The Management Of The Boys' School.

the conduct of our three Masonic Institutions , it is laid down , at p . 25 , that " all differences or complaints th-ir cannot be accommodated privately , or in a regular Lodge , shall bo reduced into Avriting , and delivered to the Grand Secretary , Avho shall lav the same before the Grand Master ,

or the Board of General Purposes , or other Board or Committee appointed by the Grand Lodge . When all parties shall have been summoned to attend thereon , and the case investigated , such order and adjudication shall be made as is authorised by the la \ vs and regulations of Masonry . "

The only suggestion our contemporary has to offer is , that this complaint should be referred to the General Committee , or the House Committee . This means simply that West Yorkshire , being dissatisfied with tho government of the Institution , must appeal for redress to the very body

Avhose conduct is called m question . It may be wise to take no further steps in the matter , or to press for further inquiry . It is manifestly unfair that the question should

be referred for settlement to one of the disputants . We hope our contemporary Avill be a little more common-sensible the next time it deals with this or any other unpleasant subject affecting the interests of the Craft .

The Charge Of The Light Brigade.

THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE .

THOSE of us Avho have reached the meridian of life are often surprised to find , on looking back , that events Avhich seem to be of yesterday , are , to the younger portion of the community , already covered Avith a " thin film of the rust of antiquity . Every middle aged man , for example ,

regards the incidents ot the Crimean War as events of tho most recent occurrence ; he can carry his memory back to the glorious and the inglorious events of the compaign , and he recalls those vivid letters in the Times Avhich Avon

for Mr . Russell the title of Prince of newspaper correspondents . But to our more fortunate , because more youthful friends , these things are already canonised in the set forms of historical narrative . They know of the Alma , of Inkerman , and Sabastopol , through the medium of Mr .

Kinglake ' s graphic pages . They read of the Charge of the Light Brigade at Balaclava Avith some such feelings as the school boy reads of Leonidas and the pass of Thermopylaa , and while we think of the blunder , they think only of the glory of that dashing charge . To such persons the

banquet of Monday last recalls only the heroic side of that gallant deed of arms , but to us it brings a painful reminder of the . incompetence and blundering of the leaders of the allied forces . We think of the hardships and horrors of the Crimean winter . We remember that

circumlocution Avas then in full force at the War Office , and that our soldiers died , in the trenches , of hunger and disease , within five miles of the most bountiful stores that eA er were provided for an invading army . Yet , while some of us are doubtful of the propriety of bringing back

to our recollection thus vividly , the gigantic blunder of the campaign , no man can deny that the heroes who assembled around the festive board at the Alexandra Palace , on Monday last , richly deserved all the honours which Avere accorded them . They had nothing to do with the

blundering of the Commander in Chief , or his subordinates . They Avere called upon , rightly or Avrongly , to ride into the " valley of death , " and they obeyed as British soldiers

always obey an order Avhich brings with it the stimulus of danger . Some of us can remember that magnificent Li ^ ht B rigade , in all the splendour of its warlike array , as it departed from these shores . Wo call to mind the events of the Battle

ot Balaclava , when the heavy brigade , composed of the elite of the British Dragoons , dashed triumphantly through the Russian Cavalry ; but our thoughts instinctively dwell upon the gallant six hundred AV IIO Avere called upon to take the Russian cannon from the hands of a vast army . When

Nolan brought the order to charge and take the guns , even such a fire-eater as Lord Lucau for the moment hesitated . There Avas a mile and a half of ground to ride over . Batteries Avere planted on each flank and in front , and the guns Avere guarded by 20 , 000 infantry .

