Another New Lodge Under The E.C.

widening the Craft , and it is hoped that the energies of the brethren will be rewarded . by finding as time rolls on that , if a small , at least a sound and useful plank has been added . The building in which the lodge has been planted is a part of the old Mahommedan palace situated in the

centre of the " Fort , " the walls of which are a mile in circumference , away from all residences , and doubly secured from all cowans and intruders by ponderous doors , known as the " Elephant Gate , " and by a " military guard . " The rooms are spacious and lofty , and in a short time this youngest of lodges will boast one of

the finest set of rooms in the Bombay Presidency . A few Parsee brethren merchants in the Station have performed their duty in being in at the foundation , and it is hoped that a few months will see the lodge fully equipped for all weathers . The military brethren who have so frequently shown how worthy they are to

pioneer the Craft during their enforced stay from the Old Country , manfully joined the new venture , to give the lodge a fair start before they leave the Station a few months hence , to be replaced no doubt by others , let us hope , equally determined to help the Royal Connaught Lodge along . It ought in fairness to the

Sphinx Lodge , No . 263 ( LC ) , to be stated that it is mainly owing to their efforts that the new lodge has become an accomplished fact , as the } ' had all the preliminary trouble in securing from Government , for Masonic work , suitable accommodation .

Considering the small Station , the muster was good , 22 brethren , out of whom 19 were on the petition-roll , were present . Bro . Shields performed the ceremony in a very able manner , and , with every confidence of success , installed Bro . E . L . Maunsell in the chair of K . S .

After the business , the brethren retired to the banqueting-hall for well-earned refreshment . The wellprovided dinner was discussed to the satisfaction of all on a table whicli had been decorated , as only the ladies can decorate , by two of the principal ladies of the Station .

The usual toasts were given and heartily responded to , most of the brethren adding to the enjoyment b y giving some excellent songs , and the meeting broke up at a most reasonable hour , with " Hearty good wishes " for the success of " The Royal Connaught , " which numbers on its roll representatives of the English , Irish .

and Scottish Constitutions , and may it flourish as long as the Rose , Shamrock , and Thistle . The Consecrating and Installing Officer was Bro . J . M . Shields , P . D . G . W . The officers of the lodge are as follows : Bros . Surgeon E . L . Maunsell , W . M . ; T . Watson , P . M . ( S . C ) , S . W . ;

W . Atherton , J . W . ; M . Sovabjee , Treas . ; Jesse Eccles , Sec ; T . B . Oswald , P . M . ( I . C ) , S . D . ; D . F . Mehta , J . D . ; E . G . Campbell , D . of C ; Chas . H . Bassett , Org . ; S , E . Ghaswala , I . G . ; and Thos . H . Godfrey , Tyler ; who , with the following , constitute the founders .

Members * . Bros . Major C . G . Collingwood , P . M . ( I . C . ); J . Shepherd P . M . ( I . C . ) ; E . B . Ruddock W . M . ( I . C ) ; Lieutenant R . B . Page , Captain J . Davies , J . A . Crisp , H . D . Kettle , C . H . Wood , and W . V . Reardon . Visitors : Bros . Trott , W . M . ( I . C ) ; and Dr . Hormusjee ,

Cromer As A Pleasure Resort.

CROMER AS A PLEASURE RESORT .

Few places on our sea coast have of late years obtained so large a measure of popularity as Cromer . Being the northernmost point of the county of Norfolk , it is open to the fresh and invigorating breezes from the North Sea , and having a fine sea front , excellent boating

andbathingaccommodation and sands , varied and picturesque scenery inland , with many a quaint old church or hall , rich in historical associations , within easy riding or driving distance , it is almost yearly increasing in size and population , while at the same time it prides itself on retaining as many as it can of its old

characteristics , as well as the simple and more obliging habits of haif a century ago . Moreover , it is easil y accessible from London , either b y the Great Eastern Railway from Liverpool-street and St . Pancras Stations or from King ' s Cross , and as the train service is excellent and the fares moderate , there is little doubt that in

a short time Cromer will prove a still more formidable rival to the older seaside resorts than it is now . Onl y last week , what is known as the East Cliff Estate vvas put up for sale by auction in the Town Hall . The auctioneer who presided on the occasion vvas Mr . A . J . Baker , and among the very numerous company

present from Cromer itself and its immediate neighbourhood , from other parts of Norfolk and the Eastern counties generally , and from London , were Bro .- ; . B . Bond-Cabbell , J . P ., who presided at the luncheon which preceded the sale , the Hon . Harbord Harbord , J . P ., Bro . Sir Kenneth Kemp , Bart .,

