Masonic And General Tidings.

Masonic and General Tidings .

THE QUEEN is expected to leave Windsor for the Isle of Wight on or about the 20 th inst . THE COUNTESS OF J ERSEY ' S garden party at Osterley Park on Saturday last was very fully attended . ST . THOMAS ' HOSPITAL will eventually benefit by the will of the late Sir Robert Rawlinson to the amount of some £ 35 , 000 . T . R . H . THE PRINCE and Princess of Wales are to dine with the Earl of Rosebery on Thursday , the 14 th instant , and a distinguished party are invited to meet thein .

H . R , H . THE PRINCESS OF WALES , Princess Victoria of Wales , Brincess Victor Hohenlohe , and the Countess Helena Gleichen witnessed the performance of " Gotterdammerung" at the Royal Opera House , on Saturday last . THE DUKE OF CONNAUGHT has accepted an invitation to the dinner which the Lord Mayor is giving at the Mansion House on Wednesday , the 13 th inst ., in honour

of the Army , and to meet the Secretary of State for War and the Commander-in-Chief . AN APPEAL has been issued by the Lord Mayor of Birmingham and Mr . Chamberlain on behalf of the proposed University for Birmingham . The sum of £ 250 , 000 is required ; but it is stated that a start can be made on the strength of the support already promised .

H . R . H . THE PRINCE OF WALES and a distinguished party from Taplow Court passed through Boulter ' s Lock on Tuesday afternoon last in an electric launch steered by Bro . W . H . Grenfell . The Prince took tea with the Countess of Wilton at the Hatch , near Windsor , and returned through Boulter ' s Lock at half-past six .

BRO . THE MARQUIS AND MARCHIONESS OF ZETLAND entertained at dinner on Wednesday evening . ' at their house in Arlington-street , Bro . the Duke and Duchess of Portland , the Duchess of Montrose and Lady Helen Graham , Bro . Earl and Countess Carrington , the Earl and Countess of Mayo , Bro . Lord and Lady Balfour of Burleigh , Lord and Lady Alington , and others .

A CHORAL PERFORMANCE will be held on Tuesday , the 12 th inst ., in St . George ' s Chapel , Windsor Castle , in aid of the Choir Benevolent Fund . Bro . Sir Walter Parratt will direct , and a selection of anthems will be sung by the united choirs of St . George ' s and Eton College . Sir Frederick Bridge and Dr . Herford Lloyd are expected to assist at an afternoon concert in the Albert Institute . To these performances the Queen has given her patronage .

FOLLOWING UP the great success made with the " Elijah" at the Alexandra Palace , recently , the next choral concert will take place on Saturday afternoon , the 23 rd inst ., when Mendelssohn ' s " Hymn of Praise " will be given , preceded by a new cantata composed by Mr . Augustus Barratt , entitled , " Lancelot and Elaine . " The composer will probably conduct the first performance of this new work , and Mr . Henry J . Baker will conduct the " Hymn of Praise . "

THE QUEEN held a private investiture at Windsor Castle on Monday , when a number of naval and military officers and civilians received from her Majesty ' s hands the insignia of the Bath and other Orders to which they had been previously nominated . Among the military officers thus honoured was General Sir William S . A . Lockhart , lately commanding the force engaged in the North-West Frontier of India against the Afridis , who was invested with the star and riband of a Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath .

THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF CONNAUGHT , attended by Lieutenant the Hon . W . P . Hore Ruthven ( Master of Ruthven ) and Mrs . Ruthven , dined with Lieut .-Col . W . H . Dick-Cunyngham , V . C , and the officers of the 2 nd Battalion Gordon Highlanders on Saturday last at Aldershot . Among those present were Bro . the Earl and Countess of Airlie , Major-General W . O ., Mrs ., and Miss Barnard , Mrs . John Scott Napier , Colonel and Mrs . A . S . Wynne , Captain and Mrs . Wilson . The band of the battalion played during dinner , and afterwards a torchlight tattoo was held on the lawn in front of the mess .

BRO . THE DUKE OF BEDFORD , the new Lord Lieutenant of Middlesex , presided for the first time on Saturday last over the meeting of county magistrates held at the Guildhall , Westminster . The business included the re-election for the twelfth time of Bro . R . M . Littler , C . B ., Q . C , to the chairmanship of the Middlesex County Sessions , and the re-election of Mr . Montagu Sharp to the vice-chair for the' second time . A resolution was passed affirming a report of the Parliamentary Committee asking the Government to provide i n the Prisons Bill for a larger representation of justices upon thc governing bodies of convict prisons .

