Analysis Of Returns.

r emark , but we were prepared for the comparative falling off in the total , and are well satisfied that the result is satisfactory , and dops credit to all who had a hand in bringing it about . The number of ladies and brethren who acted as Stewards was 3 S 8 , of whom 345 were brethren and 43 ladies , and the amount raised through their exertions was . £ 15 , 031 6 s . Cd ., ot which London , by the har . ds of 192 Stewards , contributed ^ 425 is . 6 d ., and the Provinces , represented by 196 Stewards , L'GGoG 5 s . Turning our attention , lirst of all , to

LONDON , which , as we have said , was responsible for £ 8425 is . Gd ., we note with satisfaction that there was a very keen contest for the place of honour between Bro . E . L . P . Valeriani , W . M . of the Fellowship Lodge , No . 2535 , and Bro . Belrouth , of the Clarence and Avondale Lodge , No . 2411 , the former triumphing by just a single five-guinea donation , the ] total of his list , which included £ 21 from the Hote ! Cecil , being £ 415 5 -, while B : o . llelrouth's was £ 410 . Bro . J . VV .

Westmoreland , W . M . of the Duke of Edinburgh Lodge , No . 1259 , took the third place with a very substantial list of £ 238 7 s ., and Bro . R . N . Lester , of the Creaton Lodge , No . 179 X , was not far behind with £ 202 13 s . Bro . Walter Ginger , representing the Cricklewood Lodge , No . 2361 , handed in a total of . £ 200 , and was followed by a group of three , of whom Bro . James A . Shelton , representing the Duke of Connaught Lodge , No . 1158 , returned £ 150 3 s . ; Bro . James G . Vigo , Mizpah Lodge , No . 1671 , ; Ci 50 ; and Bro .

A . S . Berenburg , the Steward from the Royal Naval Lodge , No . 50 , U 148 lis . 6 d .. Next came a list of £ 126 , representing the joint efforts of Bros . John Wilkins and Frank E . Osborne , as Stewards for the Regent ' s Park Lodge , No . 2202 , while Bro . Alfred Wood , of the Lewis Lodge , No . nS 5 , was well up with C 123 iSs . For thenext place in order there was a tie between the Selwyn and Borough of Greenwich Lodges , Nos . 1901 and 2332 , respectively , Bros . Fred E Pow and A . H . Fraser , acting jointly for the former , and Bro . E . W . Higgs , single-handed for the

latter , returning £ 115 10 s . Bro . Henry C . Lonsdale , Perseverance , No . 1743 , compiled a total of £ 114 ig ? - 6 d . ; Bro . Thomas . C . Tanner , of Felicity Lodge , No . S 8 , £ 112 7 s . ; and Bro . John P . Harding , Derby Allcroft Lodge , No . 216 S , £ 110 5 s . Bro . Alderman W . Vaughan , G . Treas ., acted on his own account and made a personal donation of £ 105 , while Bro . T . Blanco White , as Steward for the Fulham Lodge , No . 2512 , returned an equal sum . Bro . Joseph H . Pavitt , of the West Ham Abbey Lodge , No . 2291 , and Bro . Charles W . P . Duke ,

1 ailing from the Fitzroy Lodge . No . 56 g , were close together . the former ' s list amounting to £ 103 6 s . andthe ) atter ' sto £ io 3 3 s . Bro . Imre Kiralfe , W . M . Empress Lodge , No . 2581 , Bro . C . Morrison , Kilburn Lodge . No . 2608 , and Bro . Lewis Lazarus . of the Joppa Lodge . brought up the rear together . each being responsible for a list of £ 100 . Among the lists which , though falling short of £ 100 , are most creditable to the Stewards who raised them , we notice that of Bro . Cawless , of Old Concord Lodge , No . 172 , for £ 84 , and Bro . James Watts , of the Manchester Lodge , No .

