Royal Naval Lodge Of Independence.

United with the Mosfc Ancient and Honorable Grand Lodges of IRELAND , SCOTLAND , AMERICA , & C , & c . Worshipful Sir and Brothers ,

Beware of Certificates with the following words engraved under an Arch afc fche Top , viz . : — Lodffe 57 , Roval Naval Lodge of Independence , Wapping ,

of the Most Ancient and Most Honorable Society of Free and Accepted Masons of England , according to Old Constitutions . We have no such Lodge , nor ever had any under our Constitution .

The above Certificates are in other respects an imitation and piracy , taken from our Lodge Certificates—engraved with emblems of Masonry , the Armorial Bearings of our

Right Worshipfull Grand Lodge Seal—Fabricated by an expelled Mason , and intended to pass and impose npon our Ancient Order , PARTICULARLY IN AMERICA . It has become necessary to guard against Imposition , and

the Designs of those who , to gratify the spleen of a disappointed individual and cover the nefarious practices of others , are most actively employed in vilifying and attempting to bring into disrepute the Ancient Craft in these

Kingdoms . Our Right Worshipful Grand Lodge , supported by the

most zealous protection of His Grace the Duke of Atholl , our Most Noble Grand Master , who defended the cause of Masonry in the late Parliament—Watchful to protect our

Ancient Rights and Privileges , and to preserve our inestimable Resources and Charities : —I hope and trust , under the protection of Divine Providence , will long continue to us that increasing prosperity , so interesting and honorable to

our most Anoient Fraternity . I remain , Worshipful Sir and Brother ,

xour Obedient Servant , And faithful Brother in Masonry , RORERT LESLIE , G . Secretary CIRCULAR .

Remembering that the Royal Naval Lodgo of Independence , at Wapping , was originally chartered in 1739 , I imagined that a seeeder from the Ancients set up a rival

Royal Naval Lodge at Wapping in 1803 , in order to get ship captains to join ifc . However , I first hunted up my article in the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE of 1887 , and after

reperusmg it , I took up the " History of the Lodge of Felicity " once moro . which revealed some facts in relation to my new puzzle , occasioned by tlie above document , and here is what the author of the " Felicity" says : —

" Bro . Francis Columbine Daniel , afterwards Sir Francis 0 . Daniel , Knight , M . D ., was born in April 1765 , at King ' s Lynn , and was initiated into Masonry in l ^ o . 3 Lodge , in March 1788 , and joined United Mariners ( Atholl ) in 1789 .

He soon afterwards served as Master of that Lodge , being described in 1791 as Past Master . In July 1791 Bro . Daniel , then 26 years of ago , Surgeon , of Red Lion Street ,

was admitted a member of the Royal Naval Lodge , which , according to a memoir in possession of our Bro . Sumner Knyvett P . M ., was then held at Sfc . James , but afterwards removed to Burr Street , near the Tower of London . He

served as Master for upwards of seventeen years , and during that period he initiated upwards of 600 American Captains , and nearly 400 British Naval Commanders . " We are further informed that Bro . Daniel arranged

medicine chests for ships , and that ho also invented a life preserver , for which he was knighted . His business naturally brought him into contact ; with sea captains , and this accounts for the rush of seamen into the Royal Naval Lodge

of Independence . Bro . Daniel ' s secession from the Ancients naturally left a bad feeling towards him among his former I Masonic associates , and here , on page 43 , is a paragraph which explains in a measure the printed document above given , of 1803 . Our author says : —

" Having joined the Royal Naval Lodge in 1791 , we find , in September 1801 the Atholl Grand Loclgo issuing a ! circular letter warning the W . M . ' s and Wardens * of its subordinate Lodges ngju ' usfc certificates issued by fche

Royal Naval Lodge of Independence , Wapping , on the , ground of their having been fabricated by an expelled Mason , Bro . F . Columbine Daniel , and intended to pass aud impose upon our ancient Order , particularly in America , j Bro . Daniel had been expelled by the Ancients early in that year .

Royal Naval Lodge Of Independence.

I do not , however , believe that Bro . Daniel copied the Armorial Bearings from the Ancients for the purpose indicated in the Ancients Circular in 1801 . I hope therefare that one of ray English friends will publish Bro . Daniel's Certificate , if a copy is in existence . While writing

about Dennett ' s "Armorial Bearings , I was reminded by Bro . J . R . Marvin , of Boston , in his book , viz ., " The Medals of the Masouic Fraternity , " alluded to Dennett ' s

pretended knowledge about " Armorial Bearings , just as I did to his Masonic Ancientness . Indeed , Bro . Marvin intimates that Dermotfc ' s " Rabi Jacob Jehndah Leoni " was

a mere " myth " of Dermofct's creation , and was suggested by Patriarch Jacob ' s talk about the " Lion of the Tribe of Judah . " This hint will , I hope , induce my friend Bro . Sadler to say something to Bro . Marvin .

