Masonic And General Tidings.

Masonic and General Tidings .

THE Bank rate was on Thursday reduced from 5 per cent , to 4 J per cent . The last change was from 4 per cent , to 5 per cent , on 3 rd January . THE Committee of Management of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution will hold their regular monthly meeting , at Freemasons' HaU , on Wednesday , the 13 th instant , at four p . m ., when the lists of candidates for the May election will be approved , and the vacancies then to be competed for declared .

THE LONDON BLIND . —Bro . the Lord Mayor and the Lady Mayoress have promised to preside at the annual meeting of the London Society for Teaching the Blind and at the distribution of prizes on Saturday , April 27 th , at four . ON WEDNESDAY Bro . Sir Henry Irving celebrated his 63 rd birthday , having been born on February 6 th , 1 S 38 . He has been associated with the dramatic profession , of which he is now the honoured head and ornament , since early manhood . His knighthood dates from 1805 .

NEW THEATRE FOR FOLKESTONE . —Lord Radnor officially announced at the 12 th annual meeting of the Pleasure Gardens Company , on the 5 th instant , that a new theatre is to be erected at Folkestone at a cost of £ 20 , 000 . The old theatre will be adapted to the purpose of winter gardens . BRO . ALDERMAN ALLISTON has been elected unanimously to fill the chair of the Police Committee in succession to Bro . Alderman Sir Joseph C . Dimsdale , who has retired owing to the pressure of his Parliamentary and other duties . The Alderman will make a splendid chairman , and in the work that is before the committee he will be essentially the right man in the right place .

MOST BRETHREN who attended the lodges held at the old Ship and Turtle will remember the general manager , Bro . E . Ashby , who looked so well after their interests prior to the change of proprietorship . We notice that Bro . Ashby has adopted a new line , and that he now represents the well-known house of Rubeck and Co , of Fenchurchstreet , wine and spirit merchants , and is always " at home " to his old friends .

BY COMMAND of Princess Henry of Battenberg , Governor of the Isle of Wight , the accession of King Edward VII . was proclaimed by the Deputy-Governor of the island from the balcony of thc Newport Guildhall , in the afternoon of the 5 th instant , in the presence of the inhabitants . The Royal Rifle Reserve Regiment and the local Volunteers were present , and gave a Royal salute . Cheers were given for the King .

ON THURSDAY MORNING the King received a deputation in the White Drawing Room from the Chapter of St . George ' s , Windsor . It consisted of the Very Rev . Philip Eliot , D . D ., Dean of Windsor ; the Rev . J . N . Dalton , C . M . G ., M . A . ; the Right Rev . Bishop Barry , D . D . ; and the Rev . Richard Gee , D . D ., Canons of St . George ' s Chapel , and was introduced by the Lord-in-Waiting , when the Dean of Windsor presented an address , to which the King graciously replied .

TUESDAY NIGHT ' S Gazette announces that the King has appointed General his Royal Highness Prince Fredeiic Christian Charles Augustus of Schleswig-Holstein , one of the Personal Aides-de-Camp to her late Majesty Queen Victoria , to be a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order . A similar distinction has been conferred on Captain his Serene Highness Adolphus Duke of Teck , ist Life Guards , K . C . V . O ., while his Royal Highness Leopold Charles Edward George Albert , Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha , Duke of Albany , has been made an Honorary Knight Grand Cross of the same order .

AT THE Association of Men of Kent and Kentish Men's Council Meeting , held on the zSlh ult ., the honorary secretary handed in the report of the _ very successful Bohemian concert held on the 12 th ult ., at the Holborn Restaurant , which was attended by some 200 members and friends . As already advised , the Cinderella dance arranged for the 26 th ult . was postponed . The association continues its rapid growth , 36 new members being enrolled at last Monday ' s meeting , including such well-known names as J . PenningTorr , Esq ., M . A ., Recorder of Deal , and T . Dinwiddy , Esq ., F . R . I . B . A ., F . S . I ., of Greenwich .

