Provincial Lodges.

to the Covered Market to partake of the banquet . The banquet was provided by Brother Rogers , of Hanley , and partaken of by about 120 of the brethren . The Chairman , the Prov . G . M ., was supported on the right by the Rt . W . Br . Capt . Bowyer , the Prov . G . M . of Oxfordshire , the Rt . W . Br . Thomas Ward , D . Prov . G . M . of Staffordshire , & c . ; and on the left by the Prov . G . Chaplain , and W . Br . C . J . Vigne , past P . G . S . W . for Dorsetshire . The vice-chairs were occupied by Rr . Col . HoggProv . G . S . W . and Br . Griffinof the Portland Lodge . The room

, , , was nicely decorated with flags , evergreens , and flowers . The cloth having been withdrawn , the Chairman , with a few suitable remarks , gave "The Queen , " which was most loyally received , all the brethren joining in the National Anthem . ^ The Chairman next gave " The Consort of Her Majesty and the rest of the Royal Family . "

The Chairman , in proposing "The Army ancl Navy , " alluded to the important events now transpiring , and eulogised the gallant services of those brave men by whom the honour and dignity of our glorious country was upheld , and doubted not but that they would continue to deserve well of their country . The toast was received with great applause , the band playing " Rule Britannia . " The Chairman said he was convinced the toast he was about to propose would be well received by the brethren present , not only because the subject of it was the

faithful ally of our Quean , but also because he was a Freemason . After passing a suitable eneomium on the gallant French army and navy , the Chairman gave the health of his Majesty the Emperor of the French and our gallant allies . ( Loud cheers ) . —The band played the French National Air . In proposing the first Masonic toast , lhe Chairman said he need offer but few remarks on , as the ruler of the craft in England was so well known to them all , if not personally , at least hy name . They knew how their Ut . W . Grand Master loved the brotherhood to which they had the honour to belong , and how he laboured to promote the art of Masonry . He was not less esteemed as a mason by the body than

he was by all who had the pleasure personally to know him by his many private virtues . He gave them health , long life , and happiness to the Earl of Zetland . The health of the Deputy Grand Master of England , the Earl of Yarborough , and the other officers of the Grand Lodge of England , was next proposed by the Chairman ancl duly honoured . The Rt . W . Br . the Prov . G . M . of Oxfordshire returned thanks as one of th < f officers of the Grand Lodge .

Rt . W . B . Ward then gave the health of their worthy Chairman , feeling assured that one so worthy and so well known to all of them did not require many remarks from him . He had much pleasure in asking them to do honour to the toast , and trusted he might live many years to preside over them . ( Loud cheers . ) The Prov . G . M ., in returning thanks , said he was proud to stand in the position he did . He had felt an additional pleasure in coming amongst them that day , which might be accounted for by the anticipations of the interesting connected

ceremony with the business of the Lodge . He had never presided over a more numerous body of his brethren than he had that day seen before him , and he trusted that the remembrance of the rite they had witnessed would long be remembered by them , and not only be remembered by them , but that much good might spring out of it . He hoped the brethren of the Portland Lodge would strive to become proficient in the art of Masonry , and be an honour to the fraternity . He begged to thank them for the honour they had done him .

The Chairman called on the brethren to fill a bumper to the next toast , for he had to propose the health of one who was endeared to them all as a most worthy brother , well versed in the art of the Order . His tt . T . W . Deputy was , he believed , upwards of half a century old as a Mason , and he could assure the brethren that he placed the greatest confidence in him , and he knew that if at any time he ( the chairman ) was prevented from attending their meetings the duties would be most efficiently performed in his absence . He knew this from experience . The talents of his worthy friend and deputy had been tested . He trusted their Rt . W . Brother Ward would