The Provincial Grand Master Of Berkshire.

which has only been given on rare occasions in the annals of freemasonry . Brethren , I ask you without further preface to join with me most warmly in drinking " The Health of His Royal Highness our Grand Master . " ( Cheers . ) The Prince of Wales , in response , said : I must apologise if I cannot raise my voice , but I am suffering , as I daresay many of you are in

this inclement weather , from a rather severe cold . At the same time , allow me to respond most cordially for the very kind way in which you have all received my health , and I am very much touched by the flattering terms in which my brother has proposed it . I have not forgotten that four years ago I installed him at Brighton as Provincial Grand Master of Sussex . That was in the summer , and I remember

we had remarkably fine warm weather on that occasion ; now , four years later , I have had the pleasure of installing my son —( cheers)—amidst snow and frost . Although the weather outside has been inclement , all I can say is , that my reception and his have been most warm — ( cheers)—and we also , thanks to the kindness of Messrs . Sutton , have this spacious room for our banquet . Though we are here as Masons ,

and not , as is generally the case here , as seed —( laughter)—still I hope that the good seed sown here to-day will take root—and that , as Freemasonry is increasing and flourishing throughout the Kingdom , I have little doubt that in this Province of Berkshire it will equally flourish and increase . I thank you very much for your kind reception of me , and I assure you of the pleasure it has given me to take part in

to-day ' s ceremony , and you know well enough that whenever time p . nvuts I am always ready to come forward in the interests of Masonry . ( Cheers . ) Before I sit down I have to give " The Health of the

Junior Provincial Grand Master . " He is naturally still young and inexperienced in Masonry , but I feel sure he will do his utmost in carrying out the duties which have been thrown upon him to-day . I ask you all to drink most cordially to his good health , with which I beg to couple " Prosperity to this Province . " ( Cheers . ) The Duke of Clarence and Avondale , after returning thanks for the

manner in which the toast had been proposed and received , said : I assure you I consider it a very great honour indeed that has been conferred upon me to-day—an honour I shall ever remember as long as I am connected with Freemasonry , which I hope will be for many years to come . I can assure you that I will ever endeavour to discharge , to the best of my ability , the duties imposed upon me now in this

province which I represent , and I feel sure that I can have no better Deputy than the brother opposite , Bro . J . T . Morland . His Royal Highness then proposed " The Health of the Grand Officers , " coupled with the name of Lord Alcester , G . S . AV . ; at the same time , in the name of the brethren of the province , welcoming back from Australia Lord Carrington , Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of New

South Wales . Lord Alcester , in the absence of the Earl of Lathom , responded on behalf of the Grand Officers , and Lord Carrington , in response to loud calls , expressed the fraterna and affectionate greeting of the United Grand Lodge of New South Wales to the Province of Berkshire , and its congratulations upon the

honour conferred upon the province by the selection of the illustrious Prince who had that day been appointed to rule over its destinies . Those greetings , he observed , were none the less sincere , coming from 14 , 000 Masons who constituted 180 lodges , because they came from an independent Grand Lodge . The Grand Lodge of England had wisely given to the Grand Lodge of New South Wales independent

government ; but there was not a single Mason in New South Wales who signed the charter who would not sooner have cut off his hand had he thought it would in any way weaken his connection with the great old country from which they all sprang . ( Loud cheers . ) He spoke for every Mason and for every Australian when he said , in the presence of the illustrious Prince who would some day reign over

England , that his Royal Highness would have no more loyal or dutiful subjects than those who lived in the sunny land of Australia . ( Cheers . ) The English Government had wisely given self-goven . mei _ t to the different Colonies , and worthily they deserved that trust . In like manner self-government had been given to their Masonic bodies . They were thus bound together , and he predicted that , so long as the

sun continued to rise upon the earth , so long would the great Englishspeaking Federation , which was already three times as big as Europe , and which three times exceeded the United Stales of North America in bulk , revenue , and population , under Queen Victoria and her successors , remain one—loyal , undivided , and invincible for all time . ( Loud cheers . )

This concluded the proceedings , and the Royal party left by special train for London shortly after 3 o ' clock . The Grand Officers of the year present were : Bros , the Earl of Lathom , D . G . M . ; Lord Alcester , S . G . W . ; Lord A . Churchill , J . G . W . ; Rev . Dr . Currie , G . Chap . ; Shadwell H . Gierke ,

The Provincial Grand Master Of Berkshire.

