Masonic And General Tidings.

Masonic And General Tidings .

The Committee of Alanagement of the Royal Alasonic Benevolent Institution svill hold their regnlar monthly meeting at Freemasons' Hall , on VVednesday , the I 4 'h inst ., when the lists of candidates for the Alay election and the number of vacnncies to be filled svill be declared .

It is expected that Bro . the Earl anel Countess of Jersey , svho have been staying at their seat , Middleton Park , Oxfordshire , svill make a short excursion abroad some time before Easter . The Council of the Institution of Naval Architects have asvarded tsvo gold medal ; for 18133 , one to Mr . George A . Calvert for his paper on " The Measurement of Wake Currents , " and the other to Herr Otto Schlick , for his paper on " An Apparatus for Aleasuring and Regulating the Vibrations of Steamers . "

The old Shrove Tuesday football in the streets svas observed svith much enthusiasm at Dorking , in Surrey , and at Nuneaton , Herstone , and other places in Warsvickshire . The shops svere closed , and in most cases barricaded , and the game in svhich several hundreds of men and boys took part svas continued svith considerable vigour during' the whole of the afternoon .

The Duke of Yoik paid his first public visit to Lynn on the 2 nd inst ., svhen he opened the nesv Technical School which has been erected by the Corporation of that town at a cost of £ 3000 . The Duke svas received by Bro . Sir William ffolkes and others , and at the conclusion of the ceremony visited the patients at the West Norfolk and Lynn Hospital .

Princess Christian of Schlessvig-Holstein , has promised to visit Oxford during Easter sveek , in order to be present at the Conference of the National Union of Teachers , and receive purses in aid of the charitable svork it performs . Her Royal Highness svill be received on her arrival by a Committee of svelcome , svhich includes the Vice-Chancellor and the heads of all the houses in Oxford .

The marriage of Air . Granville Charles G . Leveson-Gosver , the eldest surviving son of Air . and the Hon . Mrs . Leveson-Gosver , svith Evelyn , second surviving daughter of Bro . Henry A . Brassey and Airs , Brasrey , of Presion Hall , Aylesford , Kent , svas solemnised in the church of St . Paul ' s Knightsbriejge , on the 3 rd inst . Later in the afternoon the nesvly-married couple svent to Sherborne House , Gloucestershire , for the honeymoon .

It is announced that an important addition to the number of open scholarships tenable at Trinity College , London , is about to be made , it having been decided to appropriate to this purpose the dividends accruing from certain invested fupds . This will raise the total value of the free musical tuition given at this college to something over £ 500 per annum . The scholarships and exhibitions are open to all comers , svith certain limitations of age , but svithout restrictions of sex or creed .

Notwithstanding that the condition of the Czar ' s health is reported to be satisfactory , considerable anxiety prevails on the subject in St . Petersburg , and every social function both in connection svith the Court and in private circles has been postponed in consequence . His . Majesty ' s

constitution is strong , and his medical advisers have little doubt as to his ultimate recovery , but the severity of his late illness has left him in a state of exceeding sveakness . Telegrams of icquiry as to his Alajesty ' s state are being constantly received at the Palace .

At Westminster School the ceremony of " Tossing the Pancake" svas observed svith the usual formalities on Tuesday . A procession , headed by one of the Vergers , and including the cook clad in svhite and bearing the pancake on a frying-pan , having knocked at the "big" school and been

admitted , the pancake svas tossed and scrambled for by the boys , the one svho secured the largest portion running off to the Deanery to claim the time-honoured honorarium of tsvo guineas from Dr . Bradley , the pancake-throsver being entitled to one-half of the sum .

Every detail connected svith the customary Easter "outing" of the volunteers has been completed by the Horse Guards and the War Ollice . Three hundred of the 2 nd Middlesex Artillery go to Fort Grain , Kent , svhilst 700 of the ist London Artillery go to Sheerness . The 1 st Aliddlesex , ist London , and 2 nd Tosver Hamlets Engineers go lo

Chatham—their total strength about icoo . As to the Volunteer Infantry , i 5 ooof the East London brigade go to Winchester , the North London brigade , 2300 in number , to Dover , and the South London brigade , 4000 , to Canterbury . The Surrey brigade , or 30110 of the men , are to concentrate at Guildford .

