Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

We do not hold ourselves responsible fop the opinions of our Correspondents . All Letters must bear the name and address of the writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications .

To the Editor of the FBEEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAE SIE AND BEOTHEB , —It is very gratifying indeed to see that your valuable paper is open to discussing what may be termed the progress of Freemasonry by the electric light , or the Ronjen rays of the age . Let us therefore refer to the question of West Lancashire and its boundaries , i . e ., firstly during the good old coaching days , and secondly by the iron road of

to-day . I venture to think there is not only great food for thought to the enthusiastic Brother , hut vast improvements possible . Lancashire , we are all proud to say , has the distinction and honour of being governed by two of the most distinguished English gentlemen and Brothers in the United Kingdom , but the multiplicity of Masonic and State affairs of the one , and

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military and Masonic affairs of the other , necessarily preclude the possibility of their minds being continually on Freemasonry , which is almost necessary in , such large Provinces . They are therefore , perhaps , open to suggestions from humbler rulers of the Craft , and it is on that head I have the pleasure of enclosing for your acceptance a sketch of Lancashire as it is , and as it should be .

Firstly , one of the greatest improvements would be , that all Lodges within a radius of ten miles of Manchester should be in East Lancashire , and a direct line drawn from Glazebrook in the south to the Ribble in the north , whilst all Lodges on the west of the line ( terminating with the Ribble ) be termed West Lancashire , and all north of the Ribble be termed North . Thus we should have three Provinces , North , East , and West , and our Provincial

Grand rulers or executive within reach , also the absurd hardship would be abolished for rulers in the Craft , say residing at Heaton Moor , Didsbury , & c , who have first to travel to Manchester , and from thence to Liverpool , whereas , if the above alterations were made , Manchester would be the extent , and business men not only save valuable time , but the Councils benefit more frequently by their attendance . Take again Monk-Coniston to Liverpool I

It goes without saying that Lancaster should be the Northern centre of labour . This in my opinion will be a great boon to the Lancastrian Brothers , and practically bring Monk-Coniston and Heaton Moor within such easy reach of headquarters as those Lodges enjoy which are within hailing distance of Liverpool .

Leaving this vital matter for the consideration of the powers that be , it is hoped a sweeping reform will be accomplished .

Yours truly , P . Z . [ Our correspondent sends the accompanying rough sketch of Lancashire , the better to illustrate bis proposed re-adjustment of the county . Towns included in the Western Masonic division are shown black , those in the eastern white , and a glance at the

sketch will demonstrate how closely the one division entrenches on the other , western division Lodges being found even east of the centre of Manchester . He proposes to measure a ten mile circuit round Manchester , and take that as the most westerly boundary of East Lancashire , then draw a line straight down from north to south so as to touch it . This imaginary line

would run between Leigh and Tyldesley , and would mark the future boundary of the two divisions . Its effect would be to considerably lessen the number of West Lancashire Lodges , and make a corresponding addition to those of East Lancashire , and in view of the fact that at the present time the roll is about the same in each , the scheme would seem to be based on an erroneous

principle at the outset . But beyond this our correspondent proposes to still further lessen the Lodges of West Lancashire By creating a new Province of North Lancashire , to which , apparently , East Lancashire is to contribute nothing , all of which seems to point to further trouble in the near future , for as East Lancashire would start with some 130 Lodges the natural

growth of the next few years would soon make that district too large for satisfactory management . Should a scheme of readjustment be entertained we think it would be well to consider the possibility of limiting the Lodges of Manchester and ten or ¦ twelve miles round to one Province , and dividing the remainder

of Lancashire into two other divisions , either as North and West , or under some other denomination . Undoubtedly the question is a fair one for discussion , and we think our readers will agree that we are indebted to " P . Z . " for his sketch of the county , and the way in which he has put the matter forward for consideration . —ED . F . C . ]

EXTENSION OF THE BOYS SCHOOL

To the Editor of the FBEEMASON ' CHEONICLE . DBAB SIE AND BEOTHEB , —I was very interested in what I saw and heard last week in connection with the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys—on Tuesday at Wood Green , and on Wednesday at Brighton—and I feel there must be a considerable number of Brethren throughout the country highly gratified at hearing such a glowing account as was then given of the present position and future prospects of our noble Institution I am ono of those who have advocated the removal of the Sohooi

Correspondence.

from Wood Green ever since the question was mooted some few years back , because having known Wood Green for upwards of thirty years I knew how very much it had deteriorated in recent years , but I saw sufficient on Tuesday—after an absence of two years—to induce me to pause , and carefully re-consider the case before saying anything further in support of the proposed removal . Wood Green is certainly very

different to what it was when the Boys School was built there , but it seems also very different to what it was when the removal was first decided upon , in other words , the worst seems to have passed , and at the present day the neighbourhood shows signs of great improvement ; and although the School is hemmed in by houses there is really nothing apparent in the surroundings to justify a heavy expenditure , unless some good case can be made out , and an ultimate saving demonstrated .

I was somewhat surprised to hear from the speakers at Brighton that the Institution already maintains twenty boys out of the School . Is there any reason why this outside education could not be widely extended ? What does it cost ? What are the objections to it , in preference to the spending of immense sums of money in bricks and mortar , —especially as the

Institution is now at a deadlock by reason of its School being full ? Surely a building capable of accommodating 250 boys is large enough to boast of , and I am of opinion the system of outside education might be adopted for such increases as are possible at present , or until such time as the Institution receives a really liberal offer for its present property , which is more than likely to come , say within the next ten

years . I understand that fourteen vacancies will be declared for the next election , why not try the experiment of creating twenty additional scholarships , the candidates being offered in turn the alternative of admission into the School at Wood Green , so far as the vacancies would go , or an annual grant for their education and maintenance at home , care being taken that the

expenses under the latter system should not exceed that of the boys " in " the School ? This plan would relieve the Committee of the difficulty they are under from their excessive prosperity , allow of the question of removal to be more fully considered , and , I believe , prove that in the majority of cases the friends or parents of boys would rather have half a loaf at home than enjoy the full benefits given at the School of the Institution .

No doubt this question will be largely discussed in the near future , and I can but hope my views will be considered with others that may be put forward . Yours , & c . LIPB-GOVBENOE .

D . C . VERSUS I . G . To the Editor of the FEBEMASON ' S CHEONIOLB . DEAE SIB AND BEOTHEB , —In reference to the above , I fall in with the ideas of P . M . I have frequently observed that not only the W . M . ' s light is extinguished , but also that of the I . P . M . It is therefore somewhat paradoxical that the W . M . should appoint a D . C at all , at all . Yours , & c , X .