Masonic And General Tidings.

Masonic and General Tidings .

H . R . H . THE PRINCE OF WALES , M . W . G . M ., has given permission to hold a great Masonic service in St . Paul ' s Cathedral- on Thursday , December the 2 nd , to celebrate the 200 th anniversary of the completion of that noble edifice , the glory of the metropolis of the British Empire . The occasion will be one of peculiar interest to the Craft , because , according to popular tradition , Sir Christopher Wren was Master of the Lodge of Antiquities , the oldest Masonic body in England , which used to meet at an hostelry in the Church-yard during the building of the cathedral . It is believed , also , that many ,

if not all , of the workmen were members of the Order , because a contemporary of that time asserts that no ribald oaths or bad language were heard while the stately edifice was reared . Such self-restraint has been characteristic of Freemasonry in all times . Invitations are to be sent to lodges in and near London , and representatives from the provinces will also be welcomed . The Bishop of London has promised to preach the sermon , and the Grand Master , although unable through a previous engagement to be present himself , will be properly represented . The number of Freemasons likely to attend being very large , no tickets will be issued to the general public outside the Craft .

BRO . THE EARL OF AURAN has arrived at Castle Gore , County Mayo , while the Countess of Arran is staying at Queen Anne ' s Mead , Windsor .

H . R . H . THE PRINCE OF WALES has intimated his intention of presenting to the Jockey Club a picture of his famous Derby winner , Persimmon . LONDON GENERAL OMNIBUS COMPANV ( LIMITED ) . —Traffic receipts for the week ending Saturday week— £ 20 , 535 7 s . id . ; 1 S 96 , £ 18 , 544 I 0 S . " *• THE " GAZETTE " of the 15 th inst . announced that Parliament , which had already been prorogued to the 23 rd inst ., is further prorogued to Thursday , the 3 rd-December .

ON MONDAY next the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress will give an entertainment at the Mansion House to the girls of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls at Battersea Rise .

AN EXCEEDINGLY interesting addition has recently been made to the manuscripts in the British Museum in the shape ot a copy of the log of Lord Nelson ' s ship Victory during his last commission , which included the battle of Trafalgar . FIELD-MARSHAL BRO . LORD ROBERTS , V . C ., and his daughter brought their visit to the Marquis and Marchioness of Dufferin and Ava at Clandeboye to a conclusion on Saturday last , when his lordship inspected the troops at Holywood , County Down , and Belfast .

THE DUCHESS OF ALBANY and her sister , the Princess Elizibeth of Waldeck-Pyrmont , visited the Queen at Balmoral on Saturday last , and remained to dinner , Lord James of Hereford and Bro . Sir Robert Collins having the honour * . o be invited on the same occasion . THE INFANT SON of the Duke and Duchess of Marlborough was baptised at the Chapel Royal , St . James ' s Palace , on Saturday morning last , in the presence of a numerous and fashionable congregation ; his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales acting as one of the sponsors .

HER MAJESTY has accorded permission ror the Nurses' Home and Cottage Hospital about to be erected at South Ascot as a J ubilee memorial by the parishes of Ascot , Cranbourne , Sunningdale , Sunninghall , and Winkfield to be called the Royal Victoria Cottage Nursing Home . ON THURSDAY , the 28 th inst ., H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , will lay the Diamond Jubilee Commemoration tablet of the new wing which is being added to the Rous Memorial Hospital at Newmarket . At his Royal Highness's request the ceremony will be of the simplest character possible .

_ A SPECIAL effort will be made at the annual dinner of the Butchers' Company , which will be held on Tuesday next , the 26 th inst ., to increase the funds of the institution , and those interested in its work may obtain all necessary information from Mr . T . G , Randall , the Master cf the Company , England-lane , Hampstead . THE KING OF SIAM arrived at Madrid on Saturday afternoon last , and was received at the station by the high officials ot the capital as well as by a guard of honour . On reaching the Palace his Majesty was met and welcomed by the Queen Regent . The King and his officers have expressed a great desire to witness a bullfight .

