Our Weekly Budget.

gun-boats , having tAvin screAvs , and each mounting an 18 ton-gun aro also ready for the pennant . Measures have likeAvise been taken for calling out the Naval Reserve men , and so Avell has this been done that it is stated that the Avhole of this force can , if necessary , be drafted to the

different ships of our fleet in forty-eight hours . The Coastguard are being called out for training , and the government have arranged Avith the oAvners of one hundred of our finest and SAviftest merchantmen , so that they and their creAvs may bo placed at tho service of the

government . But little alteration -will bo necessary in arming them , and then AVC shall have in commission a magnificent fleet Avhich will be quite capable of accounting for any enemy ' s ships—iron-dads excepted—which may feel inclined to prey upon our commerce . As for tho Army

and Militia Reserves , the number of absentees is utterly insignificant , and so promptly have they joined , that the Queen has commanded His Royal Highness to issue a general order thanking them for their loyalty and patriotism . Drill is going on actively at Aldershot , Chatham , and in

other camps or garrisons , and this Aveck Sir Thomas Steele reviewed nine regiments of infantry , mustering together 8 , 000 men . The march passed drew encomiums from the gallant officer , for a large number of the men

Avere from the Reserves , and had only joined a few days previously . Tho seA en battalions of the Guards are to be made up to their complete war strength of 1 , 000 men each , and it is said that the troopers of the 1 st aud 2 nd Life Guards and the Horse Guards Blue -will be formed

into one strong regiment , tho strongest and stoutest men being taken , and the others left behind . In short all that is being done for tho Navy and the Army is eminently satisfactory . The first detachment of the Indian Force left Bombay

for Malta on Monday . Great enthusiasm Avas shown , the regiments ordered for duty being made up to their complete strength Avithout the slightest difficulty . Indeed , Avhole regiments volunteered Avhere only a few sections Avere needed . The force Avill be provisioned for five months , and

Avill sail via the Red Sea , and the Suez Canal for its destination . Other detachments Avere to follow on Wednesday , the force already told off mustering some 0000 strong . Other regiments , it is said , have received orders to hold themselves in readiness , and the Begum of Bhopal lias placed all her troops at the disposal of the Government .

The event to Avhich all France , and especially Paris , has been so long looking forward , namely , the opening of the Paris International Exhibition , came off on Wednesday . Unfortunately , the Avcather appears to have been very unfavourable , hea \ y shoAvcrs falling during the time the

Marshal-President and his distinguished foreign guests O on with tho procession , as arranged , of the great dignitaries of the Republic , Avere traversing tbo immense building . But though the rain spoiled Avhat Avould otherwise have been a most effective spectacle , it did not damp the ardour

of the Parisians and their country cousins , Avho thronged the streets and boulevards . In close proximity to the building itself , the crowds Avere so dense , that locomotion Avas well nigh impossible . However , the enthusiasm Avas intense , especially when the great guns of Fort Valcrien ,

& c , & c , thundered out the announcement that the Exhibition Avas opened . Among the august personages present Avere the Prince of Wales , Don Francisco d'Assisi , ex-King Consort of Spain , the Archduke Leopold of Austria , the Prince of Orange , tbo Crown Prince of Denmark , the

Grand Duke of Leuchtenberg , Prince Henry of the Netherlands , etc ., ifcc . There were likewise present Lord Lyons , the German and Russian Ambassadors , the Papal Nuncio , Marshal Canrobert , & c , etc ., & c . In the evening all Paris was illuminated , and indeed the Avhole day AVUS spent as a holiday .

The Grand Duke Nicholas has handed over the

command of the Russian armies to General Todleben . Previous to this , a review on a comparatively small scale Avas held at San Stefano , and the Grand Duke Avas loudly cheered by those he had so recently commanded . After an interview with the Saltan , his Imperial Highness left for

Odessa , and is by this timo well on his way to St . Petersburgh , if indeed he bars not already arrived there . As to what this change of commanders may mean , people have not yet made up iheir minds whetlm :- it has a peaceful OL

Avai'liko lenacncy . As to the . situation itself , there is little to record . Negotiations for the Avithdrawal from the neighbourhood of Constantinople of the Russian Army and the British Fleet arc said to be iu progress , and it is thought

Our Weekly Budget.

not unlikely they may prove successful . Meantime , the guerilla Avar Avhich has broken out in Roumauia is causing the Russians great anxiety . Indeed , the outlook , Avhichever Avay AVC turn , is most unsatisfactory .

