Old Undated Masonic Manuscripts.

assert that not ono of those worthies was ever connected with Masons or Masonry . I must add that while I cannot accept Bro . Gould ' s reason for extending the age of speculative Masonry , I

nevertheless thank him sincerely for the vast amount ot facts he has collected for our information . How much time all that took him I know not , but , this much I venture to quess ; First , that tho number of foot-notes in the book aro

about four hundred ; and second , that he must have eonsuited hundreds of volumes for collecting his materials . It seems that , for certain reasons , a large number of his collected matter remains unpublished , and a proposition waa

made by Bro . Hughan to have an enlarged edition issued by Bro . Gould . To this I pay , —/ second the motion ; and should that motion bo duly carried , I only hope thafc if Bro . Gould adheres to liis opinion about the acco of

Speculative Masonry that he will , in tho next edition , give a better reason for it than lie did in his first edition , and that its editor will supply a complete index , and table of contents too , which tlie editor of the Jird edition failed lo do . BOSTON , U . S ., 13 th August 1889 .

Crystal Palace District Gas Company.

CRYSTAL PALACE DISTRICT GAS COMPANY .

rpiIE half-yearly Itoport and Balance Sheet of this Company is J- again of a favourable nature , and the steady working of tho concern must be a subject for congratulation to all who aro in . terested in its welfare . Tho Directors report that the general working of the Company dnring tho half-year has been satisfactory . There has been an increase in tho quantity of gas sold , over the

corresponding half-year of 1888 , ofTG 2 percent . The reductions made in the prico of gas from Michaelmas 1888 , and from Lady-day 1889 , have resulted , in a bonelit to tho consumers , during this halfyear , of over JG 20 OO , while a still further reduction , to 2 s ( 3 d per 1000 cubic feet , from and after tho date of tho present Michaelmas

Quarters Accounts , is arranged lor . 'lar having improved in value , tho Directors havo discontinued tho use of it for fuel , and as a result there is a goodly sum set down in tho account of revenue as being realised from tho Etile of this article . Our readers will bo pleased to learn that our esteemed Brother Magnus Olircu P . G . A . D . C , the

Secretary of the Company , continues to enjoy the confidence of tho Board , aud that among the recommendations made by tho Directors is ono affecting hia salary , which they propose to increase to the extent of £ 50 per annum . Tin ' s must bo most giatil ' ying to Bro . Ohren , and to these who have tho pleasure of his acquaintance .

Wo hope he may long bo spared to uoi . limio his work , and that he may at all times meet the ei couragument ho now receives . Tho following Dividends aro recommended for tho half-year endin " 30 th June last , mid I hey will < .. u doubt bo authori .-ed at tho General Meeting , to bo held at the Albion Tavern , Aldersgate . Street , ou the

] 3 ih iusl .:--- (> per cent , on the Preference Stock , 7 per cent , on tho Ordinary 7 per Cent . . Stock , . 10 per ( Jenl . on tho Ordinary 10 pel Cent . Stock , anil 7 per cent , en the Ne . v Ordinary 7 per Cent . Share . , 0

amounting to £ 13 , 02 "> I ' -1 '' ' ' ' . I ( ' * Income Tax of £ 3 ( . 13 a Od , and that tho Warranto for th- N ' t , Ann unt , . ( J 13 , 285 lt > 'Id , bo forwarded by post , on or before the i ! 0 h September inst ., to tho Beifialered Proprietors on 30 th June last .

Obituary.

Obituary .

— : o : — BRO . J . J . BRINTON . MANY of our readers in Southwark and Cam her well will read with regret the announcement of tbe death of Bro . J . J . Brinton , which occurred ou Sunday , the 25 th ult ., sit his residence , 44 Lower Park-road , Peckham . Bro . Brinton who was in his . seventy-first year , was known to a lar ^ e

circle in both localities ; , and he has been identified with South London life for sibont hsdf si century . He was originall y a Scrip t ure-mider , but subsequently ho became attached to si South London journal , now defunct , actiiiir in tho capacity of reporter . Many years stgo he forsook

the Fourth Estate for the less exciting field of parochial service , securing the appointment of vaccination ollieer to tho St . Saviour ' s Union . After prolonged service in that capacity , he retired , upon a . superannuation , about twelve months since . Our deceased brother WMS an active Ma :-: on

Ho was initisited in tho Sphinx Lodge , No . I-, J : iO ,-ati < l sifter serving as Sfewsird for several yesirs was insialied W . M . in 1885 . Bro . Brinton also took great interest in the Rose Lodge of Instruction , No . Hiiii' , of which ho was si member . Tho funeral look place last . Saturday , at .