The svill of Ihe late Bro . Henry Pettitt , dramatic author , who died on the 24 th December last , has been proved by Mr . A . J . Flaxman , of the Temple , barrister ; Mr . George Conquest , the other executor , having rem unced . The peisonally amounted to , ( , 48 . 477 . The testator left to his son Henry the pictures painted by deceased's uncle , J . J . Pettitt ; also his dramatic and reference library . To his

wife Annette he leaves £ 200 and certain furniture , and the income of three-fifths of his property , svith remainder fo her thiee children . 'To llizabelh Ann Fernyhough , nee Finch , he likesvise leaves £ 200 , certain furniture , the income of two-fifths of his property , ssiih remainder to her tsvo children upon condition that she brings / JG 000 , already settled upon her , into hotchpot .

Bro . James Stevens , svhose success as a lecturer on Masonic Ritual and Traditions svas so pronounced some time since , appears to be no less marked in quite another sphere . For . -cme time past he has been delivering a courfc of almcstdaily lectures on " Australiaand its Irrigation Colonies , " in London and the Provinces , and he is nosv announced to appear at the Crystal Palace on 'Tuesday

next , the 13 th inft ., in No . 9 Room , of the Company's School of Art , Science , and Literature , liro . Stevens ' lectures are all extempore , and as he appears to possess an inexhauttable storehouse of facts and figures , he alsvays succeeds in creating an intelligent interest in the subjects with sshich he deals . Full particulars appear in our advertisement columns ,

Masonic And General Tidings.

The Prince of Wales , accompanied by Prince Henry of Battenberg , svent for a cruise on his yacht , the Britannia , on the Solent , on Alonday , previous fo her departure for the Alediterranean . It is intended that a complimentary banquet shall be given to Bro . Littler , C . B ., O . C , by the members of the

Aliddlesex County Council , at the Hotel Aletropole , on Thursday , the 15 th inst . Bro . the Marquis of Zetland svill retire from the presidency of the Benevolent Society of St . Patrick on the iGth March , just previous to the annual festival , and svill be succeeded by the Earl of Hosvth , K . P .

Bro . General Lord Roberts , V . C ., has very k ' ndly promised to present the prizes to the successful competitors of the Tosver Hamlets Rifle Volunteers , at their headquarters in Whitechapel , on Saturday , the 3 rd Alarch . It is officially announced that the Prince of Wales svill hold a levee at St . James ' s Palace on behalf of the Queen on Alonday , the 19 th inst ., and that a second levee svill be held in her Alajesty's behalf by the Duke of York early next month .

Brethren are invited to send for the list of Masonic Books published at the ofiice of the Freemason . Many svorks of interest both to the AIasonic student and general reader have recently been added , and the publisher svill gladly forsvard a copy to any address on receipt of a post-card .

The master ( Lord Ribblesdale ) and a Urge field svere present at the meet of the Queen ' s buckhounds , at Gerrard ' s Cross , on Tuesday , svhen notsvithstanding the ground svas very heavy and trying to both borsesandjhounds , the run proved one of the best during the present season .

The Battersea Polytechnic Institute svill be opened on Saturday , the 24 th inst ., svhen the Prince of VVales has kindly promised to attend and perform the ceremony , and there appears to be good reason to hope that his Royal Highness svill be accompanied by the Princess of Wales .

The Royal Commission on the Aged Poor , of svhich Lord Aberdare is Chairman , and the Prince nf VVales a member , svill resume its sittings at the House of Lords next sveek for the purpose of taking evidence on several points svhich sundry of the members consider require further elucidation .

