Masonic And General Tidings.

Masonic and General Tidings .

BRO . HENRY LOVEGROVE has repeated his success of last year by again winning the medal of the Leghorn Club and other prizes with his Italian fowls . THE REV . W . EVANS . HURNDALL , M . A ., of Westminster Chapel , and Mrs . Hurndall , who were nearly suffocated hy the fumes of a gas stove , are progressing favourably . BRO . CAPT . LORD CHARLES BERESFORD , in command of the Medway Dockyard Reserve , has been granted 3 S days' leave of absence and will start for the Mediterranean on January 4 th .

THE ANNUAL prize distribution of King ' s College took place on Tuesday evening , the prizes being handed to their fortunate recipients by Mr . Christopher Heath , President of the Royal College of Surgeons . THE U NITED STATES AMBASSADOR to this country has veiy kindly consented to preside at the festival , which will be held at the Hotel Metropole on the 6 th February next , in aid of St . John ' s Foundation School for the sons oE the Poorer Clergy . THE QUEEN visited the Albert Chapel , Windsor Castle , on Tuesday afternoon and inspected the wreaths which had been placed near the Duke of Albany ' s tomb , and the chaplet of roses on the sarcophagus of the Duke of Clarence and Avondale .

THE LORD C HANCELLOR ( Bro . Lord Halsbury ) visited Leeds on Wednesday , for the purpose of addressing the Leeds Law Students' Society , of which he is President . During his stay his lordship was the guest of Bro . W . L . Jackson , M . P ., the Mayor of the city . THEIR ROYAL HIGHNESSES the Prince and Princess of Wales , the Princesse 5 Victoria and Maud , and Prince Nicholas of Greece concluded their visit to the-Queen , at Windsor Castle , on Monday , when they returned to Marlborough House , arriving shortly after 11 a . m .

THE OUEEN has been pleased to give orders for the appointment of Colonel Augustus C . F . FitzGeorge , Private Secretary to H . R . H . the Duke of Cambridge , to be an ordinary member of the Civil Division of the Third Class or Companions of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath . ON MONDAY at the meeting of the Croydon County Council the Mayor , Mr . Alderman F . T . Edridee , announced the receipt of a letter from Bro . Sir Francis Knollys

intimating that their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales would visit the town in May or June next and open the new municipal buildings . THE NEW battleship Magnificent left Chatham amid the hearty cheers of the spectators on Tuesday afternoon for Sheerness , where she will complete her preparations before proceeding to Devonport . Among those who witnessed her departure were Bro . Captam Lord Charles Beresford , commanding the Medway Dockyard Reserve , and Captain Swinton C . Holland , A . D . C . of the Medway Fleet Reserve .

THE Freemason CHRISTMAS NUMBER . —To all brothers of the Craft this production will he very acceptable . It contains much information , and a facsimile of an ancient MS . copy of the constitutions and charges which the brethren will , no doubt , highly value . There is also a review of Masonic proceedings for the past yeax . —Sout li Wales Times .

MICHAELMAS LAW SITTINGS end to-morrow ( Saturday ) when the judges will rise for the Christmas vacation . There will be no sittings in Court during vacation , but a judge will be in attendance at Queen ' s Bench Judge's Chambers , on the 27 th inst . and on Friday , the 3 rd prox . THE QUHEN and the members of her family staying with her at Windsor Castle attended the usual service in the Frogmore Mausoleum on Saturday last , it being the anniversary of the death of the Prince Consort and the Princess Alice . The Bishop of Winchester and the Dean of Windsor officiated , and Bro . Sir Walter Parratt led the chcir .

AN ANONYMOUS DONOR has presented the munificent sum of 3000 guineas ^ to the Middlesex Hospital for the purpose of endowing one bed and two cots in perpetuity . In aid of the fame hospital , an entertainment was given by the employes of the well-known fiim of Marshall and Snelgrove , in St . George ' s Hall , Langham-place , on Saturday evening last . A COURT LIVERY DINNER of the Pattenmakers' Company was held at the Cannonstreet Hotel on Wednesday , when the members , under the presidency of their Master , Bro . lohn Welford . entertained the Lord Mayor ( Bro . Sir Walter Wilkin ) and a

distinguished company , among whom were Bros . Viscount Powerscourt and Sir J . Heron Maxwell , Alderman Sir Stuart Knill , and Bro . Alderman Sir H . E . Knight . H . R . H . THE P RINCE OF WALES left Marlborough House on Tuesday for Highclere Castle , near Newbury , on a visit to Bro . the Earl and Countess of Carnarvon , travelling by special train , and arriving at his destination about 7 p . m . The party invited to meet his Royal Highness included the Earl and Countess of Westmorland , Viscount and Viscountess Chelsea , the Russian Ambassador , the Brazilian Minister , and the Earl and Countess Howe .

