Masonic And General Tidings.

Masonic and General Tidings .

THE LODGE LA FRANCE , No . 2060 , has started a lodgeof instruction , which is held at the Cafe Royal , Regent-street , W . C , every Thursday evening , from eight o ' clock . H . R . H . THE P RINCESS OF WALES bas very graciously extended her patronage to the Metropolitan Drinking Fountain and Cattle ' Trough Association by becoming a Patroness of the Society .

BRO . CAPT . BERESFORD GEO . CAMPBELL , W . M . of Cambrian Lodge of Australia , No . 656 , E . G ., Sydney ( the only lodge working in New South Wales , Australia , under the English Constitution ) , has been sworn in as a Justice of the Peace for the Colony of New South Wales .

THE LORD L IEUTENANT OF IRELAND AND COUNTESS C ADOGAN have been entertaining a party during the present week at Dublin Castle , including Countess Grey and Lady Victoria Grey , the Earl and Countess of Kingston , Lady Helen Craven , Lady Mary Currie , Lord Robert Manners , Bro . Lord Cloncurry , the Hon . Charles Crichton and Miss Crichton , and others .

H . R . H . THE PRINCE OF W ALES arrived at Cannes on Monday night , and was met at the station by the Grand Duke Michael , the Prince of Nassau , the Bishop of Gibraltar , and other leading members of society . The Prince looked none the worse for his journey . Mr . and Mrs . Robert Vyner entertained his Royal Highness at dinner in the evening at the Chateau Sainte Anne .

A COMMUNICATION HAS been received from Major-General Sir Francis VV . de Winton by the Committee of the Royal Humane Society , intimating that his Royal Highnessthe Duke of York has consented to become President of the Institution , in succession to the Duke of Argyll , who is retiring after holding the office for 40 years , and now becomes a Vice-President . It has also been notified that his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales has signified his willingness to be a Vice-Patron of the society .

IT IS UNDERSTOOD in well-informed quarters that a petition recently presented to H . R . H . the Prince of Wales as Grand Mark Master , praying for the Mark lodges of Essex to be constituted into a Province has been granted and that his Roval Highness has appointed the Earl of Warwick to be the first Provincial Grand Master . It is expected that the installation of the new Prov . G . M . will take place about the middle of May at Colchester . —Essex County Standard .

AMONG THOSE who were presented to the Duke of York at the Levee on Monday , were Bro . Alderman and Sheriff Alliston and Bro . Sheriff Lieut .-Col . Probyn . Bro . the Duke of Portland , K . G ., was presented on his appointment as Lord Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire , and Bro . Sir John Edge on appointment to the Council of India . The Right ( Hon . the Lord Mayor o " f London ( Bro . Alderman Sir Join V . Moore ) had the honour of being presented by the Ala <* quis of Salisbury , Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs .

THE QUEEN has approved of a new medal being struck to commemorate the military operations in connection with the re-conquest of the Soudan . It will be of silver , and is to be granted not only to the officers and men of the _ British and Egyptian troops engaged in the campaign of last year , which concluded at Khartoum in September , but to all the British , Indian , and Egyptian troops , and native allies who were entitled to the

medal given by the Khedive for the re-conquest of the Dongola Province in 1 S 96 , and for the operations of 1897 and iSgS previous to the Khartoum advance . Unlike thc Khedive ' s medal , which has clasps for Firket , Hafir , Abu Hamed , the Atbara , Khartoum , and Gedaref , the British medal will have no clasps . Civilian syces and servants and authorised followers who were granted the Egyptian bronze medal will receive the new British medal in bronze .

BRO . COLONEL T . DAVIES SEWELL . —Westminster occupies a proud position to day in being specially signalled out for individual treatment in connection with the London Government Bill . For this the parishioners have to thank the Committee who for the past three or four years have been quietly working in favour of the incorporation of the borough . There are , as a rule , several claimants for the honour of initiating a

movement of this character , but in this case it is unanimously conceded that the credit belongs to Colonel Davies Sewell , who made the first suggestion , and for a long while engineered , practically on his own responsibility , the agitation that it appeirs is to h iv ; so successful an issue . Some day I hope to see the Colonel's services in this direction recognised by his election as the chief of the borough . The honour could not b * : better bestowed . —City Press .

"" THE 2 QTH ANNUAL GRAND BALL in aid of the funds of the Metropolitan and City Police Orphanage will take place at the Cannon-street Hotel , on Friday , the 28 th April , under the patronage of the Lord Mayor ( Bro . Alderman Sir John V . Moore ) and Lady Mayoress , and Ihe Sheriffs ( Bros . Alderman Alliston and Lieut .-Col . Clifford Probyn ) , and Sub-Sheriffs of the City of London . Her Gracious Majesty the Qneen is Patron of the Institution , which at the present time is maintaining , clothing , and educatim ? 2 G 0

children , while in addition it last year disbursed £ 5314 among upwards of Sao children , for whom accommodation in thc orphanage could not be found ; the sum thus distributed taking the form of a compassionate allowance of 2 s . Cd . per week to each child up to the age of 13 sears . From these few particulars it will be seen that this Police Orphanage is doing an enormous amount of good , and we trust that the ball which is to be held on the last Friday of next month will prove a grand success . Fuller particulars may be obtained of Superintendent Oscar Mackenzie , Hon . Secretary , 25 , Old Jewry , E . C .

