Devonshire.

our gallant troops in South Africa who may be smitten in health or wounded in battle . "Whilst our unbounded admiration is excited by the daily accounts we receive of the latest evidences of British

valour , our deepest sympathies are aroused on behalf of those who are laid low by the fortune of war , and you will probably feel with me that it is our duty to do all we can to alleviate their sufferings and to supply them with such skilled help and advice as will best promote their chances of recovery .

The National Red Cross Society has undertaken this important work , and deserves our generous support . I propose , therefore , to raise a Devonshire Masonic " Fund , which , when completed , shall be paid to the Lord Mayor of London , as a contribution from the Freemasons of Devonshire .

A large number of our Military Masonic Brethren are amongst those who will participate in the good offices of the Red Cross Society , and it is gratifying to know that such of the wounded of our enemy as may fall into the hands of British troops will receive the same humane care and treatment as will be experienced by our own countrymen .

"Any sum that may be raised for this fund should be paid on or before the 31 st day of December next to the Prov . G . Treasurer Bro . F . R . Hearn , Ford House , St . Thomas , Exeter ; or to the Prov . G . Secretary Bro . John Stocker , St . Thomas , Exeter . "

Royal Arch.

ROYAL ARCH .

CORNWALL . THE annual meeting of this Provincial Grand Chapter was held at the Royal Cornubian Chapter Rooms , Truro , on Wednesday of last week . The Grand Superintendent the Earl of Mount Edgcumbe presided , and was well supported . The Treasurer presented his accounts , which showed a balance of ^ 45 15 s gd in his hands .

The Prov . G . Scribe E . reported the total number of Companions , including five joining members and thirty-one exalted during the year , to be 366 , a slight increase on last

year . The following votes were made : —Association for Assistance of Wives of Soldiers and Sailors , £ 5 5 s ; Cornwall Masonic Annuity and Benevolent Fund , £ 10 10 s ; Boys School , /" io 10 s .

The Committee appointed last year to frame a revised set of bye-laws for the Province brought up their report , and the bye-laws as revised having been considered , ' were approved and adopted . The following Companions were appointed as Provincial Grand Officers for the ensuing year : —

Comp . Sir G . B . Graves Sawle - - - H . B . A . Courtney - - - - J . B . P . Edyvean .... Scribe E . E . W . Carus Wilson - - . Scribe N . P . T . Chirgwin ... . Treasurer H . P . Vivian ... . Eegistrar

W . E . Bawling .... Sojourner J . D . Pearn --- -- 1 st Assistant Sojourner J . H . Hoskin - 2 nd Assistant Sojourner Sholto H . Hare - Sword Bearer T . C . Polglazo .... Standard Bearer

G . B . Treveiton .... Director of Ceremonies Joseph Sara .... . Assistant Dir . of Cers . P . J . Mountford - Organist W . Vial ..... Assistant Scribe E . ' 3 . Hester - Janitor . The Companions afterwards dined together , and the usual Loyal and Arch toasts were honoured .

The regular meeting of the Alfred Newton Lodge , No . 2686 , will be held on Saturday next , nth inst ., at the Royal Palace Hotel , Kensington , W ., the business on the agenda including a raising , a passing , and the acceptance and admission of two gentlemen , candidates for Freemasonry .

As usual , there is a full agenda of business for the next meeting of the Upton Lodge , No . 1227 , to be held on Thursday , at the Great Eastern Hotel , Liverpool Street . One

gentleman is to be balloted for and , if approved , initiated , together with another candidate who has already been elected . There are also five candidates for passing , and two for raising .

Consecrations.

CONSECRATIONS .

YORICK LODGE . FOLLOWING the example of the Savage , the Eccentric , the Playgoers , and other Bohemian Clubs , the Yorick has now started a Masonic Lodge of its own , and the necessary Warrant , numbered 2771 , having been issued by the Grand Master , the ceremony of Consecration took place

on Tuesday , at the Freemasons' Hall by special dispensation , as the regular meetings of the Lodge will be held at the convenient and well appointed Queen's Hotel , Leicester Square , W . C .

