The Boys School Centenary.

many years since it was the almost invariable rule to vote any surplus on the Stewards' Fee account to the Secretary , in recognition of his special efforts in connection with the work of the Festival . The Stewards on this occasion , however , have

preferred to adopt another course , and by boldly facing the difficulty which threatened to arise have , we think , entirel y robbed the opposition of their weapons ; They have , as it were , played the " confidence . trick " upon

the grumblers , by handing over the money they consider should be given to the Secretary and his staff , with an expression of their opinion that it is fully deserved , leaving it to the Governors and Subscribers

of the Institution to confirm the grant , or otherwise , as they consider best , and now that the Funds of the Institution are relieved , as it were , oHhe necessity of providing the amount out of moneys subscribed for the

purpose of supporting the orphan sons of Freemasons , as some have put it lately , there should be no opposition to the confirmation of the grant when the minutes have to be considered at the Quarterly Court next month .

As we said in October last , when considering the proposal , as it then was , to grant a thousand guineas to Bro . McLeod , there are some who regard the

amount as somewhat extravagant , but as we then pointed out , one per cent , on the result would have been none too much to award Bro . McLeod , and if an

arrangement had been made on that basis he would be entitled to ^ 1 , 400 , as against the ^ 1 , 050 actually given him .

Had the Festival produced £ , 000 it would have been regarded as a grand success , and some recognition of his work would have been accorded the Secretary out of that amount . Are we urging too

much when we say that the odd ^ 40 , 000 is the direct outcome of Bro . McLeod ' s special exertions—not during the current year alone , but for the last three or four , during all of which " Centenary " work has been

in progress ? We think not , and such being the case it is none too much to present him a thousand guineas as a special recognition of his services , especially when

the Brethren with whom he laboured themselves suppl y the money for the testimonial , wholly apart from anything subscribed or intended for the Institution itself .

Cambridgeshire.

CAMBRIDGESHIRE .

TWO important meetings of the Province of Cambridgeshire were held at Cambridge on Monday , 28 th ult ., and ; were well attended by Brethren from all parts of the county .- - .. .. " .. ' ; In the afternoon , a convocation of the Provincial Grand Chapter , was held at the Lion Hotel .

Owing to the smallness of the Province , Provincial Grand Chapter .. is generally convoked only once in every two years . The , ' . last Chapter was held in March 18 97 , and the Grand Superintendent with his Principals this year decided to try

the experiment of holding Provincial Grand Chapter upon the same day as Provincial Grand Lodge , an experiment whi . ch proved most successful , and brought a larger assembly of Royal Arch Masons than had been seen in Cambridge for many a day .

The Chapter was opened by Comp . Col . R . T . Caldwell Provincial Grand Superintendent , with E . M . Money Prov . G . H ., and W . P . Spalding Prov . G . J ., and after the formal business had been transacted the Provincial Officers were appointed and invested .

; The annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge was held in the ' evening , at the Masonic Hall , under the banner of the Three Grand Principles Lodge , No . 441 . The Prov . Grand Master Col . R . T . Caldwell pjesided , supported by the Deputy Provincial Grand Master Rev . J . H . Gray , and therewas a largeattendance . ' .. '

Cambridgeshire.

The Auditors' report of the Treasurer ' s accounts was presented and adopted . . The Provincial Grand Registrar Bro . Bell presented the returns for the year , from the 1 st of November 18 97 , to the 30 th of October 18 98 , which showed a membership of 456 ,

compared with 432 last year , there having been 49 initiations during the , year , 7 joinings , 6 deaths , and 26 withdrawals . , . Bros . ; C . - . H .-. Davey , of the : Etheldreda Lodge , Newmarket , having been elected Treasurer , ; the Provincial Grand Master proceeded to appoint and invest the Provincial Grand Officers .: ; . ¦ ,::..- -v

The report of the Masonic Chanty Association was taken as read . It was announced that the Province had already sent up the sum of £ 756 this year to the different . Masonic ¦¦

Institutions . . ¦ '; -,. * ' Charity jewels were presented to Bros . W . J . Armitage , W . J . Fernie , and W . P . Spalding , and a charity jewel clasp to Bro . O . Papworth .

The Proy . Grand Master proposed a vote of thanks = to the Brethren who , during the past year , had served ; as Stewards of the Masonic Charities , which was seconded by the Deputy Provincial Grand Master , and carried with enthusiasm .

The Provincial Grand Lodge was then closed . - . - ¦ ,-n The banquet was held at the Lion Hotel , and was largely attended , the company including several visitors from other Provinces . At its close , the toast of the Queen and the Craft was duly honoured .

The Provincial Grand Master , in proposing the Grand Master of England , said they all rejoiced at the Prince of Wales ' s recovery from his recent accident . Whilst the Prince had been Grand Master the growth of Freemasonry had been astonishing . Col . Caldwell's mother Ledge , No .

859 , had been established in 1861 , and the youngest Lodge , that opened at Ely the last week ; was No . * 2727 , isp that in the period of thirty-seven years no fewer than 1868 Lodges had been opened . ; The Provincial Grand Master next proposed the Deputy Grand Master and the Grand Lodge Officers , and expressed

the deep regret they , in common with all Freemasons , felt at the death of the Pro Grand Master . The late Lord Lathom was not unknown to them at Cambridge , he having laid the foundation stone of the Masonic Hall . What they in Cambridgeshire felt was shown by , the symbols of grief which were worn by the Brethren . Bro . A . T . Thomas Past Grand Standard Bearer of

England responded , and said that Lord Lathom had endeared himself to every Brother with whom he came in contact . He complimented the Province of Cambridgeshire upon its general efficiency . The Deputy Provincial Grand Master proposed the

Provincial Grand Master , and remarked that they had flourished exceedingly under Col . Caldwell's kindly rule , and he challenged anybody to find a more happy or contented Province than that of Cambridgeshire . The ceremony of the previous week , when they consecrated a Lodge at Ely ,

he knew was an occasion of special gratification to their Provincial Grand Master , and he hoped the Brethren would afford him other opportunities of a similar pleasurable character .

The Provincial Grand Master , in reply , said it was perfectly true that they were a happy and united Province , and he was exceedingly proud , of it . It was not a large Province , but there was an advantage in that , as they got to know each other better than would be possible if the Province

was of larger extent . At the same time , growth was a sign of vitality , and he was pleased that they had added to the number of their Lodges , and now they were seven . . He hoped they would not stop there , and though he did not suppose they would imitate their Brethren in Essex , where

there had been a large increase in Freemasonry , he would suggest that there was still room for the establishing . of additional . Lodges at March and Charteris . He thanked his Officers for the kind assistance he had received from them , and concluded by proposing the toast of the Deputy Prov . Grand Master .

Bro . Rev . J . H . Gray , in the course of his response , said he felt sure that those who had been appointed would do all that could be done for the Province . , ; ; -: o i Bro . E . M . Money proposed the Royal Masoiiic ^

Charities . Those great Institutions , he said , were an honour o to the Craft . He was proud to see that for many years now ^ the Brethren in Cambridgeshire had been . working away *' steadily on behalf of those Institutions , andihad supported * : them very well indeed .. Referring to the- Institutions , ^ Bro .