Royal Arch.

whom were approved . They were thereupon entrusted and admitted to the Chapter , where they were regularly exalted to the Supreme Degree . The ceremony was admirably rendered by Comp . Klein , who was ably assisted by Comp . Sefton Mayors , who acted as Principal Sojourner . The newly made Companions having been invested , Comp . William Shurmur delivered the Mystical Lecture , the others being postponed until the next meeting .

Owing to various circumstances into which it is needless to enter here the Officers , with but one exception , retain their positions for the ensuing year , the only change being the promotion of Comp . E . B . Harding to the third Principal ' s chair . A Board of Installed Principals was there fore formed , when Comp . Harding was presented by Comp . Orlton Cooper and was formally inducted and invested as J . of the Chapter . This ceremony was also performed by Comp . Shurmur in a most perfect manner .

Upon the re-admission of the Companions the M . E . Z . was congratulated upon the honour that had been conferred upon him by the Grand Master as Organist of Grand Lodge and Grand Chapter , for which Comp . Klein returned thanks . The Chapter was then closed and the Companions adjourned to the banquet room ' , where a very choice dinner was served by Bro . E . M . Thierry , the courteous and genial manager of the Criterion . The toasts of the Queen and the Grand Z . were given by the M . E . Z . and were loyally responded to .

Comp . Harding submitted the Grand Officers , for whom Comp . W . Stevenson Hoytc Grand Standard Bearer returned thanks . With befitting eulogium Comp . Shurmur proposed the M . E . Z ., whom he had already congratulated in open Chapter upon being appointed an Officer of Grand Lodge and Grand Chapter . It was an honour well deserved , because Comp . Klein followed out the precepts of King Solomon , and whatsoever his hand found to do he did it with all his might . He was a thorough . Mason , that stood by the Chapter when it was in difficulties , and had now steered it into the haven of prosperity .

Comp . Klein , who met with a hearty reception when rising to respond , thanked those present for their mark of appreciation . By their desire he was for the second year filling the chair of Z ., and he promised to do his utmost to deserve their confidence . It was satisfactory to know that the Chapter was in a prosperous state , and he hoped the Empire Chapter would fulfil the

same duty towards Colonial Masons as the Empire Lodge had always done . Before he sat down he requested the company to drink to the good health of the two Principals with whom he had the honour to be associated . Both bad done yeoman service to Freemasonry in general and to the Royal Arch in particular . Comps . Speller and Harding briefly acknowledged the compliment .

Replying to the toast of the Exaltees Comp . Greening said he was greatly impressed by the ceremony , the decoration of the Chapter , and the dress of the Companions . It was all so different to that he had expected , and was , he supposed , indicative of the high importance of Royal Arch Masonry . He was extremely gratified at being admitted as a Companion of the Order , and thanked those who had undertaken the sponsorial duties of his exaltation . Comps . Greer and Isitt also expressed their thanks for being admitted to the Chapter .

Sir Forrest Fulton responded for . the Visitors , all of whom had been greatly gratified by the work in the Chapter , and had enjoyed their hospitality that evening . Although he was initiated into the Craft so long ago as 1872 his personal connection with the Royal Arch Degree was very limited . It was a very beautiful ritual , though he could readily comprehend that it took up a great deal of time in preparing for it .

Comp . Sefton Mayors replied for the Officers , and stated the pleasure it had been to him to take part in the ceremony that evening . He was glad that his efforts had met with their approval . Comp . Evenden Janitor then made his appearance , and brought the pleasant proceedings to a close , with good wishes to those Companions who were poor and distressed .

Holiday Arrangements.

HOLIDAY ARRANGEMENTS .

MIDLAND RAILWAY . THIS Company will run cheap excursion trains from London to Dublin , Cork , Killarney , & c , for 16 days , via Liverpool , on Thursday , 18 th May , and via Morecambe , on Friday , 19 th ; also to Belfast , Londonderry , and Portrush for Giant ' s Cause-way , via Barrow and via Liverpool , on Thursday , 18 th ; to Londonderry , via Liverpool , or via Morecambe , on Saturday , 20 th , to return within sixteen days as per bill of sailing ; on Friday night , 19 th , to Carlisle , Castle Douglas , Dumfries , Helensburgh , EdinburghGreenock

, , Glasgow , Stirling , Perth , Dundee , Aberdeen , Inverness , Ballater , & c , returning the following Tuesday or Friday , by which third class return tickets at a single ordinary fare for the double journey will also be issued , available for returning on any day within 16 days ; on Friday midnight , 19 th , for 3 days , and Saturday midnight , 20 th , for 2 days , to Leicester , Nottingham , Manchester , Liverpool , Sheffield , Leeds , Bradford , & c ; on Saturday , 20 th , to Leicester , Nottingham , Newark , Lincoln Birmingham ,

