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the year . H . R . H . the Prince of WALES attended the Volunteer Review at Portsmouth and paid a visit to the Prince Edward of Saxe Weimar Lodge , No . 1903 . A Masonic fancy fair was held at Dublin , and a new Masonic Hall opened at Antrim . The Provincial Grand Lodges of Staffordshire and Cumberland and Westmoreland met , as also the Provincial Grand Chapter of Cumberland and Westmoreland . The Annual Grand Festival

of the English Craft took place , and the new Grand Officers were duly invested . The gathering was a most successful one . The wedding of Bro . the Duke of ALBANY with the Princess HELENA of Waldeck took place at St . George's Chapel , Windsor , before a brilliant assembly on the 27 th . The Province of Oxfordshire presented a beautiful casket

to their Provincial Grand Master , the Duke of ALBANY . The Provincial Grand Lodge of North Wales and Shropshire met in large numbers and consecrated a new Masonic Hall . The Lodge of Benevolence met and voted ^ 775 . This month , also , beheld the consecration of the ¦ Clerkenwell Lodge , No . 19 6 7 , by Bro . Col . SHADWELL H . CLERKE , assisted

by Bro . Captain PHILIPS , Rev . A . F . A . W OODFORD , Bro . Capt . BEDFORD PIM , R . N ., and others , and of which Bro . E DGAR BOWYER is the first W . M . The proceedings passed over with great effect , and the admirable manner in which the ceremonial was performed , was only equalled by the warmth of pure Masonic feeling exhibited , and an agreeable entertainment afterwards . The Clerkenwell Lodge begins its Masonic life under

the most favourable auspices . » * s GRAND CHAPTER assembled on the 3 rd of MAY to transact a limited amount of business . Early in this month the Stewards for the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution paid the annual visit to the Aslyum at Croydon . The installation meeting of the Prince Edward of Saxe-Weimar Lodge took

p lace , and the presentation of an address to Lord CHARLES BERESI ' ORD , the W . M . The presentation of the address to Her Majesty the OUEEN took place on the ioth , the deputation of Grand Lodge being headed by H . R . H . the GRAND MASTER in person , and which address was presented in a most elegant casket , designed byi the Grand Secretary ,

Col . SHADWELL H . CLERKE ; and to which Her Majesty was pleased to give a most gracious reply . The festival of the Girls' School took place also on the ioth , when with 392 Stewards , under the presidency of H . R . H . the Duke of CONNAUGHT , £ 13 , 232 were announced . The Stewards visit to the school took place on the Sth , when the brilliant

order of the school , and the calisthenic exercises , and the proofs of careful tuition exhibited by the girls , attracted universal admiration , reflecting the greatest credit on Miss DAVIS and her zealous assistants . Soon after was the meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Lancashire , and a new Masonic Hall was opened and dedicated at Aylesbury . The

annual meeting of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution came about , when , after a most severe struggle , the various successful candidates , male and female , were elected . It is to be regretted that the benefits of this excellent and useful Alasonic Charity cannot be largely extended . The Lodge of Benevolence met and voted - £ 910 . The following lodges and chapters

were consecrated in this month : London Rifle Brigade Lodge , No . 1962 ; Dukeof Albany Lodge , No . 1963 ; Eastes Lodge ( Kent ) , No . 1965 ; Hazel Grove Lodge , No . 1957 ; St . Bede's Chapter , No . 1119 ; and Industry Chapter , No , ? 4 S . Their Royal Hig hnesses the Prince and Princess of WALES paid a ' state visit to Leicester , where they were most enthusiastically

received , and when H . R . H . the G RAND MASTER made a gracious reply , as is his wont , to an address from the Provincial Grand Lodge of Leicester and Rutland . Masonic literature and archaeology lost a sincere friend , by the death , in America , of our estimable and amiable Bro . Bower , of Iowa ,

He had , by great industry and liberal expenditure , collected a Masonic library , rich in MSS ., and drawings , and medals , and printed books , probably second to none in existence , if not superior to any , which his widow has since presented to the Grand Lodge of Iowa , for what is practically a nominal