Monday , the 5 th instant , being Founders' Day , the members of the Royal Navy Club , of 1765 and 17 S 5 , dined together at the Hotel Aletropole , under the presidency of Captain Gerard H . Noel , Junior Naval Lord of the Admiralty , the guest of the evening being Sir Francis Grenfell .

Captain C . Keeson read an interesting paper on "Ssvordsmanship , Ancient and Modern , " at the headquarters of the Victoria and St . George ' s Rifle Corps , on Tuesday , the various methods of training and wielding the weapon being ably illustrated in a series of bouts by the lecturer , who svas assisted by the members of the Regimental School of Arms .

At the recent meeting of the Council of the Hjspital Sunday Fund svhich svas held in the Venetian Parlour of the Alansion House , under the presidency of Bro . Lord Mayor Tyler , for the election of Committees and ollicers , Bro . Sir David Evans , K . C . M . G ., svas elected a member in the place of Bro . Sir James Whitehead , Bart ., resigned , and Captain Cundy in place of Bro . J . Derby Allcroft , deceased . The Empress Frederick ot Germany arrived off Cowes on

board the Royal yacht Victoria and Albert tosvards the end of last sveek on a visit to the Queen at Osborne . Her Majesty at once svent on board the Royal yacht Alberta , svhere she svas greeted by the Duchess of Albany and Prince and Prince Henry of Battenberg , and having landed at 'Trinity Pier , drove in a carriage and four lo OJurne . On Satutday last the-Prince aid Princess of Wales and their daughters , the Princesses Victoria and Alaud , svent to Osborne on a visit to the Oueen .

An important pigeon-shoo ing match was held at Alonte Carlo on Tuesday , svhen France , Great Britain , Italy , Belgium , Austria-Hungary , and Germany , repiesented each by tsvo marksmen , competed , the amount of the sweepstakes being 200 francs each competitor , and the conditions 30 pigeons at 28 metres . Italy sv in svith 55

birds grassed , Great Britain biing second svith 5 . 1 , Austria-Hungary , and Germany next in order svith 4-1 and 4 G respectively , France fifth svith 43 , and Belgium list sviua 41 birds . The souvenir for the best individual scare sv . is svon by Com t Luke Gajoli , svho only missed tsvice in his 30 shots , killing 25 birds comectively .

VVe have been favoured with the sight of the handsome silver medal presented to our friends , Alessrs . Partridge and Cooper , " The Stuioners , " i . ja , Fleet-street and Chancery-lane , given by the proprietors of Tit-Bits lor the best dressed svindosv , and observe they are the only stationers so favoured amongst the many hundreds of

competitor . 'There is one thing sve cannot lose sight of svhen sve lemeniber svhat the ' times said on Aletropolitan improvements— " That co net house is one of tlie handsomest buildings in London , " and this must be a great assistance to a ssindosv dresser , but to us there always appears to be a charm about that corner .

Air . Alderman Hopekirk , who is better known to the brethren of the Craft as Bro . II apekirk , P . G . Purst ., appears to be as highly esteemed in his municipal capacity as in Freemasonry , so much so that at a meeting held atthe Royal Normal College , Upper Norwood , on the 29 th ult ., tne Mayor of Croydon , S . Lee Rymer , Esq ., J . P ., presiding , the folljsving resolution svas unanimously ceriieJ : " That this

meeting ; of buryess ^ s Upper Norsvoud and ncignbourhood , debiting to recognise the valuable public services and personal merits of Air . A eler . iMn VV . Hopekirk , f jrms itself into a General Committee to further the beat means uf acknosvledging the same , In the form of a testimonial . " It is to take the lorm of a gold ivatch , and we wish our good biother many years oi file r , mark tne li . ne by it .

