The Festival.

to so important a toast as that of the Grand Officera of England , Present and Past . The Grand Officers of the past had won high approval for the way in whioh they had upheld the principles of Freemasonry , and he folt justified on behalf of the Present Grand Officers in saying they wonld use every effort to follow in the footsteps of their predecessors , and emulate their good deeds in every

possible way . He was qnite sure they were willing , ready and anxious on all occasions to promote the interests of the great brotherhood of whioh for the moment they were at the head . He was farther assured they took a very lively interest in the noble Charities of the Order , which were really the backbone of Freemasonry . The manner in whioh this toast waa ( always received proved that

the work of the Grand Officera met with approval from the brethren . The Earl of Lathom then gave the toast of the evening . Success to the Royal Masonio Institntion for Boys , whioh , he said , was now rapidly approaching the hundredth year of its existence . The chairman gave a brief outline of the formation and growth of the

Institution , whioh , starting with six children , was then providing for upwards of 260 lads , children of members of the Craft . Large amounts had been raised for the Charities by various Provinces at different times , notably £ 3885 by East Lancashire in 1869—he had not picked the amounts out himself , they had been prepared for him— £ 3560 by West Yorkshire in 1881 , £ 3542 by East Lancashire

in 1879 , and £ 3483 by Kent in February of the present year . These wen very large sums , bat it had been whispered to him that they might be surpassed that day , but he knew nothing about it himself , and he would not spoil the pleasure of the Secretary of the Institution , who would have to make the announcement of the lists . To his mind all this showed how thoroughly the great principle of the

Masonio Order , Charity , was fixed in the minds of the brethren , and also that those who were admitted into Freemasonry were not only capable but willing to bear their share in the great work . Remember , this was not all that he had been telling the brethren , for in many Provinces of England there were other large Charities , he might say worthy Charities , whioh were subscribed to locally by the brethren

and tha Provincial Grand Lodges , which were all doing good work , and were maintaining and educating those who were destitute , and who , without such help , would probably come more prominently before the Craft . For his own part , he wished to thank most heartily and from the very bottom of his heart all those brethren who had come forward that day to support him . Might their efforts never

relax , but might this great work of Charity in Masonry long continue to advance , and point ont to the world that Masons were in earnest , that they were not merely a convivial aud ornamental society , but that they kept in mind tbo principles of the Order , and meant to keep on with them . The previous day he had had tho great pleasure of visiting the Sohool , accompanied by Lady Lathom , who kindly

consented to deliver the prizes . He and she were delighted with all they saw . They were there only a short time , and they were not able to go over the whole of the establishment , but he had been over it before , and was able to describe to her ladyship the dormitories . In the first place they found the boys well taught ; tho proficiency they showed in their studies was very remarkable , as was shown by

the prizes whioh were given . Bat they were struck—nnd to a lady it was more striking than it was to a man ' s view—with the healthy look of the boys , and it was a fact that at this present moment there was not a single case of illness iu the infirmary . He waa sura all the parents of the boys and the supporters of tbe Institntion would be delighted with that statement . From a tutorial point of view he

conld quite understand how very disappointing it must be to a head master and those who worked with him to find that their pupils were taken away from them or rather left them just at the age at which a boy was best able to show his ability . He wished it were possible to keep them at the Sohool longer ; if it were one year more it wonld be something ; if it were two it wonld be better , for then these boys

wonld be able to compete fairly and on a better basis than they were now able to compete for scholarships with other boys . Of course that was a matter for the Committee , and he had no donbt they would give it their best consideration . If Masons paid a very high price for the education of these boys it must be surely worth while carrying that out thoroughly ; carrying the

education to its fullest extent , and fitting the boya for any walk in life they might have the opportunity of entering . He did not say that anything was left undone that onght to be done ; bnt still , when they were doing a work it might perhaps be well to consider whether tbay conld not do something more . He was now going to tonch npon a point whioh would be perfectly new to many

of the brethren , if not to all of them . Before very long it might have to be considered whether it would not be for tho benefit of the School to remove a little farther into the country . The present quarters , as the brethren knew , were located on a terribly sticky , clayey soil . Every one knew a clayey soil was not conductive to health . No ope purchasing a place would choose a clayey soil .

There were plenty of sites with a gravel soil to be got , and what a pleasant thing it would be to visit the School if it was in the country on a gravel soil . Of coarse , it was a financial question and required very great care and thought . He mentioned the subject as a caution to those who wished to have more sohool buildings erected on tho same site , because he conld tell them it was a mere waste of money .