LYRIC THHATRE . —On Boxing Day there will be given in addition to the usual evening performance at 8 . 15 , a special matinee at 2 p m . ( doors open at 1 p . m . ) of the successful comedy opera , "The Bric-a-Brac Will , " with Miss Florence St . John as Sylvia . The management asks us to draw attention to the fact that numbered and reserved seats in the upper circle , four shillings , may be booked in advance for the above and all other performances of " The Bric-a-Brac Will . "

THERE WAS A large gathering at the Imperial Institute on Monday afternoon , when Bro . Lord Herschell delivered an address on " The Work of the Institute . " The Prince of Wales presided , and among those present were Bros , the Duke of Fife and Lord George Hamilton , M . P . ; the Marquis of Lome , M . P . j Lord Playfair , Lord Thring , and Bros . Sir Frederick Abel and Sir Somers Vine . A vote of thanks to Bro . Lord Herschell was moved by H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , and suitably acknowledged .

THE FIFTH annual dinner in behalf of the Actors' Benevolent Fund was held at the H 6 tel Metropole on Wednesday evening under the presidency of Sir Francis Jeune , among the principal guests beine Sir Edwin Arnold , Bros . S . B . Bancroft , Sir F . Lockword , M . P ., Sir John Pender , M . P ., Sir Eyre Shaw , T . H . Bolton , Lennox Browne , and E . Terry , Past G . Treas . Subscriptions were announced in the course of the evening amounting to £ 650 , and it was further stated that under the will of the late Bro . David lames the Fund had benefited to the extent of £ 10 , 000 .

MIDLAND RAILWAY . —Commercial Travellers'Cloakroom Luggage . —Commencing on November 1 st , books of cloakroom tickets for commercial travellers' luggage will be on sale . The tickets are issued for the convenience of commercial travellers to enable them to send their packages to the cloakrooms of the Midland Railway Company from their hotels , & c , and obtain possession of the packages on arrival at the station . A ticket will be required for each article , which will frank its deposit in the cloakroom for any period not exceeding 48 hoursafter which time the usual charge for commercial

, luggage will be made in accordance with the Company ' s regulations . Books containing 30 tickets can be obtained at the station on payment of 2 s . Gd . each . THE Freemason for December 7 th , published at sixpence , is a double number . It is beautifully printed on toned paper , and contains no less than 30 items of peculiar interest to members of the Fraternity . The opening article on the progress of Freemasonry in the United Kingdom is very instructive , and in other pages the doings of the

Order abroad are ably dealt with . " Two Curious Certificates " ( illustrated ) , " Shakespeare in Lodge" ( illustrated ) , " Occurrences of the Year , " and "Masonic Notices " and " Correspondence " form prominent features of the book . A complete tale , " The Hermit of Dunstanborough , " a legend of Northumbria , by T . C . Walls , is also given . The work , which is really a Christmas number , is an excellent production , a copy of which Freemasons would do well to become possessed . —Western Daily Mercury .

livEHV Horsr . may shortly be supplied with tlc . lric Unlit by a simple piece , of mechanism placed over tbe kitchen chimney , if a new plan of Prison ' s lor generating electricity directly from heal is successful . Tims the poorest person could have Hie benelit of a useful invention which is now regarded as a luxury only for the comfort of the rich . iMr . Thomas llolloway , however , has given a greater blessing to humanity than has yet been ailordeil by the mosi wonderful discoveries of science , llisl'ills and Ointment have succeeded in eases where tin greatest authorities on medical treatment have failed . Whatever the condition of a patient may be . these medicines will effect a cure if such a thing is humanly possible .

Masonic And General Tidings.

WE REGRET that the report of the important meeting of National Great Priory at Mark Masons' Hall on Friday , the 13 th instant , should have reached us so late that we are compelled to hold it over till next weelt . WF . ARE GLAD to hear that Bro . the Earl of Cork , who met with an accident while out hunting , and was seriously kicked on the face by his . horse , is going on favourably .

