Masonic And General Tidings.

Masonic and General Tidings .

THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF FIFE arrived in town from Sandnngham on Monday evening . THE DUCHESS OF A LBANY witnessed the performance of " Don Giovanni" at the Royal Opera House , Covent Garden , on Monday evening-. THE DUCHESS OF A LBANY ' BAZAAR , which was opened by Princess Christian at Claremont , resulted in ^ . . 720 2 s . 5 6 . being realised for the Esher Rectory Purchase Fund .

BRO . SIR HENRY HARDEN . J . P ., will preside at the distribution of prizes by Lady Harben at the Sailors' Orphan Girls" School and Home , Fifzjohn's-avenue , on Tuesday , the iSth prox . THE HANDSOME gold badge presented by Bco . Sir Robert Hargreaves Rogers to the Cripplegate Ward Club—vide Saturday ' s City Press—was made by Messrs . George Kenning and Sen , of Little Britain .

BRO . ALDERMAN SIR WHITTAKER ELLIS , Bart ., will preside on Tuesday , the 4 th prox ., at the ooening by Lady Ellis of the J ubilee Wing of the infirmary at the Princess Mary Village Homes , Addleston . BRO . ALDERMAN AND SHERIFF ALLISTON , Mrs . Alliston , and Bro . Colonel and Sheiiff Probyn , L . C . C , will attend the concert to be given by Lady William Lennox ' s orchestra at the People ' s Palace on Thursday , 29 m inst ., in aid oE the Bethnal Green Free Library .

ON SUNDAY Ihe Duke of Cambridge visited the Duke of York's School , Chelsea , to unveil a new east window , which has been placed in the chapel by old boys in memory of [ comrades who either " fell in battle or died on active service for sovereign and country . " THE MAYOR OF HASTINGS has received an infimation from the Duke of Connaught that his Royal Highness will visit Hastings about the end of October in connection with the meeting of Sussex Freemasons . The Town Council have decided to present the Duke with an address of welcome .

ON MONDAY the Duke of Connaught entered upon the 32 nd year of his military career , his first commission—as a lieutenant in the Royal Engineers—having been granted on June igtb , 186 S . His subsequent regimental service was in the Royal Artillery , Rifle Brigade , 7 th Hussars , and again in the Rifle Brigade . He became major-generalin 18 S 0 , and general in 1 S 93 . AT THE annual communication of the Grand Lodge of New Zealand , the Board of General Purposes recommended thi-t the rank of Past Deputy Grand Master be conferred on Bros . Lord Onslow and Sir John Gorst , and that of Past Grand Warden

on Bro . Dr . Lennox Browne , in recognition of their services in the negotiations with the Grand Lodge of England on the question of recognition of the New Zealand Constitution . Bro . R . J . Seddon , the Premier , was elected Past Grand Master . H . R . H . THE PRINCE OF W ALES left Ascot Heath House on Saturday morning ast for Bagshot Park , to visit the Duke and Duchess of Connaught . The Prince lunched with their Royal Highnesses , and afterwards returned to London . In the evening , attended by Bro . Captain Holford , he presided at the annual regimental dinner of the Gordon Highlanders , of which he is the Colonel-in-Chief , at the Hotel Mdtropole .

THE LORD MAYOR ( Bro . Aldeiman Sir J . V . Moore ) and the Lady Mayoress , who wtie accompanied by Bros . Aldeiman and Sheriff Alliston and Colonel and Sheriff Picbyn , atterded a garden fete on Saturday last in the grounds of the Royal Normal College for the Blind , at Norwood . The members of the civic party , with Mrs . Alliston , Mrs . Probyn , Bro . A'detman Newton and Mrs . Newton , and others , previously lunched wilh Ero . Aldeiman Treloar at Grangemount , Upper Norwood .

WE ARE asked to state that at tr . e inspeclion of Ihe Metropolitan Volunteers on Sa ( uic * ay , the 8 th prox ., by H . R . H . the Prince of Walts , stands for Ihe accommodation of members of the Houses of Lords and Commons , members of the Corps Diplomatique , her Majesty's Judges , officials of the War Office and Admiralty , families of officers cf the Regular and Auxiliary forces taking part in the review , members of the London County Council , and others will be erectedjon . the Horse Guards' Parade in rear of the saluting base .

