Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Correspondents . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications . All Letters must bear the name and address of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith .

THE FOUR OLD LODGES .

To the Editor 0 / THE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AXD BKO ., —I cannot be otherwise than well pleased with the result of my letter ou this subject , which appeared iu your columns a fortnight since . I consider , likewise , that the greatest credit is due to Bro . llnghan for the prompt and handsome manner

in which he has come forward and acknowledged that Bro . Gould's version is tho correct one . We arc all liable to error , but it is not always the most agreeable thing in tho world to acknowledge ifc . Especially is this the case iu literary matters , when , after long and laborious researches , a simple yet pardonable oversight , or some small but inexplicable error , is found to mar tho beauty of the general result .

As to tho manner in which these discrepancies have arisen , it is , as I anticipated , owing to tho different order of sequence in tho case of certain Lodges in different early lists of Pino . Thus , No . 9 of early Pino is No . 8 of Colo for 1763 , No . 10 is No . 7 , and No . 11 is No . 6 ; while , had they remained as originally chartered , No . 9 ( Pine ) would have been No . G ( Cole ) , No . 10 remaining No . 7 , and No . 11

being iSo . 8 . As to the claims of Fortitude and Old Cumberland to the exercise of timo immemorial privileges , the question whether it was in its power to resign them is one thafc may be argued ; but thero is likewise to be considered the further question of expediency , as to

whether ifc wonld be desirable to disturb arrangements which have been acquiesced in by those most immediately concerned for upwards of 150 years , and the more so thafc any present alteration would conflict with the solemn arrangements made at the time of the Union of Moderns and Ancients . Fraternally yonrs , Youa REVIEWER or HUGHAN ' S REPRINT OF PINE ' S LIST TOR 1734 .

Mark Masonry.

MARK MASONRY .

To the Editor of the FREEMASONS CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —In reading the report of tho Provincial Grand Mark Lodge of Middlesex and Surrey in your last issue , I see that Bro . Brighten Prov . G . Sec . stated that every Lodge in tho Province had paid its dues except the Temple Mark Lodge

No . 173 . Allow mo to inform Bro . Brighten , as well as Mark Masons generally who may read tho said report , that the Temple Lodge received its warrant from the Grand Mark Lodgo of England , without any reference to or knowledge of a Provincial Grand Mark Lodge , and that two years after , when called upon to make its

return to the Province , the Lodge unanimously decided not to recognise the Provincial Grand Mark Lodge , the said resolution being communicated to a meeting of the Board of General Purposes at Red Lion-square ; we therefore do nofc owe any allegiance to the Provinco of Middlesex and Surrey . Yours fraternally ,

T . S . MORTLOCK , P . G . S . U . E . M . Thistle No . 8 ., P . M . aud Treas . Temple Mark Lodgo No . 173 .

Lodge Victoria In Burmah.

LODGE VICTORIA IN BURMAH .

To the Editor uj the FREEMASON s CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —It is probably most unpleasant for Lodge Victoria in Burmah to be made the subject of periodical articles and letters respecting its internal economy , and , for my part , I think that something is dne to your readers to whom it must bo the reverse of edify ing to have so disgraceful an expose thrust npon them . I know

nothing whatever of the Lodge or of any of its members , and therefore have no feeling in the matter ; but it strikes mo that if tho Lodge is wise , it will at onco obey the edict of the Grand Master . The W . M . has sworn " strictly to conform to every edict of Grand Lodge , " aud , however unpleasant it may be to say so , his contumacy in ignoring the edict transmitted to him by the Grand

Secretary is a distinct and a most deliberate violation ot his oath , and worthy , under the circumstances , of condign punishment . It is of the very essence of every society that it should be subject to a certain amount of discipline , or anything like government becomes impossible . Let , then , the W . M ., whoever he may be , forthwith admit the brethren who are now unjustly excluded from theii

Masonic rights and privileges , and then if ho or any other member ot tho Lodge has auy charges to bring against them , let him do so in a Masonic manner . As matters stand , the W . M . is defying Grand Ludge , and I shonld not be surprised to hear the latter haa resolved , or will at once resolve , upon making further defiance of its edicts impossible . I do not know who " A Looker On" may be , but I think his letter ,

published last week , is by no means calculated to throw oil on the troubled waters . If he is one of the aggrieved patty , or a supportei of theirs , such terms as " shallowness" and contempt , " "aud sucli descriptions as " weak-minded brethren in Masonic high places /' must have the effect of depriving them of any sympathy the } may be entitled to . Fraternally yours , AN OCISIDEK .

Conflicting Accounts About Thomas Dunckerley.

CONFLICTING ACCOUNTS ABOUT THOMAS DUNCKERLEY .

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Having , in my former letter , shown that tho Masonic version of tho lato Bro . Dunckerley's parentage has in ifc all tho appearance of being truthful , and that it is certainly preforable to the version published in the Gentleman ' s Magazine , I will betake myself to analysing Bro . Norton ' s remarks respecting Bro .

