The Subscription Lists Of The Girls' School Festival.

and Bucks and Dorsetshire run closo for next place , the former contributing £ 122 19 s , and the latter £ 122 17 s . Six Stewards represented Berks and Bucks , the usual order of things being on this occasion reversed , as Bucks claims four of the Stewards , and £ 67 12 s of the

contributions . We are heartily glad to see this innovation , and trust it will be of long continuance . All but ten guineas of the Dorsetshire total is contributed by Bro . J . M . P . Montagu , who , we understand , acted as representative of St . Mary ' s Lodge , No . 707 , Bridport . Durham again

follows closely , with £ 121 15 s 6 d , a fine effort on the part of this northern Province . We must not forget that its Provincial Grand Master will presido for the Boys on the 29 th inst ., when , taking tho total before us as a criterion , a splendid result may bo anticipated . The Eastern

Division of South Wales is down for £ 120 , brought up by Bro . Thomas Rowland , and is followed by Norfolk with £ 111 6 s , the joint contribution of two Stewards . Suffolk and Sussex bring to a close this portion of our remarks , the ono contributes £ 107 2 s , and the other £ 105 ,

each being represented by one Steward . The remaining eight Provinces have sent up totals ranging from £ 99 1 Is downwards . Taking into consideration the length to which our remarks extended on the last occasion we were engaged on a similar task , we deem it unnecessary to refer at

greater length to any of these . We may express our satisfaction to each and all , feeling assured that in every case the Stewards and brethren generally have done their

¦ best . We must also express a hope that if any Steward has been overlooked in these short remarks , he will consider the omission an error , rather than a desire on our part to offer any slight to him .

The Mont Dore, Bournemouth, And H.M. The G.M. Of Sweden.

THE MONT DORE , BOURNEMOUTH , AND H . M . THE G . M . OF SWEDEN .

ENGLISH Freemasons must necessarily take a deep interest in all that personally concerns His Majesty Oscar II ., of Sweden . In the first place , he is Grand Master of the Craft in that country . In the next place , His Royal Highness the M . W . G . M . of our United Grand

Lodge was initiated into the mysteries of 1 < reemasonry by the late King of Sweden , and to this fact , of course , we owe it that for the last six years our Fraternity has been making such splendid progress in this country . If there are now 10 , 000 initiates annually in p lace of the 2000 who

presented themselves ten years ago , we are justified in ascribing this great popularity of the Brotherhood to tbe wise and genial influence which the late King of Sweden was fortunately in a position to exercise on the mind of our present Chief . For these reasons ,

then , we have thought that more than a passing sketch of the recent doings at Bournemouth , where the King of Sweden laid the first stone of the "Mont Dore , " will be unusually interesting to our readers . It is , indeed , on the cards that but for the concurrence of this event with the consecration at Portsmouth of the Prince

Edward of Saxe-Weimar Lodge on Wednesday , the 25 th ult ., the ceremony at Bournemouth , in which the King of Sweden figured as the central personage , might have been carried out with full Masonic honours ; but , unlike the late Sir Boyle Roche ' s bird , the Provincial Grand Lodge of

Hants and the Isle-of-Wight is not ubiquitous ; in other words , it cannot be in two places at one or the same time . Had the consecration of this Lodge been fixed for any other day than the particular Wednesday Ave have referred to , there is good reason for believing that the King of Sweden

would have had the loyal support of his worthy brethren of Hampshire and the adjacent island in the good work so ably inaugurated on the occasion referred to . Be this as it may , there can be no question the Institution , of which His Majesty so recently laid the first stone , is one that is

calculated to be of the greatest possible service to a numerous and influential class of people in this country . Wc xi ' & j > cld , too , that it would hardly have been possible to select a bettor locality than the familiar Hampshire sea-side resort , where healthy people are

in the habit of seeking a temporary refuge from the carking cares of life , while invalids go thither in numbers in order to acquire or renew the strength they are so sorely in need of . Hitherto , so far as we are aAvare , we have had in this-country no such kind of establishment