A PANEL FOR THE ROYAL E XCHANGE . —ln the course of an address to the Court of Common Council on Thursday , the 31 st ult ., Bro . the Lord Mayor said his excellent Iriends the Sheriffs of the City of London had , he was very pleased to say , recognising the great importance of the very interesting function of the Prod , mation of Edward VII . on the steps of the Royal Exchange , decided to place a panel painting in

that building depicting the ceremony on the 24 th ult . He was certain the members would permit him to assure the Sheriffs of the Court's appreciation of their liberality . They regarded with feelings of the highest satisfaction the fact that the Sheriffs should have come forward at the earliest moment with such a proposal to commemorate the interesting event .

PROFESSOR SHUTTLEWORTH MEMORIAL . —At the Court of Common Council , on the 31 st ult ., Bro . Alderman Alliston moved , "That , in recognition of the eminent services tendered by the late Professor Shuttleworth to education , and to the promotion of Christian life and practice among the various workers in City warehouses , this Court resolves to contribute the sum of £ 50 to the Shuttleworth Memorial Fund , and that Mr . Chamberlain do pay the same out of this City ' s cash-accordingly . " In doing so , he

said , the great work done by the late Professor Shuttleworth would bear fruit for many years . He had sacrificed for it his health , his life , and his means . The memorial would take the form of a presentation to his widow and children of a sum of money . Bro . Edward Lee ( Bassishaw ) seconded . Bro . Alderman Alliston said he thought the amount named in his motion was sufficient . He hoped to induce many of the guilds to follow the example of the Corporation .

THE NEW BISHOP OF B ARKING . —Bro . the Venerable Thomas Stevens , Archdeacon of Essex , whose appointment as Bishop Suffragan of Barking , in the diocese of St . Albans , his Majest y has been pleased to approve , is a well-known Freemason , and was Grand Chaplain in 1886-7 . He is the son of Mr . Thomas Ogden Stevens , of Clifton , was born in 1842 , was educated at Shrewsbury School and Magdalen College , Cambridge , of which he was a Scholar and Exhibitioner , and graduated in 1 SG 3 , but was not ordained until 1 S 65 , proceeding M . A . in . S 67 . He was , between 1 SC 3 and 1 SS 2 , an assistant master at Charterhouse School , Curate of St . Mary's , Chirterhouse , of

Woodford , Northants , of St . Mark's , Victoria Decks , of St . Botolph ' s , Bishopsgate , and of Holy Trinity , Brompton , and Vicar of St . Mark's , and also of St . Luke ' s , Victoria Docks , and was , from 1882 to 1 SS 9 , Vicar of Saffrom Walden and Chaplain to the Union , since when he has been Vicar ot St . John with Holy Trinity , Stratford . He was Honorary Cation of St . Albans from 1891 to 1894 , was elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries in 18 S 9 , and has been Archdeacon of Essex since 1394 . He married , in 1866 , Ann Elizabeth , daughter of Mr . George Bertram , of St . Heller ' s , Jersey , and sister of Sir George Clement Bertram , late Bailiff of the Island .

ABOUT the roost comprehensive scheme of accident , disease , and pension assurance with which we are acquainted is contained in the new policy issued by the London , Edinburgh , and Glasgow Assurance Company , Limited , of which Bro . Wilfred A . Bowser is the consulting actuary . For an annual premium of £ 5 a person following an ordinary non-hazardous occupation may secure the following increased benefits : £ 2000 in the event of accidental death , or the loss of two eyes , or two hands or feet , or of a hand and foot if caused by railway accident , or £ 1000 if caused by other

accident ; £ 1000 in the event of the loss of one eye , one hand , or one foot if caused by railway accident , or £ 500 if caused by other accident ; £ 60 a year pension in case of permanent total disablement ( other than loss of eyes or limbs ) if caused by railway accident , or £ 30 a year if caused by other accident ; £ 12 a week during temporary total disablement if caused by railway accident , or £ t > per week if caused by other accident ; £ 0 per week during total disablement caused by typhoid , typhus , or scarlet fever , diphtheria , measles , or small pox ; £ 3 per week . during temporary partial

disablement if caused by railway accident , or £ 1 ios . per week if caused by other accident . As an illustration of the advantages given to accident assurers who are fortunate to meet with no accident , we observe that the premium on an ordinary policy issued by this cempany in the temperance section , in 18 S 1 , has been reduced by bonus fiom £ 4 8 s . to £ 2 lOs . 3 d . for the current year , whilst the premium on a policy issued in 1882 , in the general section , has been reduced from £ 3 to £ 2 3 s . 4 d . The company possesses a premium increase of nearly £ 400 , 000 in its various branches , and has already paid over a million and a half sterling in claims .