, Walsall , Wolverhampton , Burton , Derby , Manchester , Liverpool , Preston , Wigan , Blackpool , Blackburn , Bolton , Oldham , Sheffield , Leeds , Bradford , Scarboro ' , Newcastle , tbe Furness and Lake Districts , Carlisle , & c , & c , returning the following Monday , Thursday , or Saturday ; to Douglas ( Isle of Man ) for 10 days . On Whit-Monday , 22 nd , to St . Albans , Harpenden , Luton , Bedford , Kettering , and Leicester , for one day ; to

Birmingham , for 1 , 4 , or 5 days ; and to Manchester , for the Races , on Thursday ( Midnight ) 25 th , returning Saturday , 27 th . Tickets for these trains for starting from St . Pancras Station can be obtained on tbe two days previous to the running of the trains at the Company ' s City and West End Booking Offices . Cheap daily and week-end excursions to Southend-on-Sea , as announced in time tables and bills .

The season excursions from London ( St . Pancras ) to Matlock , Buxton , Liverpool , Southport , Blackpool , Lytham , St . Anncs-on-Sea , tho Isle of Man , Morecambe , Lancaster , the English Lake District , Scarboro ' , Bridlington , Whitby , & c , will commence on Saturdav , 20 th May . The tickets are available for passengers to return in either 3 , 8 , 10 , 15 , or 17 days . Cheap Week-end Tickets are now issued every Friday and Saturday from London

( St . Pancras ) and other principal Midland Stations to tho chief holiday and pleasure resorts in the " Peak " District of Derbyshire , Yorkshire , the North East Coast and Scotland . The tickets are available for return on the following Sunday ( where train service permits ) , Monday or Tuesday . For the Whitsuntide Holidays these tickets will also be available for returning up to and including Wednesday , 24 th May . Cheap Excursion Trains for five or eight days will also be run to London from Carlisle , Bradford , Leeds , Sheffield , Liverpool , Manchester , Blackburn ,

Holiday Arrangements.

Burnley , Bolton , Bury , Roohdale , Oldham , Lincoln , Newark , Burton , Derby , Nottingham , Leicester , & c , on Saturday , 20 th May , and for 3 or 6 days on Monday , 22 nd May . On Friday night , 19 ch May , from Liverpool , Southport , Warrington , & c , and on Saturday , 20 th May , from Blackburn , Bolton , Oldham , Manchester , Stockport , Bradford , Leeds , Barnsley , Sheffield , & c , for 3 , 5 , or 8 days ; also on 20 th May , from Birmingham , Walsall , Wolverhampton , for 3 , 5 , or 8 days . Passengers will ba booked by these trains at cheap fares

to Brighton , Hastings , St . Laonards , Eastbourne , & c ; and to . Paris and other places on the Continent , having the privilege of returning by any ordinary train within 16 days . On Whit-Monday , 22 nd May , an excursion train to London for 1 or 2 days will be run from Blackburn , Bolton , Oldham , Manchester ( Vic ) , Bradford , Leeds , Barnsley , Sheffield , & c . ; for 1 , 3 , or 6 days from Birmingham ; aud for 3 and 6 days from Wolverhampton , Walsall , & c ; and day trips from Burton , Derby , Nottingham , Leicester , Wellingboro ' , & c .

On Bank Holiday , 22 ud May , ' aud during Whitsuntide , certain booked trains will be withdrawn , of which due notice will be given by special bills at the stations . Some of the through carriages which are announced in the time tables will also be suspended on Bank Holiday . To prevent inconvenience and crowding , the Booking Offices at St .

Pancras and Moorgate Street Stations will be open for the issue of tickets all day on Friday and Saturday , 19 th and 20 th May , and Tickets to all principal Stations on the Midland Railway will also be issued beforehand at any of their Offices , the tickets being available from St . Pancras Station , issued at the same fares as charged at that Station , and dated to suit the convenience of passengers .

GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY . THIS Company announce excursions on Thursday , 18 th May , to Cork , Killarney , Belfast , Armagh , Giant's Causeway , & c ; on Thursday night , to Chepstow , Newport , Cardiff , Swansea , Carmarthen , Milford , and other stations iu South Wales ; on Friday , 19 th , to Gloucester , Cheltenham , Worcester , Hereford , Shrewsbury , Oswestry , Aberystwyth , Bala , Dolgelley , Barmouth , Manchester , Ryhl , Llandudno , Bangor , Carnarvon , Waterford , Tipperary , Limerick , Bath , Bristol , Weston-super-Mare , Taunton , Minehead ,

& c ; on Friday night , to Exeter , Plymouth , Falmouth , Penzance , Chester , Liverpool , Douglas ( Isle of Man ) , & c ; on Saturday , 20 th , to Newbury , Yeovil , Dorchester , Weymouth , Minehead , Lynton , Lynmouth , Ilfracombe , Exeter , Torquay , Plymouth , Penzance , Oxford , Birmingham , & c ; and on Saturday night , to Swindon , Bath , Bristol , Gloucester , Chepstow , Newport , Cardiff , Swansea , & c On Saturday , 20 th May , excursions for Guernsey and Jersey will leave Paddington Station at 8 . 50 a . m . ( Daylight Sea Passage ) and at 9 . 15 p . m . ( Night Passage ) .