If they wsnt on building it would militate against tho value of the site in the market . He did not know the value of the place , but he did know that if they covered it with buildings they would not realise what they would want for the site when they desired to get rid of it . There was another reason for his wishing that they shonld leave the present site , the appearance of the surroundings . It was

surrounded now by very small tenements indeed . That was not what they should have around a great School like this ; for this was a great Sohool . He threw this out as a hint ; it might not be acceptable to the Committee or the brethren , but he thought it was worth thinking over . From the way in which the remarks of the Chairman on thia point were received he must have been at

The Festival.

once convinced that the hint he had thrown out was accept * able to the brethren , the remarks being heartily applauded . Bro . Pluoknett , Treasurer of tbe Institution , acknowledged tbe toast , and then Bro . MacLeod announced the subscriptions , of which we give details elsewhere . The toast of the Board of Management was proposed by Baron de Ferrieres , and acknowledged by Brother

Richard Eve , Chairman of the Board , who in tarn submitted " The Companion Masonio Institutions , " to which Bro . Jamea Terry , Secretary of the Benevolent , responded . The Board of Stewards , and the Ladies were the remaining toasts , Bro . W . A . Scurrah responding to the latter . A concert was subsequently given and the proceedings brought to a successful ending .

It was much to bo regretted that the enjoyment of several of those present was upset by the arrangements made for the return journey . Two special trains were despatched to London within a few minutes of each other , both being sent to Victoria , muoh to tho inconvenience of many of tbe passengers , who then had to travel across London to find themselves too late for their local trains . To leave Brighton at

9-20 by special train and not reach London in time for the midnight suburban ones was anything but a pleasant experience for many of those present at Wednesday ' s celebration , but it ia such mishaps which bring our railway system into disrepute , and make brethren dread gatherings out of London , which , with a little foresight , might be made as convenient as those held in the metropolis , and also a source of profit to the Railway companies themselves .

Royal Arch.

ROYAL ARCH .

SUPREME GRAND CHAPTER OF SCOTLAND .

THE quarterly communication of the Supremo Chapter of Scotland was held on the 17 th inst ., in the Freemasons' Hall , George Street , Edinburgh . There was a large attendance of representatives , including—Companion William Officer Depute Grand Principal

( presiding ) , James Dalrymple Duncan , of Meiklewood , Third Grand Principal , R . S . Brown Grand Scribe E ., Charles Baxter Grand Scribe N ., G . Dickson Grand Treasurer , Major F . W . Allan Grand Chancellor ,

C . C . Nisbet Acting 1 st Soj ., E . Macbean 2 nd Soj ., J . MacNaught Campbell 3 rd Soj ., James Simpson G . S . B ., J . B . Paton P . Z . 44 , J . Walker 168 , W . M . Denholm 69 , J . Marshall 11 , J . Foulds 11 , & c . The Grand Scribe E .

intimated apologies for absence from Companions Georgo Christie Provincial Grand Superintendent , Colonel P . Sterling of Kippendavie First G . Soj ., Dr . Falconer , Br . Macdonald , and others . On the recommendation of

Supreme Committee it was agreed ( 1 ) that M . E . Comp . John Frizzell P . G . H . P ., be appointed Grand Representative near the Grand Chapter of Tennessee , U . S . A ., in room of Comp . James M'Callum , deceased ; ( 2 ) confirmation of

amendments on bye-laws of Chapter St . Andrew , No . 115 , Inverness , and Perseverance , No . 152 , Leith ; ( 3 ) that a Charter be granted to a Chapter at Quetta , Beloochistan , to be named the Elian Vannin Chapter . Reports ot

proceedings were received with the thanks of the S . S . Ch . from the Grand Chapters of New York , Tennessee , Texas , Colorado , U . S . A ., and Michigan . A series of additions and alterations on tbe Laws and Constitution of the

Supreme Chapter , recommended by Supreme Committee , affecting over 40 rules , were taken up seriatim , discussed , and remitted to Supreme Committee for final revision On the motion of Comp . Simpson ( 64 ) it was resolved by

a majority of 33 , against 7 for the previous question , that moved by Comp . James Simpson P . Z . 64 , seconded by Comp . James Crichton Z . 1— "No candidate shall be exalted in any Chapter holding of the Supreme Chapter of Scotland for a less sum than £ 1 lis 6 d . " It was resolved by an equally large majority that the test of membership in Supreme Chapter be in future 2 s 6 d annually , instead of Is as formerly .

The Freemasons of Merthyr , accompanied by a large number of ladies , held their annual picnic on Thursday the 18 th inst . Thoy proceeded by the 9 * 30 train to Abergavenny , in saloon carriages which had been specially provided for the occasion . Brakes awaited them there , in

which they drove to the beautiful valley of CrickhowelJ . Having dined at the Bear , the party proceeded to Glanusk Park , the property of Sir Joseph Bailey , where they partook of tea . The weather , although somewhat threatening in the morning proved delightful , and the picnickers thoroughly enjoyed themselves .