The Douglas Head Improvements.

THE DOUGLAS HEAD IMPROVEMENTS .

IN the presence of a large assembly of the Freemasons of tho Isle of Man , West and East Lancashire , West Yorkshire , and Cheshire , the Right Hon . the Earl of Lathom Right Worshipfnl Deputy Gram ' Master of the Freemasons of England , and Right Worshipful Prov . Grand Master of West Lancashire , assisted by numerous Grand ant ! Provincial Grand Officers , laid tbe foundation stone , on the 21 th nit ., of the approach tower to the Douglas fiend Suspension Bridge . Ttx

English visitors accompanying his Lordship , as the guests nf tin directors of the Suspension Bridge Company , wero conveyed on Thursday from Liverpool on tho Snaefell , which was specially chartered foi tho occasion . During the voyage , whioh was of the pleasantest description , musio was supplied by the band of the 3 rd Cheshire Itiflt Volunteers .

The morning opened beautifully fine , and from an early hour the Masonio visitors who were to take part in the ceremony at noon were to be seen leaving their hotels and lodgings and proceeding along the Promenade to view the site of the proposed Douglas Eiffel Tower . All the visitors were astonished to hear that eight days ago the site was entirely covered by house property . The necessary land has

been acquired for £ 25 , 000 , and the property to be pulled down thereon is of a class the removal of which will not deprive Douglas of any of its architectural beauties . A space sufficiently large for the accommodation of fourteen or fifteen hundred spectators had been cleared . Some difficulty had been encountered in preparing the foundations of this , whioh will form one of fifty-six bases upon which the approach

tower will rest . The quantity of water whioh was come to when the excavations were proceeded with was rather more than had been bargained for , aud consequently the necessary pumping occasioned considerable delay . However , everything was prepared for the ceremony of laying the foundation stone , au immense square block weighing over two tons .

A special meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of the Isle of Man was convened by the Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master , Bro . John Senhouse Goldie Taubmau , and at eleven o ' clock the brethren of the Lodge and their visitors assembled at the Masonic Hall , Loch Parade . Thore were in all about GOO brethren of all ranks present .

The Officers of the Prov . Grand Lodge included Bros , thei Earl of Lathom D . G . M ., Major John Stenhouse Goldie Taubman P . G . M ., S . Webb P . G . S . W ., W . Laughlan P . G . J . W ., Rev . E . Ferrier P . G . Chaplain , Frank J . Johnson P . G . A . S ., J . Hodgson P . G . R ., C . Morton Chadderton P . G . A . D . C , J . flatton P . G . P ., Thos . L . Ayton P . G . A . P ., T . Whiteside P . G . S ., W . Goodaore P . G . S . B . Eng . Prov . G . Secretary

West Lancashire , E . Pritchard P . P . G . P ., G . W . Quayter P . P . G . S ., J . Champion Bradshaw P . P . G . S . B ., Sidney May P . G . S ., and L . Hannay P . P . G . D . The Province of West Lancashire was represented by , among others , Bros , the Earl of Lathom , W . Goodaore P . G . Secretary , George Harradon P . G . Treasurer , J . C . Robinson P . P . G . D . C . acting Dir . of

Cers ., J . Sutton P . P . D . G . D . C . Thomas Adams P . P . G . D ., A . D . Heskoth P . P . G . S . B ., Jas . Platts P . P . G . S . D ., W . Laughlan P . P . G . S ., W . W . Foulkes P . G . S . B ., J . Champion Bradshaw P . P . G . S . B ., J . A . Churchiland P . P . G . S . D ., Jos . Harling P . P . G . P ., H . M . Molyneux P . P . G . D . C ., Joseph Bridgford P . P . G . P ., Thomas Salter P . P . G . J . D ., A . D . Hesketh P . P . G . S . B ., T . Eyre Mason P . P . G . T ., H . Crosby P . P . G . P ., and J . Tnnstall P . P . G . P .

