The Installation Of The Prince Of Wales.

Brother Admiral Oscar Dickson ( who spoke in a clear English accent ) . —Speaking in the capital of England , may it please your Royal Highness , Most Worshipful Grand Master , to receive the humble thanks of the Swedish Grand

Lodge for the honour which you have conferred upon them ( applause ) . The most Worshipful Grand Master . —It is now my duty to propose to you the last toast which I shall have ithe honour of giving you .

It is one which is always at this , our annual meeting , received most cordially and enthusiastically . On this occasion the toast will be that of " The Pro-Grand Master , the Deputy Grand Master , the Provincial Grand Masters ,

and the Grand Officers " ( cheers ) . I regret very much the absence , from domestic affliction , of the Pro-Grand Master ( hear , hear ) . He is not able to be in his accustomed place to respond to this toast , but the Deputy Grand Master is here

this evening , and 1 shall have great pleasure in coupling his name with it ( cheers ) . To the Provincial Grand Masters , who I see before me and around me this evening , I beg to tender my sincere thanks for their kindness in supporting

me both tnis afternoon and now , and to assure them what gratification and pleasure it has given me to see them muster so strongly at our ceremony of to-day ( cheers ) . I know that upon several of the Grand Officers devolved the duty

of making the arrangements for carrying out that ceremony , and I can only tender them my sincere thanks for , and at the same congratulate them , upon the admirable manner in which the arrangements were carried out ( applause ) . This

evening , during the dinner , I received a communication , dated at 7 . 35 , from Brother Wentworth Cole , who was present to day , in which he says " that after dismissing the police and shutting the doors , the police report was that no casualty or mishap of any kind had taken place" ( loud

cheers ) . There were between 7 , 000 and 8 , 000 brethren at that hall , and they all entered and left it without accident , which is a great thing to be able to say ( cheers ) . I beg of you now to drink the health of those brethren whose names I have just mentioned ( loud applause ) .

Lord Skelmersdale . —Most Worshipful Grand Master and Brethren—In the name of the numerous assembly on behalf of whom I have to respond , I beg to return you our hearty thanks . No' one can regret mora than I do the

absence of the Pro-Grand Master , but I think you will agree with me in saying that we owe him a deep debt of gratitude for having laid aside his sorrow and come forward to take part in the ceremony of this afternoon ( hear , hear ) .

I need not dilate on the admirable way in which he performed his duty ( cheers ) . He always does everything he undertakes in the same way , and I repeat that we owe him a deep debt of gratitude for what he has done for us to-day ( cheers ) .

I only hope that he has happier days before him , and that he will long enjoy the honours " which have been conferred upon him ( applause ) . I am sure you will feel it is almost presumptuous in me to say anything on behalf of the

Provincial Grand Officers , being such a junior officer myself ; but perhaps I may do so having the honour of holding the rank of Grand Master in one of the largest provinces in the country ( hear , hear ) . I am sure all the Provincial Grand

Officers will , equally with myself , feel delighted , honoured , and gratified at seeing his Royal Highness placed in the position he now occupies ( chews ) , and only wish that he may occupy it for many years to come ( applause ) . I assure

him that we will do all we can to lighten his duties and to make his task an easy one ( hear , hear ) . For my own part , I can assure you that I feel deeply sensible of the honour which has been conferred upon me this day . I only hope

that I shall be able to do the duty of the high office confided to me , and I trust to be able to do it with all my heart ( hear , hear ) . If anything would add to my anxiety to do so , it would be the invariable kindness I have personally

received from his Royal Highness , and the invariable kindness and attention whicli he has given to Masonic matters ( applause ) . I can assure you that that attention has not been lightly taxed lately ( hear , hear ) . Brethren , in

The Installation Of The Prince Of Wales.

the name of the grand officers and those enumerated in the toast which has been so kindly proposed , I beg to thank you most heartily for the kind way in which you have received this toast , and to assure you that we hope to do our

duties to the best of our abilities ( loud cheers ) . The Marquis of Hamilton ( Senior Grand Warden ) : Your Royal Highness , my lords , and brethren , the toast which I have now to propose to you is that of " The Stewards of this Festival , " and in proposing this toast I must

claim your indulgence , as this is the first time that I have had the honour of addressing you as an officer of Grand Lodge ( hear , hear ) . Although this toast is put down in the book as the last , I do not think it should be considered the least , and for two reasons . One is that the brethren whose names are connected with this

toast come from no less than iS lodges 111 the United Kingdom , and amongst them are members of the highest and most important degrees connected with Freemasonry ( hear , hear . ) Another reason is that the brethren with

whose names I couple this toast have had their attention this evening closely and carefully connected with our material and , I might say also , our interior welfare and happiness ( hear , and laughter ) . Brethren , you witnessed this morning

a magnificent spectacle in the Albert Hall—a spectacle which can never be surpassed in the annals of Freemasonry in this country ( hear , hear , and applause ) . Every particle , every minmiai of detail was most exactly and splendidly

carried out ( applause ) . Those brethren who had the duty of carrying out that magnificent ceremony have had their name duly proposed and honoured this evening . It is therefore , with great pleasure that I propose to you

