United Grand Lodge Of England.

again welcome home her two sons . Of tho other members of the Royal Family , Freemasons could number two among their own body . To many present ifc was doubtless known how Prince Leopold had lately interested himself in Freemasonry , while of the Duke of Connaught he could say that he evinced as great interest in the Order as did his brother . The next toast on the list was that of the

M . W . G . M ., tho Grand Master . Tho noble chairman ' s only regret was thafc H . R . H " . was not present to answer to tho toast himself . It was not long since they had tho pleasure of his presence . The D . G . M . hoped that the visits of tho Grand Master would be periodical . He referred to tho coming visit of tho Prince of Wales to lay tho foundation stones of the Cathedral at Truro . He believed it was tho first

time that such a ceremony had been undertaken by a Grand Master of English Freemasons . In giving the health of the Pro Grand Master , Lord Skelmersdale said thafc Lord Carnarvon was so well known thafc it was not necessary to say a word in proposing the toast . The Pro Grand Master was a good man , a devoted Mason , and always ready to work for the good of the Order . Col . Burdett

in introducing the next toast , said he was particularly anxious to enlist the sympathy of the brethren to honour the toasfc of the Deputy Grand Master . He did not wish to trespass on the time of those assembled , at the same time he was sure that the health of the D . G . M . would meet a hearty response . Tho brethren had always found him an able President , both at the meetings of Grand Lodgo and afc tho

festive board . He thought the present was a most fitting time to bring the toast prominently under the notice of the brethren , as it was the last occasion on which they would be called upon to toasfc their D . G . M . as Lord Skelmersdale . Although he might come under another name in the future , he would always be the same kind brother to them . They could but hope thafc he might be in a position

to attend at a later date when the brethren would be able to congratulate him on his promotion . In replying to the toast , Lord Skelmersdale said it was true that tho present was the last time he should appear among them under his old name . He hoped thafc when he appeared among them as Earl of Lathom they would still recognise him , and still show him thafc brotherly affection which they had

hitherto done . He desired specially to thank tho brethren . At the same time would they allow him to say one or two words on Freemasonry . He was not going to read them a lecture—far be ifc from him to do thafc sort of thing . All he wished to say was this , —as far as he conld make out , Freemasonry was flourishing in this country . Notwithstanding that at times there was depression , they still found

that Masonry went on ; they found thafc the Lodges increased ; that they still had men coming forward to be initiated , and thafc the funds did not slacken . They had only to witness the scene there the other day , when his Eoyal Highness Prince Leopold presided afc the Festival of the Girls' School , when the sum collected was such as has been rarely equalled . He thought thafc spoke volumes to show the way iu

which Freemasonry was flourishing in this country . And now he desired to do a little bit of " touting " on his own account . He shonld have the honour of appearing before the brethren before many weeks were over , as President of the Boys' School Festival . He had only one thing to say on that subject , and that was he had had the honour years ago of presiding at the Festival of tho Old Men and the Old

Women s Institution . Tho sum collected on thafc occasion was the largest thafc had ever been collected at such a Festival . A few years after he had the honour of presiding at the Festival of the Girls ' School . On thafc occasion also the sum was the largest that had been collected up to that time . All he could say was that he hoped and trusted that afc the Festival of the Boys' School—though he knew he

was taking the words out of Bro . Binckes ' s mouth , bufc he could not help it—his only hope was that they should again top the score . The brethren knew he was with them ; he was most thoroughly with them in heart . He really was a Mason—ho loved Masonry , and wished to work in Masonry—bufc if there was one thing to make him more anxious to do his duty in Masonry than any other , it was the cordial

welcome with which he was always received whenever he came among the brethren . The nexfc toast given from the chair was " Tho Grand Wardens and other Grand Officers present and past . " Lord Skelmersdale said thafc they were that day honoured by the presence of the E . W . the Lord Mayor of London . He thought he was right in saying that it was the second time the chair of Warden had been

occupied by a Lord Mayor of London—a fact which showed how well Freemasonry worked in with civic affairs . H . R . H . took great care in tbeseJecfcion of his Oflicers , and the speaker had nofc the slightest hesitation in saying thafc his selections had proved most satisfactory . He only hoped that in the forthcoming year business would proceed as well as ifc had done in years gone by . The Lord

jJiayor , m reply , regretted the absence or ins colleague , the . Earl ot Onslow , who would have answered to the toasfc of the Grand Officers . He felt a great compliment had been paid the several Officers by the Prince of Wales in their appointment ; to the various positions in Grand Lodge . Iu proposing the next toast , the Very Eev . A . Per cival Purey-Cust acquitted himself in a business-like manner :

but we cannot help thinking that the bare facts he stated in connection with the Institutions whoso cause he was pleading , and ^ which , on the moment , were , we presume , all he could obtain , must havo sounded very meagre to many of his listeners , on several of whose breasts the much-prized Charity jewel played _ so prominent a part . Bro . Frederick Binckes responded : hn wns

heartil y pleased thafc so grand a reception had been accorded the toast . He referred to the splendid success of the two Festivals alread y held this year . He hoped the Craft would give him somo credit for what he had done as representative of the Boys' School , and would , at least , endorse it with their approval . He trusted that the Festival to be held in June next would be . as their noble Chairman

had said , a splendid success . Before proposing tho health of the Iwand Stewards , the D . G . M . desired to say a few words on behalf of the scheme that had lately been started to advance the interests of the pupils of the Masonic Schools . At the first meeting of the Fnnd , inaugurated with this object , he had presided , on tho simple understanding that if ifc came to any thing , as he sincerely hoped ifc would ,

