Analysis Of The Subscription List.

Chairman of the Festival . The general result as regards all three Charities represents a total of over £ 1 , 713 . West Yorkshire has sixty-six Lodges , and in this respect is third among our Provinces , but as regards the total of its contributions it takes precedence of all of them . In fact , in the

past seven years it has given more than the two bancashires put together , and upwards of £ 500 more than Kent and Middlesex combined . Former Tables of ours have already shown that during this period it has given to the Benevolent £ 6 , 426 15 s and to the Girls' School £ 4 , 74813 s .

To these amounts must now be added in respect of the Boys' School £ 3 , 461 9 s , making together £ 14 , 636 17 s . It was set down last week as having given the Boys this time £ 155 5 s , but a sum of £ 10 10 s was added almost at the last moment , thus raising the sum to £ 165 15 s . In

May it subscribed a round £ 500 to the Girls , and in February , when Sir H . Edwards , Bart ., P . G . M ., took the chair at the Festival of tre Benevolent Institution , its total was £ 3 , 560 , making an aggregate of £ 4 , 225 raised during the present year . The picture , indeed , is still in a

measure incomplete . The Bentley Shaw Memorial of one thousand guineas to the Girls' School , when added to the aforesaid £ 14 , 636 17 s , gives £ 15 , 68617 s . A grand picture indeed , with , let us hope , many another to follow in its wake .

From Jersey and the other Channel Islands we can hardly expect to receive much support for our Charities , yet the former gives £ 105 , per Bro . Abner Torkington , and Doyle ' s Lodge of Fellowship , No . 84 , of Guernsey , contributes £ 85 Is . Jersey gave exactly the same amount

to the Girls' School in 1876 , and it favoured the Benevolent with £ 57 15 s last year , and £ 241 in February , making for all three over 509 . Such subscriptions as these are all

the more welcome being , as we have suggested , unlooked for from districts so remote . The Allied Masonic Degrees , be they London or Provincial , give £ 78 15 s , per Bro . Matier .

The Province of Durham alone remains to be considered . It has twenty-six Lodges , and for reasons which we cannot venture to explain , the Boys' School would seem to have established itself as first favourite with the brethren of this northern county . At all events while the

Benevolent can point to support received at only one of the seven Festivals since 1875 , namely that of the current year , when it was benefited by £ 174 , and while the Girls ' School , though it has been assisted more frequently , was overlooked in 1875 , 1876 , and 1878 , every one of the Boys '

Festivals has included some Durham representative in its Stewards' list . The Girls' School received £ 286 2 s 6 d in 1877 , £ 227 17 s in 1879 , and £ 178 10 s in 1880 , and in May £ 121 15 s 6 d , or together £ 814 5 s ; but the Boys' contributions to last year inclusive were as follow , viz .: £ 372 19 s 6 d

in 1875 , £ 275 2 s in 1876 , £ 158 lis in 1877 , £ 155 8 s in 1878 , £ 130 4 s in 1879 , and in 1880 £ 136 10 s : total £ 1 , 228 14 s 6 d . Last week we stated £ 602 2 s as the amount of its contributions for its four and twenty Stewards , but this does not do justice to worthy Durham and its Grand

Master . This £ 602 2 s does not include a further £ 52 10 s which the Marquis of Londonderry almost at the last moment announced it to be his intention of giving , nor the

£ 52 10 s subscribed by the noble Marchioness . There is also an item of twenty guineas which Bro . Binckes had received , but which is not in the list we published . Thus , no less than £ 126 must be added to the £ 602 2 s as

announced in our columns last week in order to give the Province the full benefit of its praiseworthy efforts in support of its Prov . G . Master .. Consequently Durham must be credited with £ 728 2 s , which added to its previous six years ' contributions gives the excellent total of £ 1956 16 s 6 d .

, The ^ total subscriptions to all three is £ 2 , 945 and a fraction , of which that for the current year only is but sli ghtly under £ 1 , 024 . Well done , Durham ! We have now completed our task , and if it should be

our good fortune to record a second series of contributions during another period of seven years , we trust our remarks "Will be , on the whole , even more complimentary to the majorit y of the Lodges and Provinces .

p . HotLc-WAY ' s PIILS —The Greatest Boon of Modern Times . —These searching alw £ * direct , V on tne liver , correct the bile , purify the system , renovate the soitisated , strengthen the stomach , increase the appetite , invigorate the Tho S ' i * ™ state tne weak to an ardour of feeling never before experienced . ne sale of these Pills throughout the glohe astonishes everybody , convmchv wie most sceptical that there is no Medicine equal to Holloway ' s Pills for rein / wn S "" rop'iints which are incidental to I he human race . They are uueetl a blessine to the afflirted ntlfl n . hnnn l . n ( Jinan wlin snflW From anv iHu . al or of

use 7 ^ external . Thousands persons have testified that by theii availin have bcen restorecl t 0 health after otner remedies had proved nn

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

Ul Letters must bear the name anl address of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , hut as a guarantee of good faith .