Wc take this , the last opportunity AVO shall have , to remind our readers that the Ninetieth Anuivcrsary Festival of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls is fixed for Friday next , and Avill bo held at Freemasons' Tavern . The

Right Hon . the Earl of Carnarvon the Most Worshipful the Pro Graud Master Avill preside , and he will be supported by an influential body of Stewards . We aro sure the claims oH the Institution ivill not bo overlooked by the Craft in general .

Anecdotes In Relation To Military Masonry.

ANECDOTES IN RELATION TO MILITARY MASONRY .

General Sir Edward Blakeney and . the 38 th Begiment . —Au important question was mooted iu tlio present year ( 1811 ) , which still remains undecided , viz ., whether tho practico of Freemasonry in the army bo consistent with the observance of such a stato of military discipline as is required among- soldiers in tho

active service of their country ? The question is now , because many regiments havo had Lodges attached to them from time immemorial , but while equal surprise aud regret have been expressed that such an objection should bo raised in the nineteenth century , while Masonry is in its most palmy state , wo partly confess that we aro

rather inclined to bravo tbo discussion of any general argument which may bo urged against the Craft , because an impartial investigation of its principles cannot fail to end triumphantly . The caso was this : The 38 th regiment , stationed in Limerick , having had a Masonic Warrant , Xo . 'Ill , of the . Registry of Ireland , in the regiment for tho

last fifty years , although it being some timo siuco the brethren met in a Lodge , through the exertions of their Colonel ( Piper ) , who wa 3 W . M ., whilo iu India , they revived tho Lodge ; aud having got tho brethren of the Ancient Limerick Lodgo to assist , the Master and Officers wero installed on 23 rd June . The circumstances having been

inserted in a Limerick paper , came under tho notice of Sir Edward Blakeney , who immediately wrote to know if such a transaction occurred amongst the officers and men of 38 th , and being answered , that they considered , while the 42 nd , 7 'Jth , 4 th Dragoons , aud several other regiments had Masonic Lodges attached to them , aud particularly as they wero under the special protection of tho Law , iuasmuch

as when all other secret societies were prohibited a special exception was made to Masoury , thoy could not sec any breach of military discipline ; but notwithstanding all those aud other arguments being used , Sir Edward ordered them to return tho warrant at ouce , and cease to meet as Masons . —Oliver ' s History of Freemasonry , from 1829 to 1841 , p 131 .

Field Marshal Viscount Combermore on Military Masonry . —His Lordship stated that ho did not say what his character might have been had he not become a member of the Masonic body . In so largo and universal a society thero may bo somo bad members , but ho had never met with any ; and having served his country in many parts of the globe , ho could say that

ho never know a Mason a bad soldier ; in fact , Freemasons made tho best soldiers . There wove good and bad iu all couumiuities , but he never knew a bad Mason . His son was a Mason , and ho hoped that Masonry would make him a better man . —Speech delivered at Liverpool , 1839 , by Viscount Combermerc , Prov . G . M . for Cheshire .

Deathbed of General Sir C . Napier , G . C . B . —Bro . Dr . Scott , of Southsea , stated that , a short time before his death , Sir Charles Xapier took his hand as a Master Masou , and thus died giviug a filial proof of his appreciation of Freemasonry by dying with his hand thus laid in that of a Brother . —Preston . Ed . 1861 , p 401 ,

Battle oi Dettmgen . — Iu the battlo of Dcttiugen , in 17-13 , oiio of the King ' s Guards , having his horse killed under him , got so entangled as to bo nuable to extricate himself . While in this con . dition , au English Dragoon galloped up to him , and , with his uplifted sabre , was about to deprive him of life . The French soldier , with

much dillteulty , made the signs of Masonry , which the Dragoon recognizing , not only saved his life , but freed him from his perilous situation , making him , of course , a prisoner , as tho Fraternities cannot dissolve those of patriotism . —Laurie ' s History of Freemasonry and the Grand Lodge of Scotland . Ed . 1859 , p Go .

Initiation in the King ' s Bench Prison . —19 th November 1783 , information was given to Grand Lodge that two brethren , under sanction of the Iloyai Military Lodge at Woolwich , which claimed the privilege of an itinerant Lodge , had lately held an irregular meeting iu the King ' s Bench Prison ; i . e ., had there unwarrantably initiated sundry persons into Masonrv . The Grand Lodge , cunceiviug this to

be au iuftiiigeuicnt ou the privileges or every regular constituted Iciclgc , ordered tho said Lodgo to be erased from t . ' uo list , and determined that it was inconsistent with the principles of Masoury to hold any Lodge , for tho pnrpoa cs of making , passing , or raising Masons , in any prison , or place of confinement . —Preston , 11 th edi . tion , p 294 ,