Ceremony At Southampton.

CEREMONY AT SOUTHAMPTON .

* TPHE Masonic work at Southampton Docks , to •*¦ which we referred last week , was duly carried out on Wednesday , and appeared to be in every way a success . It was particularly appropriate that the Craft should take as prominent a part in the proceedings on

this occasion as they did sixty years back , when the foundation stone was laid by Sir Lucius Curtis , the predecessor of Bro . W . W . B . Beach , M . P ., in the office of Provincial Grand Master of Hampshire , and we feel that Bro . Beach must have looked with no

small measure of satisfaction at the large assembly over which he presided on Wednesday , surrounded as he was with so many evidences of progress and prosperity—as compared with the earlier event—alike in Masonic and general matters . The Chairman of the London and South Western

Railway Company briefly reviewed the progress of the docks , the foundation stone of which was laid in 18 38 , the outer dock being built in 18 43 , the inner dock in 1851 , extensions in 1876 , the Empress Dock opened

by the Queen in 1890 , the Graving Dock by the Prince of Wales in 18 95 , and now the new deep-water quays . There were over two miles of docks and quays where ships could run alongside , compared with the 2 4 80

, feet available in 18 3 8 . In that year there were 25 ft of water at high tide , while now there were 30 ft at low tide . So great was the accommodation here that during the Diamond Jubilee Spithead Review no less

than thirty large steamers took passengers on board at the same time , from thirty-iour " specials " from Waterloo , besides crowds of visitors from the ordinary

trains . Only the other day 1 , 259 Grenadier Guardsmen who arrived in the morning were landed , entrained , and on their way to London before noon .

The Provincial Grand Master of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight was loyally supported by Officers and members of his Province , and received a silver trowel with which to perform the ceremony of the day , and

to retain as a memento of the event . Having declared the stone properly laid he said " Thanks be to the Great Architect of the Universe , Who has enabled us

to carry this work to a successful conclusion . May He prosper the work as it seemeth good . So mote it be . " The inscription on the stone was as follows :

" This stone was laid by W . W . B . Beach , Esq ., P . G . M . of the Masons of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight , 12 th Oct . 1898 , being the sixtieth anniversary of the laying of the foundation stone of the first Southampton dock , 1838 . "

Monmouthshire.

MONMOUTHSHIRE .

r g iHE Provincial Grand Lodge was held on Thursday , ¦ i 6 th inst ., at the Masonic Hall , Risca , under the banner of the Homfray Lodge , No . 1562 , of which Bro . T . Davies is W . M .

Colonel Charles Lyne the Provincial Grand Master presided , and was well supported . Letters regretting inability to attend were read from Lord Llangattock and other Brethren .

Monmouthshire.

The Offices were declared vacant , and the following were appointed and invested for the ensuing year : — Bro . S . A . Powell - Senior Warden B . Williams - - - - . Junior Warden Ven . Archdeacon Bruce - - - I nu „„ , „ : „„ Rev . D . Wilks .... Chaplains

Charles Cullum ... - Treasurer G . 0 . Francis .... Registrar J . C . Broakes ... - Secretary J . Lisbett - Senior Deacon 3 . L . Harper .... Junior Deacon A .. Swash .... Superintendent of Works W . J . Hollingdale ... Director of Ceremonies R . Gooding .... Assist . Dir . of Cers .

T . Shute .... Sword Bearer RS & OW . ' - ' - ' - " - ( Standard Bearers D . J . Marshall .... Organist J . T . Millet . ... Assistant Secretary Edwin Edmunds ... - Pursuivant A . H . Preece - - - - \ T . L . Evans - - - - WDSteel \

. . . - - - „ . m _ -. v . 1 , " > Stewards T . Campbell - - - - f G . Bell W . Price . - - - , E . W . Evans .... Tyler .

R. M. I. Girls.

R . M . I . GIRLS .

THE following is a list of the unsuccessful candidates at Thursday ' s election , with the number of votes recorded for each , these being carried forward for the next election , if the children are then eligible : Votes No . on Paper . Name . Forward Polled Total . 26 Sparks , Lucy Emmelino — 3501 3501

6 "Knott , Marguerite 2009 1318 3327 5 Moore , Jane 2788 531 3319 9 Clayton , Muriel 1539 1142 2681 22 Joseph , Hilda — 2157 2157 10 Eilis , Florence 1204 901 2105 4 Gifkins , Mabel 494 1345 1839

11 Smith , Ida Angela 1199 393 1592 27 Firth , Marjorie Louise -- 1512 1512 17 Green , Rosina Frances ' : — 1310 1310 2 Jacobs , Josephine Charlotte ... 989 53 1042 21 Shenton , Winifred Amelia ..-. ... — 896 896 25 Hoad , Gladys Evelyn Ellen ... — 514 514 12 Fielden , Bertha Matilda — 414 414

Essex.

ESSEX .

npHE annual Provincial Grand Chapter was held in the I Victoria Hall , Alexandra Street , Southend , on Thursday , 6 th inst ., excellent arrangements for the meeting having been made by the Priory Chapter , No . 1000 .

His Honour Judge Philbrick , Q . C ., who travelled from Salisbury for the purpose , presided , and was supported by a large number of the leading Arch Masons of the Province and district .

The minutes of the last annual Chapter , held at Romford , having been confirmed , letters and telegrams were read from several Companions unavoidably prevented attending . The roll of Chapters was called , and all but one were found to be represented .

The report of the Board of General Purposes was unanimously adopted . It stated that the thirteen Chapters of the Province showed a membership of 355 , as against 345 last year , and that there had been during the year 3 6 exaltations and 7 joining members , whilst the resignations had been 23 , deaths 7 , exclusions 4 .

The next business was the election of three members to serve on the Board of General Purposes for the ensuing year , and as only the required number had been nominated the Provincial Grand Superintendent declared them to be elected