WE REGRET to learn that the Grand Secretary has , for the past week , been confined to his room , by what threatened to be a rather serious attack of illness . It is a little doubtful if his medical adviser will permit him to take part in the Masonic function at Horsham tc-morrow ( Saturday ) , and we understand that , for some time to come , he will be compelled to deny himself the pleasure of enjoying the hospitality of the Craft .

MAIDSTONE EPIDEMIC—Thursday , the nth proximo , is the date arranged for the matinee , in aid of the above fund , at the Parkhurst Theatre , when a powerful programme will be provided , including Mr . Edward Compton and Company in the Screen Scene from "The School for Scandal . " AMONG THE MINISTERS who attended the Cabinet Council held at the Foreign Office on Saturday evening last were Bros , the Right Hon . A . Akers-Dauglas , Lord Balfour of Burleigh , Lord Halsbury ( Lord Chancellor ) , Lord Ashbourne ( Lord Chancellor of Ireland ) , Lord George Hamilton , Sir M . Hicks-Beach , Bart ., and Sir M . White Ridley , Bart ., who arrived late .

THE Times Ottawa Correspondent telegraphing on the iGth instant , says : " The Grand Master of the Freemasons of the Province of Quebec has issued a proclamation declaring the warrant of a new lodge established in Montreal under the au'hority of the Grand Orient of France irregular and illegal , and forbidding Quebec Masons to hold Masonic intercourse with the members of the French lodge . "

THE RIFLE MATCH between the twenties of the two Counties of Middlesex and Lancashire was held at the ranges of the Robin Hood Rill : s at Trent , which were lent b y the Colonel Commandant for the occasion . The conditions were the same as for the National Challenge Shield , and at the close of the firing , Middlesex was found to be the winner by 27 points , the scores being , Middlesex , 1802 ; Lancashire , 1775 .

THE CRYSTAL PALACE AS A NATIONAL MEMORIAL . —The Vestry of St Martin-in-the-Fields have unanimously decided to join the Camberwell Vestry in the effort to acquire the Crystal Palace as a national memorial of the Diamond Jubilee . Messrs . G . Slatter , F . Horner , and R . D . Coverley have been appointed to represent the Vestry at the forthcoming conference of London Vestries and District Boards to consider the matter .

THE QUEEN S Diamond Jubilee presents , to the number of some Goo , after having been carefully arranged , in accordance with her Majesty ' s wishes , by Bro . Sir Frederick Abel and Captain Sir Alfred Jephson , were opened for the inspection of a few select ticket-holders on Saturday last , and on Monday for that of the general public . They are on view in the North Galleries of the Imperial Institute , and will no doubt be visite J by thousands of people .

TO-MORROW ( Saturday ) H . R . H . the Prince of Wales will visit Horsham for the § urpose of laying the foundation-stone of the new buildings for Christ ' s Hospital at tammerham . His Royal Highness will be received by the Duke of Cambridge , who is President ot the School , and when the ceremony is over , luncheon will be serve ! in a marquee on the ground . The boys , too , both from London and Hertford , will be present to witness the proceedings , and will be comfortably entertained .

H . R . H . THE PRINCE OF WALES left Marlborough House on Monday afternoon for Quidenham Hall , Norfolk , as the guest of the Duke of Albemarle . Previous to his departure his Royal Highness visited the Imperial Institute privately , attended by Maj .. General Sir Stanley Clarke , for the purpose of inspecting the Queen ' s Diamond J ubilee presents ar . d seeing that each gift and address had its proper precedence and position . I he Prince expressed himself as thoroughly satisfied with the arrangements .

PARKHURST THEATRE . —On Monday next Messrs . Erskine and Macdona ' s company will appear in that popular musical comedy , from the Duke of York ' s Theatre , " The Gay Parisienne , " written by George Dance and composed by Ivan Caryll . We all remember with what delight we spent an evening with "The Gay Parisienne" and how irresistible " Sister Mary Jane ' s Top Note" proved as a laughter provoker . This play still runs as merrily as ever and makes life brighter and happier for the mere enjoyment of it .

Masonic And General Tidings.