ON THE occasion ol the annual distribution of prizes at the Metropolitan and City Orphanage , Twickenham , on Saturday last , the Duke and Duchess of Connaught visited that institution , and their expression of satisfaction at the excellent way in which it is conducted must be gratifying to every one of its supporters . Their Royal Highnesses went through each department , displaying a lively interest in the methods adopted

both for the educatien and recreation of the children , and at the conclusion , the Duke described the whole of the arrangements as adm irable . The school now maintains 160 boys and 100 girls , and compassionate allowances are granted in respect of nearly S 50 children , for whom accommodation cannot be found within its walls . The police themselves support it . By a penny a week subscription alone they raise between £ 30110 and £ 4000 a year , whilst concerts and entertainments are responsible for another £ 6003 .

ANOTHER REMARKABLE TEST OF A . B . TYRES . —Once more the A . B . Tyre people have succeeded in scoring wonderfully in favour of their claims for the non-puncturability of A . B . tyres . On Wednesday last a test similar to that which took place in Coventry some months ago was made , and with equally good results—in the presence of H . R . H . the Duke of Connaught and staff , and a large company of ofiicers and ladies , in the grounds of the officers' club , at Aldershot . The Morning Leader ( London ) , describing the test at Aldsrshot , wriles : "Pver nails and broken glass . Again and again did Mr . Carnage ' s assistants , as well as several officers , ride over a board studded with

thousands of sharp nails , a nd a second plank covered with broken bottles , set in plaster of Paris , and all without a puncture , though the rubber covering was , of course , badly cut about . His Royal Highness took the greatest interest in the proceedings , personally examining the machines used . To one of them was fitted Major Lloyd ' s rille clips , which allow of the Lee-Metford being carried on any everyday cycle . Mr . Gamr . ge ,. in the unavoidable absence of Earl De La Warr , chairman of the Almagamated Pneumatic Tyre Cos ., Ltd ., in his capacity of director , explained the merits of the Tyres , and methods of construction to his Royal Highness and staff . We may also state that the Duke of Connaught had his own machine recently fitted with these tyres . "

Masonic And General Tidings.

THE COMMITTEE OF MANAGEMENT of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution will hold their regular monthly meeting at Freemasons' Hall , on Wednesday , the 13 th inst ., at 4 p . m . HENLEY REGATTA opened on Tuesday under the most favourable circumstances as regards weather , there being , in consequence , more than the usual immense assemblage of visitors who enjoyed their pic-nicking and so much of the sport as they were able or cared to witness .

LAST SATURDAY a cricket match was played at Stamford Hill bstween members of the staff of the Freemason , and the employees of Bros . George Kenning and Son , Little Britain . After a pleasant game victory rested with the latter team by the margin of 12 runs . THE HEALTH OF LONDON still continues to be most satisfactory , the death-rate per 1000 for last week being returned as 14 . 5 , which was the figure for the previous week . The rate at Brighton was 11 . 1 ; at Croydon , 10 . 9 . 5 and at West Ham , 12 . 6 . There is no epidemic in the Metropolis , and the deaths due to influenza have fallen to three .

THE DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE honoured Bro . Colonel the Hon . H . and Mrs . Eaton withhis company at dinner at their residence , 43 , Upper Grosvenor-street , on Sunday evening last , among those present to meet his Royal Highness bsing Prince and Princess Edward of Saxe-Weimar , Bro . the Duke and Duchess of Atholl , and Bro . Lord and Lady Hothfield .

A MUCH-NEEDED addition to Queen Charlotte ' s Hospital was fairly begun on Wednesday , when Viscountess Portman laid the memorial stone of a new home for the nurses in the presence of a company which included the Dowager Countess De La Warr , Sir Frederick Burrows , Sir Edward Hertslet , Lady Baker , Lieut .-Gen . Sir Robert and Lady Grant , Canon Barker , and Lieut .-Gen . Lowry .

THE . MEMBERS of the Royal Navy Club , 1765-S 5 , dined at the Whitehall Rooms , Hotel Metropole on Wednesday night . Admiral of the Fleet , Sir John E . Commerell , V . C , G . C . B ., presided , and the guests of the evening included the Right Hon . George J . Goschen , M . P ., First Lord of the Admiralty , and Bro . W . G . Ellison Macartney , M . P ., Parliamentary and Financial Secretary to the Admiralty .

THERE WAS a very brilliant soiree at the Royal Academy on Tuesday , the quests being received at the entrance to the Sculpture Room by the President and Lady Poynter , assisted by several members of tne Council . Among those present were Lady Audrey Buller , Bro . Earl Egerton of Tatton , the Earl of Carlisle , Viscount Cranbrook , Bro . Lord Ashbourne , the Earl of Levan and Melville , and others , and nearly all the Royal Academicians .

