Masonic And General Tidings.

Masonic and General Tidings .

THE AMERICAN AMBASSADOR and Mrs . Choate have returned to town after paying a series of visits in Scotland . MADAME ALBANI has been commanded , with her concert company , to sing before the Queen , at Balmoral , on the 20 th inst . THE SPECTACLEMAKERS' COMPANY . —Bro . Alderman Sir Reginald Hanson , Bart ., M . P ., has been elected the Master . THE NEW CROSS LOTGE OF INSTRUCTION is held every Tuesday evening at eight o'clock at the Kemble ' s Head , Bow-street , W . C .

BRO . THE DUKE OF LEEDS , Masterof the Bedale Foxhounds , is laid up at Hornby Castle , Ycrkshire , suffering from the effects of a fall while out cub-hunting . THE TREASURERS of the Middlesex Hospital have received £ 100 from the Worshipful Company of Skinners , being the second yearly instalment of a grant of £ 500 .

BRO . J . M . KLENCK AND CO . have been instructed by the Acme Wood Flooring Company ( Limited ) , of Gainsborough-road , Hackney Wick , to settle their fire claim against the several insurance companies . THE " Red Book " of the Ancient and Accepted Rite for this country is now ready for distribution , and copies may be had from our publisher , Bro . George Kenning , at I 4 d . each , post free . Bro . Hughan , P . S . G . D ., has kindly promised to refer toil in next week ' s Freemason .

MR . LIONEL FDMUND TOWNROE , M . A ., of Mavis Bank , Grange-road , Norwood , the eldest son of the late Mr . R . T . Townroe , of Cape Colony , was married a few days ago at St . Peter ' s , Eltham-road , Lee , to Miss Florence McCartney , the daughter of Bro . T . Hastings Miller , C . C , of Harrowfield , Eltham-road . TUESDAY , lhe 24 th instant , is the date appointed by the Lcrd Chancellor for the reception of Bro . Alderman Newton , the Lord Mayor elect , and to convey to him the ir . timaticn cf her Majesty ' s approval of his election as Chief Magistrate . In the evenirg the Lord Mayor elect will give the customary presentation dinner . The ceremony takes place at the House of Lords at 11 . 15 a . m .

AT A MEETING tf the Moderate party of the London County Council , Mr . Boulr . ois , M . P ., presiding , the retirement of Bro . the Earl of Onslow from the position of alderman cf the Council was received with deep regret , and a resolution to that effect , and expressing the party ' s appreciation of his lordship ' s valuable services , was unanimously adopted .

THE LATE BRO . J MASON COOK . —The Lord Mayor of 'London , in the presence of a large number of friends of the late Bro . John Mason Cook , unveiled a handsome memorial window erected in All Saints' Church , Upper Norwood , on Monday . The dedication service was conducted by the vicar , Canon Oikley Coles , and the choir of the Normal College for the Blind rendered the musical portion of the service .

BRO . THE RIGHT HON . WILLIAM COURT GULLY , O . C , Speaker of the House cf Commons , will unveil a stained glass window in the Town Hall cf Kingston-upon-1 hames on the sGlh instant . It is to commemorate the sept-centenary ot the borough . The Speaker , who is the first Honorary Freeman of the borough , will afterwards be entertained at a dejeuner by the Mayor , Dr . Finny , to which , among others , several local antiquaries are invited .

HERE IS A STORY OH FREEMASONRY on Majuba Hill . A slightly wounded Ccmroissariat officer was being covered by Ihe rifle of a Boer sharpshooter , when the foimer msde a Masonic sign . The Boer lowered his rifle , and stepping over to the other , made him a prisoner , but treated him in a specially hospitable fashion as a biother member of the Craft . The Commissariat man ascertained that Mr . Krugcr and General Joubert were also Freemasons .

