Committee Meeting Of The Benevolent Institution.

COMMITTEE MEETING OF THE BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION .

THE Committee of Subscribers and Governors of the lioya Masonic Benevolent Institution met on Wednesday , at Free " masons' Hall , when thero were present Bros . lit .-Col . Creaton , J . P ., Y . P . Grand Treasurer ( in the chair ) , C . G . Dilley , John B turner , Chas . Godtschalk , Richard Herve Giraud , C . A . Cottebruno , Thomas Cubitt , Thomas W . C . Bush , Charles Lacey , William Stephens , Charles John

Perceval , George Jones , John G . Stevens , G . Bolton , A . F . A . Woodford , S . Rawson , Raynbam W . Stewart , C . H . Webb , J . A . Farnfield , C . G . Rnshworth , John L . Mather , J . R . Gallant , Charles Daniel , G . F . Storr , J . J . Berry , and James Terry ( Secretary ) . Bro . Terry reported the daath of three annuitants . The draft agreement

wth Grand Locige for tho offices was read and approved , and the Report of the Committee on the laws of the Institution was read and received . The Chairman was authorised to sign cheques for

anunities coming due , and tho Secretary was authorised to transfer £ 2 , 000 from the deposit amount at the Bank to the General Account . Nino candidates wore placed on tho list for tho Election in May j and the Committee then adjourned .

When present recently at a colonial dinner in London , his Grace of Manchester , in replying for the House of Lords , narrated an experience "that occurred to him during Ills visit to Queensland . One day , he said , when travelling np country , ho was accosted by a free selector , who asked him if it was not true the Duke of Manchester was cominsr

that way . " I am the Duke of Manchester , " said his Grace ; to which , in derision , the free selecter at first replied , " You git along now ; " but nt length , becoming satisfied the Duke was really standing before him , the man walked deliberately round him , critically examining him

from every point of view , ancl then exclaimed , " Well , I ' m blowed ; you a duke ? Why yon might go from here to Barcos and no one would take yon for anything but a bushman . " Let us change the scene from " up country " in comparatively benighted Queensland to the enlightened

Masonic Province of Norths and Hunts . Let us picture to ourselves R . W . Bro . the Duke of Manchester , Grand Master of the said Province , wandering " promiscuously " as it were in the vicinity of a town where one of its Lodges is on tho point of meeting . Suddenly ho is accosted by

ono who proves to be a brother ancl member of the said Locige . " I am told the Duke of Manchester , our Provincial Grand Master , is about to honour our Lodge with a visit . " " I am the Duke of Manchester , Prov . G . Master Norths and Hunts . " To which afc first , as derisively as a

Mason is capable of speaking in that vein , "Be as merciful as yon can , Sir , with yonr chaff . " Then suddenly becoming convinced it was the Duke he was speaking to , the brother corrected himself and said : " Why , your Grace , if you wore to pass the rest of your days in

wandering about your Province , no one wonld imagine you were about to visit one of the Lodges you have been appointed to rule over . " Would his R . W . Grace of Manchester be as ready to record such au episode in his Masonic Career . Unlikelier experiences have happened to most of ns .

The hope is entertained that His Royal Highness Prince Leopold will visit Wakefield on the occasion of the opening ceremony connected with the Wakefield ancl West Riding Scientific ancl Fine Art Exhibition . Bro . Sir Moses Montefiore , Barb ., was born in October

1 / 84 , and is consequently in the 98 th year of his age . Sir Moses was Sheriff of London and Middlesex in the year 1837 , the year of the Queen ' s accession , and was knighted on the 9 th of November of thafc year , in honour of Her Majesty ' s first visit to the City . His patent of baronetcy was conferred upon him in 184 G .

Earl Percy , M . P ., Prov . Grand Master of Northumberland , has been appointed ono of the Trustees of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution . The fortieth birthday of H . R . H . the Prince of Wales was celebrated with trie usual manifeUalions ; of rejoiciim * on Wednesday .

At Sandringham and Windsor there was the customary merrymaking . In tho morning tho Princo and his guests had some shooting , and in tho afternoon the labourers had their annual dinner , the Prince and Princess being presence during a portion of tho time .

MR . GLADSTONE and the WINE DUTIES . —J . E . SHAND & CO ., Wine Merchants , 2 Albert Mansions , Victoria Street , r . onilmi . S . W , l "'' , ' to inform numorjii .- i * i * iuim-s that tlio letter received from the PliKMlKi ! in rui > ly to thoir questions on this important subject aimcarcd iu " The Tiiuci " nuil " Da % News" of 26 tU January 1891 .