BRO . VISCOUNT WOLSELEY , Commander-in-Chief , accompanied by Col . the Hon . H . Gough , inspected the boys of the Duke of York ' s Royal Military School at Chelsea . A large company were present , including Bro . Lord Charles Beresford , M . P ., Lord and Lady Kelvin , Lord Chelmsford , and General Sir Martin Dillon . Afterwards he distri . buted the prizes for general work in the school , and addressed a few words to the boys , expressing the hope that as they left the school they would join the Army , and rise high in a noble profession .

LORD AND LADY FAROUHAR entertained at dinner , at their residence in Grosvenorsquare , on Wednesday evening , his Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge , the Duchess of Devonshire , Bro . the Duke and Duchess of Abercorn , the Duke and Duchess of Westminster , the Duchess of Leeds , the Earl and Countess Cadogan , the Earl and Countess Howe , the Earl and Countess Grey , the Earl and Countess Selborne , Bro . Lord and Lady Elcho , Lord and Lady Iveagh , Bro . the Earl of Durham , the Right Hon . A . J . Balfour , M . P ., and others .

IN CONNECTION with the re-openingof the Parish Chnrch of St . John , Tademaroad , West Chelsea , after restoration , it is proposed to hold a Masonic service on Sunday , the 17 th inst ., at half-past three o ' clock . Bro . the Rev . J . Seaver , B . D ., P . M ., Vicar of St . John's , Holloway , will preach the sermon . The collection will be devoted to the Restoration Fund . The gallery and south aisle will be open to ladies and friends . The brethren will assemble at the Vicarage , adjoining the church , to clothe .

ON THURSDAY , at St . James ' s Hall , Mr . Edward P . Delev . anti ' s Pupils Concert and Soiree took place , over 100 past and present pupils , and about 130 visitors were present . The hall was most tastefully decorated with fbvers , & c , and little tables Me a tele ; these arrangements of Mrs . Delevanti being quite unique , the pupils handing round refreshments in the intervals , imparting a social feeling—1 pleasant departure from the usual slow and stiff Pupils Concert . The program-ne was very varied and included an orchestra , cornet , violin , harp and piano solos , many songs , choruses , mandolin , guitar and banjo band , and an operetta written and composed by Mr . Dilevanti , concluding with a merry dance , which lasted vigorously until the early hours .

THE 47 TH annual meeting of the Birkbeck Building Society was held recently at the offices , 29 and _ 30 , Southampton-buildings , Chancery-lane . The report adopted stated that during the financial year juit closed the total receipts from all sources , taken with the disbursements , discloses ] the fact that th : annual turnover has amounted to £ 37 , 4 33 , 73 6 , being a daily average of upward ! of £ 120 000 for every business day that the office has been opened throughout the year . Tne investments now exceed 10 millions— £ 10 , 778 , 675—and the total liabilities on subscriptions

and deposits also exceed 10 millions j whilst the balance of assets in excess of liabilities amounts to £ 43 1 , 984 . The amount received for subscriptions during the year has reached the sum of £ 266 , 511 . After allowing for withdrawals , the amount standing to the credit of investing members at the close of the year is £ 888 , 8 9 6 , and the balance of deposits to £ 9 , 457 , 794 , amounting together to £ 10 , 346 , 6 91— an increase over the past year of £ 1 , 233 , 236 . The investments in convertible securities and the cash in hand have been augmented to

the extent of £ 1 , 212 , 079 , and now amount to £ 9 , 213 , 785 , of which £ 1 , 542 , 652 is invested in consols and other Government Securities , and upwards of two-and-a-half millions— £ 2 , 6 52 , 483—are inscribed in the books of the Governor and Company of the Bank of England , and £ 619 , 206 cash at Bankers . The number of members who have joined the Birkbeck during the past year is 2924 . In the Banking Department , 2116 Current Accounts , and 7377 Deposit Accounts have been opened , in all 12 , 417 New Accounts , being at the rate of 1034 per month . The Register of Shareholders now contains the names of 13 , 601 members , and besides these there are 19 , 160 Current

Accounts , and 52 , 333 Deposit Accounts , thus making the total of members and depositors 85 , 094 , the highest number ever attained . The number of shares in existence at the close of the year was 69 , 611 , which is also the highest number yet reached . Since its establishment the Society has returned to the Shareholders and Depositors more than 194 , 000 , 000 ( £ 194 , 672 , 808 ) , thc whole amount having been repaid upon demand . The amount advanced to borrowers has been £ 3 , 559 , 256 , the amount of interest and bonus paid to Investors and Depositors is upwards of three millions sterling , the exact figures being £ 3 , 322 , 147 , and the Invested Funds now exceed 10 , 000 , 000 sterling— £ 10 , 778 , 6 75 .

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