J . P ., Mr . Gilbert Stracey , J . P ., Bro . S . Neale ( Mayor of Hertford ) , Dr . McClure , Bros . Dr . Fenner , George Kenning ( the Freemason ) , P . Soman , C . W . Bacon , Churchyard , and others . Both at the luncheon and in the sale-room there appeared to be a general concurrence of opinion as to the value for

building purposes , of the property to be vended , and the opportunity which the sale would afford for developing the resources and the attractions of Cromer . It will be readily imagined , therefore , that the competition for the various plots , of which there were 96 sold , vvas very

keen , the total amount realised being ^ 7312 , giving the formidable average of £ 1800 per acre . The town itself is quaint and old-fashioned , and the streets , vvith the exception of the approach from the Norwich-road , narrow and tortuous . But there are some excellent shops , a library , Town Hall ,

Cromer As A Pleasure Resort.

Post Office , and a fine old church in the early perpendicular style , in the centre of the town , which is now in course of being restored . The people , too , are civil and obli ging . In the neighbourhood , or within easy reach , are Cromer Hall , the seat of Bro . B . Bond-Cabbell , whose father was Provincial Grand Master of

Norfolk from 1834 to 1875 ; Gunton Hall , the seat of Bro . Lord Suffield , the present Prov . Grand Master ; Felbrigg Hall , once the home of the Windhams ; Blickling Hall , the birthplace of Anne Boleyn , and now the residence of the Marchioness of Lothian ¦ Barningham Hall , built by Sir Thomas Paslon in 1625 ; and

Houghton Hall , the residence of the Walpoles , where , in the days when George II . vvas King , Frederick , Prince of Wales , and the Duke of Newcastle of that day were raised to the Degree of M . M . The original town vvas " Scepdene , " or " Shipdene , " which was gradually washed away by the sea , Cromer ,

which was an adjoining hamlet , remaining . The encroachments of the sea , however , still continuing , Cromer is now protected from further inroads by a massive sea-wall . There are capital sands , bold , precipitous cliffs , on which stands a lighthouse visible for 20 miles and upwards in the direction of the sea ; and

in a very short time there will be erected a pier , the present jetty being too short for purposes of promenade . As for the climate , it is simply perfect , so that our readers who visit Cromer for the first time will have plenty to interest them , and an unlimited amount of pure and bracing air .

British Equitable Assurance Company.

BRITISH EQUITABLE ASSURANCE COMPANY .

The 35 th annual report , which the directors of the British Equitable Assurance Company submitted to the shareholders at their annual meeting , on the 29 th May last , showed that the business done b y the

Company during the year ending the 31 st January , 18 90 , had been of a very profitable character . The sum of ^ 41 , 114 had been laid by and invested , so as to produce an average rate of interest of ^ , 4 5-6 ths per cent . In consequence , the Accumulated Fund of the company has been increased from £ 1 256 , 420 to

; £ i , 297 , 534 , all of which is profitably and , at the same time , safely invested . Claims and bonuses to the extent of ^ 9 6 , 800 were paid , and for surrenders ^ 13 , 319 , the former being less than had been provided for in the tabular statement , and the latter some ^ 1218 less than in the previous year . The cost of occupying

the new offices had neutralised the effect of the savings resulting from a reduction of expenses , but in the future there is reason to believe that considerable permanent reduction of expenditure will be effected . As regards new assurances , 1197 new policies were granted ,

the sum assured amounting to , £ 214 , 853 , and the amount paid annually in premiums thereon - £ 6615 . The report vvas accepted , and votes of thanks to , and confidence in , the Board—of which , by the way , Bro . W . H . Gover is Chairman and Managing Directorwere passed by acclamation .

The Theatres.

THE THEATRES .

' Are you satisfied " were the only words addressed b y Bro . Augustus Harris on Saturday ni ght after the curtain had fallen at the close of the first performance of " A Million of Money . " The audience unanimously seemed to hurl back at the lessee the word " Yes , " and there is no room for doubt that Bros . Pettitt and Harris ' s new drama vvill hold its own until such time

as the stage is needed for rehearsal of the annual pantomime . Bro . Harris for two seasons tried to break away from the traditional tone of melodrama and give us something of an historic and poetic nature , in the dramas of "The Armada" and "The Royai Oak , " but as prisoners hug their chains so a large

portion of the British public love the old form of Drury Lane drama , and cling tenaciously to it . We regret that Bro . Harris was not sufficiently supported to be encouraged to go on with his new style of plays , but Druriolanus is a man who adapts himself to circumstances , and as the people prefer to walk in the old paths he has vvith

