Our Weekly Budget.

nofc dAvell afc length upon them . Suffice it to say , that there is to bo a huge independent Bulgaria , extending to -within a fe \ v miles of Adrianople , cut out of Turkey , ancl placed for two years certain , if not for all time , under the administration of Russian officials . Servia , Montenegro ,

and Roumania , are to receive additional territory and independence , but the last is to be robbed of her strip of Bessarabia , in ivhieh case it is rumoured that Prince Charles Avill abdicate and his ministry resign . An enormous indemnity is demanded , and also a part of the Turkish fleet .

As regards tho former , part Avill be paid in territory , and £ 4-0 , 000 , 000 in bonds , tho interest and principal being secured by the Egyptian tribute—which is already hypothecated to French and English bondholders—ancl other securities . In short , as ifc has been said in some journal ,

at home or abroad , Turkey is not only being murdered , but Avill be " skinned " likeAvise . There can be no doubt , indeed Russian journals openly admit , that these terms arc intended to bo an insult to this country and Austria , and ifc is equally clear that if the cession of ironclads ancl the appropriation

of the Egyptian tribute are persisted in , England Avill very soon be engaged in a terrible Avar , under great disadvantages , and it may be single-handed . HoAvever , there are one or tAvo points on which Russia will do well to ponder before she drives this country to extremes . Our wealth is

enormous , our navy is capable of any amount of expansion . We have—regulars , reserves , militia , ancl volunteers included—nearly half a million of men trained to the use of arms , and AVC can have any number of excellent soldiers from India and volunteers from our Colonies .

Tho final meeting of tho Board of Steivards for tho recent Festival of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution Avas held at Freemasons' Hall , afc 4 p . m ., on Tuesday afternoon . Bro . Edward Cox , Hon . Treasurer and Vice-Patron , occupied the chair , and there Avere present Bros . Rev . A . F . A .

Woodford PastG . Chaplain , C . Denton , W . Hicks , G . Ward Verry , T . S . Taylor , J . M . Klenck , R . W . Webster , C . W . Noehmer , and several others , together Avith Bro . James Terry , Hon . Secretary to the Board , and Secretary of the Institution . The minutes of the previous

meeting Avere read ancl confirmed . The Secretary stated that tho proceeds of the Festival amounted to £ 11 , 127 ancl some odd shillings , seven lists having since como

to hand , so that there are only two or three now outstanding . Three hundred and sixty-four gentlemen , and one hundred and eighty-two ladies attended the Festival It was further announced that the number of SteAvards had

been increased to 225 ; that £ 526 had already been paid in respect of tho expenses of the Festival ; thafc £ 108 14 s Cd was still due on account of fees and dinner tickets , ancl that tho expenses reached the sum of £ G 71 2 s 9 d , leaving a small balance to the credit of the Board , Avhich , by resolution ,

Avas left in the hands of the Secretary , to dispense as he might think fit . Votes of thanks Avere unanimously accorded to the Chairman , his Grace the Duke of Manchester , for having presided , to the President ( Bro . Joseph Smith P . G . P . ) , tho Treasurer ( Bro . E . Cox ) , ancl the Secretary

( Bro . James Terry ) , as Avell as to Bro . A . Best , the proprietor of Freemasons' Tavern , for the very admirable manner in Avhich the dinner had been provided , and the necessary arrangements carried out . A vote of thanks to Bro . Cox for presiding was also passed , ancl the Board dissolved .

Lists Received Since Festival.

LISTS RECEIVED SINCE FESTIVAL .

£ s el Comp . Ilem-y rhythia ** , Chapter 1293 ... 18 11 0 Lodge I , H . J . Browne ... ... 10 10 0 „ 23 , K . V . Slather ... ... 20 0 0

., 33 , Henry E . Wallis ... ... < IC > 12 0 „ 113 , G . A . Cure ... ... 87 0 0 „ 107 , C . If . Gregory ... ... 16 " 0 0 £ 193 19 0

The House Committee of the Royal Benevolent Institution met at Croydon afc o p . m . on Thursday , Avhen the residents received payment of their respective annuities foi the quarter .

