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facts of current Masonic history , especially in its own neighbourhood and within its own borders . For its especial behoof , therefore , we venture respectfully to point out , as regards the Grand Lodge of England , that it has never advanced any such claim as our contemporary suggests against either the Grand Lodgeof Canada or the Grand Lodge of Quebec ,

which both exercise jurisdiction independencies of the British Crown . All our said Grand Lodge has done , has been to insist that Canada and Quebec should respect the rig hts of such lodges of English Constitution in those dependencies as preferred remaining in their original obedience ; in other words , that they should not interfere with its own rights as already

established years before either the Canadian or Quebec Grand Lodges were thought of . Canada has always gracefully conceded this right , Quebec has not , and there the matter rests . This , however , is very different from exercising or claiming to exercise jurisdiction within the borders of Canada

or Ouebec which England by treaty in the case of Canada , and without treaty in that of Quebec , has never dreamt of attempting . We have no fear of argument , but the Canadian Craftsman will do well to avoid making assertions which are capable , as in this instance , of immediate disproof .

Provincial Grand Chapter South Wales (Eastern Division).

PROVINCIAL GRAND CHAPTER SOUTH WALES ( EASTERN DIVISION ) .

A meeting of unusual interest , to which we took an opportunity of referring last week , was held in the Masonic Hall , Working-street , Cardiff , on Monday , the 4 th inst ., when M . E . Comp . Marmaduke Tennant , who for some time past has held the important office of Deputy Prov . G . Master under Bro . Sir George Elliot , Bart ., M . P ., P . G . M ., was installed Prov .

G . Superintendent of Royal Arch Masons , the ceremony being performed by Comp . Col . Shadwell H . Clerke , Grand Scribe E ., in his usual able and impressive manner , assisted by Comps . Col . Lyne , P . G . Supt . Monmouthshire , and Col . Adair , P . G . Supt . Somersetshire , who occupied the chairs

of H . and J . respectively . Considerably over 100 companions must have been present on the occasion . The most conspicuous among them being Comps . the Earl of Limerick , G . S . N . ; H . Sandeman , Past District G . Supt . Bengal ; Col . Somerville Burney , Past G . S . N . ; and J . C . Parkinson , Past G . S . B .

At the conclusion of the ceremony the Prov . G . Supt . appointed his officers for the year . Comp . J . G . Hall ... ... ... ... Prov . G . H . „ S . Cooper ... ... ... ... Prov . G . J . „ W . Whittington ... ... ... Prov . G . S . E . „ T . Matthews ... ... ... ... Prov . G . S . N . ,, Tames Hurman ... ... ... Prov . G . Treas .

„ John Rogers ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Reg . „ H . Simons ... ... ... ... Prov . G . P . S . „ W . G . Davies ... ... ... Prov . G . ist A . S . ,, D . C . Jones ... ... ... ... Prov . G . 2 nd A . S . .. E . Roberts ... ... .,. ... Prov . G . Swd . Br .

„ J . McKim ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Std . Br . „ - J . C . Sladen ... ... ... ... Prov . G . D . C . „ Geo . Jones ... ... ... ... Prov . A . G . D . C . „ Geo . Allen .., ... ... ... Prov . G . Org . „ G . Bullerwell ... ... ... Prov . G . Janitor . Provincial Grand Chapter was afterwards closed , and the companions

adjourned to banquet at the Royal Hotel , M . E . Comp . M . Tennant presiding , and being well supported by his officers , and the distinguished visitors from London and the adjoining provinces , among whom , in addition to those we have already mentioned

were—Comps . Sir George Elliot , P . Z . ; S . George Homfray , P . G . S . B . and P . G . H . Mon . ; S . Weichert , P . Z . ; Hartley Feather , John T . Thomas , J . H . Taylor , E . H . Lloyd , A . Perkins , P . Z . ; C . H . Oliver , jun ., P . Z . ; R . Laybourne , D . R . David , Arthur H . Roberts , W . D . John , Edward Dawson , G . Bowden , Ivor J . Roberts , Edward Ensor , E . Bregeon , B . P . Davies , W . Davies , G . W . Clare , Lewis Jones , F . P . Adey , J . R