G . S . ; T . Fenn , P . B . G . P ., acting G . D . of C . ; Augustus Hams , G . Treas . ; Robt . Grey , P . B . B . ; Sir George Harris , R . Loveland-Loveland , andW . F . Smithson , G . D . ' s ; W . G . Lemon , A . G . D . of C . ; T . B . Whytehead , G . S . B . ; R . J . Emmerson , and R . C . Sudlow , G , Std . Br . ; A . A . Pendelbury , A . G . Sec . ; D . D . Mercer , G . Purst . ; S . Vallentine , A . G . Purst . ; and H . Sadler , G . Tyler .

Amongst the other Grand Officers who occupied seats on the dais and in the body of the room were : Bros , the Duke of Connaught , P . G . M . ; Lord Carrington , F . S . G . W . ; General Laurie , G . M . Nova Scotia ; the Earl of Euston , Prov . G . M .

Norths and Hunts ; Colonel Foster Gough , Prov . G . M . Staffordshire ; AV . AV . B . Beach , M . P ., P . G . M . Hants and Isle of Wight ; H . D . Sandcman , P . D . G . M . Bengal ; Rev . C . J . Martyn , P . G . C . ; E . Terry , H . B . Marshall , and R . Eve , P . G . Treas ' s . ; Colonel R . \ V . Edis , P . G . S . of AV . ; Frank Richardson , P . G . D . ; Peter de Lande Long , P . G . D . ; E . Mori tennis , P . G . S . B . ; C . F . Hogard , P . G . Std . Br . ;

F . IT . Goldney , P . G . D . ; Baron de Ferrieres , P . G . D . ; V . P . Freeman , P . G . D . ; Charles Belton , P . A . G . D . of C . ; James Terry , P . G . S . B . ; AV . Hopekirk , P . G . Purst . ; E . M . Money , G . Stwd . ; and others , The Mayor and many members of the Corporation who , not being members of the Masonic Craft , were not able to

attend the banquet , were entertained privately , with over 100 other guests , at luncheon by Messrs . Sutton . Mr . Martin Sutton , the head of the firm , was specially thanked by the Prince of Wales for the excellence of the arrangements made .

Round And About.

Round and About .

One event in the Craft eclipses all else this month—the Installation of H . R . H . the Duke of Clarence , Provincial Grand Master of Berkshire , which took place at Reading on Monday , the 15 th inst . Has it not been chronicled in the chronicles of the Egyptians , and of the Assyrians , and among

the people round about the cities of Judea , that such sights were seen as were never seen before ? All the forces of the holy ones were there . There was the Grand Master looking in fine form , doing his work in fine form and in fine style . There wasthe Duke of Connaught—his first public appearance

since his return from India—drawing forth the biggest round of cheering during the day . There was , likewise , Lord Carrington hot from the Masonry of New South Wales , bringing Australia's greetings with him . There was the " Colonel" in fine fighting costume and up to concert pitch ,

and there were the most brilliant gems of Freemasonry , with all their honours ( and all their jewels ) thick upon them .

* * * * * * Bishop and abbot , and prior were there ; Many a monk , and many a friar , Many a knight , and many a squire , AVith a good many more of lesser degree , — In sooth , a goodly company ;

And they served the Lord Primate on bended knee . Never , I ween , AVas a prouder scene , Read of in books , or dreamt of in dreams , Than the Cardinal Lord Archbishop of Rheims !

# t . # Nothing was cut to waste , time or the ceremony . Messrs . Sutton lent their large hall for the luncheon , and were amply repaid by the seed joke of the Prince , which all the little Suttons will hand down from generation to generation with