United Grand Lodge Of England.

it would be supplementary to tho present Charities ; a fund for pro . moling tho welfare of thoso scholars who had done well , and who required money to carry ou their educational career . As such tho scheme was deserving of being carried out . Should tho object bo tho creation of a fresh Charity , entailing a separate machinery and additional expenditure of money , then ho for ono shonld say , No . If a fourth Masonic Charity was proposed , ho shonld havo nothing to

do with ifc . He then gave "The Stewards of the year , " complimenting them on the way in which thoy had done their duty . This completing tho toast list , tho brethren adjourned to the Temple , where a Concert ; was given , under the direction of Bro . C . E . Willing P . G . O ., and in which Miss Jose Sherrington and Madame Patey , Mr . Vernon Eigby , Mr . Coatos , Bro . A . Lester , Bro . H . Taylor , Bro . Chaplin Henry , Mr . Lewis Thomas , Bro . Fountain Moin , and Bro . Wilhelm Kuhe P . G . O . took part .

Jamaica.

JAMAICA .

AT a meeting of tho District Grand Lodgo of East Jamaica , held on Thursday , 19 th February , tho following Officers wero appointed for the ensuing year : —

Rt . Wor . Bro . tho Hon . Dr . R . Hamilton ... District Grand Master A . De Cordova - ... ... Deputy Dis . G . Master Ashenheim ( Friendly ) ... ... G . S . W . C . W . Tait ( Sussex ) ... ... G . J . W . Eev . Croskery ( Sussex ) ... ... Grand Chaplain 0 . Delgado ( Phcouix ) ... ... Grand Treasurer W . Andrews ( Royal ) ... ... Grand Eegistrar G . H . Leins ( Friendly ) ... ... Grand Secretary T . Allen ( Jamaica ) ... ... G . S . D . J . Tompsett ( Sussex ) ... ... G . J . D . G . Sargeant ( Eoyal ) ... ... G . Sup . of Works C . H . Davis ( Royal ) ... ... G . Dir . of Ceremonies L . Hollar ( Phoenix ) ... ... G . Sword Bearer A . H . Jones ( Sussex ) ... ... Grand Organist J . McLean ( Jamaica ) ... ... Assist . G . Secretary M . Boss ( Collegium Fabror ) .. Grand Pursuivant 0 . Delgado jun . ( Phcenix ) ... Assist . G . Pursuivant T . Haughton ( Sussex ) ... ... " ) G . P . Myers ( Phcenix ) ... ... / , . , W . L . Modem ( Sussex ) ... \ Grand Stewards M . Delgado ( Friendly ) ...J Gt . Magnus ... ... ... Grand Tyler

The yearly Convocation of the District ; Grand Holy Eoyal Arch Chapter , Jamaica , will shortly be held , when ifc is expected thafc tho District ; Grand Snperintendent will be able to be present .

Tho Quarterly Convocation of the Friendly Holy Eoyal Arch Chapter was held at their Hall , Kingston , on Thursday , 26 fch February , when the following Officers were installed for the ensuing year : — Most Excellent ; Comps . G . C . H . Lewis Z ., J . M . Ross H ., H . J . Lyons J ., J . Lyons S . E ., L . Mordecai Treasurer , E . Finzi P . S ., A . Finzi First Assist ., A . Tripe Second Assist ., E . A . Magus S . N ., G . Magnus Janitor .

We note with a certain degreo of justifiable self-complacency that the FREEMASON ' CHRONICLE is not without its influence even in the sphere of Masonic Journalism . Such merits as it may happen to possess do not , however , receive thafc recognition fchey are clearly entitled to . For instance , our report of the installation meeting of the Mizpah Lodge , and which was published on the 17 th ult ., has reappeared in a Masonic weekly which is published nofc

very many hundred yards from the spot -where stood till recently the venerable , if somewhat unsightly , Temple Bar . We cannot have the slightest objection to this . On the contrary , we regard this as an indirect , if not a direct , recognition of our status as a medium for the dissemination among the Craft of Masonic news . Only—and we are sorry there shonld have to be any qualification to tho satisfaction we feel—we shonld like to see the reproduction done as artistically as possible . The report -was of an installation meeting , and of necessity the central figure on snch occasions is the newly installed Master , and the chief incident his induction into tho chair of K . S . But the

report , as it reappears in our esteemed contemporary , contains not a single word about the installation , and the name of the new Master is never once mentioned . As the junior representative of Masonic interests , we naturally speak with diffidence , yet in all humility we would point out that a very little editorial supervision would have prevented these omissions . Our reports are always at the disposal of onr friend next Temple Bar , to do with them what pleases him , but we sincerely trust that in future cases he will

not be so ill-advised as to excise the most material portions . What wonld the play of Hamlet be with the role of Hamlefc omitted ; and what is the value of the report of an installation meeting unless something is said cl the ceremony itself , and the name is given of the newly installed Master ?