We have received a copy of " Balance Statement of Accounts for the year ending 31 st December 1877 , " of the Masonic Hall , Liverpool , of Avhich Bro . J . R . Goepel P . P . G . D . C . and P . M . 155 , 823 , is the honorary Treasurer . Ihe Bcceipts for the jeriod show a total of £ 856 Cs , Of

Lists Received Since Festival.

this sum £ 418 is in respect of Rents from Lodges , twentythree holding their meetings in the Hall ; £ 108 in respect of Rents from eleven Chapters ; £ 4-5 for Rents , Misccllaneous—Conclaves , Preceptories , & c . ; £ 37 for the Rents of Lodges of Instruction ; £ 4 3 s for Rents Occasional ; £ 175 15 s for

Emergencies , Committees , Refreshments , etc . ; £ 25 from the Masonic Club ; and £ 43 8 s cash borroAved from the Furniture Fund . The payments , including a balance of £ 5 4 s 2 d dne to Treasurer on the previous year ' s accounts amount to £ 858 14 s 9 d . so that there Avas due to Treasurer

on 31 st December , the trifling sum of £ 2 8 s 9 d . These include £ 8 18 s for Insurance ; £ 145 7 s 9 d for House Account ; £ 8 18 s lid for Printing ; £ 25 18 s 7 dfor Coal Account ; £ 158 14 s 2 d for Repairs and Alterations ; £ 22 lis lOd for Furniture : £ 100 for Interest : £ 32 2 s 2 d for

Decorating ; £ 78 4 s 3 d for Rates and Taxes ; £ 23 2 s 3 d for Ironmongery ; £ 103 14 s lOd for Gas ; £ 10 19 s lid for Coke ; £ 22 3 s Id for Gas Fittings ; £ 23 2 s 2 d for Plumbing ; £ 22 for Organ ; ancl £ G 59 15 s 2 d , being cash advanced for Building , besides other small items . The outstanding debts

including balance to Treasurer , amount to £ 3115 s Sd . Tho Masonic Hall Building Fund Account shows an expenditure for Plumbing , Ironmongery , & c , of £ 128 6 s , against Avhich there are receipts amounting to £ 68 10 s lOd , the balance £ 59 15 s 2 d , being advanced from the Maintenance

Fund . The receipts of the Furnishing Fund Account amount to £ 43 8 s , ancl the payments to the same sum , the amount being lent to Maintenance Fund . The Org-anFund Account touches one transaction only , namely , " removing , altering , and addition to organ " £ 62 , towards Avhich the Concert

Committee paid cash £ 40 , the balance , £ 22 , being paid out of General Fund . Each of the foregoing is certified as having been duly " audited and found correct . " Tho statement of account has been carefully drawn , and does credit to Bro . Goepcl ' s business qualities .

Onr readers may have noticed that , in our report of the last meeting of the "Grey Friars Locige , No . 1101 , " at tho Masonic Hall , Reading , ifc was stated " the ballot was taken for two candidates for initiation , one Avas rejected , and the other elected . " Circumstances have since como to our

knowledge Avhich induce us to offer a fe \ v remarks . The rejected candidate , AVO are given to understand , Avas a member of the Corporation , and a person of the highest respectability and moral worth , and this statement is borne out by the fact that his proposer and seconder Avere

both Past Masters ancl Founders of the Lodge , the latter being the late Bro . Chancellor , AVIIO at tho time of his death Avas Prov . G . Treasurer . No intimation was given of the rejection , ivhich is looked upon , nofc ivifchout reason , as a deliberate and Avanton insult to tlie Masonic sponsors

of tho candidate . Tho accepted candidate had been already rejected by tho Mother Locige ( No . 414 ) ancl his proposal iu the Grey Friars has , to say the least , a very suspicious appearance about it . As the ballot is necessarily secre , AVC are not in a position to explain this strango

inconsistency . Here we have a Avorthy and estimable man , a member of the Municipal Corporation , of high moral character , and generally respected , denied initiation , though his sponsors were respected P . M . ' s ancl Founders of the Lodge ; while , on the other hand , a

candidate , who had been rejected in the parent Lodge on , we assume , sufficient grounds , is accepted in the daughter Lodge . This is certainly anomalous , ancl to be deeply regretted . It Avill not tend to promote harmony among the " Grey Friars , " and it may cause a great deal of

dissatisfaction , ancl so bring about a state of things Avhich must _ prove injurious to the besfc interests of the Lodge , and indeed to the interests of the Craft generally . Wo cannot say the rejection of a candidate under the circumstances as described is contrary to the law , for , hoAvever

worthy a candidate may be , somo members of the Lodgo in Avhich he is proposed may imagine they -will experience some difficulty in getting on with him comfortabl y , and though they might Avelcomc him as a brother , arc not

prepared to accept him as a fellow-member of their Lodge . But the acceptance in a Lodge of a candidate rojectecfm another Lodge in the same town is assuredl y matter for close scrutiny , and some explanation of so suspicions a circumstance should be forthcoming .

The installation of Bro . Bernard Sharp , P . M .. 1 G 8 , as W . M . of the Wolsey Lodge 1656 , will take place at tho White Hart Hotel , Hampton Wick , on Monday next , tho 4 th inst ,, ixt 4 , 30 p . ru ,