Davies , G . H . Llewellyn , J . Sanders , W . F . Stevens , John H . Dunn , Stephen Lewis , H . W . Davies , VV . Anstice , T . Phillips , A . Peters , Charles F . Gooch , J . A . Kelly , Alfred Taylor , D . Godfrey Thomas , E . Edgar Morgan , John M . Smith , George Hazell , Samuel Davies , Sidney Coleman , Thomas Kvans , C . Carey Thomas , H . T . Box , T . P . Martin , Richard Male , I . F . M'Clune , VV . R . Perrott , J . O . Lewis , George Thomas , A . P .

Fabian , W . G . Flanders , W . H . 3 hute , Joseph Jones , Samuel Davies , R . Parry , F . Bradford , J . Hughes . A . J . Sinclair , T . Walters , | . Rogers , Edwin J . Whitley , Fred . Russell , R . Capper , W . F . Gillett , W . Pickford , T . P . Garrett , Herbert Reece , W . H . Davies , A . Barnett , J . Peckwer , H . L . Lace , D , Williams , J . R . Wood , John Munday , J . C . Sladen , R . Price , J . W . Mitchell , W . C . Hurley , W . J . Jones , and A . Jenkins .

We may state that another Royal Arch Chapter is being formed at Penrith , which will be attached to Lodge No . 960 , and will be consecrated at an early date . In the course of the proceedings a deputation from Pontypridd was introduced for the purpose of presenting Sir George Elliot , Bart ., M . P ., Prov .

Grand Master of the province , with the silver trowel used by him on the occasion of his laying the foundation-stone of the Masonic Hall at Pontypridd . The deputation consisted of Bros . Stephen Lewis , W . M . of the Merlin Lodge ; Dr . H . N . Davies , P . P . G . R . ; R . Male , P . P . G . R . ; J . F . M'Clune , J . D . ; and W . R . Parrott , P . G . W .

Bro . LEWIS , W . M ., in making the presentation , said : Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master , —It is with extreme pleasure I have the honour , with the brethren who accompany me , to meet you to-day , on behalf of the members of the Merlin Lodge , for the purpose of presenting you with the trowel used by you on the occasion of laying the foundation-stone of the

Masonic Hall at Pontypridd . The members of the Merlin Lodge fully appreciate the sinceie interest you have always taken in their welfare , which has been specially shown by your munificent gift , as an inducement to them to provide a suitable home for the lod ge . They recoanise the impetus which you thus gave to the scheme ; and I am pleased to be able to assure you that the lodge has used every effort to raise a superstructure

Provincial Grand Chapter South Wales (Eastern Division).

perfect in all its parts , and honourable to the builder , and they hope second to none in the province under your rule . In handing to you the trowel , \ ve hope that the Most High will be pleased to spare you to us for many years to come , to look upon it as an extra bond of union between the lodge and yourself , as well as between yourself and the district , and that when \ t

pleases Him to summon you to the Grand Lodge above , the trowel may be handed down to , and treasured by , a worthy successor to a worth y sire . The annual festival of the Merlin Lodge will take place on the first Monday in May , and as the new lodge room will be opened on that day , it is hoped that you will be able to attend , and , as Worshi pful Master of the lodge , I give you a most hearty and cordial invitation

Bro . Sir GEORGE ELLIOT , in acknowledging the gift , complimented the deputation on the edifice they had erected at Pontypridd , and said it would be a pleasure to him to be amongst them on every possible occasion .

Early Masonic Halls In Philadelphia.

EARLY MASONIC HALLS IN PHILADELPHIA .

