Our Weekly Budget

Hungary may possibly become involved in the war afc no distant date . As regards the relations between Russia aud this country they remain the same , but our Government are keeping a strict outlook , and Malta , Gibraltar , and other

p laces are having thoir defences strengthened , aud the Channel fleet will rendezvous off Plymouth to-day . Let us hope that these preparations to meet all eventualities may be the utmost limit of our undertakings .

The second meeting of the Board of Stewards for the Festival of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys was held at Freemasons ' Hall , on the 17 th instant . Bro . T . Meggy , acting Vice-President , presided . The Report of the Sub-Committee appointed to look after tho musical

arrangements was submitted . The Sub-Committee recommended that the tender of Bro . Louis Emanuel be accepted , ancl it was accepted accoz-dingly . By this arrangement the following artistes will appear , namely , Mdlles . Pattie Laverne and Sinclair , Mesdames Poole and Capponi , and

Messrs . T . G . Carter , Theodore Distin , Weigl , and Burton McGuckcn , together with Herr Van Biene as solo violoncellist . The Special Stewards were appointed , and tho

next meeting arranged for the 18 th proximo . There were present Bros . C . F . Matier , Rosenthal , S . Barton Wilson , John Seex , F . Newton , J . Tanner , Captain Wordsworth , G . Phythian , T . W . Murley , and J . D . Massey .

At the annual meeting of the General Committee of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , on Friday last , a letter was read from Bro . Francis Knollys , private Secretary to the Prince of Wales , announcing that His Royal Highness approved of the next Festival of the Institution being held on the 13 th February 1878 .

The ceremonies of consecration and installation will be worked by Bro . Jas . Terry P . G . D . C . Herts ., P . M . 228 , 1278 , 1366 , and Secretary Masonic Benevolent Institution ,

at the New Concord Lodge of Instruction , Rosemary Branch Tavern , Hoxton , on Wednesday next , May 30 th , at 7 p . m . Brethren are to appear in Masonic clothing .

The installation ceremony will also be worked at Bro . Maidwell's , Hercules Tavern , Leadenhall-street , on Tuesday evening next , at 7 .

The Masonic Review announces that the two branches of the Order of the Red Cross of Coustantine now existing iu the United States have come to a partial settlement of their differences , and that there is every probability they will be blended into one body in the course of next month . We

learn , Irom the same source , that the Grand R . A . Chapter of Maryland has thirteen subordinate Chapters , with an aggregate membership of 1 , 304 . Illinois has fifty-one Commanderies , with 3 , 664 members . We are further

informed that William Astor , the well-known New York millionaire , while sojourning in Florida , for the benefit of his health , has joined King Solomon ' s Lodge afc Jacksonville in that State .

Bro . J , V , Woodward . Dist . G . O . ; Bro , H , Friodemann

We read m the Masonic Record of Western India for last month that a Quarterly Communication of the District Grand Lodge of Bengal was held on the 27 th December last , at Freemasons' Hall , Bentinck-strcet , Calcutta . Bro . J . B . Knight , D . Dist . G . M . presided as Dist . G . M ., and

there was a numerous attendance of Dist . G . Officers and representatives of Lodges . After an address from the acting D . G . M ., and the transaction of certain usual business , tho names of the officers for the ensuing year were announced , and Bros . W . H . Fitze , A . Lo Franc , and

G . Alexander were re-elected Dist . G . Treasurer , Custodian of the Hall , and Tyler respectively . The roll of officers is now as follows : —Bro . J . 13 . Knight D . D . G . M . acting as Dist , G . M . ; Bros . T . Jones and T . J . Wliilly , Dist . S . G . W . and J . G . W . respectively ; Bro . Rev . W . B . Drawbridge ,

D . G . Chaplain ; Bro . W . H . Fitze , D . G . Treasurer ; Bro . G . C . Farr , D . G . Secretary ; Bros . J . H . Turner and J . H . E . Beer , Dist . S . ancl J . G . Deacons respectively , Bro . C . F . Egerton Allen D . G . D . of C , and Bro . T . W . Fitch , Dist . Assist , ditto ; Bro . Col . G . A . Browne , Dist , G . S . B . ;

Our Weekly Budget

D . G . P . j Bro . H . M . Rustomjee D . G . Standard Bearer ; Bro . A . Le Franc , Custodian of Hall ; Bros . G , T . Snead , C . F . B . Siddons , E . J . Dean , E . G . Sinclair , Thos . Duke , and E . Perry , D . G . Stewards , and Bro . G . Alexander D . G . Tyler . A letter was read from Bro . John Hervey , Grand

Secretary , requesting , on behalf of the Pro Grand Master , to bo informed of the name of the brother whom the Lodges are anxious to elect as Dist . G . M . in succession to Bro . J . B . Roberts . Shortly after this tlie Dist . Grand Lodge was closed .