THE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE notify that the Ordnance Survey are issuing a new ' series of special folding pocket maps for certain towns and country around on the scale of one inch to the mile . The maps are printed on thin , tough paper , in a cover , price is . Cd . each . These maps are not only useful for general topographical purposes , but should also prove serviceable to cyclists and pedestrians , since they shjw all the roads in colour , indicating their character , and whether metalled or not , footpaths , hills , rivers , towns , villages , railway stations , and local boundaries .

A MEETING OF DELEGATES of the North-East of London in connection with the P . S . A . movement was held in the Congregational Church Parlour , Kingsland , on the 1 ith instant , for the purpose of forming an auxiliary to the London Federation . Mr . Picker-gill , M . P ., occupied the chair , and he was supported on the right by Mr . J . Brarch , L . C . C , President , and Bro . C . Bolton , and on the left by the Rev . M . H . Le Pla and Bro . E . 1 . Carver , Treasurer . Resolutions were proposed in favour of such

auxiliary beirg formed , and the proposed rules read . Speeches were delivered in support of the same by the brothers above-named and by Mr . T . O . Clarke , M . S . B . Tottenham , Bro . W . Turner , of Westminster , Mrs . Mills-Carver , and others . Mr . Pickersgill , M . P ., was appointed President ; Rev . M . H . Le Pla , Vice-President ; and Bro . E . Prior , Secretary ; for the ensuing 12 months . The delegates were afterwards entertained with refreshments .

CONTINENTAL GALLERY , NEW BOND-STREET , W . —We accepted an invitation last week to see the water-colour drawings of Mr . Reginald Jones . They are in the West Room , at the end of the above gallery . The works of this artist consist of views taken in France , Italy , and England . The pictures are , for the most part , pleasing ; many are painted with a fine , bold , effective touch . It may , perhaps , be thought that some of the pictures show colours too wild and contrasts too strong to be truthful j but it must be remembered that these are full sunshine effects seen from an

artistic point of view . For our own part , we much prefer other pictures of a lower and more harmonious tone . We would especially commend Nos . 1 , 5 , 6 , and 21 ( the water good ) in France ; Nos . 33 ( Monte Rosa ) , 37 , and 44 ( Venice ) , Italy ; and Nos . 47 , 52 , and 70 , England . An hour may be well spent . Visitors should notice the pictures selected from the Paris Salon of this year ; these are fine specimens of well-known foreign artists . They are to be seen in the Continental Gallery . EXHIBITIONOFTHE ROYAL PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY , PALL MALL , W . —Lastweek

we visited the above Society . On the whole , the works exhibitedwere up to a very high standard of excellence , there were , however , a few far below it , and , in our opinion , should have had no place there . We were especially pleased with some of the landscape effects , notably , "Spring Pastoral , " No . 4 ; "Evening-Boshani , " No . 9 ; and "Woodland Graces , " No . 238 ; these , with others we might name , have a clearness

of tone and delightful atmosphere . We noticed some fine bits of architectural work . Nos . 217 , 123 , and 146 , the details are delicately and finely brought out . Of the portraits we commend Nos . 303 ( especially ) , 13 , and 204 . We are not able to spare more space , yet we cannot omit " Sunshine and Reflections , " also " Wet Foggy Day in New York , " No . 251 and 192 . The specimens of colour photography are very fine and show a great advance in that branch of art . The photagraphic apparatus shown will greatly interest amateurs . The Exhibition will . well pay a visit .

WALBROOK ' S NEW CORPORATOR . —Bro . George H . Heilbuth was born in London in iSGS , and , with the exception of Mr . D . G . Collins , who was elected for Farringdon Within in June last , may claim to be the youngest member of the Corporation . He commeaced his commercial career in the house of Messrs . Faudel , Phillipsand Sons , of Newgate-street , and has now been for several years in business in Cannon-street as a general merchant . Recently he acquired the wholesale wine and spirit merchant ' s business of Messrs . H . Stodart and Co ., of 20 , Suffolk-street , Pall Mall , and of this undertaking , which was established as far back as 1 S 10 , he is now the sole proprietor .