Reviews.

REVIEWS .

All Books intended for Review should be addressed to the Editor of The Freemason ' s Chronicle , 23 Great Queen Street , W . C . The Cosmopolitan Masonic Calendar , Diary , and Poclcel Booh for 1 S 82 . Twelfth year of Publication . London : George Kenninsr , IB Great Queen-street ; 1 , 2 , 3 , ancl 4 Little Britain ; and 197 Alclersgate-streot . Liverpool : 2 Monnment-place ; Manchester , 47 Bridge-street j Glasgow , 9 West Howard-street .

WE heartily welcome the twelfth issne of this most useful of Masonio Calendars , and congratulate proprietor , editor , publisher , and all concerned in its production on the excellent manner in whioh they havo fulfilled their several parts . As wo havo before drawn attention to tho leading features which characterise tho " Cosmo , " we need do little more than remark that thev are reproduced in this edition with

equal success . Indeed , the greater accuracy attempted in giving tho days of meeting of the different London Lodges , & o ., & c , is , of necessity , more conspicuous than it was last year . It was tried last year for the first time , aud the trial has baen so far successful that a far greater number of Lodges havo been charmed by the Editor ' s persuasive invitations into furnishing him with the required

information as to tho months as well as days when they assemble . One slight addition must be noted . The Lodges , Chapters , and Mark Lodges are ranged according to Provinces , as well as in numerical order . That portion of the Calendar which contains particulars as to Freemasonry in other countries is wonderfully exact , as far as our

means of forming an opinion permit of our judging , while the inform , ation is as voluminous as any English Mason can possibly desire . In short , the " Cosmo" for 1882 more than upholds the character for completeness and accuracy it has so deservedly acquired during the past eleven years of its publication .

Sir E . A . H . Lechraere , Bart ., M . P ., P . G . M . Worcestershire , was among those present at a public meeting in Gloucester , convened for the purpose of taking into

consideration the desirability of establishing a centre of the Sfc . John ' s Ambulance Association for Gloucester and the neighbourhood .

Sir Baldwyn Leighton , Bart ., M . P ., was present on Saturday at the ordinaryjmonthly meeting of the Shropshire Chamber of Agriculture .

Their Royal Highnesses the Duke of Edinburgh and Prince Leopold , Duke of Albany , have fixed the 12 th and 13 th December for their visit to Manchester . They will be the guests of the Mayor on the occasion .

The Earl of Dalhousie , it is believed , will be honoured by Her Majesty with the Thistle rendered vacant by the death of the Earl of Airlie . It is understood that Sir Michael R . Shaw-Stewart , Bart .,

Graud Master Mason of Scotland , will insfcal Bro . Maclellan Martin as Provincial Grand Master of Dumbartonshire , and thafc the ceremony will take place on or about the 17 th instant . A deputation from Grand Lodge will support the Grand Master on the occasion .

The Marquis of Hartington , Provincial Grand Master Derbyshire , presided afc the meeting on Friday last of tho Yeovil Agricultural Association .

Bro . Erasmus Wilson P . G . Deacon , to whose munificence we are indebted for the presence of Cleopatra ' s Needle on the Thames Embankment is about to have the honour of knighthood conferred upon him .

It is with very great regret Ave announce the death , on Thursday morning last , of the Dowager Countess Mount Edgcnmbe , the sad event occurring at Mount Edgcnmbe , near Devonporfc , the seat of her son , the Earl of Mount Edgcnmbe , Prov . G . Master Cornwall .

Bro . A . Stavely Hill , Q . C , M . P . and Mrs . Hill returned to Oxley Manor , on Tuesday last , after their long tour through the Dominion of Canada , especially through fcho Par West , of that portion of North America .

Wo congratulate Bro . Hedges on the announcement he is enabled to make in hi- * letter we publish elsewhere in oar columns . H . R . H . the Duke of Connaught , apart from the

prestige attaching to his high rank , makes ' an excellent chairman , as was shown when His Royal 'Hi ghness presided afc the Anniversary Festival of the Boys' School , in 1878 .

Tho members of the High Cross Lodge of Instruction , No . 7-54 * , will hold their annual banquet , afc the Coach ancl Horses , Lower Tottenham , ou Wednesday next . The meeting -will assemble at 0 . 30 .

Bro . H . A . Brassey , M . P ., presided at the annual dinner of tlio Maidstone Agricultural Association , hold at the Star Hotel , Maidstone , on Wednesday , the 2 nd inst .