P"ce . GRAND L ODGE met early in J , when the usual business was transacted . Several questions have come recently before Grand Lodge affecting undoubtedly the prerogative of the GRAND MASTER on the one hand , and the privileges of the Grand Lodge on the other ; but they were properly

ruled " out of order , " as anything more childish or mischevous than hasty legislation for " favourite fads" or special idiosyncracics , we cannot well conceive , whether it be for a great Order like ours , or even less important , if useful , and provident Institutions . The Mark Grand Lodge also held a meeting , proving , among other matters , the remarkable progress of the

Mark body . The Provincial Grand Lodges of Berks and Bucks and Hampshire and the Isle of Wight assembled . A Special General Court of the Girls' School was holden , and the installation of Bro . READ as District Grand Master North Africa took place . A banquet to the Lord Mayor ,

Bro . Sir J WHITTAKER ELLIS , was given by the Alliance Lodge , No . 1827 . The Lodge of Benevolence met and voted £ 610 . The Fidelity and Sincerity Lodge , No . 19 66 , was consecrated , as well as the Landport Chapter , No . 1776 . This month also beheld the summer entertainment for the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution .

* * * ON J the 3 rd , H . R . H . the Prince of WALES was installed W . M . of the Alpha Lodge , and appointed his officers . A Special Provincial Grand Lodge of Cheshire was held , under Lord DE TABLEY , and the foundationstone of a new hospital was laid . On the 8 th and ioth of July the Quarterly

Courts of Girls' and Boys' Schools were respectively held . The Provincial Grand Lodges of Suffolk , Kent , Surrey , Herefordshire , and Somersetshire held their assemblies . The Provincial Grand Lodge of Wiltshire met , and consecrated a new Masonic Hall at Devizes . There were also in this month meetings of the Lancashire Masonic Educational Institution and

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Dorset Masonic Charity . The Provincial Grand Chapter of Nottinghamshire was constituted and consecrated , and Sir H . BROMLEY installed as Grand Superintendent . The annual festival of the Boys' School took place at Brighton , under the presidency of the LORD MAYOR , with 226 Stewards , and returns of £ 11 , 693 14 s . id . The Lodge of Benevolence met , as usual , and voted £ 750 . The following lodges were consecrated : Waldeck Lodge , No . 1969 , and Saye and Sele Lodge , No . 1973 .

* * AUGUST opened with the Quarterly Convocation of Grand Chapter , when the normal business was transacted . The Provincial Grand Lodges of Essex , Hertfordshire , Hants , South Wales , and Cornwall held their wonted meetings . The Provincial Grand Chapter for Dorsetshire also assembled .

There was a special meeting of the Provincial Grand Lod ge of Hants to welcome the British Asssciation . The St . Mary Abbotts Lodo-e was consecrated by the GRAND SECRETARY , assisted by Bros . Capt . N . G . PHILIPS , R . F . GOULD , and the Rev . A . F . A . WOODFORD -, the latter delivering the oration . The Lodge of Benevolence voted ^ 735 . We lost during the month

an old Masonic worker , E . Y . PATTEN . Many of our Order will remember him in olden days , an active friend of the Charities , and subsequent Secretary of the Girls' School . He had resigned his office , through infirmity , for

some years , and had been succeeded by our lamented Bro . LITTLE , who was again succeeded by the present hard-working and efficient Secretary , Bro . R . W . HEDGES . The Hadrian Lodge , No . 1970 , was consecrated this month .

SEPTEMBER opened with the Quarterly Communication , at which nothing of any very great importance was transacted beyond the needed and wonted business . Bro . the Earl of LATHOM , in the absence of Bro . H . R . H . the Duke of ALBANY , laid the foundation of the new library buildings at Preston ,

assisted by the Prov . G . Lodge of Lancashire ; H . R . H . the Duke of CAMBRIDGE opening the proceedings of the Ancient Preston Guild in the absence , through lamented illness , of our royal brother . The following Prov . G . Lodges assembled this month , Worcestershire , Cheshire , Middlesex , Cumberland and Westmorland . We may note also the installation of a Prov .