THE PRECEDENCE QUESTION , & c . To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . 11 Bridge-street , Westminster , S . W . 4 th July 1881 .

DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —A severely sprained ankle having laid me np , I can " read , mark , learn , and inwardly digest" all papers and periodicals whioh come under my ken with more than ordinary care ; and in yonr last issne there are one or two points I should like to make a few remarks upon . First , with regard to the friendly discussion between Bro . Mclntyre , Grand Kogistrar , and Bro . Newmarch .

I am inclined to agree with the latter . Taking tho Book of Constitutions as " Tho Authority "—Bro . "Mclntyro's usual acumen is , methinks , wondrously at fault whon ho says that , according to Bro . Newmaroh's reasoning , " A Provincial Grand Mastor would take precodenco of tho Most Worshipful Grand Master , his Pro , or Deputy . " On tho contrary , Bro . Nowmarch states most clearly that

"the equivalent rank of Grand Lodgo takes precedence of the equivalent rank in a Provincial Grand Lodge , but that an Officer of inferior rank in Grand Lodge does not take precodenco of au Officer of superior rank in a Provincial Grand Lodge , " which certainly appears , according to my reading , to be tho intention , and is the commonscnso view , of interpreting tho same . Wo pvofess equality

when in Lodge , but a desire to practise the contrary is very forcibly and often inconsistently displayed ; in case of social rank snch an net of courtesy can be gracefully yielded , but not demanded as a right . Another point upon which you have had numorous lettors is , that there should bo two elections for tho Royal Masonio Benevolent

Institution . Admitting it is hard that candidates should havo to wait a twelvemonth for a chance of success , there are several factors to bo taken into consideration . First , such a circumstance as that which occurred this year I do not believe has ever happened before . Secondly , it is very different with tho Boys and Girls ; their time goes steadily creeping on , and when they have reached the allotted

age , out they mnst go to make room for others ; that , however , is not the case with the Aged ; there are only two cases whereby they can create a vacancy—First , shonld they be known to be receiving an income beyond a specified sum ; secondly , the long journey whence no traveller returns . So that , in many instances , an extra election would find but few candidates to warrant the heavy addi .

tional expense , —which would be equivalent to some six annuities . If , in the opinion of the brethren , it is still desirable to lessen the interval , I ventnre to make a suggestion—or , rather offer ono to others better able to put it into the proper shape ; more accustomed to the work than myself . It is as follows : —That , from the day of May to the day of November , all vacancies should be filled in rotation , from the highest to the lowest polling of the Tin .

successful candidates , the change to take place after the next May election , or , more fairly , the May election of 1883 , as that would leave ample time for the complete change of tactics for voting that must necessarily ensue . By this means both the expense of an extra election and six months' waiting would be saved , while the petitions for the next May election could still be received as heretofore .

There is another hardship , greater than the above , and I , for one , am surprised that none of the many eminent brethren who constitute the Lodge of Benevolence have not seen proper to have the ill-advised law altered . What I allude to is this : — When the Board of Benevolence meets , certain applicants for assistance are presented to its notice for help , which , with very rare

exceptions is given more or less abundantly , according to circumstances . Where the unfortunate brother has rendered a good account of his Stewardship , the sympathies of the brethren go with him to an extent over £ 50 , but the time he has to wait for this kindly bonevolence reminds me of the monkey holding out his tail to almost within chain distance of the dog , or of the thirsty Tantalns and the water .

It may be the applicant's last chance of redeeming his independent position ; it may be matter of life or death . It does not signify , he must wait , —not till the next Quarterly Court is held , where the acta of the Board are almost invariably confirmed , but till the second Quarterly Court , or three months more , i . e ., until the minutes of the previous Quarterly Court are confirmed . If that is not red-tapeism or

circumlocution office-ism , where most uncalled for , I am at a loss rjo know what is . Can any one say there are many cases to equal it ? Surely , after the applicant has been vouched for , and presented by his Lodge , or other responsible brethren , accepted by the Board of Benevolence , and promised relief ; that promise , agreed to by Grand Lodge , shonld be quite sufficient authority . Look at his case ;

he can get £ 10 , the utmost the Board are empowered to grant him ; he may have to wait six months for the remainder ; nobody will lend him the money , or any part , for fear he might die ; and the result would be , he has to prolong his existence in anxious hope ; possibly he misses a favourable chance that may present itself , or he may even lose his reason or his life through being unable to obtain that which the brethren have so cheerfully granted him , because the unmean .

ing formalities of the How-not-to-do-it-office have not been complied with . At the next meeting of the Board I intend to move the abrogation of this rnle , shonld no better qualified brother relieve me of the onerous but needful duty . Dear Sir and Brother , I hope I have not intruded too much on your valuable space , and soliciting you to wield your powerful pen in the two last causes , believe me to remain , Yours fraternally , C . J . PERCEVAL .