It was madness to attempt such a thing ; but , as poor Nolan said , the guns Avere there , the order was precise , and it Ayas the duty of the brigade to take them . The hesitation of the leader AA'as only momentary . The Light Brigade Avas ordered forward , and the gallant felloivs , AYith

The Charge Of The Light Brigade.

a ringing British choer , dashed into the valley , Avhile their I'Veuoh and English comrades looked on and wondered . It our memory is accurate , 650 men rode in that death charge , and 110 returned unscathed . It was a charge nf madmen ;

it was mere butchery , but the gallant epis >» le taught us that a long peace had not enervated the British soldier . We learned with just pride that our countrymen were of the same staff as tho heroes Avho followed

Wellington through the Peninsula , and defeated the flower of the French army at . Waterloo . It has , indeed , taught us that our soldiers , if they are properly officered , are second to none of the vaunted troops of continental armies , and if Ave fear to give due weight to our advice in

the councils of Europe it is because our army is , after all , but a handful , and our faith in the competence , but not the courage of its officers , is still as hazy as ever . The Alexandra banquet > vill add nothing to the renown of the brave men AVIIO , without thought of fame or reward , nobly

did their duty in the face of an overwhelming force . The Charge of the Light Brigade is written in indelible characters on the page of history , and tho soldiers who rode to almost certain death will be classed by posterity \ vith that handful of Spartan heroes who calmlv dressed their hair

and uttered their concise jests in the face of two millions of invaders . The heroes of Thermopylos died to save Greece . They voluntarily sacrificed themselves for strategic reasons , and Avhile they filled the pass Avith a rampart of the dead , tho Athenians in the rear Avere

preparing for the final struggle which drove the invader into the sea . Nothing decisive followed from the sacrifice of the Light Brigade , but Ave revere its memory because it has taught the Avorld that the old spirit of heroism is still in our midst . That spirit has not perished Avith Wellington ' s

veterans , or Napoleon ' s Old Guard , and if the day should again come Avhen England is compelled to call upon her sons for a groat sacrifice , we shall be tho stronger for the memory of Balaclava , and thousands will be ready to lay down their lives on the altar of their country .

The Recent Elections.

THE RECENT ELECTIONS .

IT has been remarked that there is nothing so untrust-Avorthy as « facts and figures . We are not going to build up any very elaborate theory as to the results of the

latest ballots for our Bovs' and Girls' Schools , but one or two lessons , not wholly valueless , may be gleaned even from a superficial examination of the figures . And first , as to the Girls' School .

Ihere Avere six \ 'acancies and thirty candidates . Of the latter , four had made three previous applications , one two , nine one ; Avhile , in the case of the remaining sixteen , this was their first application . In three instances failure at this ballot would render the applicants further ineligible . Of

the six elected , four applied for the first time , one had appeared tAvice , and the remaining one three times . Of the three who would be further ineligible if not elected , two succeeded , the other being left hopelessly in the rear . Twenty-five of the candidates hailed from the Provinces ,

five from London . All the six chosen were Provincial namely : two Yorkshire W . R ., one Somersetshire , one Gloucestershire , one Norfolk , one Suffolk . Of those Avho had stood oneor more times previously , there Averefour Avho might be deemed particularly formidable , having already to their

credit 614 , 519 , 479 , and 458 votes respectively . Only the last of these got a place . Of those whom we Avill describe as formidable in the second degree , there Avero five Avith 362 , 272 , 185 , 153 , 132 votes respectively . The second of these five obtained the fifth vacancy , while the

first increased her score by 443 votes , and the last by 543 votes . There Avere yet five others , to Avhom , only in a very close contest indeed , Avould the votes already credited be of any service . These had 80 , 54 , 20 , 14 , and 13 votes severally to their credit . The first of these is no longer

eligible , the second is the onl y one who has materiall y improved his position , having obtained 147 additional vx > tes . Of applicants on more than one occasion , one scored over a thousand additional and succeeded , one over nine

hundred and succeeded ; and one over five hundred , one over four hundred , two over two hundred , four over one , and four under one hundred . Of the sixteen applicants for the first time , four scored over eleven hundred and succeeded ; Avhile of the rest , one obtained over seven