The Natal witness , of 3 rd April , announces that by tho last mail a warrant was received from His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales , M . W . G . M ., constituting a new Lodge in thafc city , under the name of tho "Natalia" Lodge , No . 1 G 65 . Tho first Master to be Bro . G . 0 . Matterson , who

last year occupied the Senior Warden ' s chair in the Princo Alfred ' s Lodge ; tho first Senior Warden , Bro . Jesse Smith , who was last year Junior Warden in thafc Lodge ; and the

first Junior Warden , Bro . R . I . Finnemore , late Hon . Secretary of the Prince Alfred Lodge . The " Natalia " Lodge , was , they understood , to have been formally consecrated on Wednesday evening , the 4 th April .

We learn from the Keystone thafc the Quarfceivly Communication of the Grand Holy Royal Arch Chapter of Pennsylvania was held at the Masonic Temple , Philadelphia , on the 3 rd instant . M . E . Grand High Priest Comp . Alf . R . Potter presided , and there was a more than usually large attendance on the occasion .

The Neto York Courier is our authority for stating that according to the latest returns there are 132 , 07-5 R . A . Masons in the United States , and of these 18 , 539 are in the state of New York alone .

JJer 1 ' reimaurer for the current month contains two interesting biographical sketches—one of the Emperor Francis I ., tho same who was initiated into Freemasonry in 1731 at an occasional Lodge specially convened for the

purpose at the Hague , aud the other of Bro . Joseph Haydon , the celebrated composer , who was received into Masonry , in 1785 , in the Lodge Zur Wahren Eintraold at Vienna . Of this Lodge he remained a member till the day of his death , on the 31 sfc May 1809 .

Old Warrants.

Old Warrants .

No . ( J 7 . No . 2-15 , " Ancients ; " No . 309 at tho Union of 1813 , No . 21 . 9 from A . D , 1832 , mid No . 18 G from A . D . 18 G 3 to the present time .

ANTRIM , GRAND MASTER . JA - PEKKY , D . G . M . THOMAS HAKI ' , S . G . W . JA * AGAR , J . G . W . Co nil ( ol jom it mail content . WK , the Grand Lodge of the most Ancient and Honourable Fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons ( according to the Old Constitutions granted by His Royal Highness Prince EinvtiV , at York , Anno Domini Nine hundred twenty and six , and iu the Year of Masonry , Four

thousand Nine hundred twenty and six ) , in ample Form assembled , viz ., The Right Worshipful , Most potent and puissant Lord , the Right Honorable Randal William McDonnell , Earl and Bar ' n of Antrim , Lord Viscount Dunluce , Lord Lieutenant of the County of Antrim , in the Province of Ulster and Kingdom of Ireland , Knighfc of the most honorable Military Order of the Bath , one of Ilia

Majesty ' s most Honorable Privy Council , and iu that part of Great Britain called England , and Masouical jurisdiction thereunto belonging , GKANW MASTER or MASONS , The Right Worshipful James Perry , Ksq ., Deputy Graud Master , The Right Worshipful Thomas Harper , Esq ., Senior Grand Warden , aud the Right Worshipful James Agar , Esq ., Junior Graud Warden ( with the approbation and consent

of the Warranted Lodges held -within the Cities and Suburbs of London aud Westminster ) , do hereby authorise and impower No . 215 our Trust y and Well-beloved Brethren , viz ., The Worshipful Jacob Fisher one of our Master Masons , Tho Worshipful John Askew his Senior Warden , and the Worshipful Emanuel Mansiiold his Junior Warden , to Form and Hold a Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons aforesaid ; at the sign of the Friar , Play House