Bro . Heilbuth has taken his share in parochial work , and for two years served the oflice of overseer for the parish of St . John the Baptist upon Walbrook . He is also associated with the work of the City guilds , having been admitted by patrimony to the freedom and livery of the <" . pectaclemakets' Company in 1 S 92 , his father having bf . n initiated into the same guild in 1 S 53 . The new Corporator is a member of the Alliance Lodge , No . 1827 , of Freemasons , and a member of the Bayard Chapter of Royal Arch Freemasons . He belongs to the Walbrook Ward , the Junior Constitutional , and a number of other elubs ; and he rejoices in the fact that his telegraphic address is " Liveryman , London , "

Masonic And General Tidings.

BRO . LORD AND LADY BURTON left London on Wednesday for Rangemore Hall , Burton-upon-Trent . BRO . SIR HENRY IRVING laid the corner-stone of the Irving Theatre , Seacombe , Birkenhead , on Wednesday . BRO . THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF MARLBOROUGH arrived in town on Tuesday evening from Bradford . BRO . THE EA . RL AND COUNTESS OF DARTMOUTH [ have returned to England from a cruise in their yacht .

THE WARNER LODGE OF INSTRUCTION , NO . 2256 , meets every Friday night at the Royal Forest Hotel , Chingford , at S . 15 . THE Boy ' s Own Paper has just completed its 21 st year . To celebrate the event a dinner has been arranged to take place at the . Holborn Restaurant , on Tuesday , the 31 st instant . BRO . THE EARL AND COUNTESS OF WARWICK , who have been salmon-fishing in the Tay during the past few weeks , return to Warwick Castle to-morrow ( Saturday ) .

THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF FIFE will arrive at their house , in Portman-square , in time for the meeting of Parliament , from Mar Lodge , Aberdeenshire , and they will pass the winter at Brighton . BRO . GULLY , Q . C , Speaker of the House of Commons , is suffering from an attack of lumbago . He was to have been presented with the freedom of Carlisle on the nth instant , but the ceremony has been indefinitely postponed .

MR . H . WALDO-WARNER , the gold medallist this year atthe Guildhall School of Music , has written the music for a new comic opera , entitled " The Royal Vagrants , " that is to be produced for the first time at the Erlham Hall , Forest Gate , on Friday , the 27 th instant .

BRO . I . IEUT .-GENERAL SIR FRANCIS W . GRENFELL , G . C . B ., Governor of Malta , has sent £ 100 , being the first yearly instalment of a donation of £ 500 to the Middlesex Hospital Cancer Wing , recently erected in memory of the late Lady Grenfell . ON THURSDAY , Earl Fitzwilliam completed his 84 th year , having been born on October 12 th , 1 S 15 . He succeeded his father , the fifth earl , on October 4 th , 1857 . The heir to the earldom is his grandson , Bro . Viscount Milton , the member for Wakefield , who was born in 1 S 72 .

THE WATERLOW MEMORIAL . —The Committee formed for the purpose of erecting a suitable memorial in Waterlow Park , Highgate , to Sir Sydney H . Waterlow , Bart ., the donor of the park , have already received in cash and promises the sum of £ 700 . About £ 300 more is required . THE QUEEN has been pleased , on the recommendation of the Home Secretary , to appoint Mr . Rupert Edward Cooke Kettle to be Recorder ol Lichfield , in the place of Mr . Henry William Cripps , Q . C , deceased . Mr . Kettle is a member of the Middle Temple , ' and was called in 1 S 70 .

MAJOR-GENERAL BOUTOVSKY , of the Russian Army , is about to leave St . Petersburg for England on an official visit , having been commissioned by the Minister of War to visit the British military establishments for the purpose of studying the system of physical instruction adopted there . LORD REAY , chairman of the London School Board , will preside at a meeting of the head teachers of the public elementary schools and the responsible teachers of the evening continuation schools , to he held at the School Board offices on Friday , the 20 th inst ., in connection with the National Home Reading Union .

