Masonic And General Tidings.

Masonic and General Tidings .

THE CROWN PRINCESS OF AUSTRO-HUNGARY , accompanied by the Archduchess Elizabeth and the Duke of Connaught , visited T . R . II . the Prin- e and Princess of Wales , and , with Count Albert Mensdoiff , lunched with their Royal Highnesses . THE LORD CHANCELLOR ( Bro . the Earl of Ilalsbury ) and the Countess of Halsbury have signified their intention of being present at the annual ' Ladies' Night debate of the Hardwicke Society , which , by permission of the Benc ' iers , will be held in the Inner Temple Hill on Friday , the 2 <) : h inst .

ON SATURDAY , at the Wellington Barracks , the Duke of Cambridge , Colonel of the Grenadier Guards , inspected the 2 nd Battalion of the regiment , prior to its embarkation for Gibraltar , and also a strong draft of men who are to join the ist Battalion , going on from Gibiaitar to Egypt on being relieved by the 2 nd . THE DUCIIRSS OF CONNAUGHT presented the prizes to the successful com pi tito-s at the Aldershot District Meeting , which c included on Saturday last at the Ash Ringes . 'The Duchess was accompanied by the Duke of Connaught , the Princesses Mirgar . t and Victoria Patricii , and Prince Arthur , and Captain E . W . Blunt and Mrs . Malcolm McNeil were in attendance .

TIIF . QUF . EN ' S dinner party at Windsor Castle on Monday included , in addition to the Royal family , the Marquis of Salisbury , Bro . the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire , Hro . the Duke of Portland , Earl Granville , Bro . Lieut .-General Lord Methuen , Prince Mahommed Ali Pasha , brother of the Khedive of Egypt , the Crown Princess of Austria , the Duchess of Buccleuch , and Lady Carnegie .

UNDER the command of Vice-Admiral Stephenson , the Channel Squadron , which had been mobilising at Portland during the past week , left on Monday for the North of Scotland . The fleet comprised the battleships Magnificent , Majestic , Prince George , Repulse , Resolution , Mars , Jupiter , and Hannibal , and the cruisers Arrogant , Pelorus , and Isis . Befoie I . siiled the Duke and Duchess of York lunched with th ; Al .-niral on board the Maicsti - .

AT WINDSOR CASTLE , on Saturday last , the Oueen conferred upon Brevet Lieut .-Col . Robert Bellew Adams , Indian Staff Corps , the ' decoration of the Victoria Cross , for conspicuous bravery during the operations on the North-West Frontier of India . Princess Henty of Battenberg was present with her Majesty . The Eirl of Denbeigh , Maj . the Hon . Charles Harboard , and Bro . Col . the Earl of Straff jrd were in attendance as Lord , Groom , and Equerry-in-Waiting .

As WIFE of the Chancellor of the University of Cambridge , the Duchess of Devonshire conferred honour officially upon a very charming exhibition of flowers grown by the youthful members of the Children ' s Geranium Club in connection with the Cambridge House Settlement in Camberwell . The event had created the liveliest excitement in South London , and over Sooo free tickets were distributed to the poor around to visit the display during the two days it is open .

THE DUCHESS OF YORK , who was attended by Lady Mary Lygon , paid a visit to St . Katharine ' s College , Tottenham , on Saturday afternoon last , for th * purpose of presenting the piizes to the successlul students . Her Royal Highness was received on the ( awn by the Bishop of London ( President of the college ) , members of the council , anl the Principal . The ceremony took place in a large and elaborately decorated in irquee erected in the garden at the rear of the college .

THE DUKE OF CONNAUGHT , who arrived at Windsor Castle on Siturday evening last , was present on Sunday morning at the church parade of the 2 id Bittalion Scots Guards , of which regiment he is colonel . His Royal Highness , with Colonel lniga Jones , marched at the head of the battalion , which was preceded by the band , drums fifes , and pipers , to Holy Trinity , where the 2 nd Life Guards , under Colonel the Earl of Dundcnald , and a large congregation , had already assembled .

COUNTESS CADOGAN held a meeting at Chelsea House on Monday to consider the best way of promoting the adequate representation of Irish industries at the Paris Exhibition of lyco . Among those present were the Duchess of Abercorn , the Countess of Fingall , the Countess of Arran , the Countrss of Erne , the Countess of Knniskillen , Ihe Countess cf Longford , the Countess of Lucan , the Countess of Bandon , and the Countess of Cork , Viscountess Duncannon , Lady Ashbourne , Lady de Ros , the Right Hon . Hcrace l'lunkett , and Mr . Hmsey Walsh .

