Masonic And General Tidings.

Masonic and General Tidings .

BRO . R . D . M . LITTLER , K . C ., C . B ., is suffering from slight indisposition . BRO . J LOBB , C . C , has been re-appointed an auditor of the Newspaper Press Fund . BRO . ALDERMAN ALLISTON has accepted the treasurership of the Linen and Woollen Drapers' Institution . THE LEATHERSELLERS' COMPANY have made a renewed grant of io guineas to the funds of the Ragged School Union and Shaftesbury Society .

MR . WALDO RAVEN BRIGGS , the son of Bro . G . Briggs , C . C , has passed in the first division of the matriculation examination of the University of London . , ST . PAUL ' CATHEDRAL . —The Archdeacon of London will be Canon-in-Residence at St . Paul ' s Cathedral during March , and will preach on Sunday afternoon at the 3 . 15

. THE KING has been pleased to appoint Bro . _ Charles , Lord Suffield , K . C . B ., to be one of the Lords in Waiting in Ordinary to his Majesty , in the room of General Viscount Bridport , K . C . B . BRO . COL , CLIFFORD PROBYN , J . P ., L . C . C , has undertaken to fill again the office of Master of the Pattenmakers' Company , for which he has been unanimously selected by the Court of Assistants .

BRO . THE LORD MAYOR , Bro . Alderman and Sheriff Vaughan Morgan , and Bro , Sheriff Lawrence will be the guests at the banquet of the British Chapter , No . 8 , at the Freemasons' Hall on Friday . THE BEADON R . A . CHAPTER , NO . 619 , will henceforth meet at the Holborn Viaduct Hotel on the third Thursdays in January , April , July , and October , instead of at Anderton ' s Hotel on the second Thursdays in those months .

His MAJESTY THE KING has been graciously pleased to accept a copy of the musical service for the Three Degrees of Craft Masonry , recently composed by Mr . Franklin J . Mountford , Organist . of St . John ' s Church , Truro . THE KING has been graciously pleased to appoint General H . R . H . Arthur William Patrick Albert , Duke of ConnauRht and Strathearn , K . G ., K . T ., G . C . B ., K . P ., G . C S . I ., G . C . M . G ., G . C . I . E ., G . C . V . O ., Commanding his Majesty ' s Forces in Ireland , to be Great Master of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath .

THE URN containing the ashes of the late Bro . Professor Shuttleworth has been placed in the chancel of the parish church of Egloshayle , Cornwall , where his father was vicar for 34 years . A memorial tablet of alabaster has also been placed in the chancel by the Rev . E . S . Shuttleworth , the brother of the deceased . IT is officially announced that the King has informed the Lord-Lieutenant that his Majesty finds that it will be impossible for him , owing to his deep mourning , to

visit Ireland this year , as his Majesty had wished to do . At the same time his Majesty graciously intimated that he hoped to come to Ireland next year . LONDON-PARIS POST . —Arrangements are being made to improve the London-Paris postal facilities . Letters which arrive in Paris from London in the early morning are to be distributed by the first delivery , and those letters which do not arrive in time for that delivery , viz ., by quarter-past seven a . m ., will be sent out by a special delivery as soon afterwards as possible .

GRAND LODGE OP MARK M ASTER MASONS . —The 33 rd Anniversary Festival of the Mark Benevolent Fund will be held on Wednesday , ioth July , under the presidency of Bro . Colonel Clifford Probyn , L . C . C , Senior Alderman of the City of Westminster , Past G . Treas . All donations and subscriptions are divided equally between the Benevolent , Educational , and Annuity Branches .

BRO . ARCHDEACON SINCLAIR states that the proposal to place the portrait of the late Bishop Creighton among the series of Bishops of London at Fulham Palace as part of a public memorial is strictly in accordance with precedent . In the case of the last three Bishops—Tait , Jackson , and Temple—the portrait was added by public subscription or by friends . The series is unbroken since the Reformation .