Masonic And General Tidings.

BRO . FIELD-MARSHAL LORD ROBERTS has consented to act as Vice-President of the Military Exhibition , to be held at Earl ' s Court this year . AMONGST the latest contributions received at the Bank of England for the Prince of Wales's Hospital Fund for London is the annual [ subscription of the Worshipful Company of Fishmongers for £ 1000 .

THE FESTIVAL DINNER of the Royal Medical Benevolent College , of which the late Queen was a patron , has been postponed from April 16 th till July 9 th . The Earl of Rosebery , the new president , will take the chair . KING EDWARD AND THE RUSSIAN ARMY . —By Imperial command the 27 th ( Prince of Wales ' s ) Kieff Dragoons will henceforward be known as the 27 th ( his Majesty King Edward VII . ) Kieff Dragoons . —Renter .

SHRIEVALTY 1901-2 . —Bro . the Right Hon . the Earl of Halsbury , P . C , has consented to act as President of the Committee which has been formed to promote the election of Bro . Horace Brooks Marshall , M . A ., J . P ., as one of the Sheriffs for the year ensuing . WE UNDERSTAND that Sir Arthur Bigge , who for some years has rendered invaluable service in the fulfilment of his duty as Private Secretary to her late Majestv Queen Victoria , will henceforth hold a similar position in the service of H . R . H . the Duke of Cornwall and York .

A MACHINE in the Bank of England for weighing sovereigns and half sovereigns !? so extremely sensitive that it can denote a tenth of a grain difference in the weight of a coin . It automatically weighs 26 coins in a minute . The coins of full weight it throws to the right , and the others to the left . THE PRESS ASSOCIATION was on the 7 th instant officially informed that no definite decision has yet been arrived at as to whether the Duke of Cornwall will or will not make the projected Australian visit . An early official announcement as to the course decided upon may be looked for .

BRO THE LORD CHANCELLOR having received a great number of applications from Peers and others for orders of admission for the ceremony of the opening of Parliament , desires it to be known that his lordship's office has nothing to do with the issue of such orders . Applications should be addressed to the Lord Great Chamberlain ' s Office , Palace of Westminster .

VALUABLE additions have been made to the stock of fish in the Thames . A consignment of 100 American rainbow trout has been placed in the river at Weybridge by Major Terry , and at Henley the Fisheries' Preservation Association has distributed 500 two-year-old trout . Three hundred coarse fish have been turned into the stream in the same district .

AN INSTRUCTION issued by the Commander-in-Chief states that in consequence of the death of the Queen and the accession of King Edward VII ., amendments will be necessary in various places in Army Regulations and forms in which the Sovereign is referred to . Until the issue of new editions , such Regulations will be read as if thus altered , and forms , & c , will be amended in manuscript when necessary .

BRO . EARL ROBERTS , on Wednesday , paid a visit to the Guildhall to inspect the regimental depot of the City Imperial Volunteers . His lordship left behind him a written record of his warm approval of the organisation , administration , and conduct of the corps , which , he added , had shown what could be done by Volunteers , on whom this country would assuredly have to depend in a great measure for its security .

THE WEDDING GIFT from the Mayor and Corporation and townspeople of High Wycombe to Lady Marjorie Carrington , eldest daughter of Bro . Lord and Lady Carrington , will consist of a valuable piece of plate ; while the tenantry on his lordship ' s Buckinghamshire estate have subscribed for a massive diamond ring , which will be accompanied by an illuminated list of the tenants . The marriage takes place in London next Tuesday .

INCREASING EMIGRATION . —During January 7 G 43 passengers of British origin left the United Kingdom for places outside of Europe . In the corresponding month of last year the number of such persons was 5544- The countries of destination for this year ' s emigrants were as follows : United States , 33 S 1 ; British North America , 201 ; Australasia , 1497 ( against 6 S 1 in January last year ) ; South Africa , 1439 ( ajainst S 49 ) ; all other places , 1125 .