THE ORIGINAL boiler-plate used by Chief Engineer Benbow to repair the disabled boiler of the Nile boat Sofia , whilst engaged under fire of the Dervish battery at Wadel-Habishi , will shortly form part of the exhibition of Madame Tussaud and Sons . It was recovered by Bro . Lord Kitchener , and presented by him to Lord Charles Beresford .

IT IS officially stated that on the occasion of the Queen ' s visit to open the Royal Convalescent Home in Bris'ol , on November 15 th , her Majesty will be accompanied by the Duke of Connaught , Princess Henry of Battenberg , and Princess Christian of Schleswig-Holstein . The Home Secretary and the Lord Chamberlain will be amongst those in attendance .

MR . THOMAS WORTHINGTON , who recently inquired into the conditions of British trade in South America , on behalf of the Board of Trade , has been appointed by the Board to be Principal of the new Intelligence Branch of the Commercial Labour and Statistical Department . He will he assisted by Mr . F . Barley , who has acted for many years as Clerk-in-Charge of the Bonn ! of Trade Journal , and by other staff officers who have now been appointed .

BRO . EARL AND COUNTESS CARRINGTON have returned from their town residence to Daws Hill Lodge , High Wycombe . His lordship presided on Thursday evening at a banquet in the Guildhall , Wycombe , 'given by the local Chamber of Commerce , to commemorate the passing of the Great Western and Great Central Railway Bills , the effect of which will open the country between the Metropolis and Wycombe and Grendon Underwood .

As AFFAIRS NOW STAND in South Africa the new physical relief map of the Transvaal , published by the Universal Publishing Company , 67 , Imperial-buildings , Ludgate-hill , will be of great interest to those who are desirous of following movements of troops and every detail of the war , as it plainly shows railways , telegraphs , roads , drifts , previous battlefields , strategical points , transport routes , goldfields , & c , with all boundaries , and neighbouring States . The price is 3 s ., or mounted to fold or on rollers 7 s . Od .

BRO . SIR MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH , Chancellor of the Exchequer , was to have taken part in the annual conference and meeting of the Western Division of the National Union of Conservative Associations at Plymouth on Wednesday . The right hon . gentleman arrived on Tuesday night at Mount Edgcumbs , and the following morning was reported to be suffering from a severe attack of bronchitis , which prevented him leaving his room . An announcement to this effect was made at the conference by the Marquis of Bath , who presided . The inability of the Chancellor of the Exchequer to attend caused keen disappointment .

H . R . H . THE PRINCESS OF WALES , attended by Miss Knollys and Vice-Admiral Sir Henry F . Stephenson , arrived on Tuesday evening at Charing Cross , by special train . H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , attended by Commander the Hon . Seymour Fortescue , came up from Cambridgeshire to meet her Royal Highness , who was looking remarkably well . The Danish Minister , who was also present , had a long conversation with the Royal party . Subsequently their Royal Highnesses drove to Marlborough House . The Prince of Wales left town on Wednesday morning for Newmarket to witness the race for the Cesarewitch Stakes . It is probable that the Princess will go to Balmoral soon on a t-isit to the Queen .

As PRESIDENT OF THE FUND , the Lord Mayor of London desires to remind the public that Hospital Saturday this year js fixed for to-morrow ( Saturday ) . It will be remembered to the credit of the Association that ils Board some timo ago decided to definitely abandon street collections as a means of raising meney . His lordship is glad to sav that the amount eathered in workshops and places of business in the metronolis

has steadily increased , and it is hoped that by the end of the present year the loss entailed by the abandonment of thc street collections will be more than made up . For some years the Fund has undertaken a most useful work in the supply of surgical appliances of all kinds to patients who need assistance in obtaining them , the number of articles issued in ISIJS being 2879 , towards the cost of which the patients contributed £ 1191 .

Death.

DEATH .

FARMANER . —7 th instant , at his residence , Perth House , Tooting , Bro . Joseph Farmaner , for many years of 8 , but recently 6 * 2 , Coleman-street , E . C ., and lormcrl *** oi Perth , Western Australia , in his Both y ear ,