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF THE NORTH AND EAST _ RIDINGS OF YORK - SHIRE . —A special Provincial Grand Lodge and general communication of Masons of this province ( on the invitation of the York Lodge , No . 236 ) , will be held at the Masonic Hall , Duncombe-place , York , on Friday , the 8 th instant , at 12 . 30 o ' clock , tojconsidcr and resolve upon an address of condolence to his Majesty King Edward VII ., upon the death ot our late august Sovereign , and expressive of loyalty and affection for his Most Gracious Majesty .

IN RECOGNITION of his published works on historical subjects , Bro . Dr . Charles Forshaw , F . R . S . L ., of Bradford , was on Wednesday , the 20 th ult ., elected a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society , his nomination certificate being signed by the Rev . George Eayrs , of Bradford ; by T . W . Hand , Esq ., Chief Librarian of Leeds ; S . Smith , Esq ., Chief Public Librarian of Sheffield ; Bro . Emra Holmes , F . R . S . A . L , of His Majesty's

Customs , Harwich , and others . The same day , on the nomination of the Right Hon . Lord Masham , Bro . Dr . Forshaw was elected a member of the Royal Society of Arts . This society was founded in 1754 . His Majesty King Edward VII . is the President . Lord Masham was elected a member in 1870 , and received the Albert Medal of the society in 18 S 6 .

THE DRUMMOND PENSION ASSOCIATION . —The seventh annual meeting of this department of the Printers' Pension Corporation was held at the St . Bride Foundation Institute , the President , Bro . C . J . Drummond , occupying the chair . The report and balance-sheet having been adopted , it was determined to vote a further sum of 50 guineas towards the endowment fund of the Printers' Almshouses , Wood Green , with a view to

one of the houses being named after the association . Several candidates for admission were proposed during the evening . An enthusiastic welcome was accorded to Mr . W . Crespin , the Hon . Secretary , on his first public appearance after a long and severe illness . The re-election of officers followed , and a hearty vote of thanks to the chairman brought the proceedings to a close .

SOUTH AFRICAN MASONIC RELIEF FUND . —It will be remembered that at the outbreak of the war in South Africa the Grand Lodge of England in 1 S 99 voted 100 c guineas , and Supreme Grand Chapter too guineas to the Mansion House War Fund . In 1900 , Grand Lodge , in answer to the Grand Master's appeal , voted 1000 guineas to a fund called "The South African Masonic Relief Fund , " which was established for the distribution of relief to Freemasons and their families in South Africa who were sufferers by the war , and private lodges and chapters , as well as individual Masons ,

were asked to contribute to the fund . The result was that more than £ 9000 was collected . Bro . George Richards , the District Grand Master for the Transvaal , has now furnished a report , which is communicated to Freemasons by the Board of General Purposes , to the effect that a central committee of the Fund was formed in Cape Town , of which Bro . Lord Roberts , Past Grand Warden , accepted the office of honorary president , and that local sub-committees for the distribution of relief were established in Cape Town , King Williamstown . Kimberley , Pietermaritzburg , Durban , and Johannesburg . To each

Committee sums of money were allocated to relieve ^ the most pressing cases of distress , and , in addition to £ 1000 allocated to the towns just mentioned , it was arranged to place £ 1000 at the disposal of the Transvaal Committee so soon as the refugees from the Transvaal began to return to their homes , as it was considered the cases for relief would naturally gravitate towards that centre . The lodges unattached in Rhodesia , Zululand , and a oortion of the Orange River Colony were specially represented on the Central Committee , and applications for relief were forwarded either direct or through

the nearest sub-Committee . Of the £ 9000 received by the trustees in Cape Town the Central Committee arranged with the Standard Bank there to place £ 6000 on deposit at three per cent . The local Committees meet weekly , and make monthly reports to the Central Committee , the services of the members of which are given gratuitously . The principle adopted by the Committee is to grant free relief to Masons' widows and

orphans in need , but treating advances to brethren as loans repayable should future circumstances permit . Bro . Richards , in conclusion , expresses the desire of the President and members of the Central Committee to convey to the Grand Lodge of England their fratitude on behalf of the brethren in South Africa for the noble response made by the raternity under the English Constitution to the appeal of the Most Worshipful Grand Master ,

Masonic And General Tidings.

