Provincial.

services were required . ( Cheers . ) Formerly we had the army , navy , and militia as the permanent bodies on which the country relied for its defence . Then thoro arose another body attached to the service , the yeomanry , represented there by his right honourable friend the chairman . ( Applause . ) Now , of recent years there had grown up a still younger and important branch of the service , which , although young , was strong in zeal and determination —( continued cheers)—and proud ho was to be

able to state that day , which all the means of official information he possessed enabled him to do , that that force , which at first was only looked upon as temporary , had now taken its place among the other forces of the country , as one of our permanent means of defence . ( Loud cheers . ) Should the day arrive , aud God forbid it ever should , when that force should be called upon to act in defence of the country , it would stand forth actuated bthose firm princiles of patriotism upon which it

y p was based , and give a good account of itself . ( Applause . ) The noble lord concluded by proposing the toast , coupling with it the name of Colonel Bowyer . The gallant colonel , iu responding to the toast , also passed a high eulogium on the volunteers as an important branch of the service . "The memory of the late R . W . Prov . G . M . Viscount

Combermere ; " "The Lady de Tabley aud the Ladies ; " "The M . W . D . G . M . of England , the Earl de Grey and Ripon , Prov . G . M ' West Yorkshire ; " "The E . W . the Prov . G . Master of Cheshire , the Lord de Tabley , P . S . G . W . of England ; " and other toasts were subsequently proposed and responded to , and a very pleasant evening was passed ; The appointment of Lord de Tabley as Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master for tho Province of Cheshire , hy the

Earl of Zetland , is considered hy the Craft as a most judicious selection . His lordship is very popular , and universally beloved by the brethren ; his urbanity and true nobility of rank and manner endear him to all . The large attendance of members from the various lodges in the province shows the high estimate in which his lordship is held , and their approbation of the appointment . We regret that our limited space prevents us from giving a full report of tho various speeches which were

most ably delivered and were characterised by true Masonic sentiment and feeling . The music and singing , under the management of Bro . Twiss , P . G . O ., were considered unusually good , and were well received . The banquet was abundant and satisfactorily served—indeed many expressed their opinion that they n jver attended aprovinci . il meeting which gave them so much pleasure .

DEVONSHIRE . TORQUAY . —St . John's Lodge ( No . 328 ) . —The monthly meeting of this lodge was held on the 7 th inst ., in the presence of the following officers and brethren : —Bros . G . Glanfield , W . M . ; J . Bovoy , S . W . ; C . Hartland , J . W . ; G . Richardson , S . D . ; J . Maccolough , J . D . ; Eev . J . Bowden , P . Prov . G . Chap , of Devonshire ; W . Curtis , I . G . ; J . Ward , Sec . and Treas . ; W . Melluish , P . Prov . G . Org . as Org . ; Captain W . B . SelbyE . W . Shaw

, , C . S ., John Rossiter , W . D . Webber , and J . McLean . Shortly after the lodge was opened , Brother the Illustrious Prince of Oude ivas introduced by the Eev . Bro . Bowden , Prov . G . Chap , and Bro . Capt . Selby . Upon tho entrance of the Prince , the brethren rose and respectfully saluted him . He then took his seat upon an elegant couch , specially provided for him , on the left hand of tne W . MThe Prince was dressed as an English

, gentleman , with the addition of a fez , which he removed , hut on the request of the courteous W . M . he was kindly solicited to replace his fez , in accordance with the custom of his native country . Bro . Capt . Selby , having carefully answered the questions appertaining to the first degree , he was efficiently passed to the degree of F . C , with which he expressed himself much gratified . The lodge was afterwards lowered to the first

degree , and closed in peace and harmany ; hut hefore separation the illustrious Prince had a long conversation with Bro . E . W . Shaw on Freemasonry ( carried on by means of an intelligent interpreter , Bro . Captain Selby ) , and with more particular reference to the considerable number of Aflghans who are Freemasons . Afterwards the subject of tho magnificent Taj at Agra was introduced , and explanations were given of the Masons ' marks which are incised on each stone composing the floor of

the tomb . The Prince produced a small piece of exquisite enamelled flower presented to certain illustrious visitors to the Taj . After the lodge , tho brethren adjourned to refreshment , honoured by the presence of the illustrious Prince , who heartily

enjoyed the evening , and expressed , through the interpreter , the great pleasure he felt in spending an evening with his English brethren . After signing his name in the visitors' book , the Prince took his departure , wishing each brother a hearty farewell . The health of the W . M . was drunk witli great enthusiasm , who in reply referred to the great success of the lodge during the present year , and expressed his belief that , with proper attention , there would he a considerable increase of members .