" The Health of the Stewards , " and I am certain that you will all honour it upstanding with three cheers . In giving you this toast I beg to couple with it the name of Brother Erasmus Wilson ( applause ) . Bro . Erasmus Wilson , President of the Board

of Stewards , in responding , said—M . W . G . M ., your Royal Highness , and Brethren , — The Grand Stewards of the year are deeply grateful to you for your generous recognition of our very humble but most cordially rendered services . ( Hear , hear . ) The Grand Stewards constitute a

useful and somewhat curious link in the vener

able and patriarchal chain of our Masonic organisation ; and prominent amongst their functions is the very important one of engaging the brethren in the happiest and most necessary of the ceremonies consequent on our sublunary

existence . ( Laughter . ) It is for the Grand Stewards in an essential degree to endeavour to please the brethren , and , in the beautiful words of our ritual " to lead them to unite in the grand design of being happy , and communicating

happiness . " ( Cheers . ) It is likewise for the Grand Stewards to realise , in the interests of the brethren , that after labour should follow refreshment— ( hear , hear)—and although the labour of this great day has been in a supreme

degree a labour of love , yet our convictions must have proved to us that love is none the less an active promoter of appetite . ( Cheers and laughter . ) I therefore trust that the poor efforts of the Grand Stewards to relieve that

necessity of our nature , aided by the practical help of our good brother Erancatelli , may not have proved labour in vain . ( Cheers . ) But as within our bosom our heart is . next door neighbour to the stomach , so may the comforts and

refreshments of the stomach further warm our hearts to a feivent congratulation on the events of this most auspicious and never-to-be-forgotten day . ( Applause . ) The Duke of St . Albans was unable to be

present on account of domestic affliction . The musical arrangements were under the direction of Mr . Wilhelm Kuhe , who was assisted by Miss Edith Wynne , Miss Annie Sinclair , and Madame Patev , and Messrs . George Perren ,

Thomas Baxter , Carter , Theodore Distin , F . Penna , and Maybrick . Mr . Kuhe was also assisted by Mr . Wilhelm Ganz , Past Grand Organist , and Mr . Carrodus performied on the violin . The banquet was admirably supplied by the

The Installation Of The Prince Of Wales.

Freemasons' Tavern Company ' s manager , Bro . Francatelli , and , drew forth the special commendation of Dr . Erasmus Wilson . Bro . Harker , the City toastmaster , officiated on the occasion .

The banquet concluded shortly after ten . The whole of the floral decorations at the Albert Hall were supplied by Bro . J . Wills , of the Royal Exotic Nursery , Onslow-crescent . The Prince ' s room was very tastefully decorated with a choice collection of handsome foliage and

flowering plants , which were very judiciously arranged in groups about the room , the great feature of the decoration being the table usually in the centre of H . R . H . the Prince of Wales ' s room , the surface of which was entirely covered

with undulating banks of lycopodium , on the raised portions of which were hillocks surrounded by graceful palms , interspersed with the beautiful orchid , Odoutoglossnm Alexandria ! . The groundwork below was embellished with lilies of the

valley , arranged naturally , as if growing on mossy banks . These were relieved by masses of Marshal Niel roses , jardinias , stephanotis , and various other sweet-smelling flowers . On the four corners of the table were placed Masonic emblems — in one the square and compass ,

arranged with lilies of the valley and light blue cinerarias , the opposite corner being occupied by the square , the centre of which was composed of blue cinerarias , with a margin of lilies of the valley ; in the other two corners the plummet and compass were similarly depicted .

On a raised terrace in the centre of this lovely pfeteau the following initials were placed" H . R . H . A . E ., M . W . G . M ., " wrought in dark blue cinerarias . Right and left of the stairs leading to the dais were handsome groups of plants , consisting of palms , dracccnas , azalias ,

and many other growing and foliage plants , the whole being surrounded by an undulating bank of isolepis and lycopodium , the surface of the dai ' s being covered with crimson cloth . Bro . Wills had arranged a margin of yellow genistas beneath a canopy of graceful palms , which

imparted to the eye the appearance of a charming prism , the whole being in complete harmony with the other decorations of this noble hall . Bro . Wills was ably assisted in the above arrangements by Bro . A . F . Barron , superintendent of the Royal Horticultural Gardens at South Kensington and Chiswick .

The Installation Of The M.W.G.M.

THE INSTALLATION OF THE M . W . G . M .

To tne Editor of ihe Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — A new epoch has occurred in the annals of English Freemasonry . The eldest son of our Sovereign , and heir to the Throne of England , has graciously accepted the office of Grand Master of the Order .

This event is in itself of great importance to the Craft , and cannot fail to make more popular an institution which adopts as its three grand principles Brotherly Love , Relief , and Truth , and , ' to quote the words of our M . W . G . M ., whose watchwords are " Loyalty and Charity . " The great increase in the numbers of the brethren within the last few years is satisfactory proof that Freemasonry

is flourishing , and we trust will , by the favour of the Great Architect , continue to extend its beneficent influences in proportion to the fostering care of those who administer its affairs ; while the condition of the three Masonic institutions ( admitting all that remains to be done ) bears ample testimony that the brethren are not unmindful that of all the virtues which adorn mankind , " the greatest of

these is Charity . " Our Royal and Illustrious Grand Master may see fit to commemorate his accession to the throne of King Solomon by some act gratifying and advantageous to the Craft , and I venture most deferentially to suggest whether his Royal Highness could give his assent to any proposition more calculated to increase ( if it were possible ) his own popularity ,

or more likely to afford gratification to the general body of Masons , than by any enlargement of the present very limited number of Grand Stewards . Since the Act of Union of 1813 , the number of Grand Stewards has , in spite of the vast increase in . the numbers of the Craft , remained at Eighteen . Has not ,, therefore , the time arrived when the honour of wearing a red apron

might be consistently conferred upon a few more o ( the ancient and distinguished lodges , serving thereby to awaken a new interest , and rendering still more useful and popular the occasion of the Grand Festival , by admitting a larger representation of the various lodges . I trust an abler pen than mine will take the subject up ,

and that sonic distinguished brother will bring the matter before Grand I-odge , feeling convinced that , with the concurrence of that assembly , Mis Royal Hig hness the M . W . G . M . would confer a privilege and honour which would be most gratefully appreciated . 1 remain , dear Sir and Brother , yours truly and fraternally , P-M-