THE GRAND LODGE OF THE HUNGARIAN FREEMASONS has sent an address of homage to King Edward on the occasion of his Majesty ' s accession . BRO . SIR HENRY HARBEN has consented to preside at the forthcoming festival in aid of the funds of the Roval Blind Pension Society , which takes place at the Hotel Metropole on the 30 th April . GLASGOW EXHIBITION . —It has been officially intimated that the King cannot open the Glasgow Exhibition in May , owing to the Court being in mourning . The Duchess of Fife is to open the Exhibition .

TRURO CATHEDRAL . —A Truro telegram states that the Bishop of Truro has received an anonymous donation of £ 10 , 000 , wh ; ch is stated to be the full amount necessary for the completion of the central tower of Truro Cathedral . THE SECRETARY FOR WAR has notified his intention of visiting Aldershot tomorrow ( Saturday ) to inspect the Imperial Yeomanry , and to make a tour of the barracks to see for himself the accommodation provided . He will arrive about noon .

CERTAINLY by far the best picture of her late Majesty Queen Victoria is a very fine reproduction from one of the most recent photographs taken and issued by Messrs . Marion and Co ., of Soho-square , as a photogravure enlargement , 22 in . by 17 m . The Queen is represented in the cap of her widowhood , and the expression caught is most natural .

PREPARATIONS for the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York ' s voyage to Australia are now rapidly advancing , and his Majesty's ship Ophir , as the vessel is now described , has arrived at Portsmouth to receive the final touches . The Channel Squadron has been ordered to leave Berehaven on the 6 th instant for Gibraltar , to assist in the reception of the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York .

THE KING AND QUEEN intend to take up their residence at Frogmore House during the alterations at Windsor Castle . These changes are to be of a somewha extensive character , for orders have been given to the Office of Works for all the apartments to be re-decorated and furnished in modern style . Frogmore House , which is within the grounds of the Castle , is small compared with the Palace , but is an attractive mansion , and has been a Royal residence since the days of George III .

THE MARQUIS OF NORTHAMPTON presided at the 73 rd annual Court of the Governors of the Royal Free Hospital , Gray's Inn-road , when it was announced that in May next the Governors intended to make a new departure by appointing two qualified women as resident medical officers , to attend women and , children patients . A further resolution was passed to the effect that a petition be sent to the King , praying his Majesty to continue the patronage which was accorded to the hospital by Queen Victoria throughout the 60 years of her glorious reign . ""

GOOD PRICES FOR RARE BOOKS continue to be realised at Sotheby ' s . A fine copy of La Fontainels" Contes et Nouvelles , " with the suppressed plates , fetched £ 27 ; "The Grandam , " said to be the first printed poem by Chas . Lamb , and other lines by Coleridge , & c , published ot Bristol , 1796 , rare , £ 50 ; Landor's " TheGebir , " first edition , £ 23 ( Sabin ); Chas . Mathews' Memoirs , by Mrs . Mathews , enlarged by the insertion of autograph letters , & c , £ 39 ; Captaine de Quir ' s "Terra Australis Incognita , " 1617 , £ 29 ; a Third Folio Shakespeare , imperfect , £ 19 ios ., and a Fourth Folio , £ 40—about the average price . The day ' s sale produced £ 1024 6 s . 6 d .

AT A MEETING of the City Corporation , presided over by Bro . the Lord Mayor , at the Guildhall , a letter was read from the Commissioner of Police asking for an increase in the City force on the ground that on great occasions of interest larger crowds than formerly were now wont to assemble . The question was referred to a committee to consider and report . _ A generous offer by Bro . Alderman Sir Reginald Hanson to present to the Corporation a bust of the poet Chaucer , to be executed by a distinguished A . R . A ., was accepted with the thanks of the Court , and it was referred to the Library to carry the same into execution . It was incidentally stated that the poet was a City official .