LANCASHIRE ( WEST ) . FlETII AXXUAL REFOET OE THE WEST JjAXCASHIBE MASOXIC RELIEF FCXD . —The committee have much pleasure in directing attention to the balance-sheet presented with the fifth annual report of the Liverpool Masonic Relief Fund , from which it will he seen , that , while tho committee ' s sphere of usefulness has been much enlarged , there has not been any increased demand upon the lodgeswhoby their annual

pay-, , ments , have maintained the fund in its state of efficiency . The necessity for , and the utility of , the institution , is proved by every year's experience of its working , and commends itself to the brethren of lodges , meeting in large towns , for adopting similar agency for granting pecuniary relief . The mutual interchange of reports between Manchester , Birmingham , and Newcastle , with this committee , to which reference was made in the last report , being continued weekly , has been of essential

service to all tiie committees , by enabling them to discover and relieve the deserving in their districts , and also in some cases preventing the lodges from being laid under contribution , through attempts at gross imposition . Your committee feel assured that hy having all cases of casual relief referred to them , they can and do render essential service to the Craft , while thoy are at the same time upholding and preserving tbe fundamental princiles of the Order ; they aretherefore

p , , anxious to see their brethren interesting themselves iu the good work , which ( as a committee ) they feel called upon to do , and would urge upon them the necessity of appointing as delegates such of their brethren as will feel it not only their bounden duty , but -will esteem it their privilege , to attend in the discharge of this important part of our Masonic labours .

LINCOLNSHIRE . Bosxox . — Lodge of llarmong ( No . 272 ) . —The usual monthly meeting of this prosperous lodge was held in the Freemasons ' Hall on Tuesday , tbe 8 th inst ., Bro . Bailes , P . prov . G . W ., the W . M ., in tho chair . There were likewise present Bios . Poeklington , Snart , Close , and Dr . Clegg , P . M . ' s ; Marshall , S . W . ; Stower , J . W . ; T . Hildred , Sec ; Jackson , Belton , F . Snaith , YoungStorrJG . PocklingtonWhorrilland StowellTylers .

, , , , , , Visitor—Bro . Stonier Leigh , Sec . St . Helen ' s Lodge ( No . 531 ) , Hartlepool . The lodge was opened in due form with solemn prayer in the first degree , and tho minutes of three previous lodges read and confirmed . The lodge was then opened in the second degree , and Bro . Pocklington , jun ., was examined as to his proficiency in that degree prior to being raised . Having retired , the lodge was opened in the third degree , and the

candidate was introduced and raised , with all the solemnities , to the sublime degree of M . M ., Bro . Bailes , W . M ., performing that beautiful ceremony in a most impressive manner , Bro . Jackson ably presiding at the harmonium . When the lodge was closed down to the first degree , the W . M . laid before the brethren the by-laws proposed for adoption hy Provincial Grand Lodge , on which Bro . Pocklington proposedand Bro . S . W . seconded

, , that the proposed by-laws be approved of in their present form . ( Carried unanimously . ) Some discussion then arose relative to the reception of Provincial Grand Lodge in August , and the W . M . read several letters from the P . G . Sec . Bro . Pocklington , proposed " that all the necessary arrangements he left to the W . M . ' s of the Harmony and Franklin Lodges . " This proposition was seconded by Bro .

Snart , P . M ., and also carried unanimously . After some little financial business had been transacted , two gentlemen were proposed hy Bro . Storr for initiation , and the lodge was finally closed in love and harmony by the W . M . Tiie brethren then . adjourned to the banqueting hall to partake of refreshment . After doing justice to the liberal spread of viands , the "loving cup" was passed round , and the health of the newly-raised brother heartily drunk . Bro . S . W . then obtained the hiram , and proposed the visitor , Bro . Leigh , of Hartlepool . Bro . Leigh L responded in suitable terms , expressing his pleasure at being