The Cost Of The Masonic Institutions.

Masonic Institution for Boys last year exceeded £ 50 while those in the Eoyal Masonic Institution for Girls exceeded £ 42 per head . The question which has to be decided is not so much whether these amounts are excessive , taking into account the position , & c . of the two Institutions , as it is whether Provincial Masons could not do the same work cheaper at home , or , as we have already mentioned ,

in outside Institutions . On the solution ol tins problem will depend the amount of support that will he accorded by the Provinces to the Central Masonic Charities in years to come , and it will be well if those interested in them take the matter into serious

consideration . Going back to the arguments and statements of Bro . Bake at the Provincial Grand Lodge of Cornwall meeting , we at once come face to face with the main facts . We shall not attempt to verify Brother Bake ' s figures , no doubt he can justify them , but we do know that his opinion is shared by many others in the country , and there can be no gainsaying the fact that the number of votes required to secure the election of a candidate is far beyond what should be necessary considering the cost of votes . It may be very well for Bro . Bake to reckon on receiving four per cent , for the money if invested in the county , but can that rate be realised ? If' so , we imagine Cornwall presents a happy hunting ground for many

a capitalist at the present time . Ii all Bro . Bake s statements in regard to his district are made on the same basis as this , we think he could very soon be answered , notwithstanding that he is working on the same ground as many others at the present time , but who do not reckon for quite so favourable a return for their investments .

A question which was asked at the Cornwall meeting in connection with this subject must at once present itself to our readers . If the Provinces withdraw their support and their candidates what will become of the great Charities ? Will London be able to maintain them alone , or will they remain as white elephants on the hands of the Craft ? For answer we may say , that we do not anticipate such a rapid withdrawal of support as to cause any actual revolution of this character . The change , if it takes place , will

be gradual , ancl no doubt posterity will be able to adapt itself to the altered circumstances as they occur ; in any case we do not calculate on any serious trouble in this respect for many years to come . Still , it should be looked upon as a factor worthy of consideration before any additional buildings are erected on the present sites owned by the two Educational Institutions . As a counter proposition it would be

worth considering the propriety ot setting aside a part of the income of the Charities to pay the expense of educating or clothing children at or near their own homes . We know this proposition is in direct opposition to the views of many who now support the Charities , but what is to be done to render the great Charity Funds of the country more popular than they at present appear to be ?

United Grand Lodge.

UNITED GRAND LODGE .

THE September Quarterly Communication was held on Wednesday , in the Temple , Freemasons' Hall , London , Bro . Colonel Marmaduke Ramsay , Past District Grand Master of the Punjab , and District Grand Master of Malta , presiding . Brother Hugh D . Sandeman P . D . G . M . Bengal acted as Depufcy Grand Master , Bro . the Rev . 0 . J .

Martyn P . G . C . Depnty Prov . Grand Master for Suffolk as Past Grand Master , Bro . the Rev . R . J . Simpson P . G . C .

as Grand Senior Warden , and Bro . Colonel Sackville Wesfc P . G . J . W . as Grand Junior Warden . As usual at this time of the year there was not a large attendance . After Grand Lodge had been formally opened , Colonel

Shadwell H . Gierke , Grand Secretary , read the minutes of

United Grand Lodge.

, tho lasfc Quarterly Communication , which were unaui-•mously confirmed . Colonel Gierke said : Their illustrious brother his late Imperial Majesty the Emperor Frederick , III . of Germany having unfortunately departed this life since the last meeting of Grand Lodge , the M . W . Grand ,

Master thought it his duty , on behalf of tho Grand Lodge of England , to address a letter to Her Imperial Majesty tho Kmpre . ss Frederick , Princess Royal of England , expressing the sympathy and condolence of Grand Lodgo with her in hor a llliction , and ho had now tho honour to read this letter . It was as follows : —

To Her Imperial majesty tbe Empress Frederick , Princess Royal of Great Britain and Ireland . Madam , —Four months have scarcely elapsed since , in my capacity of Grand Master of Freemasons of England , I addressed a letter to yonr Imperial Majesty ' s late Consort , the Emperor Frederick the

Third , to offer to His Imperial Majesty the condolences of our Grand Lodge on the death of his angost and venerable father , the late Emperor William , together with oar congratulations and good wishes on ihe accession of His Imperial Majesty to the Throne . Since then yonr Imperial Majesty has , alas ! suffered an

irremediable sorrow in the untimely death of one on whom the expectationa alike of his own people and of the nations of Europe woro fondly set . Not less truly havo the English people , who have ever affectionately followed your Imperial Majesty ' s career from early childhood .

entered into yonr Imperial Majesty ' s last and greatest sorrow . His Imperial Majesty the Emperor Frederick had for many years occupied a prominent position in the Freemasonry of the German Empire under his augnst father ; and the Grand Lodge of England had ever looked np to His Imperial Majesty with , jnst prido . I desire ,

therefore , as the head of the English Craft , to express for them their deep and heartfelt sympathy with your Imperial Majesty , and fervently to pray that the Great Architect of the Universe , who , in His nnserntable wisdom , has inflicted this grievous blow , may grant to your Imperial Majesty strength to bear the trial with which you have bctii visited .

I remain , Madam , Your Imperial Majesty ' s affectionate ancl devoted Brother , ( Signed ) ALBERT EDWARD , Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of England . London , 1 st August 1888 .

To this letter the following gracious reply had been

received : — SIR , —I beg yonr Royal Highness to do me fche favour of conveying to the Freemasons of England my heartfelt and grateful thanks for their sympathy , expressed through yon , for my great and irreparable

loss . The Freemasons of England have had many opportunities of learning how great an interest His Majesty the late Emperor Frederick took in matters relating to the Craft of which he was a member , and knowing how his Majesty was bound by ties of fellow feeling and

common interest to all those who in all countries labour for the welfare of their fellow men , they will grieve that a life so full of noblo aims has been cut short by untimely death . Ifc has always been a joy and pride to me to know that my beloved

husband , the late Emperor Frederick was appreciated in my own country , and it has been a sad pleasure to me to perceive , from numberless addresses which I have received , that my countrymen mourn with me in my deep and unutterable sorrow .

Your Royal Highness ' s affectionate Sister , VICTORIA , Empress Frederick of Germany and Queen of Prussia . Friedrichskron , 11 th August 1888 .

The acting Grand Master said , these interesting letters having been , read , he had the honour to propose that they be entered on the minutes of this Grand Lodge . Brother Sandeman said the motion scarcely required seconding , but

for the sake of form he seconded it , under the conviction that it would be carried nem con . It was reported that a complete set of the clothing of a Paat Grand Master of the G . Lodge of England had been prepared , and transmitted

by the Most Worshipful Grand Master , in the name and on behalf of Grand Lodge , to his Majesty Oscar II ., King of Sweden and Norway , K . G ., Grand Master of Sweden , for the gracious acceptance of his Majesty , in

commemoration of his recent appointment as Past Grand Master of England . Colonel Gierke said it would be in the recollection of the brethren present that at the last meeting of Grand Lodge the brethren elected his Majesty the King of

Sweden , who was Grand Master of his own country , to the position of Past Grand Master of England . His Royal Highness the M . W . Grand Master of England said it was only following out the wishes and desires of Grand Lodge

that his Majesty King Oscar should , as speedily as possible , be presented with the insignia of the rank to which the brethren of England had elected him . His Royal Highness therefore directed to be prepared a set of clothing and

insignia of a Past Grand Master of England , which was