Dnnckerley s address , which is said to havo been delivered by him in April 1757 . Hero , again , I see nothing improbable in the assignnient of this address to this particular date , and I think many of the facts stated in my letter of last week will bear mo out in this opinion . In tho first place , the gunner on board a man of war— " a mere gunner , " us Bro . Norton sneeringly describes it—is a warrant officer ,

who has attained his rank by reason of his knowledge of the art of gunnery , and a knowledge of the art of gunnery is only to bo obtained by a man of ability , and after a lengthened experience . In the next place , wo have a right to infer that Dnnckerley was a man of unusual ability , or he would not havo been appointed " teacher of tho Mathematics" on board tho Vanguard , and this was done , as ho himself

tells us , " At the Siego of Lonishonrg , " which took place in 1758 , by Admiral Boscawen , who commanded-in-chief tho naval forces which took part in the reduction of that place . He had , therefore , attracted the notice of his chief , who recognised his superior abilities in the manner I have stated . And though the lecture or address referred to may not havo been a remarkable mental effort , still this will make no

difference whether it was written in 1757 or 1767 . Again , Dnnckerley , although " a mere gunner , " had a circle of acquaintances such as few humble warrant officers can boast . Dukes , Viscounts , Earls , Generals , Admirals , and the like , aro not generally such weakminded creatures as to receive into their friendship , and correspond with , a man who possesses no other recommendation than that of turning out to be

the bastard son of a king . -Moreover , he was relieved to the extent of £ 20 by " some gentlemen of the Lodge at Gibraltar , " and it is probable that this relief was administered by them to a brother in distress , or how shonld they be so ready to remit money to one who was laid up at Minorca , if he had not some claim upon their regard and goodfellowship ? Then , in the samo year , Lord William G .

asked Dnnckerloy ' s permission to present him with £ 200 , so that the esteem in which he was held at all events preceded by two years the date assigned for his recognition by Georgo III . as a natural son of the late King his grandfather . Here again , is another reason why Dnnckerley should havo been able to obtain a knowledge of our Ritual long before 1767 . A few clays ago , on turning over the pages

of tho Masonic Magazine , I came across Cole ' s List of Lodges for 1763 , and No . 25 : t in that list is described as being held " on board His Majesty's Ship tho Vanguard , " tho date of its constitution being January 16 , 1766 . Why may not Dnnckerley have been a member of this Lodge ? and why may he not have been a member of the Craft for years and years before this ? Hence I say , there is no improbability against the lecture having been delivered at Plymonth in 1757 .

I am sensible that this is a case which , so far as I have gone , rests only on circumstantial evidence . Whether it be possible to obtain anything in the way of direct evidence I cannot say at present . At all events , I am justified in asking yonr readers to regard it as being at least as trustworthy as Bro . Norton ' s conjecture , that because Bro . Dnnckerley did not emerge from his obscurity till 1767 , therefore the date ordinarily assigned to his lecture , namely , tho year 1757 , is

inaccurate . Fraternally yours , "Q "

D. G. Lodge Of Northern China.

D . G . LODGE OF NORTHERN CHINA .

1 THE third Communication of the D . G . Lodge of Northern China was •held at tho Masonic Hall , Shanghai , on Tuesday afternoon , 23 rd April , W . Bro . Thorne D . G . M . iu the chair . The general business of the meeting being ended , the D . G . M . remarked thafc he thought ifc a fitting opportunity to inform the brethreu of the loss the District Grand Lodge would shortly sustain in the departure of Brothers Gundry D . G . M . and Turnbnll D . G . S . W . for England . He dilated on

the benefits Masonry in Shanghai had derived' from the labours of those brethren , and in conclusion wished them a speedy and safe passage and happy re-union with their friends afc homo—a wish thafc was endorsed by general applause . Bros . Gundry and Turnbnll thanked tho D . G . M . and the brethren for this expression of kindly feeling , and the Lodge was formally closed .

The brethren subsequently re-assembled at a complimentary ban * quet given to the above-named brethren afc the Shanghai Club . Tho chair was taken by the R . W . D . G . M . Bro . Thorne , and the fol . lowing were among thoso present : —W . Bros . Gundry D . D . G . M ., Tnrnbull D . G . S . W ., Harfc D . G . J . W ., Kiugsmill P . D . G . B . G . P ., Orme D . G . Sec , 11 . Fergusson D . G . S . D ., II . Evans D . G . J . D ., Morris D . G . D . C ,

Marshall D . G . S . of W ., Brown D . G . Pursuivant , Hughes ( Tuscan ) D . G . Steward , Pearson ( Sussex ) P . P . D . G . Board of General Purposes , BirtP . M . Lodge Cosmopolitan S . C ., E . Henderson P . M . Lodgo St . Audrews in tho Far East S . C ., Taylor P . M . Lodge Cosmopolitan S . C ., & c , Sec . Tho dinner consisted of the usual good things , supplemented by wines of the choicest brands , to which full justice was done . At

ten o ' clock the chairman rose to propose the formal toasts , which received clue honour , and then followed that of tho evening , —Our quests , Bros . Gundry aud Turnbnll . R . W . Bro . Thorne said—You are aware our Worshipful Brothers Gundry D . D . G . M ., and Turnbnll D . G . S . W ., are abont to leave for

England , and you expressed your desire to receive them amongst you this evening to bid them a Masonic farewell . Probably they may not return to Shanghai , and we feel thafc in parting with them •ve shall sustain a severe loss both Masonically and socially . Our W . Bro . Gundry was initiated into Masonry in the Lodge Excelsior , Calcutta , iQlSSO ; he earns to Shanghai in , 3 , 864 , s & ci joined , the