H . R . H . THE PRINCE OF WALES presided over the 15 th annual general meeting of Ihe Royal College of Music at Marlborough House , and among the members of the Council present were the Duke of Westminster , Lord Farquhar , Lord Strathcona , Lord Tredegar , Lord Windsor , Bro . Right Hon . C . B . Stmrt-Wortley , M . P ., Colonel the Hon . C . G . C . Eliot , Hon . G . W . Spencer Lyttclton , Bro . Sir J . Whittaker Ellis , Sir W . J . Richmond Cotton , Sir E . W . Hamilton , Sir A . Fairbairn , Sir Edward Green , Sir C . E . G . Philipps , Sir Charles L . Ryan , Sir John Stainer , Mr . Charles Morlcy , M . P ., Sir Hubert Parry , and others . The annual report emphasised the steady progress of the college , the number of pupils at the close of last term being 3 S 5 .

ON SATURDAY LAST I . R . H . the Prince and Princess of Wales and a select party were the guests of Lcrd Sackville at Knole , Sevenoaks . Their Royal Highnesses went down by special train from Charing Cross , arriving at Sevenoaks at i . ifi , and were acrempanied by the Duke and Duchess c f Sparta , Bro . the Marquis and Marchioness if Gianbv , Earl and Countess Stanhope , Bro . Earl and Courses ; Anherst , Earl and

Counliss De La Warr , Bro . Lord and Lady Brassey , the Hon . Victor Stanley , the Hon . Sidney Grenville , the Hon . Michael and Mrs . Herbert , Mr . and Mrs . W . James , Capt . and Mrs . Charles Sackville-West . The Prince planted a fir tree in ^ he garden , and afier tea , served on the colonnade , the company left Knole and journeyed back to tovn . In Ihe evening the Prince and Princess attended the Lyric Theatre to witness Milame Sarah Btrnhardt ' s perfoimince of "Camille . "

THE LORD MAYOR ( Bro . Alderman Davies , M . P . ) opened the new wing of the Guildhall School of Music , the foundation-stone of which had been laid in July last by Mr . Deputy Pearse Morrison . Shortly after three o ' clock , his lordship , accompaniei by the Lady Mayoress , Bro . Alderman and Sheriff Green , and Bro . Sheriff De . var , was escorted in procession by the City Marshal and the S . vord and Mace Hearers , with several members of the Music Committee carrying their wands of office , to the new theatie in the annexe , which has been designed by Mr . Andrew Murray , the City

Surveyor . ' 1 his new addition will be used by the professors and students when they reassemble after the vacation . A Festal March , composed specially for the occasion by Bio . W . II . Cummings , Principal of the Institution , opened the proceelings , the same composer's ode , "Dpmine Dirige Nos , " being then performed by the choir and orchestra , together with the favourite part song , " Sweet and Low , " by the late Bro . Sir Joseph Harnby , while vocal pieces were contributed in good style by Miss Miude Elliott and Mr . Frank Tcbbutt . After an adJress from the Chairmin of the Music Conmittee , the Lord Mayer declared the building open .

Masonic And General Tidings.

H . R . H . TUB PRINCESS OF WALES , with Princess Victoria of Wales , is expected to go to Copenhagen in the beginning of August , on a visit to the King and Queen of Denmark . BRO . VISCOUNT DUNGARVAN , the Prov . Grand Master of Somersetshire , has undertaken to preside at the 1 nth Anniversary Festival of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls in May next .

H . R . H . THE PRINCE OF WALES honoured the Earl of Rosebery by his company at dinner en Thursday evening , in Berkeley-square , when a distinguished party was invited to meet his Royal Highness . His lordship afterwards gare a ball , which was numerously attended .

THE GREAT WESTERN Railway Company announce that a half-day trip to Shakespeare ' s Country , and to Oxford and Leamington , will leave Paddington at noon on Thursday , the 21 st inst ., Kensington ( Addison-road ) , 11 . 27 a . m ., and Hammersmith , 11 . 34 , returning from Stratford-on-Avon at 7 . 15 p . m . THE MILITARY CYCLING TOURNAMENT to beheld at Wood Green on th ; 23 rd inst ., under the pitronage of the Duke of Connaught and Viscount Wolseley ( Commander-in . Chiel ) . The volunteer cycling championships and the army cycling championship , both over a distance of one mile , will be decided .