THE DUKE OF CONNAUGHT has resumed command of the troops at Aldershot on return from leave of absence . THE DUCHESS OF ST . ALBANS and Lady Alexandra Beauclerk have arrived in Grosvenor-crescent from Bestwood Lodge . PRINCE AND PRINCESS CHRISTIAN and Princess Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein have arrived at Cumberland Lodge for the winter . BRO . THE MARQUIS AND MARCHIONESS OF TWEEDDALE have this week been entertaining a large party of guests at Yester House .

H . R . H . THE PRINCE OF WALES , on hearing of the death of Dr . Vaughan , Dean of Llandaff , sent a telegram of condolence to the widow , Mrs . Vaughan . A SUCCESSOR to the late Bro . Justice Cave has been found in Mr . Bigham , Q . C , M . P . for the Exchange Division of Liverpool , by whose elevation to the bench , the seat , of course , becomes vacant .

ORGAN RECITALS . —Bro . Edwin M . Lott , Mus . Doc , F . R . C . O ., is giving a series of organ recitals every Tuesday at St . Sepulchre ' s Church , Holborn Viaduct , commencing at 1 . 10 p . m . H . R . H . THE PRINCESS OF WALES and her daughter , the Princess Victoria , left Copenhagen early on Tuesday morning on their return to London vid Portland . Nearly all the members of the Danish Royal Family accompanied their Royal Highnesses to the railway station .

A PORTION OF THE British Mediterranean Fleet , comprising the battleships Revenge , Barfleur , and Camperdown , and the cruisers Cambrian and Dryad arrived at Alexandria on Sunday last , and the English Colony are preparing to give entertainments and amusements to the officers and men . THE PRINCIPAL guests at the Cutlers' Feast at Sheffield , on Thursday , the 4 th prox ., will include Bro . Sir M . Hicks-Beach , Bart ., M . P . ( Chancellor of the Exchequer ) , Sir F . Carrington , Bro . Rear-Admiral Lord Charles Beresford , C . B ., the Earl of Ava , Viscount Mountmorres , and Sir H . Macartney .

THE DUCHESS OF SUTHERLAND opened in the Waterloo Rooms , Edinburgh , on Tuesday , a sale _ under the auspices of the Scottish Home Industries' Association—a society which exists for the purpose of assisting the Crofters and poor people in the highlands and lowlands of Scotland . THE QUEEN was represented _ at the funeral of Dean Vaughan , of Llandaff , by Major the Hon . C Harbord , and , in evidence of her esteem for the deceased , sent a beautiful wreath , to which was attached a card bearing the following inscription in her Majesty ' s own handwriting : " A mark of sincere regret from Victoria R . I . "

THE LORD MAYOR , in accordance with a custom established in his father's Mayoralty , entertained the Fruiterers' Company at dinner at the Mansion House on Tuesday , when his lordship was presented with a magnificent offering of fruit and a handsome loving-cup . A large company of guests were invited to do honour to the occasion .

SOME VERY serious fighting resulted from the recent attack by the Birebis on a British Hausa force , numbering So , under the command of Captain Homfrey . The Hausas retired at night to Schalki , after having fought splendidly , the nitive loss beinf about Soo in killed and wounded , while only six Hausas were wounded . Our detachment was mistaken for a French force .

ON THE 14 th inst . Bro . the Earl of Warwick , Prov . G . M . Essex , unveiled a pulpit in St . Mark's Church , Warwick , given by the Warwickshire Provincial Grand Lodge . Bro . Lord Leigh , the Prov . G . M ., asked the acceptance of the gift on behalf of his Masonic brethren , who were present in large numbers . After the service a binquet took place in the County Hall , presided over by Bro . Lord Leigh . THE CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF LONDON has decided to spend the sum of £ 235 in renovating and repairing the Lord Mayor ' s state coach and the harness ; the coach in question is said to have been in use for 150 years and is a most gorgeous thin * of its kind .

A MASONIC church service will be held on Sunday afternoon , the 31 st inst ., at St . Andrew ' s , Holborn Viaduct , in aid of the funds of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution . The sermon will be preached by Bro . the Ven . Archdeacon Sinclair . H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , M . W . G . M ., his been good enough to grant a dispensation to wear Masonic clothing . Bro . James Terry , P . G . S . B ., Sec . of the Institution , will act as Director of Ceremonies .

