The Chevalier Ramsay And Freemasonry.

if any veritable documentary evidence , bearing upon this subject , is still extant in tho archives of the Graud Lodge of England ? Hoping to receive " more light , " I am , fraternally yours , Glasgow , 6 th March . W . P . B UCHAN .

The Strong Man Lodge.

THE STRONG MAN LODGE .

To the Editor of THE FREEMASONS CHRONICLE . SIR , —In your article , on " Athleticism and Masonry , " yon speak of tho meetings of the Strong Man Lodge being held at the " Old Jerusalem Tavern , St . John ' s Gate , Clerkenwell . " They were hold

thore till about five months since , but tho locality , I believe , has since been changed . I cannot supplement this correction by stating its present whereabouts , but possibly some member will be able to furnish vou with this information . Yours fraternally , Z .

[ We obtained our information on this point from the Cosmopolitan Masonic Calendar , Dkvy , and Pocket Book for 1875 , wherein wo read " 45 Strong Man—Old Jerusalem Tav . St . John ' s Gate , 1 st Thurs . " We have since noticed among " Lodges of Instruction" ( p . 96 ) the following entry " 45 Strong Man—Crown Tav . Clerkenwell Green , MOD . 8 . " We cannot further account for the error into which we were unintentionally led . —Editor FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . ]

Answers To Correspondents

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS

All Letters and communications must be addressed to the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE , 67 Barbican , London , E . C . G . E . D . —A matter of opinion ; it was discussed , and decided against you .

A . K . If ., Hadleigh . —( a ) Will P . M . ' s , W . M . 's and Wardens bo admitted to ceremony of Installation of the Prince of Wales ? Ans . Yes . ( b ) Is it necessary to procure tickets of admission , if so , where and how can they be obtaiued ? Ans . You will find the needful information elsewhere iu our columns , ( c ) Will Past Provincial Grand Officers be allowed to wear Purple ' ? ( c ) Yes ; but they must wear a Blue Collar over .

Masonic Art.

MASONIC ART .

By Mason ' s art religious domes appear , where the Almighty Architect is worshipped iu spirit and truth . By Mason ' s art tho avaricious miser opens his iron-bound breast , and feels compassion ' s tender warmth .

By Mason ' s art tho injurious and unruly tongue falls down before the throne of awful silence , and readily submits to her commands . By Mason ' s art tho wings of loose desire are clipped , and the lascivious mind refrained from all immodest aud unlawful bouts .

By Mason ' s art the pussy fop ( mankind's disgrace ) rejects a vain and gaudy outside and gladly accepts of more valuable and permanent furniture within . By Mason ' s art ensigns of state and princely ornaments ( the

nursery of pride , where ambition keeps her lofty seat ) , as useless toys by free bom sons , meet with disdain , since they can boast of a more lasting glory who are Enrolled by the name they bear ,

Distinguished by tho badge they wear . By Mason ' s art impartial justice her equal balance holds , and fraud oppressive owns her gentle sway .

Money Market And City News.

MONEY MARKET AND CITY NEWS .

FRIDAY . After the publication of the annual weekly return of the Bank of England yesterday , the markets recovered a little , mid gavo promise of returning animation . Wo have no change to record in the Bank minimum , aud the rates for carrying forward at the settlement have

been easy , and the tone generall y is firm . News of tho formation ot a ii"w Viiniv-rry \ :. J : ' r ::. c •vs c ; d / u ! atcd to in-i-ir .- . M . KO e-..-. ii -i . co . and to encourage better prices in enriain dealing * , so that , with the release of the dividends on the funds to be looked for very shortly , it may be hoped that there will be more inducement for

speculative and investment purchases as the spring advances . Ono of the most fruitful topics of discussion at tho present moment , is that relating to the action taken by the English bankers to exclude Scotch banks from setting up establishments iu competition in this country .