AT THE BAZAAR recently held in Manchester on behalf of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children the sum raised amounted to close upon £ 10 , 000 . His ROYAL HIGHNESS the Prince of Wales has againsent a presentof 30 pheasants to the Royal Eye Hospital , Southwark , for which funds are most urgently needed to open the closed wards .

THE MARCHIONESS OF LORNE has been graciously pleased to send a donation of £ 25 to the general fund of the Grosvenor Hospital for Women and Children , Vincentsquare , Westminster . THE PROPRIETOR of the Freemason publishes a Christmas Number with contents of special and topical interest to the members of the Craft . —Star . H . R . H . THE PRINCESS OF WALES , the Princesses Victoria and Maud , and Prince Nicholas of Greece were present at the Haymarket Theatre on Wednesday evening , and witnessed a performance of " Trilby . "/

THE DUCHESS OF ST . ALBANS and Lady Catherine Beauclerk have left town for Bestwood Lodge , where Bro . the Duke of St . Albans and her Grace will entertain a large party of guests for the Nottingham Hospital Ball . THE THIRD and last performance of the Westminster Play took place in the Old Dormitory of the School on Wednesday in the presence of a distinguished company , who heartily applauded . The " Adelphi" of Terence was the play chosen for the year .

THE QUEEN , acccrnpanied by the Princess Henry of Battenherg and her children , and attended by the ladies and gentlemen of the Court , left Windsor Castle for Osborne on Wednesday , travelling vid Basingstoke to Gosport and crossing thence to Cowes , He .- Majesty will return to Windsor about the middle of February . THE DUKE OF CONNAUGHT , attended by Bro . Col . Egerton , went to Henley Paik on Wednesday morning on a visit to Bro . Lord and Lad y Pirbright . A distinguished party had been invited to meet his Royal Highness , including the Infanta of Spam , the Marchioness of Tweeddale , Count Metternich , and Alderman and Mrs . Faudel Phillips .

TO-MORROW ( Saturday ) the Elizabethan Stage Society will give another performance of "The Comedy of Errors" in St . George ' s Hall , Langham-place , for the benefit of those who were unable to witness that recently given in the Hall of Gray's Inn . An Elizabethan stage will be especially erected in the Hall for the purpose of the performance .

BRO . THE REV . LORD VICTOR SEYMOUR , rector of Carshalton , preached the sermon at the inaugural service at the new church of St . Augustine , Archway-road , Highgate . The cost of erection up to the present time has been £ 10 , 000 , of which £ 1500 has to be raised , but to complete the edifice an additional sum of £ 3000 is needed .

THE MAGNIFICENT MUSEUM of stuffed fish which adorns the Piscatorial Socie ty ' s Holborn Restaurant Club-room has just been enriched by what is probably the largest trout on record , scaling 32 pounds , taken by Lieut .-Col . Andrew Haggard ( brother of Rider Haggard , the novelist ) in Lake Nepigon , Canada , and presented by him to the society .

A MEETING of the Royal Commission of the Patriotic Fund was held in the Commander-in-Chief ' s Levee Room on Tuesday , those present including the Duke of Cambridge , Prince Edward of Saxe-Weimar , the Earl of Clanwilliam , Lord Chelmsford , Bro . Lord Herschell , Lord Welby , the Lord Mayor ( Bro . Sir W . Wilkin ) , Sir Stuart Knill , Sir George Wellesley , and others .

THE FELTMAKERS' COMPANY give notice that , under Macham ' s Charity , they will , on Monday , the 13 th prox ., distribute the income of the trust amongst " decayed persons following , or who have followed , the business of manufacturing hats as masters and on their own account , who may be in want or necessity , such persons being of good character and behaviour , and having served a regular apprenticeship to such business . " Freemen or members of the company so qualified will be entitled to a preference . Forms of application may be had of Mr . Alfred Peachey , clerk to the company , 17 , Salisbury - square , Fleet-street . —City Press .

METROPOLITAN HOSPITAL SUNDAY FUND . —Bro . the Lord Mayor presided on Wednesday at the annual meeting of the subscribers and friends of the Metropolitan Hospital Sunday Fund , held at the Mansion House . There was a large attendance . The report of the Council for the year ending October 31 st stated that the present year ' s collection amounted to a total of £ 60 , 361 4 % . 2 d ., which was the largest amount gathered during the 23 > ears the fund had been in existence , the nearest approach being in 1 S 94 , when £ 43 . 679 was collected . In the present year the fund for the first time received dividends from the Court of Chancery on the Guesdon Legacy , £ 45 , 346 , amounting to £ 904 for nine months , whilst amongst some extraordinary donations were a sum of £ 10 , 000 Irom Messrs . B . I . Barnato and friends , handed in in the form of a

cheque for that amount , and a special Stock Exchange list from Messrs . Pirn , Vaughan , and Company , and Messrs . Burdett and Harris , which produced £ 3400 Before the close of the financial year , and since the distribution made in July last , the late Lord Mayor received nearly £ 16 , 000 in additional contributions , and a further payment of awards was made to various hospitals and institutions . The Committee desired to place on record their indebtedness to the late Lord Mayor and to Mr . W . G . Soulsby , who for 20 years has been private secretary to successive Lord Mayors .