The " Pennsylvania Freemasons' Hall , on Filbert Street , above Eighth , south side , was a bulding originally erected for * a dwelling , was purchased and altered by the Grand Lodge , and was in use for meetings ,

at a time when the city at Chestnut Street did not extend much beyond Sixth . The lot first considered as a site for the hall , on Arch Street above Ninth , was rejected as too for out of town . A large pond of water was situated at the northeast corner of Eighth and Arch ,

When this Filbert Street building was ready for occupation with the alterations complete , in November , 1802 , there were 37 J cents in the hands of the Grand Treasurer with which to pay a balance of some 3000 dollars on the total cost of 9000 dollars . The building was dedicated on the 27 th of December , 1802 . No

cornerstone had been laid , as it was not originally intended for this use . On the dedication day , a large Masonic procession moved to the hall , the line forming at the church of the Universalists , on Lombard-street , above Fourth , The " Pennsylvania Freemasons' Hall" gave way to the march of

improvement , and was demolished some seven years ago , though it had not been used for Masonic purposes for 60 years , but the church on Lombard-street still stands , though it is unoccupied and in the last stages of dilapidation , It will follow the example of the other buildings at no distant date .

The Filbert-street hall was the fir ^ t regular place of meeting of Union Lodge in 1810 . The first regular meeting was held there . When we were compiling our sketch of this lodge ' s history , the pamphlet which one of our Past Masters , Bro George W . Hall , has so kindly published for the lodge and in such beautiful form , it was discovered , however , that our birth place ,

the place where the meetings of the preliminary association were held , was the old Kennedy Tavern , or the Tavern then kept in the ori ginal Penn House in Letitia Court . Many of our members will remember how that house appeared before it was moved from Letitia-street to Fairmount Park , which , however , was not as the house appeared when the lodge was formed

there . Previous to removal there was a house in the court towards the south , with a conspicuous sign , " The William Penn Hotel , " which was then thought to be the Penn House . It was afterwards found that the next

house towards the north , one having a small beer keg over a projecting sign , was the real Penn House , and it was this house that was No . 9 , Letitia Court in 1810 where Kennedy kept his tavern , It was this house that was moved to the Park at the time of the Bi-Centennial celebration of the

founding of Pennsylvania , where it may now be seen . The room in which the meetings of the Association of Union took place was the third story , which was , and is now again , one large room . As it now exists in the Park , it is occupied by Bro . Horace W . Smith as a study . This same room , it has since been found , was also some years later the birth place of another younger lodge .

The Filbert Street Hall sufficed but for a few years . The appearance , situation , and inconveniences of the building were soon found unsuited to the increasing wants of the Craft . A more central locality was desirable . The lot on Chestnut-street above Seventh was soon purchased , and the first hall upon that site erected . That building stood back fifty feet from the

street line . In front was a low wall and gateway surmounted with railing ' ' The hall was of brick , rough cast , and with marble trimmings . It had a wooden steeple , 180 feet high , towards the erection of which the citizens generally were asked to contribute , upon the ground that it would be an

ornament to the city . A large room on the first floor was rented for public purposes , as well as used for great feasts . It was used some years later for an adult Masons' Sunday-school , which was said to be the first Sundayschool established in the city .

This hall was dedicated on St . John ' s Day , June 24 th , 1811 . On that day the brethren , representing thirty-one lodges , met at the old College Hall ) Fourth and Arch Streets , and went in procession to St . John ' s Lutheran Church on Sassafras , now Race , Street above Fifth . This church ma )'

possibly have been selected for its appropriate name . Here Grand Master Milnor delivered an oration , after which the procession moved to the hall-The first Chestnut Street building cost , when finished , nearly 87 , °°° dollars .

Before the debt was entirely extinguished , on March 9 th , 1819 , while a dancing party was in progress in the lower hall , and Washington Lodg e was at labour in the Grand Lodge room , a fire broke out in the building ' which originated from a defective flue in the hall room . In a few hours the Craft was homeless . The members of Washington barely escaped wit 11

their lives , leaving an unclosed lodge , which stands to this day perpetual open . Nor was the loss of the building the only calamity . Valuable book ' papers , and records of the Grand , and most of the subordinate lodges , wer destroyed . The records of Union were one of the few exceptions , thoug we lost other property of some value . —Bro . T . C . Knauff in Keystone .