Provincial Grand Lodge Of Essex.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF ESSEX .

OUR contemporary tbe Essex Standard , of Saturday last , after giving a very interesting report of the late meeting of Provincial Grand Lodge of Essex , thus describes Parkeston , the embryo township whereat the meeting was held : — In connection with this meeting , it may not be out of place to give an idea to the large numbers who do not at present know of its

existence , where and what Parkeston is . The designation of this nucleus of a town as seen upon the time tables is " Parkeston Quay , " and it is situate on the Stour , somewhere about two miles from Harwich , between which there is a local service of trains every half-hour . It is at present little more than a very large station , a commodious and handsomely-fitted hotel , and a very long quay with the necessary

bonded warehouses , stores , and general offices . Though slightly further from the sea , the quay is more approachable and serves as a much better point of departure than the Harwich Pier , and the tidal train is able to leave Liverpool . stiret half-an-hour later thnn when it ran to Harwich . From Harwich Pier a good view of Parkeston Quay can be obtained , and in advantageous position fully

appreciated . Standing- well out i- \ to the river on piles , the large quantity of land reclaimed from the bed of the Stour is better comprehended ; this , we understand , amounted to about 500 acres , the greater part of which will eventually become a large township ; besides the quay and warehouses , there is a perfect uetwork of railways and sidings on what w . ^ . s heretofore the bed of

the river . At the quay , in additioti to the space required by tho Company ' s boats , there is room alongside for three or four steamers , and these could disoharge simultaneously , every appliance in the shape of steam cranes being available for the purpose of quick delivery . Railway waggons run right along the qnay to the ship's aide , and from thence to the main line , so that goods can be sent from

the ship ' s hold there and then to any part of the United Kingdom . There are over five miles of siding , in whioh 1000 loaded trucks can stand , shonld it happen to suit the convenience of some oonsignee who was not at the moment ready to order them elsewhere . The business offices of the Company , and the Custom House , are all constructed on the most approved plan for meeting the exigencies of

trade , sleeping accommodation being provided for the Government servants who have to take their turn on night duty , with reading , rooms , & c , for their use as well . As regards the Hotel , no expense has been spared in order to make it one of the most comfortable and best appointed in the kingdom . The most approved appliances of modern science have been utilized

m the lighting , heating , and ventilating ; the sanitary arrangements areas near perfect as the best sanitary engineers in the world could suggest , and the general arrangements are in accordance with the plans and directions of gentlemen of vast experience in hotel con . struction and management . The rooms are choicely furnisbed , and have a splendid sight of the river on the one sitle , with an att . Taotive

view of country on the other , and will probably become a great favourite with continental visitors who choose this route . Passengers can alight from the train on to the platform , and proceed bag and baggage direct on board the steamer , or enter the hotel from tbe waiting-rooms . The principal entrances to the Hotel aro thoso whioh lead directly from the pier and platform respectively . Whichever

entrance the visitor takes he must pass tho manager ' s office before he can go to any other part of the hotel . This office , bv means of electric bells , speaking tubes , & c , is in direct communication with every part of the house . On the ground floor are the large dining room , the hotel bar , and smoke room , and the coffee room , all of which are elegantly fitted . Ou the first floor , on either side of

a long concrete corridor extending the whole length of the bnilding , are bed-rooms , suites of apartments , drawing-rooms , reading-rooms , bath-rooms , & c . The drawing-rooms aro exceedingly elegant , and the bed-rooms , which are lofty , well-lighted , aud ventilated on an improved principle , are furnished in one uniform style with piln carpets , walnut furniture of a special desigu , handsome French bedsteads , & c . The suites are very conveniently arranged for

families , and are furnished with excellent taste . The bath-rooms and lavatories are well appointed , and are conveniently situated . The fiervants' apartments are quite distinct from the other portions of the hotel . The culinary arrangements are on a most elaborate scale , ample provision having been made , not only for the supply of the hotel , bnt also for the ships' cooking , which will , as far as poss'ble , be carried on here . In the basemeut are the stores and an extensive

range of cellarage . There is also a largo boiler for the supply of steam and hot water to all parts of the house , and an engine for generating the electricity with which the Works throughout are lighted—the quay and large warehouses bv the arc system , and the hotel and waiting-rooms , lavatories , & c , on the incandescent principle , the beautiful Swan lamps being employed .

