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set aside as will produce a yearly income of £ 3 , 750 to be paid to the clergy as compensation for their losses through the operation of the law abolishing fees for banns and marriages , £ 120 , 000 is to be used to raise the condition of the lower schools , £ 100 , 000 to be applied for

enlarging the idiot asylum of the Duchy of Sachsenbury , £ 45 , 000 for building a museum at Schwerin , and £ 40 , 000 for a medical school to be attached to the existing local university . In Strelitz a simpler proposal is made ; the shure of

the duchy is to be divided somewhat as its regular income ; one-third passing under the personal control of the Grand Duke , one third to the general tax account , and one-third to special works of utility to be hereafter named in detail .

A vacancy in the Girls' Institution is announced . Miss Davis , the head mistress , has resigned her appointment , and the post will be filled from the month of June instant .

The Festival of the Italian Benevolent Society was held on Thursday night , at the Albion , Aldersgate Street . Chevalier Cadorna , the Italian Minister , presided , and Lord Campbell , Lord Houghton , and Baron Heath , were amongst those present . Contributions were made to the amount of £ 750 .

Bro . Creswick has achieved a great success , at the Holborn Theatre , as Melantius , in Beaumont and Fletcher ' s play of the Bridal . He is well supported by Messrs Pennington , Edgar , Bro . Hall ; Misses Leighton , Harding , & c . Bro . Talbot Smith is the acting manager of the company .

Bro . Staveley Hill , Q . C . and M . P . for West Staffordshire has been appointed Counsel to the Admiralty and Judge Advocate of the Fleet , in Succession to Mr . Huddleston , recently M . P . for Norwich , who has been raised to the vacant judgeship in the Court of Common Pleas .

The Pall Mall Gazette publishes a list of the Railway casaulties for the month of Februaiy , from which we glean that , within the 28 days of February there have been eighteen " accidents , " of which no fewer than fifteen were collisions . The results are that one man has been

killed , seven persons have been dangerously injured , forty-six more or less badly hurt , about 100 sadly knocked about , cut , bruised , and shaken , and a goodly bill for compensation has scored up against the companies involved , not to speak of the pecuniary losses in destruction of rolling stock . The

Lancashire and Yorkshire contributes three , the Midland four , the London and North Western three , the Great Western two . In six cases the collisions were provided for by shunting when passenger trains were due , and this was done in at least one instance in spite of the " block " system . In

other cases trains were crossing level junctions , and ran broadside into each other . Two collisions were caused b y fast trains chasing and running into slow trains , and in five instances passenger trains met with accidents because

the officials forgot that they had left carriages or trucks standing on the main line . Thus it will be seen that , though only one man has been killed , the disasters have been of a worse type , indicating an increased and persistent recklessness and negligence .

The Annual Festival of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls will take place at the Freemasons' Tavern , on Wednesday , the 12 th May prox ., on which occasion W . Bro . the Rig ht Honourable David Henry Stone , P . M ., P . I ., and Past Grand Steward , will preside . It is needless , of

course , to enlarge on the merits of an Institution which necessarily commends itself to every member of the Craft . Suffice it , for the present , to remark that during the past year the School Hoxise has been very considerably enlarged , and , as a consequence , the

number of girls on the establishment increased from one hundred and twelve to one hundred and forty-eight . This increase is highly satisfactory , and speaks well for the

efforts , both of the Committee and of the Craft generally , to extend the institution so as to meet the ever increasing demand upon its resources . At the same time , we are assured that , great as have been the efforts towards improving the usefulness of these Charities , immediately supported by

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the whole Craft , it is still possible , with the daily increasing influence of Masonry , to more nearly meet these demands . Every year witnesses a heavier pressure on the resources

of this aud the two other Masonic Charities . Can every member of the Craft , having a due regard to his means , conscientiously claim a share in this good work so well carried out ?

Lieutenant Cameron , R . N . will read a paper at the Royal Geographical Society , entitled " Examination of the Southern Half of Lake Tanganyika , " at next Monday ' s meeting of the Royal Geographical Society .

Our respected brother , His Royal Highness Prince Leopold has , given a donation of £ 50 to the funds of the Hospital for Sick Children , Great Ormond Street , through the medium of Sir William Jenner , Bart ., M . D .

Our article on " Masonic Minstrelsy" appears to have attracted the attention of one among our readers , who has accordingly obliged us with a copy of a " Masonic Poem , " which , we are given to understand has met with a very

favourable reception among the Craft , and which , therefore ^ will prove no doubt of interest to the body of our friends . We believe we are correct in stating that the poem is

not exactly a fresh inspiration of our contributor . At the same time , it appears to us not altogether unworthy a place in our columns .

We meet upon the level , and we part upon the square ; What words of precious meaning those words Masonio aro ! Come , let ns contemplate them , they are worthy of a thought ; In the very soxd of Masonry those precious words are wrought .

We meet upon the level , though from every station come , The rich man from his mansion , and the poor man from his home i For the one must leave his heritage outside the Mason ' s door , While the other finds his best respect upon the chequered floor .

We part upon the square , for the world must have its due , We mingle with the multitude , a faithful band and true ; But the influence of our gatherings in memory is green , And we long , upon the level , to renew the happy scene .

There ' s a world whore all are equal—we are journeying toward ifcfast ; We shall meet upon the level there , when the gates of death are passed We shall stand before the Orient , and our MASTEK will be there , To try the blocks we offer with His own unerring square .

We shall meet upon the level there , but never thence depart ; There's a mansion— 'tis all ready for each faithful , trusting heart ; There ' s a mansion and a welcome , and a multitude is there , Who havo met upon the level , and been tried upon tho square .

Let us meet upon the level then , while labouring patient hero ; Let us meet and let us labour , though the labour be severe ; Already in the western sky the signs bid us prepare To gather up our working tools and part upon the square .

Hands ' round , ye faithful Masons , in the bright fraternal chain , We part upon the square bolow—to meet in Heaven again . Oh ! what words of precious meaning those words Masonio are , Wo meet upon the level , and we part upon the square ! Ron MORRIS .

The Bessemer Saloon Steamer.

THE BESSEMER SALOON STEAMER .

The new Channel steamer Bessemer , which left Hull on Wednesday arrived at Gravcsend last evening at six o ' clock , after having experienced half a gale of wind and heavy beam sea during Wodnesday night . Lord Henry Lennox , M . P ., her Majesty ' s Fnrst Commissioner of Works , who was tho only invited passenger , writes that although some of the minor works were yet incomplete tho

vessel proved herself most remarkable for tho almost total absence of pitching , and of heavy aud violent rolling . Although the supply of coal was limited , it was found that for several hours a speed of between 14 and 16 knots an honr was kept up . Tho suspended saloon was completely under the command of the manipnlator , but some minor defects in the apparatus and the inexperience

of the manipulator tended to prevent its complete success . The success of the trial was greater than could fairly have been expected on a first trial , and Lord H . Lennox was quite convinced that in this ship a great advance has been made towards remedying the discomforts of the present Channel passage . Tho Bessemer will today be taken into dock at Midwall for completion , and before Eastei she will coHiinence running between Dover and Calais ,