On Whit Sunday a cheap train will run to Swindon , Circencester , Stroud , Gloucester ^ Cheltenham , & c , and at Midnight on Sunday an excursion will leave Paddmgton for Oxford , Birmingham , Wolverhampton , & c . On tbe Bank Holiday cheap trains will be run to Reading , Newbury , Pangbourne , Goring , Wallingford , Bath , Bristol , Weston-super-Mare , & c , and on Whit Tuesday an express half-day excursion will be run to Banbury , Leamington , and Stratford-on-Avon .

Excursions will be run to London from most of the principal stations , and cross country trips have also been arranged . Cheap tickets are issued daily from London and many suburban stations to Staines , Windsor , Taplow , Maidenhead , Burnham Beeches , Henley , Goring , Wallingford , Aldermaston , and other riverside resorts . These tickets can be obtainedthroughout the Whitsunside holidays , and in fact during the whole of the summer months . Tbe train service to and from the riverside

stations has also been considerably improved . To meet the expected additional traffic by the ordinary trains on Saturday , 20 th May , the Company will run in duplicate the 11 . 45 a . m ., 3 . 0 , and 9 . 0 p . m . trains from London to the West of England , the 9 . 50 a . m ., 4 . 45 and 6 . 50 p . m . trains to the North ; and the 12 . 0 noon and 9 . 15 p . m . trains to Weymouth , Hereford and South Wales . The first portion of the 11 . 45 a . m .,

3 . 0 p . m ., and 9 . 0 p . m . trains will leave Paddington at 11 . 38 a . m ., 2 . 55 p . m . and 8 . 55 p . m . respectively , but the first parts of the other trains will leave at the advertised times , and the second a few minutes afterwards , the long distance passengers being as far as possible taken in the first portion , but with a few exceptions both trains will stop at the advertised stations to take up aud set down passengers .

Ordinary and excursion tickets are issued at the Company ' s City and West-end Offices , viz .: —193 & 407 Oxford Street ; 181 Tottenham Court Road , W . ; 53 New Oxford Street ; Gloucester Mansions , Cambridge Girous , Shaftesbury Avenue , W . C ; " The Piazza , " Coveni Garden ; 269 Strand ; 26 Regent Street , S . W . ; 29 Charing Cross ; 17 Brompton Road ; 4 Holborn

Circus ; Nags Head Yard , 137 Borough High Street , S . E . ; 118 Minories , E . ; 5 Arthur Street East , London Bridge , E . C . ; 82 Queen Victoria Street ; 67 Gresham Street ; 4 Cheapside ; and at the L . B . & S . C . Company ' s Excursion Office ( under Grand Hotel ) , Trafalgar Square . Tickets can also be obtained at Victoria ( L . C . & D . Railway ); Clapharn Junction ; Kensington 'Addison Road ); Uxbridgo Road ; Hammersmith and other stations .

The booking offices at the Paddington Station will be open all day on 17 ch , 18 th , 19 th and 20 th May , so that passengers wishing to obtain tickets for any destination on the Great Western Railway can do so at their convenience . Ordinary tickets will be dated to suit the convenience of passengers .

GREAT NORTHERN RAILWAY . rriHIS Company announce that on Friday night , 19 th May , cheap express I excursions will be run for 5 , 8 , and 16 days to Northallerton , Darlington , Richmond , Durham , Newcastle , Alnwick , Berwick , Edinburgh , Glasgow , Perth , Dundee , Oban , Fort William , Aberdeen , Inverness , and other stations in Scotland , from Woolwich ( Arsenal and Dockyard ) , Greenwich ( 8 . E . ) , Victoria ( C . & D . ) , Ludgate Hill , Moorgate , Aldersgate , Farringdon , King ' s Cross ( G . N . ) , & c Passengers holding 5 days tickets return on Tuesday , 23 rd , those holding 8 days tickets return on Friday , 26 tb , and those holding 16 days

single fare tickets return on any day up to , and including , Saturday , 3 rd June . Cheap fast excursions will also bo run on Saturday 20 th , for 3 , 6 , or 8 days , from Woolwich ( Arsenal and Dockyard ) , Greenwich ( S . E . ) , Victoria ( C . & D . ) , Ludgate Hill , Moorgate , Aldersgate , Farringdon , and King ' s Cross ( G . N . ) , to Lincolnshire , Nottinghamshire , Staffordshire , Lancashire , Yorkshire , North Eastern District , & c ; also for 1 , 3 , or 4 days from Moorgate , Aldersgate , Farringdon , King ' s Cross ( G . N . ) , & c , to Skegness , Sutton-on-Sea and Mablethorpe . A cheap trip for 1 , 3 , or 4 days will also be run on Saturday , 20 th , to