UPON AN exjmination of the bells that are rung upon the Royal birthdays in the Curfew Tower of Windsor Castle—one of which , the big tenor , suddenly fell during a recent celebration—it was found that the fifth bell was cracked . This weighs about 14 civt ., and has been pealed at intervals for over a century and a ha'f . It is composed of tin and copper , and was cast in 1745 .

ROYAL FEMALE ORPHAN ASYLUM . —Bro . Sir John B . Monckton presided on Saturday last over the annual prize distribution of the above asylum at Beddington , when the Lady Mayoress distributed the awards . The children gave some excellent action songs in the dining hall , where the ceremony took place , and subsequently entertained the visitors by an exhibition of skipping-rope and fire drill .

CRYSTAL PALACE BILL . —The Bill authorising the re-organising of the capital of the Crystal Palace Company was read a third time in the House of Lords on Monday . A * it has already passed through the House of Commons , it now only requires the Royal assent to become effective ; this will probably be given before the end of the month , and the prospectus of the company , as reconstituted , may be eupected by the end of September .

THE EARL OF ROSEBERY presided on Thursday over a meeting of the committee appointed to arrange memorials of the late Bro . Sir Frank Lockwood , M P . Among those present were Lord James of Hereford , Lord Tweedmouth , Mr . Butcher , M . P ., and Col . Lockwood , M . P . It was agreed to confirm the recommendations of the subcommittee as to the disposal of the fund , which amounts to , 1 , 1350—namely , £ 500 to

endow a cot in the Children ' s Hospital , the nomination to be vested in the Lockwood family ; 400 guineas for a portrait of the late Sir F . Lockwood , to be painted by Mr . Cope , jun . ; also sums for a stained glass window in York Minster , under the superintendence of the Dean and Chapter ; and a memorial brass in St . Margaret ' s Church , Westminster .

SOME INTERESTING autograph letters and historical documents , the properties of various collectors , were disposed of at Sotheby ' s on Thursday . A document with sign manual of Oliver Cromwell on a warrant , dated Whitehall , June 20 th , 1654 , fetched £ 10 ; autograph letter of John Bradshaw , celebrated regicide , President of the Court that tried Charles I ., dated Whitehall , January 27 th , i 6 ? 2 , to the Commissioners of the

Admiralty , £ 5 ; autograph letter of George Eliot ( Marian Evans , celebrated novelist ) , dated " Clematis , " Coventry , May 2 ist , 1 SS 4 , £ 6 ; two poems of Jean de La Fontaine in his autograph , £ 6 2 s . 6 d . ; autograph letter of Beethoven , dated 1819 , corrected scores , £ \ 1 ios . ; an inteiesting letter ot General C . E . Gordon , dated 1 SO 4 , respecting his campaign in China , £ 6 2 s . GJ . ; and three love letters of Napoleon III . to a young English lady whom he ennobled , £ 2 14 s . The day ' s sale realised £ 206 IOI .

THE DUCHESS OF ALBANY , attended by Sir Robert Collins and Miss Heron Mix well , was present at the drawing room meeting held at 3 , Grosvenor-pl ic :, on the 14-h inst ., by invitation of Lady Esther Smith , in aid of the public library for the parish of St . Ceorge ' s-in-the-East . The cost of the building itself has been borne by Mr . Passmore Edwards , while other expenses , as that of the site , were met by the voluntary rate : but a sum of about ^ Goo is still needed for furniture and books . In the chair was the Hon . W . F . D . Smith , M . P ., who said that the parish , being too poor to d > more for itself , looked to the West-end for help . The East-end had been a pioneer in

the free library movement , for Bethnal-green has established the first institution of th ; kind . Practical aid had been shown by the Royal Family towards these effirtsin various ways , and the presence of the Duchess of Albany on this occasion was not the first time that she had encouraged good works on behilf of this poor parish . The Bishop of lsl ' ngton explained the finantu ! position of the library commissions , and the plans they had in view as to the arrangements for storing and reading the books ; and Earl Nelson , who , from his long connection with the mission work of St . Peter's , London Docks , introduced hi . nsslf as " a near neighbour , " vncnviy cyn-ninlel the effort as likely to raise and refine the crowded district .

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