Our Weekly Budget.

an attempt was unsuccessfully made to havo this important debate set down for Thursday . The Contagious Diseases Bill was again discussed in Committee , and when clause 07 was reached progress was reported , and the House resumed .

On Tuesday , after questions respecting the Anglo- Turkish Treaty and Cyprns had been answered , the Chancellor ot tho Exchequer announced the Message from the Queen already referred to , and gave notice that on Thursday he would move a resolution in accordance with its terms . Sir

Charles Dilke gave notice that in such case he should move for certain returns . A resolution by Mr . Gladstone on the Indian Press Act was debated at length , among the speakers being Mr . Gorst , Sir G . Campbell , Mr . Smollett , and tlie

Chancellor of the Exchequer . The resolution was defeated by 208 votes to 1-52 votes . The greater part of tho sitting on Wednesday afternoon was occupied in Committee on the Contagious Diseases Bill , and the Highways Bill as amended was likewise considered .

The Queen and Princess Beatrice are now at Osborne , and on Saturday the Earl of Beaconsfield visited Her Majesty , and continued his visit till Tuesday . On Monday afternoon the noble Earl was invested Avithout formality by the Queen with the insignia of tho Order of tho Garter . Tlie

Princess Beatrice was present , and his Lordship was introduced by Sir John Cowell , preceded by Sir Albert Woods ( Garter ) , and having received the honour of Knighthood , kissed hands , and tho Garter , with the Riband ancl George of the Order , were then delivered to him by Her Majesty .

The other vacant Garter has been bestowed on the Marquis of Salisbury . These aro not the only honours which our successful plenipotentiaries will receive , for , on Saturday

next , the freedom of the City of London will be conferred upon them in Guildhall , after which they and all their colleagues will be entertained by the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress at the Mansion House .

The Prince and Princess of Wales have been well oc

cupied during the current week . On Monday , their Royal Highnesses paid a visit to the London Hospital and spent a full hour in inspecting the wards , stopping every now and then to express their sympathy with the patients . The visit had been kept secret , but , somehow on the clay itself

a rumour of the Princo and Princess s intention got abroad , so that on quitting the Hospital , a large crowd had assembled ancl greeted the Royal visitors with the greatest enthusiasm . On Tuesday , the Prince and Princess visited Dartmouth , whither the Duke of Connaught , on board the

Royal Yacht Osborne , bad preceded them . They were received by the Duke and the naval officers of the district . The Royal Galley was in waiting , among the cadets who manned it being Prince Albert Victor , who acted as

coxswain , and his brother , Prince George , who pulled an oar on the bow side . In the evening , a large number of distinguished guests was entertained on board the Osborne , while on shore there was a brilliant illumination . On

Wednesday , the Mayor and Corporation of the borough presented a most loyal address of welcome to the Royal visitors , after which the latter were rowed aboard the training-ship Britannia , where Her Royal Highness distributed

the prizes , among the distingushed company present being the Duke of Connaught , Prince Louis of Battenberg , the First Lord of the Admiralty , Lord and Lady Ramsay , Lord and Lady Chas . Beresford , Admiral Wellesley , & c . When the ceremony was over , the Prince expressed the pleasure

it had afforded Her Royal Highness to be present and give away the prizes , and the First Lord of the Admiralty haviug called on the cadets to testify in the usual manner among boys their sense of tho honour done by the Royal visitors , a number of hearty cheers were given , and the Prince and Princess returned on board the Osborne ,

leaving for London later in the afternoon . Among the Masonic events of the week must be mentioned the annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Hertfordshire . The gathering was held this year at Watford , under the bauner of the Watford Lodge .

On Wednesday an entertainment was given to Viscount Cranbrook , Secretary of State for India , by the noble Viscount ' s friends in the little Kentish town from which his lordship has taken his title . Indeed , i '; was with a view to celebrating his elevation to the peera je that the banquet

was held . The chair was taken by Mr . Bcrcsford-Hope , M . P ,, and amongst those present wero Viscount Holmesdale , M . P ., Sir Walter Stirling , Sir C . Oakley , Lord John Manners , Sir W . Hart Dyke , & c . Tl e meeting was nonpolitical , members of both parties i ttending . In the evening ladies were present , among thc-m being Viscountess

Our Weekly Budget.