WESLEY ' S ^ CHOT . CH in City-road has just been ennched by another handsome stained-glass window , placed on the east side of the historic building , as a memorial to the late Mr . W . Willmer Pocock , who was for many years closely associated with the historic building , and whose grandfather was present when the framer of the Methodist Church laid the foundation-stone of the chapel in April , 1777 . No other Nonconformist place of worship in the Metropolis has so many memorial windows and pillars , worldwide Methodism having of late years generously contributed to this end .

THE ALEXANDRA PALACE . —The purchase money for the Alexandra Palace and grounds having been paid to the late owners the place is now the property of the public . All the grounds , however , have not yet been secured , and there is a danger of the ground to the north of the palace and the boating lake falling into the hands of the builders , unless the sum of £ 11 , 500 is forthcoming . The area of thit ground is about 16 acres . An effort is being made to raise the £ 11 , 500 , and those districts which did not subscribe to the £ 150 , 000 raised for the purchase just completed are being asked to subscribe to this smaller sum .

His MAJESTY THE KING , accompanied by his Majesty the King of the Hellenes , their Royal Highnesses the Crown Prince of Denmark and the Duke of Connaught , visited their Royal Highnesses Prince and Princess Christian of Schleswig-Holstein , at Cumberland Lodge , on Wednesday afternoon . Field-Marshal his Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge , his Serene Highness and her Royal Highness Prince and Princess Adolphus of Schaumburg-Lippe arrived at the Castle on Wednesday evening , and left on Thursday morning . The Duke of Cambridge was attended by Rear-Admiral Fitz-George , and Prince and Princess Adolphus of Schaumburg-Lippe by Fraulein von Blucher and-Major von Winsloe .

His MAJESTY THE KING , accompanied by their Royal Highnesses the Duke of Connaught and Prince Arthur , received a deputation from Queen Victoria ' s Regiment of Dragoons ot the Imperial German Army , at Windsor Castle , on Tuesday morning , composed of Colonel von Rauch , C . V . O ., commanding the regiment , Captain Richard von Rentzell , First Lieutenant Freiherr Max von Senden , First Lieutenait and Adjutant Freiherr Franz , Hereman von Zuydlwyck , Lieutenant Carl von Roehl ,

Regimental-Sergeant-Major Bublitz , Lance-Corporal Schulze , Lanes-Corporal Zochert , and Private Seligsohn . _ HisMajesty also received the following deputation fr > m the Blucher Hussars , of which his Majesty is Colonel-in-Chief : Lieutenant-Colonel Nicolas von Rauch , commanding the regiment , Captain Carl Courth , First Lieutenant and Adjutant E rnest Boguslaw von Kumeke , and First Lieutenant Sigismund von Michaelis . The King was attended by General Sir Dighton Probyn , Bro . Captain Holford , and Captain F . Ponsonby .

MAGISTRATES of the County of London assembled at the Sessions House , Clerkenwell , on Tuesday , under the chairmanship of Bro . Wm . Robert McConnell , K . C , and passed the following resolution , which was ordered to be engrossed on vellum , and forwarded by Sir Richard Nicholson , Clerk of the Peace , to his Mijesty King Edward VII . It was in these words : " We , your Majesty ' s Justices of the Peace for the County of London , in general session assembled , desire to approach your Majesty

with a unanimous and heartfelt expression of our sympathy in the deep sorrow which has fallen , not only on your Majesty and the Royal Family , but on the Empire . The noble and devoted life of her late Gracious Majesty will be held by us in dutiful , affectionate , and undying remembrance . We pray that , following her bright example , your Majesty may long -reign in your world-wide Empire , and in the heart ; of your loyal and devoted subjects . "

Deaths.

DEATHS .

FENN . —On the 2 nd instant , at No . 22 , Down-street , Mayfair , Bro . Thomas Fenn of the Stock Exchange , in the 81 st year of his age . Australian papers please copy . GAKKOO . —On the 5 th instant , at " Somerton , " Burghill-road , Sydenham , Sirah Ann , wife of Bro , Henry Garrod , of 15 , Eastcheap , E . G ., aged 62 .