DEFRAUDING A M ASONIC LODGE . —At Ashton-under-Lyne Police-court , on the 25 th ult ., George Taylor , an elderly man , was committed to prison for two months on a charge of collecting alms by false pretences . He called on Bro . Pownall , Almoner and Treasurer of the Masonic lodges of the district , and applied for relief . He said his name was George Taylor , that he came from Esham , near Fleetwood , and was a member of the Forest Lodge , No . 1852 , Mansfield . Bro . Pownall relieved him with

5 s ., and , upon making inquiries of the Forest Lodge , he found that prisoner was not known . On finding prisoner , he charged him with false representation , and he then admitted his real name was George Taylor Whiteman , and that he was a member of the Union Waterloo Lodge , No . 13 , at Plumstead , to which he was initiated in 1 S 57 . Inquiry had been made of the officers of that lodge , but no reply had been received . Prisoner pleaded that he was hard up .

POLICE SEASIDE HOME . —The risks to body and health run by the police , upon whom we depend for protection , are altogether exceptional ; and it is gratifying , therefore , to find that the Convalescent Home for disabled members of the force at Hove , near Brighton , is well supported . The 1 ith annual meetingof the institution took place on Saturday last , when it was reported that 607 men had been admitted into the Home during the past year . Of these no fewer than 574 belonged to the Metropolitan Police .

Several of them unfortunately were suffering from the effects of severe assaults by street ruffians , and the committee would have been more than human , perhaps , if they had shown , like speakers at the recent meeting at the Mansion House , a disposition to deal gently with the Hooligan . What they call for , on the contrary , is strong repressive measures . An expression of grief at the bereavement which has fallen upon the nation by the death of the Queen , and another of heartfelt loyalty to the new King , were in the report .

NEWSPAPER PRESS FUND . —The annual meeting of this corporation , so familiar and so helpful in time of need to working journalists in London and the provinces , was held on Saturday at the offices in Garrick-street , when the year ' s report and accounts were presented . In the absence through illness of Lord Glenesk , the chair was taken by Sir J . Willox , M . P ., who , in moving the adoption of the report , alluded in sympathetic terms to the death of the Queen , who had shown her practical sympathy with the Fund by donations . As to the position of the Fund , it was gratifying to find that there was

a steady increase of membership . During the past year 121 grants had been made , and seven annuities , appropriating over £ 2000 . The investments amount to £ 28 , 588 , yielding an interest of ovei £ 1000 . The yearly balance sheet showed a satisfactory margin in hand of ^ 1386 . Messr . A . W . a Beckett , H . E . Fenn , J . C Moor , G . H . Scott , and Jas . Todd , retiring members of the Council , were re-elected , and Mr . F . C . Hillier was elected in the place of Mr . T . McDonald Rendle , who did not offer himself for re-election .

THE CANCER HOSPITAL ( FREE ) BROMPTON , LONDON , S . W . —The 50 th annual meeting of the Governors of this Charity was held in the Board Room of this Hospital on Wednesday , the 27 th ult ., at 4 p . m ., Dr . Alexander Marsden , son of the founder , presiding . The chairman , in opening the meeting , proposed , and it was carried unanimously , that the following resolution be forwarded to the Home Office for transmission to his Majesty the King : "That the Governors of the Cancer Hospital beg most respectfully to represent to his Majesty King Edward VII . their profound sense of

the loss sustained by the whole nation in the death of their late most beloved Queen Victoria , whose great sympathy with all suff ; ring was most marked . Her Majesty was a Life Governor of this Hospital , and showed on many occasions her interest in the Charity . The Governors also desire most humbly to offer their loyal and loving devotion , and their sincere congratulations to his Majesty on his accession to the Throne . " From the report of the Committee it appeared that during the past year 236 5 patients were treated , 725 being in-patients and 1640 out-patients , whilst the total number ol attendances of out-patients was 13 , 638 . As was to be expected , owiner to the many

demands made upon the charitable by the various war and famine funds , the income of the hospital under several heads showed a decrease , making it necessary to sell out capital to realise £ 5500 . The chairman , in moving the adoption of the report , gave a short rfsume' of the history of the charity . In reviewing its steadily progressive career during the past half-century , he remarked upon the vast improvements in the scientific knowledge and practical treatment of cancer which have been effected within that period , improvements which he claimed as being brought about in no small measure by theworl < done at the Cancer Hospital . The report and balance-sheet were adopted , and the usual vote of thanks accorded .