British Columbia.

As regards the Funds and Property belonging to the lodges , the Craft would seem to have been well circumstanced , the total value being set down at upwards of 45 , 000 dollars , while the sums disbursed in relief and for funerals of members and on transient brethren amounted to r 168 dollars . Quite

recently we have received thc Report of the Proceedings at the 27 th annual Communication , which was held in thc City of Westminster on the 23 rd June , 18 9 S , and from this we are aljle to note how considerable has been tbe progress made , in the interval of eight years . Last year there were as many as

24 lodges distributed about the Province at 20 cities or towns while the aggregate of members , including F . Cs . and E . Ps . is entered at 1367 . The Grand Lodge total of receipts from all sources reached 2166 dollars ; thc value of thc lodge funds and property exceeded 52 , 000 dollars , and the total disbursed in relief

and for funerals was about 1150 dollars . Turning to individual lodges , we find that the two which meet in Victoria—Nos . 1 and 2—have 142 and 100 members respectively ; the two in Vancouver—Nos . 7 and 12—121 and 172 members ; the two in Nanaimo—Nos . 3 and 18—82 and 30 ; and the two in New

Westminster — Nos . 9 and 17 — 80 and 4 8 members ; there being live other lodges which have each of them a muster roll of 50 members and upwards . As regards funds and property . Lodge No . 3 , Nanaimo , is the best off , the value of its belongings being r 2 , 500 dollars , while

Lodges Nos . 1 and 2 , both located at \ ictona , have funds and property amounting to the value in the former case of 77 62 dollars , and in tbe latter to 4300 dollars , while of thc two lodges in the city of Vancouver No . 7 has property , & c , amounting to 3000 dollars , and No . 12 to 4 650 dollars . Here then we have a

British Colonial Grand Lodge which , but the other day , was the smallest , or very nearly the smallest , Giand Lodge in existence , but which in the course of eight years has about doubled its strength . We need hardly add , that we trust it may be our good fortune to record that , when as many more years have passed , an equal , or even a greater , progress may have been made .

The Late Robert William Shekleton, Q.C, Deputy Grand Master Of Ireland.

THE LATE ROBERT WILLIAM SHEKLETON , Q . C , DEPUTY GRAND MASTER OF IRELAND .

The profound regret with which the Irish Craft has received intelligence of the death of Bro . Robert William Sheklcton will be shared by brethren throughout the world of Freemasonry . His friends had known that he had been in declining health for

the last few years , but ( hey hoped that the tour in Egypt , in which he was accompanied by the most devoted of wives , would restore his strength . These hopes wen ; doomed to disappointment ; the hand of death was laid upon him on the 25 th ult ., at Cairo .

Our late Bro . R . W . Sheklcton had attained eminence in many ways . He was a graduate of Trinity College , Dublin , in 18 4 6 , taking his degree witli classical honours of the first class . He was called to the Bar in 1848 , and took silk in 18 7 G . He was J . P . for three counties , and at various times in his career

held high posts in the Adnurally . and other Courts . No opinion at the Bar was of more weight than his , and no one more readily p laced his legal lore and experience at the disposal of struggling Junior Counsel . Gifted with manners at once courteous and stately , he formed an admirable specimen of the Anglo-Irish " •entry .

Bro . R . W . Sheklcton was initiated in Leinster Lodge , Ko , 141 , Dublin , on the 20 th March , 118 49 , and had thus completed at the lime of his lamented death more than half a century in the service of the Craft .

After filling the usual minor offices , he was installed Worshipful Master of his lodge in 18 53 . On the resignation , in 18 G 9 , of thc post of Deputy Grand Master by the Hon . John Fitz Henry Townshend , LL . D ., Q . C ., who had been appointed Judge of the High Court of Admiralty in Ireland , the post was conferred

by his Grace the Duke of Leinster on Bro . Sheklcton . He was accordingly installed Deputy Grand Master on ihe 3 rd June , 1 S 69 , and discharged the duties of that ol'Wce with unflagging y . e ; i \ nnd conspicuous ability till 11 * 97 — a term of of / ice which has

never been equalled bv any other Deputy Grand Master . The value of Bro . Shcklelon ' s services as Deputy Grand Master of Ireland cannot be overrated , lie rendered those services freel y and ungrudgingly ; he never spared himself in the discharge of his duties .