Sv . n ; ss To H . wj . ; A I ' CRM IN :-. N"T 1 . JIKC : I , ill . 1 st l . c- built upan M . inclhinc' solid , or it wi . l crcnni . lc into ashc-s when hc-t ini .. ^ ly s \ ill . in ( jiirjir ,.. [ i . A In . use l . ui . t upon llic s . nnl cannot have a permanent IcMiMd . ai'ni ; and til .- same may I . J h . O . l ol every und , rtakiiiK in liie . Unl .- ^ ihe sust ini , i ; . power cl' : i 1 : y 11 . i 11 -e ol value has I , ecu rar .-l ' iilly pialo . ee ! , it will soon hec'tiin . ; useless .

'Tl . i > re-n . ark is parti . u arly aj . p ic . l . L- ia IC-IL-. C-IWC * to our lie . Illi , for il it is not nrnsly established llir .. ih-h the ljioc . il beine . pine and the stomal h in regular oieh-r , see ate : lial le at .. liy thi . e t > he fatally attacked l . y disease * . Holloway ' s l'i . lsaiul tjiiitineiil lay a Inundation of gcod health , sshich svill he permanent and strong as a rock .

Masonic And General Tidings.

Bro . the Earl of Chichester has given permission _ to the Sussex Archaeological Society to excavate the galleries and chambers svhich have recently been [ discovered under th Castle at Hastings . It is authoritatively announced that the Queen , svill hold

Drasving Rooms at Buckingham Palace , on Tuesday the 27 H , inst . and on Tuesday , the Gth Alarch , and that two other Drasving Rooms svill be held in the season . In order to pre . vent crosvding , the presentations svill be limited . to 2 ooj ' on each occasion .

On Friday , the 2 nd inst ., the members of the Loyal . Monmouth Lodge , No . 457 , Alonmouth , gave a ball , which svas attended by about 130 , including members of the Craft from Abergavenny , Nesvport , and other towns . The mem . bers , as usual , svore their insignia of office and regalia generally , svhich contrasted svell svith the charming dresses of the ladies . A string band , under the directinn of

Bandmaster G . Renecle , occupied the orchestra . A concert svas given early during the present week at the Albert Institute , Windsor , in aid of the local infant nnrsery . The Princess Christian and her daughter , Princess Victoria "t Schlessvig-Holstein svere present , and the former with Bro . Sir Walter Parratt , P . G . Org ., organist of St . George's Chapel , played a duet for two pianos , and

also took part in a grand duet for two pianos , eight hands , the other executants being Bro . Sir VV . Parratt , and the Alisses G . AL Liddell . and Caroline Bigge . According to telegraphic advices from Nesv York , an intensely cold svave has been passing over the North-Eastern States of the United States , that of Nesv York having experienced the severest of the sveather . At Savnnce

Lake the thermometer registered 73 degrees of cold on Alonday ; at Plattsburg , 50 degrees ; at Rome ( N . Y . ) . 51 degrees ; Fortplain , Go degrees ; ancl at Kingston ( N . Y . ) , 55 degrees . The Gymnasium Hall , Beverley , svas , on the 31 st ult ., a scene of gaiety , the occasion being the annual Alasonic Charity Ball , under the patronage of the local members of the Craft . The W . AL ( Bro . D . Alorley ) and the greater

part of the active members of the Constitutional Lodge , No . 294 , svere present . The room svas tastefully decorate *! by Messrs . Elsvell and Son , and the floor svas in capital condition . Dancing commenced at nine o ' clock , and svas continued till the small hours in the morning . Air . Ebvell svas the M . C . Alessrs . Young and Evans' band supplied the music , and the supper svas provided by Mr . Agate anil Air . Dayes . Several visiting brethren svere present at the ball .