The Province of East Lancashire was represented by Brothers E . J . Comings P . P . G . S . B ., J . Butterworth P . P . G . D ., James Newton P . P . G . S . D ., W . H . Wakefield P . P . G . S . B ., E . G . Harvvood P . P . G . J . W ., Julius Arensberg P . P . G . P ., Joseph T . Richardson P . P . G . S . D ., Rawden Ashworth P . P . G . P ., Thos . H . Sleigh P . P . G . S . B ., Robert

Caldwell P . P . G . S . B ., S . Statham P . P . G . T ., and J . Brogford P . P . G . P . Among the Cheshire Provincial Grand and Past Provincial Graud Officers present were Brothers G . M'Clelland P . G . J . D ., Eustace G . Parker P . P . G . P ., G . F . Smith P . P . G . S ., L . W . Whaley P . P . G . O ,

Edwin Hardman P . P . G . S . D ., J . Beresford P . P . G . S . D ., II . E . Hevwood P . G . S . B ., David Kinsey P . P . G . T ., S . Newton Brooks P . G . D . D . C ., Joel Foden W . M . ( Mayor of Altrincham ) , W . H . Macclesftelrl P . P . G . O . There was a large assembly of Worshipful Masters and Past Masters of Lodges in eaoh of the Provinces , as well as a numerous and representative gathering of the rank and file of the

Masonio Brotherhood of Lancashire , Cheshire , and the Isle of Man . The Lodge having been duly opened , a procession was formed from the Masonic Hall , outside which a vast crowd had assembled . A public Masonio ceremonial is quite a red-letter day in the island . There has only been a single previous one and that at Peelayearago . Since then the brethren have never walked in procession , except onco

from Lodge at Douglas to church , and ou that occasion the rain was pouring down . Such an unusual sight as that presented by five or six hundred Freemasons , attired in full Masonic Craft clothing , had been eagerly anticipated , and when shortly after eleven o ' clock the rain began to fall , great disappointment was occasioned . ' However , there was not sufficient to spoil either tbe procession or the ceremony ,

although the brethren had to resort to a pretty general uso ot umbrellas from leaving to returning to the Lodge Rooms . Tho procession went through Finch Road , Prospect Hill , and Victoria Street , so as to traverse the principal streets of the town . A military band headed the procession . The Visitors and Provincial Officers led , tho others following according to rank , the Provincial Grand Master o \

the Isle of Man and the Deputy Grand Master bringing up the rear . At the entrance to the site the brethren divided to the right and left , forming an avenue , through which the Earl of Lathom aud Major Goldie Taubman passed , the order of procession then being inverted , and the Grand Officers of England and tho Provincial Grand Ofiicer . H

following his Lordship into tbe enclosure . Tho rauk and file of trio brethren brought up the rear , tho places of the officiating brethren having been assigned while the heralds were announcing tbe arrival of the Deputy Grand Master by a flourish of trumpets . The ceivmony was commenced by the singing of the " Old Hundretb . " Mr . Thomas Floyd , the engineer , presenting the Earl of Lathom with

The Douglas Head Improvements.

a handsome silver trowel , requested his Lordship to lay the foundation stono , which was then raised by moans of a powerful tri pod erano and carefully adjusted . After prayer had been offered b y ihe Grind Chaplain , the . P .-aim " Except the Lord build the house" waH ¦ meg , and then the Provincial Grand Secretary read the inscription on the hrnsH p ' aro to ho affixed to the foundation stone , and the

rrovtrcial Gr-md Treasurer descended tho vault and deposited in the at'Hie a phial containing tho usual collection of newspapers and coins . The Duputy Grand Master then laid the atone according to Masonio t'iltnl , sunning thereon the corn contained in the cornucopia , and poniiig upon it tho wine and oil contained in the ewers , which had ah'o been curried in tho procession . " Prosper tho Art " having been

sung , prayer wns ottered by the Provincial Grand Chaplain , and the engineer theu presented tho plans of tho toiver approach to bis Lordship , who delivered thorn to the engineer , exhorting him to proceed without loss of timo to tho completion of the work , in conformity with tho plans . Tho Ma

tho procession was then re-formed , and the Provincial Grand Lodce WHS duly closed at iho Masonio Hall , which waa reached by way of tho Promeinide . A rumour was I'eMy circulated in Douglws to the effect th > u the Knrl of L ( thorn had promised to n ? o his iufluenco with [ J . R . FI . the Prince of Wales to prevail npon the Heir Apparent , as the Grand Master of the Freemasons of England , to open the

approach tower when completed . The banquet took placo at the Castle Mona Hotel , where 200 guests pirtook of the hospitality of Dr . Abbots , tho chairman , and the directors of the Douglas Head Suspension Bridge Company . Major J . S . Goldie Taubman prosided , and was supported by the Earl of Lathom , Bri _ s . W . Goodacre , J . C . Robinson , Thomas H . Nesbit , and G .