Bro . Edward Letchworth , F . S . A ., the Grand Secretary , having consented to perform the ceremony , attended with a large number of Grand and Provincial Officers , present and past Masters , and with the assistance of Bros . John

Strachan , Q . C , Grand Registrar as S . W ., James Fernandez P . A . G . D . C . as J . W ., the Rev . Canon Brownrigg P . G . C . as Chaplain , Frank Richardson P . G . D . as D . C , and J . M . McLeod P . G . S . B as I . G ., opened the Lodge soon after three o'clock .

Bro . Letchworth , in giving the Consecrating Officer ' s address said "Brethren , in view of the very interesting , but at the same time somewhat lengthy ceremony before us I do not presume to occupy your time many moments with words of my own ; but I may say we are met here to-day under , I

may add , a special dispensation from the M . W . the Grand Master , to hold a Lodge here instead of at another place , for the purpose of Consecrating a new Lodge . It is a Lodge that will be known hereafter by the name of the Yorick , and its founders , I believe , consist of members of the literary and dramatic professions . I sincerely trust this Lodge will have

before it a very successful career , and I am sure I am expressing the feelings of all present when I give utterance to the hope that this Lodge may be the means of more closely associating those of the same calling in life , and that

it may advance the best interests of Freemasonry in this metropolis . The Lodge is about to be dedicated to the service of God , and I will therefore ask our Bro . Chaplain to offer prayer .

This having been done by Bro . Brownrigg , the interesting and beautiful ceremony proceeded upon the customary lines , Bro . Letchworth being heard at his very best . The

solemnity of the proceedings was considerably enhanced by the admirable musical arrangements , in which Bros . Thomas Powell , Charles Strong , Etherington Smith , and Horace Reynolds took part .

The Lodge was formally dedicated and constituted , and the ceremony concluded with the Patriarchal Benediction . Upon its termination a Board of Installed Masters was formed , when Bro . E . R . Bartley Denniss P . P . G . W . Middlesex , the W . M . designate , was presented to Brother

Letchworth , who formally installed him in the chair as first Master of the Lodge . Having been proclaimed and saluted in the three degrees Bro . Bartley Denniss invested the following Officers : Bros . H . T . Brickwell I . P . M ., W . S . Penley S . W ., Alexander W . Watson T . W ., Clarence Sonnes

Treasurer . F . Trehawke Davies Secretary , Walter Gay S . D ., H . Lawrence Swinburne J . D ., E . Lockwood I . G ., Frank T . Addyman D . C , Walter Passmore Organist , J . Bannister Howard , Louis Harfeld , G . W . Beaman , and J . T . Murray Stewards , and R . W . Goddard Tyler .

It is the first time that Bro . Trehawke Davies has taken office , but his arduous duties in connection with the foundation of the Lodge have been carried out with so much energy and perseverance that his fitness for the post is sufficiently proved . It was also a happy coincidence that his first investiture as an Officer should nave taken place on his birthday .

Upon the conclusion of the Addresses , which were impressively delivered by Bro . Letchworth , the W . M . proposed a cordial vote of thanks to the Consecrating Officers for their services that day , and that they should be elected Honorary Members of the Lodge . The proposition was seconded by Bro . Brickwell , and carried unanimously .

Bro . Letchworth , in acknowledging the compliment , said that as the mouthpiece of his colleagues he must express the very great pleasure it had given them to be present and to Consecrate the Lodge , which they hoped would have every -success and prosperity .

A similar honour was bestowed upon Bros . J . D . Langton , Guy Repton , Lionel Rignold , H . J . Barnes , and Harry Nicholls , for services rendered in connection with the foundation of the Lodge . Eleven gentlemen were proposed as candidates for