'J he irish ( rail has been singularly fortunate in the Deputy Grand Masters who have ruled it during ( he last half century ; but never more so than in his case . It was a difficult matter for Bro . Sheklcton to improve on the genial rule of the Hon . Judge

The Late Robert William Shekleton, Q.C, Deputy Grand Master Of Ireland.

Townshend ; but he not only succeeded in carrying on thc work of Grand Lodge on the lines inaugurated by his predecessor , but so . managed the affairs of Grand Lodge as to enable his worth y successor , our present Deputy Grand Master , Bro . James Creed Meredith , LL . D ., to undertake schemes for the benefit of the Craft , which would have seemed chimerical to the last

generation . Bro . Sheklcton was exalted R . A . Sth December , 18 49 , in the R . A . Chapter attached to thc Leinster Lodge , of which he became M . E . K . ( First Principal ) in 1 S 53 . He was elected G . H . P . ( Second Principal ) of the Supreme Grand Roval Arch

Chapter of Ireland in 1870 . He was appointed by the Duke of Leinster his Deputy in Grand Royal Arch Chapter in 18 73 , and held that office till his Grace ' s death . He joined the K . T .

Leinster Preceptory attached to the Leinster Lodge in July , 1 S 5 r , and served as Sub-Prior of Ireland under the Duke of Leinster and H . R . H . the Duke of Connaught from 1 S 6 9 to 18 97 , again an unprecedented term of office .

As is well known , thc Ancient and Accepted Rite is worked in Ireland in harmony with Craft Freemasonry , and in all the departments of that Rite Bro . Shckleton was prominent . He became a Prince Mason in the Furnell Chapter , P . G . R . C ., No . 4 , in 1866 , and eventually attained thc coveted distinction of 33 ° , Ireland .

It is not too much to say that every Freemason in Ireland feels that by thc death of Bro . R . W . Shckleton a true brother has been removed from the Brotherhood . It is needless to say that his more intimate friends feel the loss to them to be

irreparable . "Well done , thou good ami faithful servant , enter thou into thy rest . " W . J . ClIETW'ODE CRAWI . EV . 29 th March , 1890 .

A Masonic Veteran.

A MASONIC VETERAN .

Wc feci assured that our readers will cordially join us in tendering our sincere congratulations to the R . W . Bro , Sir Albert W . Woods , K . C . li ., K . C . M . G . ( Garter ) , F . S . A ., Past Grand Warden , and Grand Director of Ceremonies , on his approaching Masonic Jubilee . We learn from a brief sketch of

his Masonic career , prefixed to " Sadler s Notes on thc Ceremony of Installation , " that our distinguished brother was initiated in the Old Union Lodge , No . 46 , on the i ith April , 18 49 , and , having continued a subscribing member ever since , he now holds the honoured position of " Father of the Lodge . "

In 18 5 s he was appointed Asst . Grand Director of Ceremonies , and in i 860 he was promoted to the superior office which he has ever since so ably and worthily filled . Tht rank of Past Grand Warden of England was conferred upon

nRO . SIR ALBERT W . WOODS ( CARTER ) , P . G . W ., A . \ D G . D . OF C . him by the M . W . Grand Master in acknowledgment of hi ? eminent services on the occasion of the Installation of hi * Royal Highness in 18 75 . We believe we are correct in stating that , with the exception

of a Prov . G . Master , and W . II . White , G . S . 1 S 10-1857 , hi * period of service as an actual Officer of the Grand Lodge of England exceeds by several years that of any other brother since

"the Glorious Union ol 1813 . " Indeed , we think we shall not be far wrong in venturing to say that , with the exceptions referred lo , he has " beaten the record" in this respect since ; the foundation of thc Grand Lodge in 1717 .

In consequence of his late serious illness and his being compelled to avoid the night air , Sir Albert is precluded from taking as active a part in his Masonic duties as he would wish . ' will , however , doubtless , be a source of pleasure to thc Craft generally to know that he is now in fairly good health , considering that on the 16 th instant , he will enter upon his 84 th year .