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ROYAL ARCH .

UNION CHAPTER , No . 268 . THE ordinary meeting was held at the Queen ' s Arms Hotel , George Street , Ashton-under-Lyne , on Tuesday evening , 6 th ult . There were present , Companions G . W . Davies P . Z ., Walter Newton P . Z . as H ., H . Holland J ., A . W . Siddall P . Z . Treasurer , Ernest Moss P . Z . Scribe E ., J . Hulley P . Z ., J . White P . Z ., A . Shaw P . Z ., A . Adams , and others .

After the reading and confirmation of minutes , the Officers for the ensuing year wore elected as follow : —Comps . A . B . Wilkinson Z ., H . Holland H ., J . Bromiley J ., A . W . Siddall Treas ., E . Moss S . E ., C . H . Griffiths S . N ., Boden P . S ., Bowley 1 st A . S ., Adams 2 nd A . S . Comp . Neale was re-elected Janitor .

DERBY CHAPTER , No . 1055 . rpiHE regular meeting was held at Chester Bank , Prestwich , on Thursday , JL 22 nd ult ., Comp . W . B . Midgley Z . After the reading and confirmation of minutes , the following Officers were installed and invested by Comp . Jno . Marshall P . P . G . P . S . : Comps . F . W . Maxwell Z ., Wm . Connor H ., Dr . F . Stephenson J .

The investiture of the undermentioned Officers also took place , viz . Comps . Jno . W . Thompson P . P . G . D . C . S . E ., D . McCarthy S . N ., H . B . Fawssett P . S ., B . Hothersall P . P . G . A . D . C . Treasurer , after which the Companions sat down to supper , a pleasant evening being spent .

SHURMUR CHAPTER , No . 2374 . THE annual festival of this excellent Chapter was held on Thursday , 22 nd ult ., at the Boyal Forest Hotel , Chingford , when the three Principals Comps . Ben Johnson Z ., William Gower H ., and S . C . Kaufman J ., attended and opened the Chapter in due form . The Companions were then admitted , when the minutes of the last regular convocation , as well as those of the emergency meeting on the 1 st September , were read and their correctness confirmed .

Ths M . E . Z . then vacated the chair in favour of Comp . William Shurmur P . G . Standard Bearer of England , who had kindly undertaken to perform the installation of the new Principals . A conclave of Installed Principals was thereupon assembled , when Comp . Charles H . Bestow J .-elect was presented by Comp . Graveley and was regularly inducted into the third chair . Comp . S . 0 . Kaufman . was promoted into the chair of H ., and Comp . Wm . Gower was installed as First Principal . All the ceremonies were perfectly rendered by Comp . Shurmur .-

Upon the ro-admission of the Companions , an address to the Chapter , which is now very rarely heard , was delivered by Comp . W . H . Graveley . There were three candidates for exaltation , but , owing to various causes , they were , unable to be present .

The following Companions were appointed as Officers for the year : Jas . Clark S . E ., Percy Trickett S . N ., Nathaniel Fortescue P . Z . Treasurer , E . P . Pointer P . S ., M . Bleick 1 st Assist ., John Hamilton 2 nd Assist ., J . F . Haskins P . P . G . O . of Essex and Herts Organist , W . F . Legg D . C , W . H . Graveley , J . C . Francis , and W . L . Beaumont Stewards , and John Ives Janitor .

The M . E . Z . subsequently presented Comp . Ben Johnson with the P . Z . ' s jewel that had been voted to him by the Chapter . He referred in highly complimentary terms to the services rendered by Comp . Johnson during his occupation of the first Principal ' s chair , and said it afforded him the greatest possible pleasure in being the medium through whom the presentation was made .