THE P RUDENTIAL COMPANY , LIMITED . —The 50 th annual report discloses an eminently satisfactory amount of progress during the year ended 31 st Dicembir , 1 898 . In the Ordinary Branch there were issued 64 . 70 S policies , assuring the sum of £ 0 , 420 , 580 , and producing a New Annual Premium Income of £ 353 , 113 . The Premiums received amounted to £ 2 , 967 , 501 , or more by , ( , 193 , 237 than in 1 S 97 , while the claims amounted to £ 975 , 012 , the number of deaths being 5191 , and of Endowment Assurances matured 2535 . The number of Policies in force at the end of the year was

534 > ' 3 S- In the Industrial Branch the Premiums received were £ 4 , 9 00 , 750 , being an inert ase of £ 1 ( 17 , 1 ( 15 . The claims reached £ 1 , 891 , 039 , the number of deaths being 19 S . 308 , and of Endowment Assurances matured 21 S 1 . The number of Free Policies grantrd to Policyholders of five years' standing desirous of discontinuing their payments was ( 6 , 379 , the number in force beirg 004 , 564 , while 12 , 231 such Policies became claim- * :. 'I he total number of Policies in force at the end of the year was 12 , 940 , 679 , the

average duration being over eight and a half years , while the total assets of the Company , in both branches , was £ 33 > 5 y 9 . 7 o 3 , showing an increase of £ 3 , 101 , 371 over 1 S 97 . The Company is to be congratulated on the position to which it has attained and the measures it is continually devising to strengthen and extend the interests of its shareholders and policyholders . The statements of account accompanying the Report have evidently been prepared with the greatest care , and their accuracy is vouched for by prcf-. ssional auditors .

Masonic And General Tidings.

THE HAMPSTEAD HOSPITAL . —Bro . Sir Henry Harben has promised £ 3000 to the building fund for the new hospital , provided that £ 14 , 000 is raised by the ist of June , the date of the garden ffite , under the patronage of Princess Christian ; £ 3050 has been already raised from other sources . H . R . H . THE PRINCE OF WALES ' S HOSPITAL FUND FOR LONDON . —Amongst the latest contributions to H . R . H . the Prince of Wales ' s Hospital Fund for London are the following : Bro . Sir Henry Irving , £ 100 j the Countess of Stamford and Warrington . £ 50 ; Messrs . Cook , Son , and Co ., £ 25 ; Mr . J . Russell Buckler , £ 10 ios . ; Capt . H . Clifton Brown , £ 10 ; and Messrs . Lewisohn Bros , and Co ., / . 10 .

BRO . DUKE OF DEVONSHIRE ' S MUNIFICENCE . —To commemorate his Mayoralty , the Duke of Devonshire has presented to Eastbourne land worth many thousands of pounds as a site for a technical school and free library . On Wednesday , the Sth instant , the Town Council oroposed to invite competitive designs for a building at a cost not exceeding £ 20 , 000 . Alderman Wenham ' s amendment in favour of employing a local architect was rejected .

WE ARE REQUESTED by Bro . Kemp to state that a special Cinderella ( Fancy and Evening Dress ) will take place at the Holborn Restaurant on Friday , the 24 th inst ., in connection with the Holborn Subscription Cinderellas which are given in aid of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution . The tickets , 25 . 6 d . each , may be had of Bro . H . Kemp , 7 and S , Thavies' Inn , Hoi born-circus .

• D - E ANNUAr ; REPORT of the Actors' Association , of which Bro . Sir Henry Irving is President , and in which most of the principal actors and managers are interested , is a very satisfactory one . The financial condition of the Association is also of a gratifying character , and among other pleasant things we are told that there are no less than 121 honorary medical officers attached to the association ; and that the stage , by its introduction , has been supplied with a large number of new recruits . The annual meeting takes place at the Criterion Theatre this ( Friday ) afternoon .

BRO . EARL CARRINGTON , as President of the London Society of East Anglians , will take the chair at the annual banquet , which is to be held to-morrow ( Saturday ) in the King ' s Hall , Holborn Restaurant . His lordship is intimately associated with East Anglia through the Gunton estates , and by his marriage with Bro . Lord Sufiield ' s daughter . The speakers will include Mrs . Fawcett , who comes of a wall-known Suffolk family , Mr . Felix Cobbold , who is equally well-known , and connected with Bro . Lord Kitchener's family , and the Dean of Norwich ,

Bv COM . - . VD OF THE QUES . V , H . R . H . the Duke of York held a Levee at St . James ' s Palace on Monday afternoon , presentations to his Royal Highness being considered as equivalent to presentations to her Majesty . The Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms was on duty in the State Saloons , the Yeom * m of , the Guard in the interior of the Palace , while guards of honour , with bands , were furnished by the 3 rd Coldstream Guards and the Royal Horse Guards , the former being stationed in the court of the Palace , and the latter in the Mall .