G . Mark Master for Buckinghamshire , and the holding of a Prov . G . Lodge for Leicestershire , Hants , and Derbyshire . The Lodge of Benevolence met and voted £ 570 . During this month Freemasonry had to deplore the death of Lord TENTERDEN , Prov . G . M . for Essex , and a weil-known statesman , and of an old Mason , Col . KF . MEYS-TYNTE , P . Prov . G . M . Monmouthshire .

IN OCTOBER we notice the Quarter ^ ' Court and Election of the Girls' and Bo 3 's' Schools ( 14 th and 16 th ) , when the business of the two Courts was transacted , and the election of candidates took place , the polling running exceedingly high . In this month a meeting of the Grand Lodge of Egypt

took place , at which H . R . H . the Dukeof CONNAUGHT was warmly received . The LORD MAYOR ( Bro . Sir J . W . ELLIS ) unveiled a Masonic window in St . James ' s Church , Clerkenwell ; and the foundation of a new place of worship was laid atTeignmouth , with Masonic honours . The LORD MAYOR also visited in this month the Clerkenwell Lodge , and gave a very

magnificent banquet to the Grand Officers , and the Members of No . 1 , Grand Masters Lodge , at the Mansion House . A presentation to our gallant Bro . LORD CHARLES BERESPORD , took place at Portsmouth under very interesting circumstances . The following Prov . Grand Lodges assembled during October , namely , West Lancashire , Sussex , and Durham , as well as

the Prov . Grand Chapters of West Lancashire , of Somersetshire , and Cheshire . The Prov . Grand Mark Lodges of Sussex , Staffordshire , and Monmouthshire , also were holden . The Lodge Anchor and Hope , Bolton , celebrated its 150 th anniversar 3 ' . The Lodge of Benevolence met and voted

£ 640 . We had to regret the death , at a ripe old age , this month , of a Freemason of long-standing and great merit , Bro . J FAWCETT , for many years Prov . G . M . of Durham . He had been in early times a good worker and zealous friend of our Order , and was much respected and deepl 3 ' valued in that northern province which he had ruled so long and so well .

THE Grand Chapter met in NOVEMBER , with its usual limited agenda paper . The Provincial Grand Lodge of Oxfordshire met on the 17 th , under the presidency of H . R . H . the Dukeof ALBANY , who laid with Masonic honours the foundation-stone of a new Masonic Hall at Banbury . The Royal

Cumberland Chapter , No . 41 , Bath , celebrated its centenary , where a brilliant assemblage of Provincial Grand Officers assembled , including the GRAND SUPERINTENDENT , GRAND SCRIBE E ., Comp . W . J . HUGHAN , Colonel SOMERVILLE-BURNEY , and Ccmp . Dr . HOPKINS ; and the proceedings were of a most interesting description . The annual festival of that distinguished

lodge of instruction— " the Emulation "—as it is popularly called , under the genial presidency of our Rev . Bro . AMBROSE HALL , G . C . A new Masonic Hall was opened at Nottingham , and the Zetland Masonic Club opened at Salford . The Provincial Grand Lodges of Wiltshire , Dorsetshire ,

Leicestershire and Rutland , and also of Northumberland and Derbyshire , held their meetings , as well as the Provincial Gland Chapter of West Yorkshire . The Lord Mayor ( Bro . KNIGHT ) paid a visit to the Cripplegate Lodge , No . 1113 . The Grand Lodge of Scotland met and appointed its officers . The Lodge of Benevolence voted the very large sum of £ 1340 .

* * THE Quarterly Communication took place in DECEMBER , when H . R . H . the Prince of WALES was nominated Grand Master amid general cheers . Much other usual but important business was transacted . Bro . MULLEN , of Bradford ,

gave a most amusing entertainment to the Girls' and Boys' Schools . Bro . J AMES TERRY , the active Secretary of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , was presented , with his portrait and Masonic clothing , and a handsome bracelet was given to Mrs . TERRY , his amiable wife , by the brethren