Cranbrook and her daughters . Everything passed off admirably . Official notice has been given that tho services of tho Army ancl Militia Reserves will not be required after the

31 st instant , and very minute instructions have been issued by the War Office as to their demobilisation . At the Royal Dockyards thero is a cessation of that activity which prevailed so long as the issue of peace or war remained doubtful .

The arrival at Larnaca , in Cyprus , is announced of Sir Garnet Wolseley and staff , and his Excellency has already made a proclamation to tho people that he has taken possession of , and will administer the island iu the name of Queen Victoria . The British troops which had already arrived ,

and the Turkish forces were drawn up at tho landing-place , and presented arms to his Excellency , a salute of seventeen guns being fired . The Queen ' s Proclamation was enthusiastically received , both tho Greek Bishop and the Mahometan Mollah delivering addresses of a very congratulatory

character . Every preparation is being made to organise the new Government , and we doubt not Sir Garnet will very speedily havo things in order . Already numbers of

people from Malta , etc ., aro ilocking to the island , and tho Cypviobs , both Greek and Moslem , aro looking forward to a very different state of things from what prevailed under the Turkish Government .

The President of tho French Republic has dul y ratified the Berlin Treaty , and the other Powers will follow France ' s example sooner or later . As wo anticipated , tho first feeling of jealousy on the part of our French neighbours is already passing away , and M . Gambetta , who was

supposed to be tho bitterest opponent of the Treaty and Anglo-Turkish Convention , has expressed himself to the Special Commissioner of tho Times as on the whole well pleased with what has been done , and as especiall y rejoiced that England has resumed her place in Europe , for

in this way the almost identical interests of the two great Western Powers will be most effectively promoted . In Italy there is very great soreness , and meetings are being held in various cities and towns which cause uneasiness to the government . As regards Austria , thero

have been delays in making the necessary arrangements between her and Turkey respecting the occupation of Bosnia and Herzegovina , but the Austrian troops will cross the frontier at an earl y date . It is feared there may

be armed resistance to their entry . However , affairs in the East , will , let us hope , now settle down soon , and all fears of further troubles—at least for a long time to comewill then havo passed .

It is with great regret that wo announce the death of Bro . Samuel Tomkins , who till the Quarterly Communication of Grand Lodge in March last held the position of Grand Treasurer of England . It will be in the

recollection of our readers that the firm of Willis , Percival , and Co ., bankers , of which he was a member stopped payment in February , and hence his non-re-election for the present year . Bro . Tomkins had held tho office for very many years .

Meeting Of The Lodge Of Benevolence.

MEETING OF THE LODGE OF BENEVOLENCE .

THE July meeting of tlie Locige of Benevolence was held ab Freemason ' s Hall on Wednesday evening . Bro . Joshua Nunn , Bro . James Bretb , and Bro . S . Bawson , occupied the President's , Senior Vice-President ' s , and Junior Vice-President ' s chairs respectively . Amongst tho other brethren present were Bros . Bartlett , Cottebrune , C . Atkins , Cobhatn , Hogard , Britten , Hewett , C . G . Hill ,

E . C . Massey , Way , Poynter , White , Good , Daroy , W . H . Cohen , Malton and Allan . Bro . Buss , Assistant Grand Secretary , acted for Graud Secretary , who is on his holidays . After the confirmation of grants made by last Lodge , £ 440 was granted to new cases , of which there were twenty on the list . Three were faulty , aud the remaining seventeen wore relieved with sums of £ 50 , £ 40 , £ 30 , £ 20 and £ 10 .

Committee Meeting, Girls' School.

COMMITTEE MEETING , GIRLS' SCHOOL .

THE General Committee of the Koyal Masonic Institution for Girls , was hold on Thursday , at Freemasons' Hall . The brethren present were Bros . A . H . Tatte-shall ( in the chair ) , Finney , Webster , Browse , Gladwell , Bucket-, The mas White , Letchwortb , Peters , Welhman , Dubois , Massey , Baker , Massa , W . Paas , Saunders , Bushworth , E ,

Spooner , llosenthal , Ftalkuer and F . K . W . Hedges Secretary . Only one petition was before the brethren , aud tho candidate was placed on tho list . £ 500 was ixed as the amount of security to bo given by tho Secretary , and tho salary of tho head clerk in hia Office waa raised to £ 100 a year ,