Military Lodges.

that work in tho FREEMASON ' S CnROxrcxE , only servo to whet my curiosity , and I am desirous of disentangling the history of the Lodge in H . M . 17 th Regiment , No . IS , " Unity . " The furniture and records of this Masonic body fell into tho hands of the American General Parsons , and in narrating tbo occurrence , American writers have scarcely been as clear and explicit as might be wished . The

Lodge is always spoken of as No . IS , "Unity , " which was its locttl designation at somo time , no doubt , but having been originally warranted as No . 168 " Unity , " by tho Grand Lodgo of Scotland in 1771 , I think this must havo been its proper description when captured In-General Parsons ? To farther confuse matters , " Ahimnn Rezon , " the Book of Constitutions of the Grand Lodge of England [ Ancients ] ,

in 1807 and 1813 , assigns No . 18 , in their general list of Lodges , to the 17 th Regiment ? No mention of this Regiment , however , as No . 18 is to be found in tho Grand Lodge Register , ancl as No . 18 , Pennsylvania , is credited to the 17 th Regiment in Downo ' s list of Lodges , 1804 , I infer thafc the entry has been inadvertently copied into the general list of the parent Grand Lodge ? Oddly enough , aud

it shows the carelessness with which these lists were compiled , the 17 th Regiment , as duly appears in the MS . Register of Graud Lodge , was warranted by the Ancients on its return from America , but as No . 237 ( not 18 ) , at Chatham , on 21 th January 17 S 7 . To conclude tho Masonic history of this corps , I m-iy add , that besides tho Lodges already enumerated , it was warranted by tho Grand Lodge of

Ireland in 1748 , 1802 , and 1824 , as Nos . 136 , 921 , and 258 respectively , and so early as in 1759 was granted a charter of erection as No . 97 by the Grand Lodge of Scotland , under the title of Lodgo " Hooker St . John . " Having had access to tho records of our own Graud Lodge [ England ] , I have searched the register for the names of Military brethren , members , at any time , of Lorlges in India , Gibraltar ,

Malta , and other places where troops are stationed . But as regards tho Lodges in Military stations working under Scotch and Irish warrants , I am , of course , wholly at sea , and though I have written , or shall write , to every Scotch or Irish Lodge iu a foreign garrison town , past experience in Masonic correspondence scarcely justifies the . expectation of receiving many replies to my letters . Indeed ,

some year or two since , I very respectfully craved a little information from three or four of our City Companies , but not a word of reply was vouchsafed , by any one of them ? If , then , this article , is perused by any Military brother in exile , who is a member of a Scotch or Irish Lodge , possibly he may be induced to co-operate in the completion of a record , wherein it is my

design to bring into prominence the very great , yet much undervalued services , rendered to Freemasonry by the officers and noncommissioned officers of tho British Army . Military Lodges properthat is to say , Lodges in Regiments—are fast becoming but a recollection of the past , and mainly sustained , as they wero , by tho exertions of regimental non-commissioned officers , the innovation of " short

service will doubtless seal their doom . The familiar term , however , ot " Sea and Field Lodges , " so constantly occurring in our old Calendars , will still linger in the memories of Masonic students , though I think even the Archaeologists of tho Craft are unaware of the very extensive footing which Masonry had once established in our regimental system . Rather more than a year ago Bro . S . B . Oldham , the obliging Deputy

Grand Secretary of Ireland , kindly furnished me with a list of the Military Warrants issued by his Grand Lodge . Tho number exceeds that of the English and Scotch Military Lodges put together , whilst , if wo agaiu sub-divide the Military Charters granted in Great Britain , those issued by the " Antients" outnumber the joint total of the •• Moderns " and the Grancl Lodge of Scotland .

Upwards of four hundred warrants havo been issued to " Regulars " and " Militia . " Many additional charters , moreover , were granted to be held in the various Brigades and Garrisons in India . Of " Sea Lodges" three only are traceable : — No . 254 , ou board tho Vanguard , 1760 ;

No . 279 , ou board the Prince , 1762 ; No . 224 , on board the Canceaux , afc Quebec , 1762;—though Laurie records that an unsuccessful application for a Naval Charter of Constitution was once made to the Grand Lodge of Scotland .