THE CHRISTMAS NUMBER of the Freemason contains much matter , both in fact and fiction , for the Craft which it so worthily represents . The stories and articles are all of a good standard . —Dundee Advertiser . BANQUET TO BRO . SIR J OSEPH AND LADY R " NALS . ~ Bro . Alderman Sir Joseph Renals , Bart , and Lady Renals , who are to sail to-day ( Friday ) for Australia , were entertained by a number of their friends at a complimentary banquet at the Grand Hotel , Charing Cross , on Monday evening . The invitation card set out that the dinner

was given "as a token of esteem and regard" for the late Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress . Mr . Richard Winch , the Chairman of the Committee , who had organised the banquet , occupied the chair , and amongst the Go or 70 ladies and gentlemen present were Alderman Sir Stuart Knill , Bart ., Mr . Alderman Newton , Bro . Deputy Goodinge , Major Jameson , M . P ., Major Roper Parkington , J . P ., Mr . M . R . Webb , | . P ., Major Joseph , C . C ., Mr . and Mrs . Adams , Mr . W . Evans , Mr . and Mrs . W . H . Froom , Mr .

J . K . Laing , jun ., and Mrs . Laing , Mr . G . Purvis ( Messrs . Copestake , Lindsay , Crampton , and Co . ) , Mr . and Mrs . Gray , Mr . and Mrs . Feddon , Mr . and Mrs . Gelattley , Mr . J . B . Renals , Mr . J . H . Renals , Mr . A . Renals , Mr . and Mrs . Williams , Mr . T . Briggs , C . C ., and Mr . C A . Body , Hon . Sec . of the Committee . A band performed a selection of music during the dinner , which was of a recherche character . The toasts to Bro . Sir Joseph and Lady Renals were drunk with the greatest enthusiasm .

WILLS . —Estate duty has been paid on £ nG , ojS , the value of the personal estate of Mr . Charles Davison Cobb , of 60 , Mark-lane , ot the firm of Cockburn , Smithes , and Co ., wine merchants , who died at Cumlodden , Argyle , N . B ., on the 4 th September last . —Estate duty has been paid on £ 94 , 528 , as the value of the persoial e : Ute of B o . Henry Bertie Watkin Williams-Wynn , of 23 , Chesham-place , Nant-y-Meiched , Montgomery , and of Howbery Park , Oxford , J . P . for the counties of Denbigh , Salop , and Oxford , High Sheriff of Montgomery , 1 S 72 , Clerk of the Peace for the Tower Hamlets

, who died on the 4 th October last , aged 75 years . —Estate duty has been paid on £ ^ 196 , 958 , as the value of the personal estate of Sir Edward John Dean Paul , of 7 , St . George ' s-place , and of Cambridge House , Twickenham , third baronet , who died on the 15 th November last , aged G 4 years , elder son of the late Mr . George Robert Paul , of Rodborough Manor , Gloucester , and cousin of the late Sir Aubrey John Dean Paul , third baronet , who died in 1890 . —The will , dated December 7 th , 1803 , of Mrs . Mary

Ann Jewell Allcrolt , ot 10 S , Lancaster-gate , who died on the 28 th October last , the eldest daughter of Mr . John Blundell , of I'imsbury Manor , Hants and widow of B . o . John Derby Allcroft , of Dent , Allcroft , and Co ., Wood-street , has been proved by her sons , Mr . Herbert John Allcroft , of Stokesay Court , Salop , and Mr . Arthur Raleigh Allcroft , of 3 , Elm Park-gardens , by whom the value of Mrs . Allcroft ' s personal estate has been sworn at £ 13 , 20 . 8 . She bequeaths £ 1000 to the British and Foreign Bible Society , £ 1000 to the Royal Hospital for Incurables at Putney , and £ 1000 to the Church Missionary Society ,