At The Sign Of The Perfect Ashlar.

Bro . Albert G . Neville ( the son of the popular veteran , Bro . Henry Neville ) has been the recipient of Past Grand Officers ' Jewels to mark his rank as D . G . D . C . in the Grand Lodge and Supreme Grand Chapter respectively , while he in his turn begged the lodge to accept from him the gift of a verv handsome bannerto record the reign of the present Master

, , and from year to year , ol " seventeen of his successors . The visitors numbered nearly ioo , and there were twenty Grand Officers present . The banquet was subsequently given in the Victoria Hall . The customary toasts were honoured in the usual way , and the speeches were commendably short

and to the purpose , while notably that delivered bv Bro . H . Nye Chart , in submitting the health of the new members , was listened to with evident pleasure , it being remarkable for eloquence and elocution . The list of artists included the names of Misses Ethel Hirschbein and Gertrude Snow , and

Messrs . Charles Bertram , Lionel Brough , Charles Capper , Walter Churcher , Robert Cunningham , Richard Green , Nelson Jackson , Frank Braine , and Wharton Wells .

© © © The Provincial Grand Chapter of Cumberland and Westmorland was held at the rooms of the Sun , Square , and ¦ Compass Chapter , Xo . ng , Whitehaven , on the 16 th February , presided over by the M . E . Companion , Colonel Frederick

R . Sewell , Grand Superintendent , who invested his officers for the ensuing year . Practically all the chapters of the province were represented . Among the business transacted was the voting of twenty guineas to the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution for aged Freemasons and Widows of

Freemasons . Later in the day the preliminary meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Cumberland and Westmorland was held under the banner of the Sun , Square , and Compass Lodge , presided over b y ( he Deputy Provincial Grand Master , Colonel F . R . Sewell , P . G . D . Fifty guineas was voted to the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution .

© © © The laying of the foundation stone of the new ward of the Medical College Hospital at Calcutta is thus described in The World of 22 nd February : — " Saturday last was a great day for the Freemasons of Calcutta , who gave the outside

world a welcome opportunity of seeing the mystic brethren performing a very impressive ceremony . The occasion was the laying of the foundation stone of ( he new surgical ward in connection wiih the Medical College Hospital , towards which the Prince of Wales had contributed ninety thousand

rupees out of the lac placed at his disposal by the Maharajah of Diirbungali . In the centre of ihe enclosure were two big slitiiniaiitis , one for the Government House party and the second for more distinguished Masonic officials , and between

them was a large excavation ( with steps leading to it frmn the seats of the mighty Masons ) which contained the great block , the corner stone of the new building . With the Viceroy were Lady Minto and her daughters , Sir Andrew and Lady Fraser , Sir Francis and Lady Maclean , Mr . and Mrs . Erie Richards , and several others ; while the Masonic

lent , which had been furnisiied and arranged to resemble in every respect a lodge , contained all the principal officebearers ol" the Craft . The District Grand Master of Bengal is Sir William Burkitt , but in his absence the ceremony was performed with great distinction by Bro . George Lane

Anderson , the Deputy Grand Master , and lie had Lord Kitchener , the District Grand Master of the Punjaub , in the seat of honour next ( o him . On the arrival of ( he Viceroy , he was asked to lay the foundation stone by Colonel Lukis ,

the Principal of the Hospital and also the Masonic Superintendent of Works ; but Lord Minto said he would hand over the pleasing task to District Grand Lodge , and sent a request to that effect . It was interesting to ( hose outside the pale ( "cowans " is the correct designation ) ( o notice through how many channels even a Viceroy ' s message was obliged to

filter before it could reach the Grand Master , but it did arrive finally , and the ceremony—or rather service—commenced . There were addresses by the great man . Masonic hymns , prayeis by the Grand Chaplain , Canon Luckman , and then the stone was lowered to soft music , with oblations of oil and wine and a sprinkling of corn . "

Lord Ampthill , who is to lay down the Governorship ot Madras on the 14 th of this month , is a very enthusiastic Freemason , and has been a very successful District Grand Master . He and Lady Ampthill are very popular with all classes of the community , and their departure is greatly regretted .

© © © The new King of Denmark ( who for nearly ten years has been a Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of England ) has determined to remain Vicar of Solomon and Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Denmark , as he had been for

many years . In this step he is following the example of his predecessor on the Danish throne , Frederik VII ., who not only was Grand Master while sovereign , but remodelled what may be termed the external system of Danish Freemasonry ; and King Oscar ol " Sweden—who , by the way , initiated our

monarch into the mysteries of the craft—is to-day Vicar of Solomon and Master of the Order in Sweden , though , by a special arrangement in the Scandinavian peninsula the Crown Prince is the National Grand Master . In our own country , of course , King Edward , who had been Grand

Master for over a quarter of a century , withdrew from that position when he ascended the throne , and assumed that of Protector of the Craft—a position , it is lo be observed , which in Denmark was held by Ihe late Christian IX ., and which it was thought his successor , Frederik VIII ., with the English example immediately before him , would have taken .

© © © The M . W . G . Master H . R . H . Duke of Connaught received an address at Johannesburg on the 14 th February , from the Fieemasons of the Transvaal holding under ( he English , Irish , Scottish , and Netherlands Constitutions . His Roval

Highness , in the course of an eloquent icply , laid special stress on the pleasure it gave him to think that the Masonic constitutions so early united in offering their assurance of Masonic and civil loyally , which he would be sure to lay before His Majesty the King as Grand Patron of the Order , and before the Freemasons of England in order that they could appreciate the happy conditions prevailing .

© © © The annual festival of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Derbyshire Mark Masons was held at the Masonic Hall , Derby , on the 12 th March , under the banner of the Derb y Mark Lodge . The Provincial Grand Master , Bro . Abraham

Woodiwiss presided , and there was an exceedingly large attendance . The Provincial Grand Master appointed and invested his officers for the ensuing year , nominating Bro . G . M . Bond , of Ashbourne , as Deputy Provincial Grand Master , and appointed as his Wardens Bros . A . Grimwooci Taylor ( Derby ) and W . H . Ball ( Ilkeston ) .

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