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their company , among those present being the Earl of Halsbury Lord High Chancellor , Viscount Templetown , Edward Letchworth , George Richards uistrict Grand Master of the Transvaal , C . Trevor Mold Past Deputy Grand Master of South Australia , Sir John Cockburn , K . C . M . G ., Agent

General for South Australia , Dr . J . Byrne District Grand Master of Queensland , Hon . Henry Copeland Agent General for New South Wales , Justice Hodges of Victoria , Sir Horace Tozer Agent General for Queensland , D . P . Cama , Sir John B . Monckton , Sir Joseph Dimsdale , M . P ., first

Master of the Empress Lodge , Rev . J . S . Brownrigg , Rev . W . H . Turner , Sir M . Bhownagree , M . P ., K . C . I . E ., Sir Montague Nelson , K . C . M . G ., Bernard Marks of Melbourne , H . R . Hoyles D . G . Sec . Bombay , Alfred J . Thomas , Henry Neville , Dr . Maitland Coffin , J . D . Langton Under Sheriff ,

Dr .. Khory of Bombay , Dr . Lennox Browne , T . P . Griffin , Frank Richardson , Major Woodhall , J . Strachan , W . R . McConnell , A . Berridge , C . E . Keyser , J . M . McLeod , W . S Hooper , G . C . Breese S . W ., J . S . Bhumgara J . W ., Imre Kiralfy Treasurer , Percival Dixon Secretary , G . R . Blades

S . D ., G . G . Kirchner J . D ., W . H . Bond I . G ., W . E . Garstin , Dr . F . Allen , Dr . Bertrand Dawson , W . H . Jefferat , Arthur Tite , Tom Fraser , Gordon Hunter , Lionel Growing , Alfred Robbins , Orlton Cooper , & c , & c . The Lodge was opened at half past five , when the

ballot was taken for Mr . Isidore Speilmann as a candidate for initiation , which having proved unanimous , that gentleman was admitted and regularly initiated into Freemasonry .

Those who were privileged to be present were much gratified at the able manner in which the ceremony was performed by Bro . Coleman , who was very efficiently assisted by his Officers .

The Lodge was then closed , and the company , numbering about 120 , adjourned to the banquet room , where a choice repast was served by the courteous manager of the establishment . The menu cards were extremely elegant , and contained photographs of interesting places in London and Australia .

A souvenir of the occasion was presented to each guest , in the shape of an allegorical picture of the British Empire . It was designed by Dr . Maitland Coffin and depicted the British Lion , surrounded by tiger , kangaroo , ostrich , beaver , codfish , and parrot , pledging Queen Victoria , whose portrait overlooked the group .

The toast of the King and the Craft was drank with loyal enthusiasm , and the same reception was accorded to that of the Most Worshipful the Grand Master . The Earl of Halsbury Past Grand Warden responded for the Officers of Grand Lodge . In the course of a most

felicitous speech he said he felt very diffident at being called upon to respond for the Officers of Grand Lodge , when there were others present who were so much better qualified to do so . But he could hardly imagine a more appropriate celebration of a great national event than the present meeting

of Brethren of the Craft from all parts of the Empire . There was a time which , unfortunately , he was old enough to remember , when it was supposed that the sooner we got rid of our colonies the better , as they were considered a drag upon the national prosperity . He was , however , happy to

believe that that stage had long since passed away , and that recent events had shown what the colonies could do for us , and what we felt towards them . The experience was not only a lesson to us , but an example for the civilisation of mankind , in showing how much could be done by

a spirit of unity and a real fraternity towards each other . Freemasonry had been tiie means of joining men . of various nationalities in one vast Brotherhood , and if all nations were actuated by the . spirit of Freemasonry we might look

forward to the time when " the war drum throbbed no longer , and the battle-flags were furled , in the Parliament of man , the Federation of the world ; " when mankind would be bound by cords of love , rather than by bonds of steel .

Bro . Coleman was equally happy in proposing the Commonwealth of Australia . The Duke of York had been ordained by Queen Victoria to celebrate the grand conception of a United Australia , and the present gathering was a haoov

simile of what had been effected in the Antipodes . He referred to the gallant services rendered by the colonial troops , 20 , 000 of whom had gone to South Africa , and the Empire would never forget the part our brothers had played

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in the struggle . When love , peace , and harmony had been restored , he hoped the country would settle down and form a part of our great Empire . Sir John Cockburn , replying to the toast , said that as one who had laboured in the cause they celebrated that evening

he felt it to be the great honour of his life that he had assisted in forming the Commonwealth . The journey of the Duke of Cornwall was a great object lesson to the world . He was threading the pearls of the Empire in all quarters of the globe , and his reception had been worthy of the

occasion . Considering the long relation of the King with Freemasonry he might refer to the vast strides the Craft had made in Australia . When he was initiated there were only 300 Lodges , now there were 1 , 900 , and they had their own Grand Lodges . But that made them none the less loyal

to the Grand Lodge of dear old England , and they rather took the position of an affectionate and respectful daughter of the Mother Country . Many of the Governors had been Grand Masters of their districts , and Lord Kintore was able

to travel 2 , 000 miles in visiting all the Grand Lodges in Australia . Freemasonry had achieved much , but its eye was fixed on a star of hope , and would never cease its work till the world was one Grand Lodge , and all its peoples were Brothers .

Sir Joseph Dimsdale , m giving the toast of India and the other portions of the Empire , regretted the absence of Lord George Hamilton , whose duty called him to another place , and also of Sir Gerard Smith . This country had recently passed through a most momentous crisis ; the

authority of the Crown had been impugned , and the integrity of the Empire had been assailed . India had risen as one man to assist us , and it was a great regret that the Princes could not be permitted to take part in the struggle . It was

no wonder then that the Empress Lodge has seized the opportunity of celebrating the great event that had just been accomplished , and they were honoured by the presence of His Majesty ' s most prominent minister to enhance the pleasure of the evening .

Sir M . Bhownagree , M . P . and Bro . George Richards each replied to the toast in stirring speeches , which evoked the utmost enthusiasm , but which want of space alone prevents us from inserting .

Bro . Charles J . Kiralfy proposed the Worshipful Master , to which Bro . Coleman briefly replied , and Bro .. Alf . J . Thomas having responded for the visitors this interesting meeting terminated at a late hour .

An excellent musical entertainment was provided by Bro . James Kift , in which Miss Edith Serpen , Miss Florence Venning , and Bros . H . Harden , John Josey , and Walter Churcher took part .

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