Ancient And Accepted Rite.

attractive ones which appear to delight every new comer who visits the Invicta Chapter . In the place of set , formal , Masonic reiteration , kindly and encouraging talk on Masonic subjects is introduced , and much valuable information gleaned . The toasts comprised " The Queen , " " The Supreme Grand Council , " and "The Newly Advanced Brethren . " Besides these , there was nothing but happiness , freedom of discussion , interesting information , and the charm of rational conversation spread over the proceedings . The brethren separated at their usual reasonable hour .

Obituary.

Obituary .

BRO . MATTHEW JOHN McKITTRICK . Bro . Matthew John McKittrick expired at Tien-tsin , North China , after a short illness , on the 22 nd December , 1861 . His remains were followed to the grave by nearly every officer of the garrison , including the Brigadier-General and Staff . The deceased was initiated in the Friendship Lodge ( No . 345 ) , Gibraltar , in 1857 , ancl received the degrees of F . C . and M . M . from the

same body . He afterwards served the office of AVarden in the Inhabitants' Lodge ( No . 178 ) , at the same station , and was there exalted to the degree of Royal Arch . At the period of his decease he was a subscribing member to the Meridian Lodge - ( No . 1045 ) , by ivhich community his early ancl untimely death was much lamented . The deceased was only 25 years of age , and had recently taken over the charge of all military stores in the command . He entered the army iu 1852 and for some

, years had enjoyed the rank of TD . A . S . S . Dysentery was the cause of death , and he endured much suffering with christian resignation . _ By all his brother officers and by the members of the Craft with whom he was acquainted his loss was sincerely and deeply regretted . .

The Week.

THE WEEK .

THE COUET . —The Gazette contains a notice intimating that . it is tho wish of Her Majesty that no celebration of her birthday should take place this year . IMEEBIAL PAELIAMENT . —In the HOUSE OE LOEDS on Thursday , the 10 th , the Marquis of Normanby complained of the scanty information given by Sir James Hudson in the Italian papers which have just been publishedbut Lord Russell very

, pertinently remarked that it was not the ambassador ' s business to report everything that occurred in a foreign country . There was likewise a brief discussion on the Education Code . On Friday , Lord Granville explained the modifications which had been introduced into the " revised code , " remarking that he deemed them neither economical nor ( in a more important sense ) an improvement upon the original scheme sketched out

hy the Government . It is proposed , among other alterations , to allow 4 s . per head on the average attendance of children , and Ss . additional for each child , who , having attended more than 200 days in any year , passes an examination in reading , writing , and arithmetic . On the other hand , should a child , who has satisfied the condition of attendance , fail in any of these elementary branches , Is . 3 d . will be deducted from the

¦ allowance of 8 s . The noble Earl added that if any further concessions were required , the scheme would be so deteriorated as to be not worth persisting in . A long and most interesting discussion followed on the question of the national defences . Lord Be Grey contended that the recent experiments at Shoeburyness itirnished a strong warning against proceeding too hastily in this matter , and he clung to the belief that forts would still be

necessary for the defence of our coasts . The whole question had , iio \ yever , been referred back to the 'Defences Commission—to which new membersof scientific eminence would be added—and , meanwhile , the Government ivould take care that we were at least abreast of other nations in our defensive appliances . The Duke of Cambridge supported the views of the noble Earl , and stated that Sir AA'illiam Armstrong was sanguine that he could construct

a 600-pounder which ivould produce , at a much greater range , results quite as decisive as his 300-pounder produced at ; Sboeburyness , on Tuesdav , at a range of 200 yards . Sir AVilliam bad also informed His Royal Highness that , with the aid of

machinery , his 300-pounder could be worked by five men . Lord Ellenborough also expressed an opinion as to the necessity for forts ; while the Duke of Somerset observed that , from tlie experiments which had been made for some time past , the Admiralty were now prepared to proceed at once to carry out Captain Coles ' s and other plans . —The House then adjourned untif the 29 th inst . In the HOUSE OE COMMOXS on Thursday 10 th inst . Lord Clarence Paget

, , , in reply to Lord R . Montagu , gave the history of the Admiralty ' s connection with Captain Cowper Coles ' s shield . He said that they had lost no time in testing the value of the invention , and that the experiment made on board of the Trusty wss extremely satisfactory . AVith regard to Mr . Samuelson's plan of a self-submerging gunboat , Lord C . Paget said that , in I 860 , the Admiralty , after attentively considering

the project , came to the conclusion that it could not be made available for her Majesty ' s service ; and since that time they had received no fresh proposal from the inventor . Subsequently , the noble lord stated the results of the experiments which have recently been made with the Armstrong gun on the Warrior target , at Shoeburyness . He said that the balls penetrated the armour-platingand would have committed great

, devastation if the target had been a ship . Ou the order forgoing into Committee of AVays and Means , Mr . Bass complained of the proposal to establish brewers' licenses , arguing that this class of traders was already sufficiently taxed , and that exceptional legislation of this kind was an evil . Considerable discussion ensued , in the course of which the sentiments of the various interests concerned were made known .

Mr . Buxton expressed his concurrence in the plan , and remarked that , to his knowledge , six of the leading brewers of London shared his views , but he suggested that some time should be allowed to elapse beforo the licenses were brought into operation . The Chancellor of the Exchequer defended his measure at some length , and stated his views on the subject of a drawback on hops . The House then went into Committee of AVays and Means . Mr . Gladstone moved the resolutions relating to licences to brewers , all of which were agreed to . The House next proceeded to the consideration of the Courts of Justice ( Money ) Bill . On Friday Sir George Bowyer opened

a discussion on the state of Italy . The hon . Baronet raked up all the " atrocities " of which we have heard so much from himself , Lord Normanby , and other politicians , ancl condemned Her Majesty's Government for not having stepped in in the interest of " humanity , " and endeavoured to check the brutality ivhich , he alleged , had characterized the Piedmontese rule in Southern Italy . He contended that it was preposterous to suppose that the Neapolitans ivould forget their independance

and submit to a regime which was the offspring of " treachery , corruption , ancl violation of all those laws by whicli civilised nations are governed in all their relations with each other . " Mr . Layard made an elaborate reply , calling to his assistance facts ivhich showed that Southern Italy , so far from being oppressed , had entered upon a new and most hopeful career of social and material . progress . Mr . ffennessy echoed the speech of Sir George Bowyerwhile Mr . Slaney confirmedfrom recent

, , observation , the statements of Mr . Layard . Mr . Gladstone followed , on the side of the new kingdom , in a speech of great eloquence and power . After some discussion the House adjourned for the Easter holidays . GEXEEAL HOME NEWS . —The health of London during the last week was again favourable . There was a decrease upon the average of deaths of 54 , the number who died during the week

having been 1254 , while the average of the preceding ten years would give 1306 . The births are much in the same proportion below the average , the numbers being 1894 children born last week , as compared with an average of 1947 . There is a decrease in the number of deaths from typhus fever . A deputation from the parish of St . George's , Hanover-square , waited , on Saturday , on Mr . Villiersthe President of the Poor Law Board

, , to call his attention to the great increase of casual poor in the metropolis . They stated that formerly not above tivo or three tramps a night came to the workhouse , now the number was between 50 and 60 , who begged through the streets all day , and came covered with filth and vermin to get a night ' s lodging and a breakfast in the casual ward . Mr . A'illiers said , there was no doubt the evil had increased of late , and he feared that both

from the distress in the north of England and the prospects of the International Exhibition it would increase still more . He promised to take the matter into his consideration , and to see what steps could be taken to bring the relief of such persons in