IN THE absence of Bro . Lord Methuen , owing to the sudden dea * * h or his mother , Admiral Sir N . Bowden-Smith , K . C . B ., presided at the OSth annual general noting on Saturday last , of the Royal United Service Institution , Whitehall . The report stated that during the past year 34 life members and 231 annual members hid joined th ; institution , this total of 2 S 5 being a net increase of 70 when resignations and deaths wsre acccunted for . The total number of members vvas now 5620 . As a result of the year's working the Council was able to add £ 455 to its investments . The exhibition of trophies and relics connected with the Soudan campaign , which was opened last Novemb-jr , hid proved a decided success .

A WESTRALIAN GOLCONDA . —Lately the public have fought shy of the numerous mining ventures that have been placed upon the matket , and , in face of the recent company exposures , it is not a difficult matter to surmise the reason . Therefore , it is small wonder that dealings of late on 'Change have fallen into a semi-lethargic condition . But now the markets are showing a rapid advance in Westralians ; and considering that Purbanks Birthday Gift stands at a premium of 95 per cent ., it is indeed surprising that the shares of the Purbanks Main Lode , which property is adjacent , can be purchased to-day at 12 s . 6 d . Another West Australian venture that has been

seriously-even stupidly—neglected is the Kalgurli Consols , whose shares now stand at 2 s . But they will not remain long at this absurd price , as some far-seeing speculators are quietly nibbling them up knowing full well what a rich harvest they must soon reap now that West Australians are rising . It may be mentioned that the Westralian Mining Company have an immense interest in this concern , which is a fact that the Invssting public should not be slow to recognise , especially bearing in mind that this particular company has a substantial interest in Perth Tramways , the Victoria Copper Mines , and the North Cr-csus , all going concerns .

THE ALEXANDRA PALACE will re-open for the season on Good Friday , with a grand performance of " The Messiah " in the afternoon , and a miscellaneous concert 1 ? ' „ e , ; emn "« f- The artistes already engaged are Madame Miric Duma , Madame Belle Cole , Madame Alice Gomez , Mr . Herbert Grover , and Mr . Charles Copland . Ihe Palace Choral Society , which has been greatly strengthened under the able directorship of Mr . George R ' seley , will with the orchestra , numb ; r nearly 1200 . There are several new and novel attractions for the forthcoming season , which will includ : the * Dicken ' s " bazaar , which has been built up ( on a scale hitherto unprecedented ) to

represent scenes from the famous novelist ' s works , at a very great expense , also a Japanese village , which is being erected in the conservatory , and the Management are pleased to announce that they have concluded arrangements to produce the great Naval Spectacle" on the lake on a far greater magnitude than has ever been attempted before . This wonderful spectacle which has been the great attraction at Earls Court and Olympia affords so much scope for development on the lake ( which is practically constructed for the purpose ) that it will be presented in a manner far exceeding in magnitude any production hitherto and utterly impossible in an enclosed building .

PEARL LIFE ASSURANCE COMPANV , LIMITED . —The report presented by the Directors at the 35 th annual general meeting on Friday , the 17 th ult ., was a most welcome document , proving , as it did , that the progress made during the year 1 S 98 was greater than in any previous year of the Company ' s existence , and that , notwithstanding the partial paralysis in one of the largest divisions caused by the South Wales trade disturbance . In the Ordinary Branch the Premium Income for last year vvas £ 63 , 881 , being an increase of £ i 1492 over that of 1 S 97 while the Funds amounted to £ 190843

, , ,, being an addition of £ 441 * 53- The premiums on new policies were £ 22 , 961 . assuring the sum of £ 555 . 977- The total income of the Company was £ 652 , 820 , or £ 87 , 581 m excess of 1 S 97 , the Premium Income being £ 717 , 528 , and the amount paid in claims , grants , & c „ & c , £ 222 , 834 , raising the total paid since the establishment of the Company to £ 2 , 187 , 399 . The Life Assurance Fund , with the capital paid uo . amounted to

kftt . Ste , or more by 1115 , 237 than in 1 S 97 . A careful actuarial valuation'of the whole of Ihe Company s business revealed a surplus or . the Ordinary Branch of £ 18 , 336 , and on the Industrial Branch of £ 113 , 737 , or , together , £ 132 , 073 , and the Directors recommend that of this sum £ 118 , 402 should be carried forward , and £ 13 , 670 divided as bonus among the Participating Policy-holders and Shareholders . The Directors recommended a dividend or 10 percent .

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