Electric bells are fitted to all the rooms . The best known appliances for extinguishing fire are fitted all over the premises , by Messrs . Shand and Mason , under the superintendence of Captain Shaw , ohief of the London Fire Brigade . The general arrangi-mont of tbe building has been carried out under the direction of Mr . Bolton , the General Superintendent of the Hotel Department of the Great

•Eastern Railway , a gentleman of many years' experience in tbe niauagemenfc of first-class hotels , and tbe practical knowledge which he has brought to bear upon the subject will , without doubt , add very considerably to the comfort of the visitors , as well as facilitate the work of the staff , and thereby tend to the economic management

of the hotel . The Station Booking Office , in which Provincial Grand Lodge was •n . v . Wednesaa y > 58 anaDa 80 IDE , aDa well-proportioned apartment , with both booking and telegraphic accommodation . On either side we the commodious waiting aud refreshment rooms . To the right

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Essex.

from the quay are the second-class rooms—and on the left are the first-class rooms : in both cases separate rooms being reserved for ladies . These are all very eleirantly furnished . Iu the former the chairs and lounges are covered with drab horsehair , while the forn it are iu the first-class rooms is in real morocco leather . The floors aro laid with granite linoleum and

Bokhara rags—the ladies' rooms with handsome pile carpet . A large refreshment buffet i . s provided iu each of the general waiting rooms , and these communicate with each of the ladies' rooms by means of small sliding doors . The fittings are a'l on the most approved prin . ciple , anil are so arranged that chops , steaks , soups , and all kinds of refreshments , hot or cold , can be had at a few minutes' notice . In

connection with each waiting-room is a handsomely-fitted lavatory supplied with hot aud cold water . The magnitude of tho undertaking iu whioh the Direotors of the Great Eastern Company have engaged may be inferred from the fact that npwards of £ 810 , 000 had been expended to the close of Jane 1883 , upou docks , steamboats , and Parkeston . The great bulk of

this expenditure has been made upon tbe Continental steamboat undertaking , and oven now the return realised upon it is moderately good , the profit acquired in the six months ending 30 th June having been £ 13 , 808 . Moreover , the Continental traffio is improving rapidly , the gross receipts of the half-year ending 30 th June 1883 having

been £ 83 , 133 , as compared with £ 71 i 302 ia the corresponding period of 1882 . If this result was attained with a limited number of steamers at work , still better things may be anticipated when the Company's enlarged Continental fleet has been brought into fall operation .

The monthly meeting of the General Committee of the Royal Masonic Institution for Biys was held on Saturday last , at Freemasons' Hall , when there were present Bros . Raynham W . Stewart in . the chair , Tyrrell , Joyce Murray ,

Dr . Ramsay , Alfred Williams , S . B . Wilson , Fredk . Adlard , B . C . Massey , 0 . F . Matier , W . Mann , Edward Baxter , Geo . P . Gillard , and Fredk . Binckes ( Secretary ) . The minutes of the General Committee of the 7 th nit .

were read and confirmed , and those of the Quarterly Court of the 16 th , and the House Committee of the 20 th ult . were read for information . The report of the Audit Committee was read and adopted ^ and ordered to be entered on the minutes . The Chairman was authorised and requested

to sign cheque * . There was one petition , which was approved . A grant of £ 6 was voted to a late pupil of the Institution . Bro . Binckes reported that the exact financial receipts from the Festival were £ ' 23 , 050 . He also reported that the purchase of £ 2000 India four per cent , stock ,

authorised at the last General Committee , had been made at the price of 103 f , the outlay , including commission , being £ 2 , 075 . Brother Binckes a'so reported that , allowing for one candidate withdrawn , there would be sixty-three applicants ab next election , and that the vacancies were

twenty . Ifc was stated that the Preparatory Building Fund now amounted to £ 8 , 000 . Up to the present time £ 16 , 172 had been received ; of this £ 10 , 381 had been placed to the General Fund , and £ 5 , 791 to the Building Fund . Upon the motion of Brother Raynham Stewart , of

which due notice was given at the last General Committee , it was unanimously resolved that the sum of £ 125 be added to Brother Binckes ' s salary , and £ 25 to the clerk ' s

salary , for the years 1883 and 1884 , to be paid out of the interest received from the investment of the Building Fund during thnt period . Brother Binckes returned thanks for himself and on behalf of his assistant for this mark of the Committee ' s appreciation of their services . The meeting then adjourned .

The Evening . News says the Craft , as a body , will be sorry to hear that Sir Erasmus Wilson Past Grand Deacon is suffering from cataract . The services Sir E . Wilson has rendered to the Order , besides that rendered to the nation

in bringing over Cleopatra ' s Needle , one of the very early works of Freemasonry , will ever entitle his name to a foremost place in the annals of the Craft , and it ia with the very deepest regret that we have to record that such an affliction has befallen him .

The Right Hon . the Earl of Lathom , Deouty Grand Master of England . Prov . Graud Master of West Lancashire , will shortly pay another visit to Canada , and in consequence of his absence , the P . G . Lodge meeting of West Lancashire , usually held in October , will not take place until November .

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EDUCATION . — HAMBURG , Bro . JOHN A . UEECK , 9 Bundesstrasse , HAMB tTEG , Is prepared to receive into his Family TWO OR THREE ENGLISH YOUTHS AS BOARDERS , During the time they attend School in this City .