The Mont Dore, Bournemouth, And H.M. The G.M. Of Sweden.

as that which is so well known on the Continent as the " Mont Dore . " Travelled people aro well aware that this is a peculiar , yet , at the same time , a most useful institution . It combines the advantages of a summer and winter residence for those Avho prefer tho Residential Club

system to troubling themselves about the cares of household management , or who may be desirous of living " en pension " for a longer or shorter period of time , with all the special conveniences and arrangements for the reception of invalids and persons in delicate health . Such an

establishment cannot , we feel well assured , prove otherwise than an immense boon to the public . Moreover , Bournemouth , it is Avell known , is one of the healthiest seaside resorts in England . It has a dry soil , is free from fogs and decaying vegetation , and is sheltered from cold winds . It is

equally well adapted , as a residence , both for summer and Avinter , and , what is of the very greatest importance , it is accessible from all parts of the Kingdom . In short , nothing could possibly have been better than the selection of this favourite spot for the erection of so useful an

Institution . As to the "Mont Dore" itself , it will be in all respects the exact counterpart of the Establishment in Auvergne , from which it takes its name , and there are satisfactory reasons for believing that it ¦ will be an even

greater success . In Auvergne the season lasts only from June to September ; at Bournemouth it Avill continue the whole year through . The building itself will accommodate 150 residents . The utmost care will be taken that it shall

be Avell ventilated and warmed . It will be furnished and appointed Avith everything possible in the way of comfort and luxury in a manner to gratify the most exacting . There Avill be private sitting-rooms , as Avell as those intended for residents in common ; a handsome Recreation

Room for concerts and private entertainments ; and in the private gardens attached grounds will be laid out for Bowling , Croquet , Lawn Tennis , and other outdoor recreations of a similar character . A special feature iu connection Avith the " Mont Dore " will be the several kinds of

baths so necessary for invalids — the Turkish , Douche , Needle , Plunge , and Pine Baths—the efficacy of Avhich , iu cases of rheumatism , or Avhere the lungs or respiratory organs are affected , is so generally admitted by the medical profession . As regards this feature , the Directors of the

proposed Establishment have , with a wisdom Avhich does them infinite credit , adopted the recommendations contained in Dr . Dobell ' s Pamphlet on the " Mont Dore Cure " system , so that they will be in a position to carry it out in

the completest possible manner . This , then , in outline , is the Establishment which Avas started so successfully on Wednesday , the 25 th May , under the genial auspices of the King of Sweden .

A feAV words as to the ceremony of laying the stone must follow as a matter of course . Before adding these , however , Ave may state that the arrangements in connection with the clay ' s proceedings Avere of the most satisfactory character . This is the more worthy of' special note from

the fact that on the Wednesday preceding not one single step in the Avay of preparation for the ceremony had , or , for sufficient reasons , could have been taken . It Avas on the spur of the moment , and as it Avere by inspiration , that the Directors of the proposed Mont Dore bethought

themselves of enlisting the sympathy and support of their royal visitors in the good work they had resolved upon . The application to His Majesty was no sooner made than it was entertained . Both the King and his Consort had personally derived the greatest possible benefit from their

sojourn at this Hampshire Avatering-place , whither , indeed , they had tended their steps in the days of their suffering , and Avith such satisfactory results . In spite , however , of the short time at their disposal , the Committee charged Avith the arrangements worked so manfully and loyally , that when

the eventful day arrived everything Avas in complete readiness . Bournemouth , too , had made up its mind that the illustrious guests Avbo had honoured tbem Avith so lengthened a residence should receive a hearty welcome from all classes . In accordance Avith this determination ,

everything was done that could possibly give eclat to the occasion . The town Avas gaily decorated with all kinds of flags and banners , and floral designs . Committees were formed in order to give proper effect to the wishes of the

authorities and their fellow-townspeople , aud thanks to the energy shown , the fete , as we have said , proved an unexampled success . On the day itself , the ToAvn Commissioners , the Yeomanry , and the Rifle Volunteers , turned out for the purpose of doing honour to their Majesties . Tbe