The funeral of Maria Deraismes svill ( says the Paris correspondent of the Morning Chronicle ) be marked hy the presence of svomen d-Iegates of a spurious , but certainly existent , Masonic lodge . It appears that the charming apostle of female emancipation svas initiated by a lodge at La Pecq , svhich incurred the displeasu-e of the Grand Orient for its disobedience to a fundamental rule of

the Craft . AI . AL Georges Alartin , Laisant , Tony Revillon , Cernesson , and others resolved , hosvever , to found a mixed lodge , of svhich Maria Deraismes svas the "Grande Venerable . " Needless to say that this remained unrecognised , although Alaria Deraismes and her secretary , Maria Martin claim a precedent in the shape of a lodge svhich existed in Paris in 1 S 15 . The sisters of the " Droit

Humain Lodge svill follosv their foundress to the grave svith a huge svreath and inscription . An evening party and ball under the banner of the J osiah Wedgwood Lodge , No . 2214 , were held on Tuesday evening , the 30 th ult ., in the Stipendiary Court Renin , Hanley , and proved in every svay a successful and enj ivable affair , there being about 100 ladies and gentlemen

present . The room svas tastefully decorated , and thc brethren in their Alasonic insignia made quite an animated scene . A capital programme of dances was gone through , the music being supplied by Air . T . Carr . svhile at intervals vocal music svas given by Aliss Godfrey , Aliss Gilnun , Bros . Alitchell , Beam--, and Warne . The Stesvards svere

Bios . L . Taylor , VV . AI . ; R . Teuth , J . White , E . H . ( actson , S . Fenton , G . L . Birch , W . R . Tooth , VV . Alitchell , M . Nuttall , J . Jervis , and VV . Johnson , the M . C . ' s being Bros . VV . K . Tooth and M . Nuttall . An excellent supper svas provided in the gr . nd jury room by Mrs . Uarlosv , ol the Victoria Hotel , Shelton . The pirty broke up shirtly after tsvo o ' clock a . m .

According lo the minutes of Granel Committee of the Grand Lodge of Scotland , of January 24 th , Grand Secretary leported that , in accordance svith inst'ueions received from Grand Committee , the Accountant has made a careful examination of the b > oks of Grand Lodge for the yeir , from the 24 th November , iScj 2 , to 30 th November , ISIJI , and reponed that the funds and estates belonging t .

and under the control of Grand Lodge amounted t < i •LAV- "" - " ' ' - * - '•4 'L . and that the accounts of the Fund of " Scottish Alasonic BenevoUnce for the same period am mntol to I / t ' Gej'jJ 17 s . 5 . I . An abstract account of the Annuity Brancn of uie Fund of Scottish Masonic Benevolence ,

prepared by the Accountant shisvcd that the fund at the 30 th November , 1893 , amounted to £ 21 , 07485 . 7 d „ whereof the sum of £ 21 , 030 lys . 4 'i . is capital , and £ 643 9 s . 3 d . income , ihe accounts of Grand Lodge for the year end nj { 30 th November , 1 S 113 , exhibit a further sum of £ 114215 s . 4 idas due to his fund at that date .

Bro . John Beresford , svho died at his re iJence , Altrincham , on Monday , the 29 * 11 ult ., was one of the oldest anil best knosvn printers in . Vlanci estt-r . II ; svas a pioneer of the free press movement in the edy , having nearly 40 years ago , during the Crimean War , u n , ted the first daily penny paper in Alancnester called The Daily War Telegraph , small sheet of four pages c nli . seil entirely to news from

the seat of svar . It was unstamped , and'for a time had 2 very large circulation , un il at list the Government interfered , and prohibited any further issue of unstamps " CO | . ies . Bro . Berestord svas one ol the oldest of the AIasonic bre' . h . cn in the Province i . f Cneshire . He svas a

Past Master of -St . John ' s Lodge , N 1 . Ic 4 , Stockport , and P . P . J . G . D . of the Cheshire Provir . c-. Originally a Di' * sente , h * Ind lor many year . pas ' , been a member of the Church of England , and a . strong supporter of the Conser * vauvc ciu , e . I he deceased was a native of AlaCcleslieW . and was 75 seaii of age .

1 velfth Annual Edit ! in .. f Explanatory Book , sent gratis and post Iree , gives reliable information how to make inuney epuckly by Stocks and Snares . Highest aud ki . ve't prices tor past years . —Address , G . Evans and Co ., S : ccl ' - brokers , 11 , Poultry , London , E . C .