Bro . Pettitt given them now plenty of what they want , and they were not slow to mark their appreciation of " A Million of Money . " For over four hours , including intervals , we witnessed the career of Harry Dunstable , who , in the person of Bro . Charles Warner , came on the stage saying " Home again ! " a sentence which the

patrons in front eagerly took up , and Bro . Warner at once became the recipient of rounds of applause and greetings on his return from Australia , where he has been for four years past . As might be expected from its title , the new drama is thoroughly up to date , and we suppose the

groundwork is an allusion to the young gentleman who three years ago came into a million of money , and lost it all on the turf . The recent sending of the Guards from London to Bermuda forms another theme for the joint authors to work into their play . We cannot say much as to its

originality , for its plot is much the same as those which have gone before it at various times , but it is quite clean in action and language , and its interest never slackens , and throughout it is full of grand situations . These are not just shot on to the stage for effect , but arise naturally out of the story , and help to illustrate

The Theatres.

it with great brilliancy . Harry Dunstable has married secretly Mary , daughter of the Rev . Gabriel Maythorne , and has involved himself in debt through the influences of his so-called friend , Major Belgrave . A lawyer comes to inform him that he has inherited an enormous fortune , but believing it is another writ to be served he

will not allow his identity to be known to the lawyer , who mistakes Tom Cricklewood for Harry Dunstable , and tells him of the death of the old uncle . Tom at once builds up castles in the air , but is presently undeceived . Young Dunstable when he becomes a millionaire does not spend his money or time well , for he

embarks in all the follies of the day , and , of course , is the target for harpies ever on the look out for such folk . The Major finding he cannot get enough out of him through cards , gets a lady of bad character to appear at all sorts of public places with Harry Dunstable and so compromise him with his

wife . This Stella St . Clair deserts her husband , who at last tracks her out , and denounces her in public , but , owing to the dreadful state he is in , having taken to drink to drown his cares , he falls down dead whilst exposing his wife . Dunstable ' s regiment is ordered abroad . He would fain make it up with his

wife before going away . He assures her of his love for her , but the wicked Stella has just told her that she ( Stella ) is going with Harry , so that the wife lets her husband go away still unreconciled . * Mary Dunstable had refused to be introduced to this bad woman , Stella St . Clair , who thereupon vowed she would avenge

herself , and tells a lie in saying she is going abroad with Dunstable , and so makes Mary drink the bitter cup . Stella , after the death of the husband she has killed with herinfamy , marries a brother officer of Dunstable ' s and so accompanies the regiment . On the voyage the ship i . s wrecked . Stella and Dunstable are on a

reef , when the former dies of exhaustion , but not before she asks forgiveness for the wrongs she has committed . The hero does forgive her , and in due time . gets home to clasp his arms round his wife , who is dreaming of him . His fortune is partially restored to him owing to the success of a gold mine he had embarked a lot of

his capital in . Bro . Harris has done many fine things in stage effects , but never anything finer than the racecourse scene . Nothing is wanted . Here we have Kempton or Ascot as they really are . Four-in-hand coaches , barouches , pretty ladies beautifully dressed , champagne luncheons , racehorses , and the race itself .

If once " the scent of the hay was brought over the footlights , " now we have the excitement of the racecourse brought on to the stage . The scene of the departure of the Guards from Wellington Barracks to the tune of "The girl he left behind him " is equally exciting . The French Exhibition scene is another

master-piece . The drawing-room in Squander Mansion , designed and fitted up by F . Litchfield , of Hanvvaystreet , deserves special mention , owing to its completeness and reality . There is nothing in it of what is known technically as " property . " All is of the very best workmanship , and art has been brought to bear

largely in the scene . The ladies will admire and envy the silk hanging curtains and the exquisite piano , whose case is similar to that made for Collinson , of Regentstreet . Of the acting we have little room left to speak . " A Million of Money " is not a play which permits of great individuality . All the parts are necessary to the

play , bul it is not possible to make one ' s part stand ont prominently from the rest , though , to be sure , Mr . Charles Glenney made the hit of the evening owing to his very clever piece of acting as St . Clair . It is a small part for he dies in the third act , but Mr . Glenney must have said to himself " I have a poor part ,

but I will do my best and strain every nerve to get something out of it . " Here goes ; and he did , for he was called again and again before the curtain . Bro . Charles Warner , as the hero , carried everything before him . He was at his best in his denunciation of the evil woman . Bro . Harry Nicholls is always at

home at Drury Lane , and we felt—doubtless others did —a strong wish for a little more of his humour . We hope he may be allowed to write in something of his own . Miss Millward's earnest passion and tenderness was well marked as the heroine . Miss Lingard made a splendid adventuress . We have never seen her in any

other character than that of an angel of mercy , but she is at home equally as either . Miss Fanny Brough vvas lively in the comedy scenes . All the other numerous parts were well acted . Mr . Arthur Collins again showes his great aptitude as stage manager , for , on such a trying time as a first-ni ght , every scene went without a hitch .

Why Are So Many

WHY ARE SO MANY

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