institution For Girls.

The Royal Masonic Institution for Girls .

The illustration we give of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls is taken from an engraving dated 1 S 03 , in the possession of Bro . Chetwode Crawley , LL . D ., S . G . D . Ireland , and it is to the kindness of that brother in lending it , and the ability of Bro . Henry Lovegrove , G . S . B ., assisted by Bro . F . Tupper

White , in making a drawing from it , that we are enabled to include this among the illustrations of our present Christmas number . The illustration shows the School premises as they were from 1 795 to 1853 , when they stood on ground in St . George ' s Fields , between the Obelisk and Westminster

Bridgeroad . The ground in question had a frontage of 89 feet and a depth of some 200 feet , and was taken over on lease in the first instance from a Mr . Gilbert , who held it by an underlease from the Corporation of London , which expired on Lad y Day , 1810 , and then from the Corporation itself for a further period of 43

years , which expired on Lady Day , 1853 , the principal condition being that the Institution should erect on it a new substantial brick building , at a cost of £ 2000 , to be wholl y and solely devoted to the purposes of the Charity . However , as . our readers

may desire to have further particulars respecting these premises , we have been at the pains of compiling the following brief account from " The History of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , " which was published in 1888 , about the time the Centenary of the School was celebrated :

As our readers are aware , the Institution for Girls , which was known originally as "The Royal Cumberland Freemasons ' School , " was originally located in a house in Somers-place East , which was engaged under a yearly tenancy at a rent of £ 35 per annum , and here it was that the first batch of girls to the

number of 15 , with a matron in charge and a servant , were established in January , 1789 . But , as the candidates for admission kept on increasing in number , but a very few years had elapsed ere it became necessary for the Governors to look about and obtain more commodious premises . Towards the close of

the year 1791 , Bro . Charles Carpenter , then the Treasurer of the Institution , proposed that a separate fund for the erection of a schoolhouse of their own should be opened and subscriptions solicited . The proposal was formally made at a meeting of the General Committee in January , 1792 , and as Bro . Carpenter

spoke hopefully of the prospect of raising the necessary funds and was warmly supported by Bro . Tenbroecke , who said that One of the surgeons of the Charity had reported to him that " if the season should at any time be warmer than usual , that with the present number of children now in the School at Somers

Town it might be attended with very prejudicial consequences to their health , " the Committee at once adopted the proposal and set about looking for a suitable plot of ground , eventuall y selecting the one on St . George ' s Fields , which , as we have said , was held by a Mr . Gilbert of the Corporation of London by an

under-lease expiring on Lad y Day , 1810 . As the term was so short , the Institution determined upon approaching the said Corporation with a view to obtaining such a reversionary lease

as would justify them in erecting a substantial schoolhouse large enough to accommodate the children maintained b y the Charity . Accordingly , the following petition was prepared and presented by Bros . Lord Macdonald and Forssteen to the Corporation ,