The part Bro . Daniel played in the Masonic world is rather curious ; he was an out and out secessionist , thus he took an active part in establishing the Masonic Boys '

School , bufc in 1804 he seceded and organised a rival Boys ' School . Brother Harper was a regular Turncoat , who left the Ancients and went over to the Moderns . In 1802 Bro . Daniel brought charges against Harper , and had him went to tne Ancientsin

expelled , ana so ne oacK , IOUO , when Bro . Da ? iel retired from the office of W . M ., the Royal Naval Ir . dge presented him wifch a silver cup , value of £ 20 ; also as address , signed by Lord Kingston , his successor , and 125 members ; and in 1810 he seceded with

others from the said Lodge , and joined the Lodge of Felicity . For some unexplained reason the Royal Naval Lodge was bankrupt when Bro . Daniel left ifc . Its charter was suspended by the Grand Lodge for non-payment of dues , and charges were brought against Bro . Daniel for some irregularities , and he was suspended until the debts of

the Royal Naval Lodge were paid . Bro . Daniel ' s membership must have been deemed very valuable to the Lodge of Felicity , lor ifc undertook to discharge all the debts of the Royal Naval Lodge , which it eventually did . Tho Felicity Lodge , however , afterwards claimed from Bro . Daniel

repayment of some of the money , bufc he refused . In 1815 he sent in his resignation to the Lodge , but the Lodge refused to accept it until he settled its claim ; and finally ,

in 1816 , his resignation was accepted . But nevertheless at the Centenary of " The Lodge of Felicity , " in 1837 , Bro . Daniel was elected to fill the office of W . M . for the

year . The reader will now understand how the " Royal Naval Lodge of Independence " got connected with the

history of the Lodge of ielicifcy , and why tho Grand Lodge of the Ancients expelled the Master of a Lodge under Moderns in 1801 .

I shall only add that the pamphlet , issued in 1795 , by the Royal Naval Lodge , to which i called attention in 1887 is deemed by Bro . Hughan as very rare , if not unique , and

that I induced my old friend Bro . David Pulsifer , itsformer owner , to present it to fche Grand Lodgo of Massachusetts , for which he received a letter of thanks from the Grand Secretary . BOSTON , U . S ., 7 th January 1889 .

Annual Ball Of The Gallery Lodge, No. 1928.

ANNUAL BALL OF THE GALLERY LODGE , No . 1928 .

rpHE eighth annnal ball under tho auspices of tho Cillery Lodge , -S- No . 1928 , was held or . Friday , tho 4 th inst ., fit tho Brixton HaU , Acre-lane . Tlio hall was bouuifully tlecj . utJJ , * t very pleasing effect being proJ need by a , lar * . ' . ) mi-ubor of fairy lamps distributed among ilio p . ilnit * aud flowers sirringr-tl round the orchestra , iu front of whioh wag the b-iim •¦• of the- Lodge . In the gallery several

immease Japanese fans , kindly lent by Messrs Smith , ofthe Bon Marche , formed a fitting set-off to the profuse decorations at tho orchestra end and the sides of tho hall . This Lodge occupies the unique position of being wholly composed of members of the pres ? , and aa its

name suggests , many of fcheni aro engage ;! iu the press " gallery" of the Houses of Parliament . Dancing commenced at nine o ' clock , to the strains of a lust-class baud , supplied by Mr . C . iiann , aud was kept up until four o ' clock next niornini ** . Afc midnight the company sat down to supper , and great prai-vs is d io to Messrs W . Hill

and Sons for the way ifc was put upon the fc-djl" - and served . After supper—at which the Master of the Lodge , Bro . Is * . J . Griffiths , LL . D ., presided—The Queen aud the C cut fa and the Gallery Lodge were duly honoured , as was also the toast of the Ladfe- * , proposed by Bro . Bevan P . M ., and responded to b y Bro . Richard fi ?* , Pa ^ t Grand

Treasurer of L ' ngland . The arrangements wore carried out by the following committee : —Bros . Griffiths W . M ., Duckworth I . P . M ., Wright S . W ., Massey P . M ., Greenwood W . S ., and Massou , with Sale D . C . and Mooro W . S . joint secretaries , and tunes Treasurer . The M . G . ' a were Bros . Gale , Gre . eri-. YojJ and ' , fr > oi'o .