THE DUCHESS OF ALBANY and her daughter Princess Alice fake a great interest in London and its antiquities , and on Saturday last spent a day among the old churches which are the glory of the city . The first halt was made at St . Bride ' s , Fleet-street , where the parly was received by the vicar , Bro . E . C . Hawkins , whence they went to St . Martin's , Ludgate ; St . Mary-le-Bow ; St . Margaret ' s , Lothbury ; St . Swithin ' s , London-stone ; St . Helen's , Bishopsgate ; All Hallows , Barking ; lSt . Giles ' s , Cripplegate , where lie the bones of Milton and Sir Martin Frobisher ; St . Bartholomew the Great : and the Charterhouse .

TO-MORROW ( Saturday ) , T . R . H . the Prince and Princess of Wales proceed to-West Kensington to lay , in the Queen ' s name , the foundation of the new buildings for the Post Office Savings Bank Department , which are to be erected in the neighbourhood of Olympia . The ceremony will be a semi-State affair . The Prince and Princess will driv from Marlborough House by way of the Mall , Constitution Hill , and Bromptonroad , ana will be escorted by a mounted detachment of Household troops . The Duke of Norfolk , as Postmaster-General , will formally receive their Royal Highnesses , and will present an address , to which the Prince will make reply .

A CONGRATULATORY DINNER will be given by members of the lodges and chapters in the province of Surrey to the R . W . Bro . the Hon . Justice Bucknill , P . P . G . W Surrey , Past G . W . Eng ., on his appointment as one of her Majesty ' s judges , on Thursday evening , the 29 th inst ., at the Cafe Royal , Regent-street . The chair will be taken by R . W . Bro . the Rt . Hon . the Earl of Onslow , G . C . M . G ., Prov . G . M ., and it is hoped

that the members of the province will support their Prov . G . Master on this occasion . The dinner tickets will be 25 s . each inclusive , and may be obtained from either of the Honorary Secietaiies , but the accommodation being limited , tickets will be forwarded in Ihe order in which application is made . —Bros . J . D . Langton , P . P . G . W . Surrey , P . Dep . G . D . C , 12 , New-inn , Strand , W . C , and j . O'Connell , P . P . G . D . Surrey , Ely Cottage , East-street , Epsom .

IN THE SPANISH CHAMBER we have been witnessing a strange and ongtnal procedure . Vaiious Pailiaments have seized upon various pretexts for invalidatirg ehctionf , but theiecan raiely have been a more remarkable proposal than that for refusing Stnor Moravia's admission to the Cortes because he avowed a connection with Freemasonry . In England it wculd be deemed almost grotesque , and even in Catholic Srain , wheie Freemasonry is regarded by sober citizens almost as an eighth

deadly sin , the proposal did not prevail . But it was deemed worthy of stfious debate , 8 rd the Premier revealed the stienglh of his character , as well as his capacity for lesdership , by foimally refusing to give either an opinion or a vote on the subject . Senor Morayta was hard put to it to disprove the complicity of Freemasonry in the loss of the Philippines , but that had no business to weigh with a Ministry which has tamely acquiesced in the voluntary cession of the Carolines , and is now rumoured to be meditating- a sale of the Canaries .

MONTE CARLO COMPLETE . —English visitors to Monte Carlo will be glad to find lhat Mcssis . Ber . oist and Fourault , of the Princes' Restaurant , Piccadilly , have provided for Iheir comfort at this fashionable Mediterranean resort . The restaurant which Ihey and their friends have opened has already be : n patronised by members of many Euirpran Royal families , and by the most distingui . hed men and women of all countries who have lately been sojourning there , including T . R . H . the Prince of Wales and the

DuUe of Cambridge . Taken as a business enterprise , it may be regarded favourably , because Ihe Piccadilly concern , under the same management , has been steadily paying 10 percent , ever since it ccmrr . enced . What will interest the great majority of travellers is the Isct lVat a centre of refined cemfert , such as they have learned to appreciate in Piccadilly , has been established in Monte Carlo . The company now forming to exploit this inler . ds lo incttase ar . d improve ils acccmmcdatichby building a new hotel capable of receiving 4 co . guests . "The HeimitageJ Hotel and Restaurant" is the title adopted .