Of the above cited " Sea Lodges" the last-named is defunct . No . 254 is noiJ the London Lodge , 108 , its connection with the Royal Navy ceasing about 1777 . No . 279 is now the Royal Somerst House and Inverness Lodge , No . 4 . The last-named Lodgo has a singular history . Under the auspices of Bro . Dnnckerley ( a natural sou of George tho Second ) ,

" The Lodge on Board the Prince removed to London , becoming the " Somerset House Lodge . " Dunckerley , who was a member of both tho "Old Horn Lodge , " No . 2 , and tho "Somerset House , " brought about an amalgamation of the two , whereby the flourishing junior infused new life into the failing senior , ancl tho impending lapse of a " Time Immemorial" Lodge was happily averted . In

1828 , this old " Sea Lodgo " again resorted to amalgamation , and on this occasion " swallowed up" the " Royal Inverness Lodge , No . G 4 S . Tho " Royal Inverness " was virtuall y a "Military" Lodge , having been formed by tlie officers of the Royal North British Volunteer Corps , of which the Duke of Sussex [ Earl of Inverness ] was the commander . The Lodge was established hy Bro . Simon MoGillivray ( a

Past Grand Warden , and Prov . Grand Master for Upper Canada ) , who , whilst he was Master , presented it with the drinking-shell and snuff-horn which formerly belonged to tho officers' mess of the " Royal North British Volunteers . " Amongst the members of the Royal Inverness Lodge were Bros . A . F . D'Este ( Son of the Duke of Sussex ) , Lord William Pitt Lennox , Captain Royal Horso Guards ; Charles Matthews ( tho elder ) ,

"Comedian ; " Lanrence Thompson , "Painter" ( tlie noted Preceptor ) ; and under date of 5 th May 1825 occurs the entry : —Charles James Matthews , "Architect , " Ivy Cottage , aged 24 . Thus the present " Royal Somerset House ancl Inverness Lodge , " No . 4 on the roll of the United Grand Lodge of England , is not only the lineal descendant of the Lodge " on Board tho Prince , " but may also be styled a United Service Lodge , preserving , as it does , a direct

Military Lodges.

continuity of existence from tho period of fusion of the two independent Masonio bodirs , chartered respectively in tho Navy and Army . Amongst tho illustrious names that have adorned tho roll of this Lodge , may bo briefly cited those of Payne and Dr . DesaguliciM [ Grand Masters ] , Dr . James Anderson ( author of the Book of Constitutions ) , Lord Paisley , Duko of Qneensborotigh , Sir Richard

Manningham , Lord Waldegrave , Count La Lippo , Baron des Kaw , Sir Aclolphus Onghton , Earl do Loraitie , Sir Robt . Rich , Count Walzdorf , Marquis des Marches , Sir Thomas Prendergast , and Lord Carmiehnel . In 1730 , at a meeting of tho " [ Torn " Lodgo , as it was then called , under tho presidency of fho Duko of Richmond , many foreign noblemen wero admitted members . There being also present tho

Duke of Norfolk Grand Master , Marquis of Beaumont , Lord Mordannt , and Martinis du Queane . Passing on to 1768 , when tho old " Sea Lodgo" comes on tho scene , we meet with tho names successively of Thomas Dunckerly P . G . W . and Prov . G . M , Colonel Hodges , Lord Gormanstone , Sir Joseph Bankes and Viscount ; Hampden . Later still we find , as members , Admiral Sir Peter Parker , Deputy

Grand Master , Colonels Bertie , Capper and Skeffington , Sir Francis Bassett , Sir H . Mackworth , and Captains Lennox Prescot , Georgo Cockburno , Dickins , and Thos . Forster , R . N . By a careful inspection of all records of the " Ancients" and " Moderns , " and with the fraternal assistance of the Grand Secretaries of Scotland and Ireland , I trust to have almost completed my

roll of Military Lodges proper . But the details of the Irish and Scotch Lodges especially , aro most meagre , and I should bo much obliged to any brother possessing volumes of old minutes , who would allow mo to inspect them . Many " Army " Lodges wero warranted locally , ab Gibraltar and Quebec during 1790-1813 , and though , from one source or another ,