Comp . Johnson , who appeared greatly moved at this mark of appreciation , briefly returned thanks for the handsome present . Comp . Ben Johnson was far more ready with a speech when he proposed a cordial vote of thanks to Comp . William Shurmur for his services as Installing Principal . Comp . Shurmur was not only the Father of the Chapter , but was endeared to them and thousands of others by his genial

pleasant manner and his wonderful knowledge of Masonic ritual . He was quite sure all present would agree with him that their best thanks were due to Companion Shurmur for the truly admirable manner in which the installation of the three Principals had been conducted . The proposition was seconded by Companion Bestow , and , needless to say , was carried unanimously .

Comp . Shurmur , in acknowledging the compliment , said he highly appreciated the good feeling of the Companions . He could assure them it was a true labour of love to place three such good Masons in the respective chairs , and he hoped he might long be spared to render such pleasant services to the Chapter . Comp . Beaumont presented the Auditors' report , which was adopted and ordered to be entered on the minutes .

The Companions having tendered their congratulations , the Chapter was olosed with due ceremony , and adjourned till January next . Tho company afterwards dined together , and subsequently enjoyed an excellent musical programme arranged by Comp . Haskins , in which Brother Kelson Trueman , Mr . Ben Johnson jun ., Miss Haskins , and Madame Bearfield took part .

In addition to those already mentioned there were present Comps . Hy . Osborne , Thomas Welham , F . Inch , J . J . Lowman , N . E . Temple , W . Fortescue , D . H . McGowan P . Z ., James Speller P . Z ., and the following Visitors : J . J . Briginshaw P . Z . 2256 , H . E . Herman P . Z . 1293 , and Orlton Cooper H . 483 .

The Provincial Grand Chapter of Lincolnshire was held on Thursday , at Grantham . ooo The members of the Domatic Chapter of Improvement —of which Comps . William Clerfiorn P . Z . and . Charles

Kimpton P . Z . are the Preceptors—have arranged to dine together at the St . James' Hall Restaurant , Piccadilly , on Wednesday , 12 th instant , at 7 o'clock . Application for tickets to be made to Comp . William Radcliffe P . Z ., 142 Camden Road , London , N . W .

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ANNUAL SUPPER OF CLARENCE AND AVONDALE LODGE OF INSTRUCTION , No . 2411 . THIS interesting event took place on Tuesday , at Bro . E . Greenwood ' s , the Masonic Hall , Leytonstone , when members of the Lodge and their Masonic friends assembled in strong force to celebrate tho opening night of the season and participate in the Instruction Lodge banquet . The Lodge was presided over by Bro . S . Fennell W . M . of the Mother Lodge , who was supported by Bros . Jennings S . W ., Smyth J . W ., T . Box See , Basil Stewart I . G .

The Lodge being formed , the minutes of last meeting were confirmed , and Bro . Jennings was elected W . M . for the next meeting . No other Masonic work being considered necessary the Lodge was closed , and the Brethren adjourned to the beautiful banqueting room , where an excellent dinner was provided under the personal supervision of Bro . Greenwood the host .

The chair was here admirably filled by the popular Preceptor Bro . Basil Stewart , prominent among his supporters being the W . M . of the Mother Lodge Bro . S . Fennell , Bro . Box Secretary , and Bro . Sidney Vernon Assistant Secretary , the whole attendance numbering between sixty and seventy . At the conclusion of the repast the Chairman gave the usual Loyal toasts , and then submitted that of prosperity to the Clarence and Avondale Lodge of Instruction , coupling with it the health of the Secretaries of the

Lodge Bros . Box and Sidney Vernon , both of whom he spoke of as hard working members , ever ready to do everything in their power to make the Instruction Lodge prosperous . Their Lodge enjoyed the best of accommodation , while it would not be possible to find a more obliging host than Bro . Greenwood , and under such conditions he hoped the Brethren would regularly attend the Lodge , where they would gain knowledge and experience alike . He felt the secret of Masonic success lay in regularly attending Lodges of Instruction .