'Nunhead , several members of the Sphinx Lodgo being pre .-ent to psty the bust tribuio to our deceased brother . 'J'Jicu--ii his health failed ssidly , bis spirits never forsook liim and his smiling face will be im . ^ ed by not a few . __ w ___ a ___ MBtac ___ ica ^ ttfa ^ r .-r / . ? 5 r ** H '_ . ^^«^ - ?^ . ^ c _ . - .: „___ _~ . ss ^ s ^ sr ^^^ i-rzi ^^ c ^ . -. % .-. r- _ j ^ r-.- __ . -, , .......

United Grand Lodge.

UNITED GRAND LODGE .

f 81 HE Quarterly Communication of United Grand Lodgo JL was held on Wednesday evening , at Freemasons ' Hall . Bro . Msijor Goldie-Taubraan , Provincial Grand Master of the Isle of Man , presided . Bro . Col . Marmatlako llamssiy District Grand Master of Malta acted as Deputy

Grand Master ; Bro . Hugh Saudoman Past District Grand Master of Bengal as Past Grand Master ; Bro . Sir John B . Monckton sis Senior Grand Warden , Bro . Sir Gabriel Goldney as Junior Grand Warden ; aud among

the other brethren present wero Bros . Sir Henry Moreland Grand Master of All Scottish Freemasonry in India , John Cave Orr President of the Board of General Purposes for the Province of Bengal , and John Fenwick

District Grand Secretary Queensland . After the formal opening of Grand Lodge , and tho reading and confirmation of tho minutes of the Quarterly Communication of 5 th Juno , Major Goldic-Taubman rose , and said tho next

notice on the agenda paper was one of a motion in tho name of tho Right Hon . tho Earl of Carnarvon , and ho ( Msijor Goldio-Taubman ) was authorised by tho noble Earl that night , aud on his behalf , and in his

name , to say how very much Lord Carnarvon regretted not being able to bo present to make tho motion in person . To him ( Major Goldie-Taubraan ) it was a very great source of regret that Lord Carnarvon

was not present , as the noble Earl would have done much more justice to the proposition than ho ( Major Goldic-Taubman ) could ; but he trusted , and ho also know , the proposition commanded such sympathy among all Masons

that it was unnecessary for him to say more than a few words upon it . They recollected that not only tho people of England , bnt all Masoiu especially , took particular interest in anything in which the Royal House of their

Grand Master was concerned . They looked forward to the happiness , not only of himself and the Princess , but of sill his family , and this marriage , ho thought he might

say , on behalf of Masonry , would be not only a good msirrisige , but a happy one in the future . Ho begged to propose the motion , which wo printed last week , in tlie name of the Ritrht Hon . tho Earl of Carnarvon .

Colonel Marmaduko Ramsay said ho had much pleasure iu seconding the proposition which the Acting Grand Master had just brought before Graud Lodge . It must be

au additional source of gratification to them , as Masons , thsit . fho bridegroom , the Duke of Fife , was si member of their Order , siud not only that , but thstt be had attained the hiyh rank of a Provincial Grand Master iu the Order .

With these few words , ho bad very great , p ' o .-isure iri seconding the proposition of tho Acting Grand Master . The motion wad carried unanimously . The recommendations of grants by the Board of Benevolence were , ou tho

motion of Bro . Robert Grey , President , seconded by Bro . J times Brett , Senior Vice-President of tho Board , confirmed . The Report of the Board of Creucral Purposes , aa given by us last week , Avas then taken . Bro . J . S .

Cumberland , though not making a motion on tho subject , referred to that part of tho report relating to Charity jewels , and objected to the price , even the reduced prico ; ho hsid had such articles examined and taken to pieces by

manufacturing jewellers , on whose authorit y he had it that they could be made for 130 s . Ho thought it better that the lUs should be put into tho funds of tho Provincial Graud Lodges and devoted to sotuo other purpose . He

brought tbe subject lorwsird beesiuse , naving hsid his jewel examined , be was assured that tho artide * could be made , vviib tho gold as good , suid tho rings thicker , for 30 s . Bro . Thomas Fenn said as Bro . Cumberland did not

msike any motion a Heeling the report of the Board , ho did not know whether if was competent for him ( Bro . Fenn ) to speak upon the subject ; but ho thought it vvas . However , be thought it right to explain that the Board took this

matter seriously into consideration , aud they thought it was not ri ght that the jewel should be si flimsy one , but that it should bo something substantial , and the gold , instead of being si , small ring , should bo such that tho cost

was }' : > . $ ; tne hall marking wsis ' ! .-. ;; the' en << r ; i ving e . as considered ( - Jx , worth L ' s tid , and there were several other items . The metal itself , the silver , si ion Id bo

iiiver gdi . at si cost ot . JOs ( k \ . rutting the ribbon on , aud mil ing the jewel together , left very small profit indeed for Mr . Sp illing . They thought it was better to continue tho Hallmarking , aud that it would be better to have an