Our Weekly Budget

Giffard presenting himself to take the oath and subscribe the roll , the hon . and learned gentleman was received with load cheers ; but when , after in vain turning a mass of papers out of his pockets , it was found that his return for the borough was unprodueible—for tho moment , at

leasttlie House resolved itself , nofc as it frequently does , into Committee of Supply , but into the heartiest laughter . At length Sir W . Dyke found the missing document on the seat under the crallery , which the hon . member had

just vacated , and then tho oath was taken , and the roll subscribed , amid reiterated laughter and applause , the Solicitor-General himself being altogether unmoved during the brief delay .

On Wednesday the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and the Countess of Derby entertained at dinner , at the Foreign Office , the Turkish , German , French , and Italian Ambassadors , and other guests , covers being laid for forty-two . Amongst those present were three members

of the Imperial Chinese Embassy , now visiting London . The Countess of Derby had a reception afterwards , which was numerously attended . The same evening , the Chancellor of the Exchequer entertained at dinner several members of the House of Commons , and the Speaker gave his third Parliamentary banquet this session .

Two important resolutions were passed at the meeting of the Council of the Royal Agricultural Society on Wednesday , at thsir offices in Hanover-square . Lord Skelmersdale presided . Professor Brown of the Veterinary Department of the Paris Council having given all the needful

statistical information relating to the recent outbreak of Cattle Plague in London and at Hull , the Council unanimously accepted resolutions , the first of which declared that nothing short of the total prohibition of live stock from

European ports , will meet the present exigencies of the case ; while the second affirmed , that uniform and compulsory measures should be enforced throughout the kingdom for the suppression of contagious diseases in cattle .

The Lord Mayor has announced his intention of opening a fund for the relief of the sufferers by the recent calamitous loss in the North Sea of thirty-six vessels and smacks belonging to Yarmouth , Lowestoft , Grimsby , Hull , and Ramsgate . By these losses no less than 216 men and boys

have been drowned , the consequence being that 88 widows , 164 children , and 15 aged relations , are left entirely destitute of means . We trust the appeal of his Lordship will meet with a hearty response . The latest political news from the continent is not of the

most assuring character . Itis said that in certain eventualities Russia will declare herself no longer bound by the Treaty of Paris . Elsewhere , it is rumoured thafc Russia will not retire from the advanced position she took up last December , unless she receives some compensation for the

expenses incurred in mobilising a portion of her army . But Russia has no right to expect any compensation , for it was not more incumbent on her to arm than on any other of the Great Powers . We are naturally reminded of certain events which occurred in the reign of our Saxon

King Ethelred the Unready , when the Danes threatened to ravage different parts of England , and were induced to abstain by the payment of large sums of money . When these were spent , they returned and renewed their threats , and were again bought off by the weak , irresolute monarch .

In the end a massacre of the Danes took place in England , and Sweyn of Denmark landed at the head of an overwhelming force , aud he , and subsequently his son Knut , drove out the Saxon Royal Family and reigned in its stead . The Russians of to-day are not a whit more civilised than our Saxon and Danish ancestors of between eierht and nine

centuries ago . , It will require yet a few centuries of polish to eradicate from their character the ' greed and cunning of their Tartar ancestors . The rumours we have referred to may turn out to be false , and we trust , for the honour of Christendom , this may be the case . Meanwhile , peace has

been concluded between Turkey and Servia , and the negotiations of the former power with Montenegro are said to be making considerable progress , though in some quarters this latter statement is denied , it being reported th ; . ; Russia is using her best efforts to prevent the conclusion of

peace . On Wednesday evening a grand subscription hall took place in the Royal Opera House , Berlin . Among those

present were the Emperor and Empress , the Crown Prmce and Princess , and their eldest son , Prince William , the Duchess William of Mecklenburgh , all the ambassadors , and the diplomatic corps . The Court , with the exception

Our Weekly Budget

of the Empress , walked twice through a polonaise . The Emperor was in wonderful health and spirits , considering his advanced age . The scene was a very magnificent one , though the number of guests was not so great as in former years .