The question has been a cause of considerable agitation for a long time , and it has now found its way to the House of Commons . A Bill has been introduced , under tho auspices of Mr . Goschen , which yropuos to gists the redress JO wiruestly sought for , It imposes , in

Money Market And City News.

so many words , fresh restrictions on both English aud Scotch banks , and introduces a princip le which would , if geucrally applied , restrict Irish , Indian , Colonial aud Foreign batiks from attempting to carry on banking business in England . There can , therefore , bo no doubt that very large issues aro involved . Whether convenient or not ,

Parliament must submit to long discussions this Session before they can get rid of such a bill . Tho Board of Trade returns for February have been published , and show a great falling off in imports and exports as compared with the corresponding month in 1874 . In exports the total value given for the month is £ 17 , 467 , 256 against £ 18 , 228 , 803 ,

or a decrease of 4 J per cent . ; as regards imports for the same period the figures aro £ 25 , 925 , 518 compared with £ 31 , 350 , 778 last year . A principal cause of tho falling off in the imports is again the diminished import of wheat , which shows a total value of £ 1 , 217 , 764 for the month against £ 2 , 382 , 871 in 1874 , or a decrease of 49 per

cent , while the reduction in quantity amounted to 34 per cent . * * * In the House of Commons the other evening , Mr . Puleston asked the Chancellor of tho Exchequer a question in reference to a statement alluding to a deficiency of 4 . } millions incurred by the National Debt Commissioners in their account with tho trustees of

the Savings Banks and Friendly Societies . The Chancellor of the Exchequer stated that it was a fact that the account between the National Debt Commissioners and the trustees of Savings Banks and Friendly Societies , showed a deficiency to tho amount referred to . This deficiency arose from tho rate given to depositors being higher

than the Commissioners could get from the investments then open to them . Now , however , a lower rate was given to depositors . The deficiency , which had been going on accumulating for some years , would shortly engage tho attention of Parliament in connexion with some matters referring to the National Debt which the Government intended to brinsr under the notice of the House .

The English Funds have been weaker , and the latest returns show that business has been done at slightly lower rates . The Foreign Market lias been looking up since tho news arrived of the new Cabinet just elected in France . Some dealings are reported in Bussian , Hungarian , and Italian Bonds , and the future of others is

moderately hopeful . The department for English railways is by no means slack , aud some very encouraging remarks have lately appeared in the Times on the prospects of this description of property . Miscellaneous shares are moderately firm , Imperial Ottoman Bank

and Hudson ' s Bay attracting some attention , while American and Canadian securities remain without change . The Budget will , it seems , be brought forward on the loth of next mouth . A proposal that incomes under £ 300 should not be called upon to pay income tax , has been defeated by a large majority in the House this week .

The directors of the MASONIC Savings and Loan Bank of San Francisco , at a meeting held on tho 18 th January , declared a dividend at the rate of 9 ^ per cent , per annum on " Term " deposits , and 7 i per cent , per annum on " Ordinary" deposits . It is announced , from Berne , that the International Postal Treaty has been ratified between Great Britain and the United States .

At a special meeting of the shareholders of the Brighton and South Coast ltailway this week , the proposal to divide the ordinary stock into preferred and deferred forms on tho terms suggested by the directors , viz ., that the option of changing into tho new forms be confined to the first half of the financial year , was passed by a lar « e majority .

The following statement shows the receipts for traffic on the undermentioned railways for the past week , as compared with the corresponding week in 1874 : — Miles open . Receipts . Railway . 1875 1875 1874 £ £

Caledonian 737 Glasgow and South Western . . 3151- li , 1 S 8 15 , 321 Great Eastern .... 763 41 , 103 44 , 802 Great Northern .... 517 49 , 892 47 , 744 Great Western .... 1 , 525 87 , 036 97 , 077 Lancashire and Yorkshire . . 430 C 0 . 587 f > 0 , 408

London and Brighton . . . 376 21 , i 13 22 , 302 f -O'iilon , Chatham and Doyer . . lu'i 1 < , 3 S 8 13 , 008 ¦ , ...-, <¦¦ , . •, .: \ .. rt ! \ v .., u . r „ . . it ; , - ^ lrj . rm I 3 ' . . ' . i . ; i . London and South Western . . — 26 , / t > o Z & , i ) i > 6 London , Tilbury and Southend . 45 Manchester and Sheffield . , 259 i 30 , 279 28 , 511

Midland < M 9 $ 106 , 950 101 , 203 Metropolitan 8 8 , 868 8 , 462 „ „ District .. . 8 4 , 863 4 , 212 „ St . John ' s Wood . , 1 | 449 442

North British 839 38 , 034 37 , 355 North Eastern . .., 1 , 379 118 , 961 118 , 872 North London ... . 12 6 , 574 6 , 719 North Staffordshire Eailway . . 190 10 , 351 10 , 242 » IJ Canal . . 118 1 , 715 1 , 810 South Eastern ... . 350 28 , 840 30 , 298