I have nearly got at them all , yet a carofnl search amongst the records of tho Prov . G . Lodges of Andalusia and Lower Canada , might , I think , result in the discovery of further Military charters having been issued than can at present be identified . Bro . C . W . Moore , in an address delivered at the Centennial Anniversary of St . John ' s Lodge , No . 1 , Portsmouth , N . H ., mentions

a " Deputation " having been granted by St . John s Grand Lodge [ Boston ] to R . W . Bro . ' Huntingford , to hold a Lodge in H . M . 28 th Regiment , stationed at Lonisbonrg . I can find no " Early History " of tho Grand Lodge of Massachusetts , in the libraries of Grand Lodge or of the British Museum , and if ono has been compiled , I should much like to see it ?

Committee Meeting Of The Boys' School.

COMMITTEE MEETING OF THE BOYS' SCHOOL .

rnHE July meeting of the General Committee of the Royal Masonic J- Institution for Boys was held on Saturday last , afc Freemasons ' Hall . There were present Bros . S . Rosenthal ( in the chair ) , Donald M . Dewar , Alfred Williams , the Rev . Dr . Morris ( Head Master ) , G . P . Brockbank , 0 . H . Webb , Herbert Dickofcts , W . F . C . Moutrie , Frederick Adlard , H . Massey , Arthur E . Gladwell , W . Paas , C ; F .

Matier , R . Entwisle , H . Young , and F . Binckes ( Secretary ) . Nine petitions to be placed on the list for election in October were accepted , three were deferred , and one was declared inadmissible . Tho list for election in October was recommended to next Quarterly Court as 73 , out of which 16 will havo to bo elected . An outfit was granted to ono former pupil of the Institution . Bro . Binckes informed the

Committee that tho Annual Festival of the Institution , held on the previous Thursday , resulted in £ 14 , 002 bsing brought in , by 317 Stewards , since which another £ 50 had been brought in by two Stewards ; leaving 15 Stewards' lists yet to come in . It was also announced that the late Grand Secretary , Bro . John Hervey , died the evening previous , and the news was received with general regret . The bnsiness closed with a vote of thanks to the Chairman .

Grand Council Of Allied Degrees.

GRAND COUNCIL OF ALLIED DEGREES .

Ebor Council ( Time Immemorial ) . —A meeting of this Council was held on Monday evening , in the Grand Saloon of the Grand Stand Hotel , the Knavesrnire , York . Bro . J . S . Cumberland W . M ., was in the chair , and was supported by Bros . Christian G . Padel S . W ., Georgo Simpson I . P . M . as J . W ., T . B . Whytehead P . M . G . J . W . Recorder , A . T . B . Turner S . D ., Capt . L . Murphy 4 th Dragoon

Guards J . D ., W . P . Husband I . G ., Capt . J . Hanly 4 th Dragoon Guards K . of G ., P . Pearson Org ., together with several other members . Bro . W . M . Briggs having been accepted , was duly received and installed a member of the Order of St . Lawrence the Martyr . The W . M . said that since their last meeting the formation of the Grand Council had become an accomplished fact , and ho hoped the Orders included under its rule would be strengthened thereby .

Ho was of opinion that if a degree was worth working afc all ifc was worth doing well , and ho was pleased to know that ever since his conuection with the St . Lawrence degree the Ebor Lodge had worked thoroughly and conscientiously , and was one of the best worked of the Lodges in the country . Bro . T . B . Wytehead read over the Constitutions of the Grand Council , which seomed to meet with the approval of the members . Letters were also read from Bros . F . Binckes and

D . M . Dewar , thanking the Lodge for the compliment of being elected honorary members . A Committee was appointed for the purpose of drawing up a code of bye-laws for the government of the Council , which was then closed and the members adjourned to the

dining rcom , whore a cold collation was served , after which a number of toasts were duly honoured . It was intimated that meetings of the Council would shortly be held for the purpose of conferring the degrees of Grand High Priest , Knight of Constantinople , and Red Cross of Babylon .