Masonic And General Tidings.

BRO . THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF BEDFORD left town on Tuesday for Woburn Abbey . BRO . J . RENWICK SEAGER has revised and greatly enlarged his " Notes on Registration , " a new edition of which will appear very shortly . THE COUNTESS OF BECTIVE will open on Tuesday the " Marriott Homes " which have been erected at 301 , Holloway-road in connection with the Church Army .

PRINCESS LOUISE , Marchioness of Lome , has consented to distribute badges and certificates to Queen ' s nurses at Kensington Palace on Wednesday , the 5 th prox ., at 3 . 30 p . m . ACCORDING TO THE DESIGNS of Mr . Charles H . M . Mileham , architect , of 1 , Lincoln ' s-inn-fields , a floral hall and a conservatory are about to be erected in the Round Garden at Walton-on-the-Naze .

PRINCESS CHRISTIAN , with Baroness von Egloffstein and Major Evan Martin in attendance , presided over the annual summer sale , at the Royal School of Art Needlework , Windsor , of which her Royal Highness is president . THE INTERNATIONAL RIFLE MATCH at The Hague was won by the Swiss team , the British five being- at the bottom of the list . Sergeant Wallingford , however , secured the gold medal for the best score in the lying position .

THE MARRIAGE of Bro . the Marquis of Tullibardine , D . S . O ., Royal Horse Guards , and Miss Katharine Ramsay , daughter of Sir James and Lady Ramsay , of Barnff , Perthshire , will take place at St . Margaret ' s , Westminster , on 20 th J uly . MESSRS . GAZE AND SONS have just issued an ingenious guide to a thousand tours from i to 1000 shillings . Having settled how much he can afford , the holiday-maker may see at a glance where he may go , by what route he may travel , and how long his holiday may last .

THE GUNBOAT Excellent is now being prepared at Portsmouth for the ' reception of a new 12-inch gun and mounting , manufactured by Armstrong aud Co ., Elswick . The gun is 41 ft long ( 6 ft longer than the present 12-inch guns ) , and the mounting revolves so as to allow the gun to be trained in a circle . H . R . H . THE PRINCE OF WALES , as Grand President of the League of Mercy , has been pleased to appoint Bro . Lord Pirbright to be President of the Guildford district of Surrey , to include Pirbright and Bisley . H . R . H . the Princess of Wales , as Lady Grand President , has graciously appointed Lady Pirbright to be Lady President of the same district .

THE GUILDHALL SCHOOL OF MUSIC—The Girdlers' Company have offered an annual scholarship of 19 guineas to the Guildhall School of Music , the scholarship to be applied as the Principal ( Bro . Professor W . H . Cummings ) thinks fit . The other livery companies which have not given scholarships are being invited to do so in the interests of the school .

TUESDAY WAS the 62 nd anniversary of her Majesty Queen Victoria ' s accession to the Crown , that event having taken place on June 20 , IS 7 > on the death of her uncle , King William IV . The only other Monarch in this country whose reign at all approaches this length was King George III ., who occupied the throne for 59 years tl ree months and some days .

THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF YORK arrived in Oxford on Monday ever . ing on a private visit to the Dean of Christchurch and Mrs . Paget . This is the first occasion on which their Royal Highnesses have been to the University city , and from the station to C hristchurch the streets were thronged with citizens , the Royal visitors being enthusiastically cheered .

BRO . THE DUKE OF PORTLAND presided over a meeting held at Nottingham with a view of establishing in the county a sanatorium for the treatment of consumptives . His Grace said that it was their bounden duty to do what they could to further the aims and discoveries of scientists , more especially as by doing so they would most probably be saving the lives of many thousands of their fellow men .

AMID surroundings of the most auspicious character , the new Bedford County Hospital was opened by the Duke of Bedford on the 21 st instant . Bishop Macrorie , representing the Lord Bishop of the diocese , conducted a specially arranged order of service . Among those present were the Duchess of Bedford , Lord and Lady St . John of Bletsoe , Lady Isabella Whitbread , and Sir Frederick Hazard .