Harradon , and tho chairman and directors of the company . At the conelusion of the banqnet , the roasts of the Queen , and H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , the Grand Master of English Freemasons , were given and duly hononred , after which tho chairman proposed the health of tho Right Hon . tho Earl of Lathom , and the Officers of the Grand Lodge of England , Present and Past . The Manx Freemasons

he said , esteemed it a great honour that the Deputy Grand Master of Englaud had consented to come there and lay the fonndation-stone of the approaoh bridge . He hoped that his Lordship had formed a good impression of the Manx brethren , and also that the visitors would carry back a good acoonnt of Froemasonry in the Isle of Man . The Earl of Lathom , in replying , said that he had been exceedingly

pleased to bo able to come over to tha Island to see the working of the young Provincial Grand Lodge . The Lodge was in its childhood , but it was a very lusty childhood , for already in the course of four years the Province had actually doubled itself . This showed how thoroughly Freemasonry was prospering in the island . He hoped that this would long go on , and that this Province would prove a

formidable rival to West Lancashire , just over tbe border . It was with the greatest ploasure that he came to perform the public function , feeling that the tower and bridgo was not only a work which was likely IT be a benefit to Douglas and the Isle of Man , but that it was one thoroughly within the bounds of Freemasonry . As he under , stood this scheme , which ho hoped would be carried out in its

entirety , it waa one which would not only give work to men on the island at a time when work was scarce , but would be of immense advantage to the inhabitants and to the many visitors who came there every yenr . It would add to tho great attractions of the island . MB own experience dated backovor nineteen years , when he first had th » pleasuie of coming ovor with Sir Henry Loch . Since

then he hud been there seventeen or eighteen times , and he need hardly tell ihem that he admired tho island . Ho considered it a great health resort , so much so that he had sent his then young family every year . Since his last visit ten years ago improvements had been made in tho town which had perfectly astonished him . In conclusion his Lordship said : I wish all prosperity to tho island , and prosperity to

the Freemasons of the inland . Other toasts followed , including those of the Council and House of Keys of tho Isle of Man , tho Town and Trade of Douglas , and Success to the Douglas Head Suspension Bridgo . Responding to the second named toa ^ t , Mr . W . Proctor , chairman of the Town Commissioners , expressed the entire approval of that body of the scheme which had been that day so successfully initiated .

BLACK-AND-WnlTE IN THE ROYAL ACADEMY . —Tho illneSS of Ml ' . Charles Keetio has once more brought the extraordinary merit of his artistic work prominently before the pnblic . It is agreed by all true connoisseurs that these drawings , which move ns all to laughter weekly in Punch , bat too few of ns appreciate at their just merit , justify tho placing of the great draughtsman in the very front rank

of English arti-us . That 'fact was recognised by the French jury which desired to aw . ird him a Grand Prix at the recent Paris Exhibition , ami it is admitted by every artist in the country . Many rumours are in the air just now concerning the conversion of the Royal Academy in respect to black-and-white work , and its readiness to uleoc a professor of the art at an early opportunity . Younger men can wait ; and it woul . t hen lasting shame if the Academy allowed

BO great a man ns Charles Koene to pa 3 S away without honouring him anil itself by calling bim into the Void . Not that Mr . Keeue himself cares about the matter ono way or another . Wo believe that he is perfectly indifferent ou the subject ; but when reproducers in engraving of other men ' s works are elected to membership , it is simply preposterous that ouo of the few living geuiuses in the world of English art should ha passed over iu silence and neglect . —From The Magazine of Art for October .

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