THE LAW COURTS will be re-opened on Monday , when the Lord Chancellor ( Bro . Lord Halsbury ) , will receive the Lord Mayor elect ( Bro . Alderman Davies , M . P . ) , at the House of Lords at 11 . 15 a . m . At 11 . 45 there will be a special service at Westminster Abbey , places being reserved for the Judges and Officers of the Supreme Court who may attend . The Lord Chancellor ' s reception at the House of Lords will take place immediately after the service .

A VERV REPRESENTATIVE meeting of members of the National Skating Association was held at the National Skating Palace recently to arrange for the holding for the first time in England of the World ' s Amateur Championship in Figure Skating , which it is proposed to hold at the National Skating Palace , 7 , Argyll-street , Regent-street , W ., on account of its large skating area and seating accommodation . The members present were Messrs . Bell , Mann , Pollock , Jenkin , Monier Williams , Vandervell , Syers , Pretty , the Hon . A . Grosvenor , and Dr . Fowler .

ONE OF THE latest schemes we have heard of as being started to commemorate the Queen ' s Diamond Jubilee is one which the Igualdad Lodge , No . 6 53 , Curacao , on the register of the Grand Lodge of England , has adopted in favour of establishing a " Victoria Fund , " the sole object of which will be " to provide for children of the poor classes of solid instruction in the English and Spanish languages and other branches required to complete a good commercial education . " It is proposed that the Fund shall be supported by voluntary and periodical subscriptions , and an appeal is being made to the lodges on the English register to support the scheme . It has our best wishes for its success .

THE TOWN of Windsor , which is situited about 45 miles north-wrst of Halifax , Nova Scotia , has been ent irely destroyed by fire . The conflagration broke out in the business quarter of the town about midnight on Saturday last , and the high wind which prevailed at the time carried the burning cinders to the other pirts , and in the end about seven-eighths of the whole place _ including all the churches , chapels , binks , and other public buildings , as well as private houses were destroyed . By this terrible catastrophe , some 3000 people are rendered homeless . The officer commanding the troops , the Lieutenant , Governor , and the Mayor of Halifax , all nude for Windsor in order to render all the assistance in their power .

AT BLENHEIM PALACE on Wednesday afternoon the Duke of Marlborough presented to the Mayor , Mr . A . C Miles , as representing the Corporation of Woodstock , a handsome gold mayoral chain and badge . The ceremony took place in the long library . The Duke was accompanied by the Duchesses and Lady Lilian Spencer Churchill , and the infant Marquis of Blandford was also in the room . The chain , which

was placed on Mr . Miles ' s shoulders b y the Duchess , bore the following inscription : " Presented by Charles Richard John , ninth Dukeof Marlborough , to the borough of Woodstock in commemoration of the 60 years reign of her Majesty Queen Victoria , Empress of India , June , 1897 . Audley Charles Miles , Miyor . " Tbe bidge bears the arms of the Marlborcugh family and the borough of Woodstock . The chain and badge were designed and manufactured by George Kenning and Son , London .

NORFOLK COUNTY SCHOOL ESTATE , NORTH ELMHAM . —After being closed as an educational institution for the last two years , this property is now in the marlcet , and will be sold by tender on Saturday , the 30 th inst . This fact must be somewhat of a disappointment to the many influential county people who originally took great interest in the enterprise , the foundation-stone of the institution being laid , it will be remembered , by H . R . H . the Prince of Wales in 1871 , Although—according to the

advertisement that appears in our columns—the building is also suitable for a convalescent home , sanatorium , orphanage , hydro , or other institution of a like character , it is not improbable that the property may be acquired and retained as an educational centre , as there are several persons who realise that the opportunity now offers for acquiring the school at a price that would ensure its financial success if re-opened and carried on on proper lines . Full particulars and plans are obtainable from Messrs , Leggatt , Rubinstein , and , Co ., of 5 , Raymond-buildings , Gray ' s Inn , W . C .