Mr . Hayes was inaugurated President of the United States on Monday , in succession to General Grant , who had filled the office for two consecutive terms . President Hayes ' s speech was briefer than is usually the case on these occasions . Mr . Wheeler was also sworn in as

Vice-President , and took the chair as Speaker of the Senate . Tho ceremonial observed was of the usual character . Mr . Hayes has since formed his Cabinet , the Hon . W . Evarts , of Revr York , being Secretary of State ; the Hon . J . Sherman , of Ohio , Secretary of the Treasury ; the Hon .

G . W . M'Crary , Iowa , Secretary of War ; the Hon . R . M . Thompson , Indiana , Secretary of the Navy ; the Hon . Charles Devens , Massachusetts , Attorney-General ; the Hon . David M . Key , Tennessee , Postmaster-General ; and the Hon . Carl Schurz , Missouri , Secretary of the Interior .

The Preliminary Meeting of the Board of Stewards for the Anniversary Festival of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , to be held on the 9 th of May , the Rt . W . Lord Suffield P . G . M . for Norfolk in the chair , was held on Thursday , the 8 th inst ., at the Freemason ' s Hall , Great

Queen-street . Bro . Dr . Woodman P . G . S . B . in the chair . Bro . Philbrick Q . C ., P . G . S ., was voted as Chairman , Dr . Woodman P . G . S . B . Treasurer , and Bro . Robert Wentworth Little Hon . Sec . Thirty Lady Stewards were appointed . The number of Complimentary Tickets was agreed upon .

The tickets for brethren are to be 21 s , and for ladies 10 s 6 d . A Sub-Committee was appointed to inquire as to where the Festival should be held , to report thereon at the next meeting , consisting of 12 Stewards . The following brethren were appointed on the Musical Committee : —Bros . J . Boyd ,

S . Rosenthall , G . Bubb , E . Jones , C . F . Hogard , H . M . Levy . The Secretary announced thafc up to the present time there were 154 Stewards , the next meeting of whom will take place on Friday the 23 rd , at half-past 4 . A cordial and unanimous vote of thanks was accorded to the Chairman for his able presidency .

We understand thafc a movement has been originated by the York Mark Lodge ( time immemorial ) for the formation of a Provincial Grand Mark Lodge for North and East Yorkshire . There are now four Mark Lodges in that Province , and we hear that two or three more are likely to be formed shortly .

In our analysis of the subscrip tion list at the Festival of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution we stated that Devon was represented by five Stewards . As a matter of fact , there were only four . It is , moreover , only due to a very worthy brother , who worked most diligently in order to increase the funds of the Institution , to state

thafc Bro . Curteis' amount of £ 365 was the highest sum raised by an individual Steward . Bro . Curteis , with Bro . Godtsehalk , both of Lodge No . 580 , represented the whole of Devon , and very hard indeed they must have worked to

have raised £ 565 out of the £ 590 standing to the credit of the Province . This , of course , we had no means of knowing till the information was kindly conveyed to us , and that was after our analysis had appeared .

We have received the first number of Vol . 50 of the Masonic Review ( Cincinnati , Ohio ) , this being the first issue since the new arrangements were made , and Bro . Melish assumed r , he editorship . It is worthy in every respect , as regards matter ancl style of printing , of the preceding volumes , and

hilly bears out our expectations , that the superstructure raised on the very admirable basis laid down by Bro . Corn . Moore , would likewise be admirable . Among the contents are a sketch of Freemasonry in the year 1876 , and a history , to be completed next month , of Nova Caosarea Harmony Lod

Lodge , being No . 2 on the roll of the Ohio Grand ge . It affords us likewise great pleasure to state that a testimonial is about to bo raised to Bro . Moore , who has laid tside tho active duties and responsibilities of the editorship , —duties and responsibilities which he had borne for the long period of thirty years , only to find himself in