Bro . Box replied , thanking the Chairman for his very kind remarks . He preferred to work for the Lodge , however , rather than to make speeches , and therefore he hoped they would excuse him from saying more than that he should be pleased to perform any work in his power for the welfare of the Lodge . Bro . Vernon said he also would sooner work for the members than make speeches . He was very pleased to see that their annual supper had proved so great a success , and he hoped that most of those present would make a point of regularly attending the meetings of the Lodge .

Bro . John West P . M . in most eloquent terms proposed the health of the Chairman . It was all very well for Bro . Basil Stewart to propose success to the Lodge of Instruction , but what would it be without its worthy Preceptor , who was one of the very best workers in the cause of Freemasonry ? Bro . Stewart did everything in his power to make the Lodge more and more prosperous , and they all knew it would be a very difficult matter , to find a better Preceptor than he . The toast was most heartily honoured .

Bro . Stewart replied . He felt very happy to see so many there that evening , and hoped all would attend oh many future occasions . He assured the members that he would do his utmost to instruct the Brethren to the best of his ability . The Chairman next proposed prosperity to the neighbouring Lodges of Instruction whose Preceptors he had much pleasure in seeing present that

evening . These were Bro . Ben Da Costa , of the Israel Lodge of Instruction , one of the oldest in their midst ; Bro . L . A . Da Costa , of the Friars : Bro . Bebrouth , of the Merchant Navy ; and Bro . Bromhead , of the Earl of Warwick . All of them were hard-working members of the Fraternity , who were delighted : o impart any knowledge they possessed for the benefit of their fellow members of the Craft .

The four Preceptors named having made suitable response , Bro . Henry Harris Secretary of the Israel Lodge of Instruction was called upon . He said it was such re-uiiions as the present that made them proud of being Freemasons . Probably there were very few among them that night who recollected the immense part Freemasons played in the preventing of General Boulanger becoming Dictator of France , and at the present moment it was very significant that the Freemasons of France had sent to M .

Brisson , the Premier , a hearty vote of congratulation upon his manly and courageous efforts to render justice and legality in the revision of the infamous trial which had degraded France and dragged her into the slough of despond . One felt proud in being associated with those who had ever been found in the forefront of liberty and progress . He was delighted to meet them that night . The meeting was a magnificent object lesson of the amity and concord existing between members of the Craft . When they

conjured with the magic name of Stewart it was impossible to find any wanting wherever their services were required . He had ever put selfabnegation before himself as a great Masonic virtue , and they had a splendid example that night in the Brothers Da Costa , who travelled express from Newmarket to grace the assembly . He hoped he should be pardoned for trespassing upon their time and patience , and begged them to accept every assurance of his hearty appreciation of the way they had honoured his toast .

A compliment was paid to Bros . Box and Vernon , for the perfect arrangements they had made for the meeting . The Chairman felt they must have worked very hard to get everything in such perfect order . Bro . Sidney Vernon , as a Professor of Music , was quite at homo in the musical department , and thus it was they had to especially thank him in that direction , while their acknowledgments wero also due to Bros . Daniel , 3 . Hindorwill , A . Mead , Frank Martin , Fisher , Barnes , Alfred Sidney , Gratton , aud others , who had added to the harmony of the evening .

Wo were sorry to have to leave , but the time for the last train compelled us to put an end to a most pleasant evening , spent amongst a very jolly company . We may remind our readers that tho Clarence and Avondale Lodge of Instruction meets every Tuesday , at 8 p . m ., at Bro . Greenwood ' s fine Masonic Hall , Leytonstone .

THE NEW PENNY MAGAZINE is the title of Messrs . Cassell and Company's new weekly periodical , of which the first number is to appear on the 19 th inst . It will provide a greater amount of reading matter and illustrations than has been hitherto given for a penny in any magazine . Each issue is to contain sixty-four large pages , fully illustrated .

Beferring to the numerous articles written ou listing Bicycles at nott cash prices , it may interest our readers to know that the Lozier Manufacturing Company adopted that system in 1891 , when they built their first safety , and since entering the European market with Clevelands , in 1895 , thoy have seen no reason for changing their policy .