WITH FEW exceptions the members of the London County Council and its chief officials attended the dinner held on the 21 st inst . in the Hotel Cecil , to which , with a number of ether guests , they had been invited by its chairman , Lord Welby . Bro . the Lord Mayor , who , on account of another engagement , had to leave early , sat at Lord Welby ' s right hand , and there were also present the Sheriffs of London , Mr . Leonard Courtney , M . P ., Lord Reay , Lord Tweedmouth , Mr . S . Buxton , M . P ., and Bro . R . D M . Littler , O . C .

H . R . H . THE PRINCE OF WALES , attended by Captain Holford , left Marlborough House on Tuesday morning for Maidstone to visit the 60 th annual exhibition of the Royal Agricultural Society of England . His Royal Highness wis present at the general meetingof the Society , when for the fourth time he was formally elected President for the ensuing year . At its termination the Piince presented badges of honorary membership of the Society to the representatives of agriculture of France and G ; rmany . His Royal Highness afterwards lunched with the members of the Council .

THEIR ROYAL HIGHNESSES PRINCE AND PRINCESS CHRISTIAN OF SCHLESWIG HOLSTEIN honoured Earl and Countess Stanhope by their presence at dinner on Tuesday evening in Grosvenor-place , among those present to meet their Royal Highnesses being the Duchess of Somerset , Bro . the Earl and Countess of Dartmouth , the Countess of Jersey and Lady Mary Villiers , Karl and Countess Bathurst , Viscount and Viscountess Morpeth , the Earl of Mansfield , the Ladies Stanhope , the Hon . E . D . Loch , and the Hon . Guy Baring .

THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF YORK occupied their second day in Oxford in visiting various colleges . They were accompanied by the Dean of Christ Church and Mrs . Paget . Magdalen , All Souls , and the Bodleian Library having been visited , a move was then made to Christ Church for luncheon , after which their Royal Highnesses visted New College , the Taylorian buildings , St . John ' s , Corpus , Oriel , and Merton Colleges , the latter causing especial interest by the bjauty of its buildings and its associations . At dinner , at the Deanery , Bro . Lord Kitchener ol Khartoum and Bro . the Right Hon . Cecil Rhodes were amongst the guests .

BY COMMAND of the Queen a levee was held on Monday afternoon at St . James ' s Palace by H . R . H . the Prince of Wales on behalf of her Majesty . Presentations to his Royal Highness were , by the Queen ' s pleasure , considered as equivalent to presentations to her Majesty . 1 he Grand Duke Michael of Russia was present , and the Royal circle also included the Duke of Connaught , the Duke of York , the Duke of Cambridge , and Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein . The members of the Roval households were in attendance , and the Gentlemen-at-Arms and the Yeomen of the Guard were on duty .

NEW FOUNDATION DAY was celebrated on the 21 st inst . at Mill-hill School , amongst the benefactors of which is Sir W . H . Wills , who has recently offered for competition a leaving scholarship of the value of £ 70 , tenable for three years , and has provided the School with a new labatory , a new library , and an additional class-room . The prizes were distributed by Mr . Justice Cozens-Hardy , and Sir W . H . Wills and Mr . Carvell Williams , M . P ., were also present . The Wills Leaving Scholarship of £ 70 was won this year by G . C . E . Simpson , and the second Governors' Leaving Scholarship 01 ^ 20 by A . VV . Hayward .

PEOPLE who are fond of the pleasant sea trips by the New Palace steamers will be interested to learn that this company ' s magnificent steamer La Marguerite—having undergone a thorough overhaul i . i her machinery during the last few months—made her steam trial trip on Tuesday last , with such satisfactory results , that it may be safely asseittd her reputation as one of the fastest and most popular pleasure steamers running

from the lhames will be greatly increased during the present season . Her first sailing will be on the 2 Sth instant , at 7 . 10 a . m ., from Tilbury ( a special train from Fenchurchstieet Station at C . 15 a . m . ) , when she will make her usualtiip to Margate and Boulogne and back in the day , allowing passengers three and a half hours on shore at Boulogne . She will repeat the same trip every Monday , Wednesday , and Saturday during the season , whilst on Tuesdays she will run to Margate and Ostend and back , and on Sundays to Southend , Margate , and back .