179 , for an equal amount . Bro . Charles Hunt , cf St . Paul's , No . 194 , raised . C 77 14 s ., and Bro . Alfred Davies , of the Jordan Lodge , No . 201 , . C 91 7 s . Bro . George Treves . Panmure Lodge , No . 720 , totalled up £ 70 , and Bro . Henry G . King , of the St . James ' s Lodge , No . 7 65 , C 71 8 s , while Bro . J . R . Reep No . 1260 , worked to excellent purpose , and raised £ 82 2 s . Bro . Joseph Bate , Metropolitan Lodge , No . 1547 , raised i ' 72 19 s ., aid Bro . E . ] . Wickeaden , of tie Skelmersdale Lodge ,

No . 1579 , . L ' 97 14 s . 61 Bro . V . Page , Cripplegate Lodge , No . 1613 , compiled a total cf . £ 78 15 s ., and Bro . Thomas J . Bolton , Rothesay Lodge , No . 16 S 7 , 1 * 35 ' * ¦¦ Bro * Charles Weil , Temple Bar Lodge , No . 1728 , scored £ 75 is . 6 d . ; Bro . W . Shackleton , of the Ubique Lodge , No . 1789 , ( . " 78 103 . Bro . George White , representing the Abbey Lodge , No . 2030 , Westminster , obtained support to the extent of £ 75 . Hro . VV . Hillier , acting as Steward for the St . John ' s Lodge of Instruction , raised Jt ! U , and Hro . John Ghss , of the Committee Dinner Club , X'S ' 9 5 s .

As regards THE PROVINCES , of which 32 were represented by 19 6 Stewards , the total raised by them and sundry Foreign Stations amounted to . £ 6606 5 s . Last year 32 Provinces with Foreign Stations , represented by 327 Stewards , returned . £ 19 , 305 8 s . The following 14 Provinces , comprising together 219 lodges , were unrepresented , namely : BEDFORDSHIRE ( seven lodges ) , which contributed £ 6635 . to the

Benevolent Festival in February ; £ 42 to the Benevolent and Girls' School Festivals in 1896 ; £ 148 is . to the benevolent and Boys'School in 1895 ; £ 23895 . to the three Institutions in 1894 ; and £ 183 17-. 6 d . in 1893 . BRISTOL ( nine lodges ) has been unrepresented at all the Festivals of the I : st two years ; but in 18 94 it raised £ 10 ios . for the Old People and £ 107 8 s . for the Boys' School in 18 93 £ 441 for the Girls'School and £ 16 16 s . for the B . ys'School ; and in 1 S 92 and 1891 the large sum of £ 91 1 for the latter Institution . DURHAM '( - . 8 lodges ) has not

figured to great advantage during the current year . It began with a contribution of £ 253 is . to the Old People in February , and at the Girls' Festival last month gave £ 52 ios ., raising the total to £ 305 us . ; but last year it subscribed in all £ 5 ( 16 ios . ; in 1895 , £ 512 8 s . j in 1894 , £ 509 2 s . ; in 1893 , £ 338 2 s . ; and in 1892 , £ 1934 5 s ., of which £ 720 5 s . was in respect of the Benevolent Jubilee . HEREFORDSHIRE ( five lodges ) , as we remarked in our February analytical article , appears to have forgotten that there are Masonic Institutions to support , but not

so LEICESTERSHIRE AND RUTLAND ( 14 lodges ) , which gives its support to each Institution in turn , and raised £ 320 5 s . for the Girls' School in May . In 18 9 6 it subscribed £ 231 to this Institution , the amount being somewhat less than usual , as it was raising money for the Kelly Memorial Fund . In 1895 it contributed £ 300 6 s . to the Benevolent Institution ; in 1894 £ 330 ios . to the Girls' School ; in 1893 £ 267 19 s . to this Institution ; and in 1 S 92 i . 388 10 s . to the Benevolent Jubilee . M ONMOUTHSHIRE ( II lodges ) did its duty by the Girls' School in

May , when it raised for it £ 34 6 ios . ; while in 1896 it subscribed £ 24 633 . 10 the Old People ; in 1895 £ 148 us . 6 * 3 . to the Boys' School ; and in 1894 £ 297 ns . 6 d . to the Girls' School . NORFOLK ( 18 lodges ) raised £ 110 5 s . for the Benevolent Institution in February ; £ 35 14 s . for the same Institution and £ 105 for the Girls' School in 18 9 6 ; £ 205 5 s . for the Girls' School in 1895 ; and £ 134 13 s . for this Institution in 1894 . In 18 93 it subscribed £ 7 8 15 s . to " Our Girls , " and in 1 S 92 £ 426 6 s . to the Benevolent Jubilee . NOKTHUIIUKR

I . AND ( 28 lodges ) has been resting on its oars since 18 95 , when it subscribed , per Bro . Richard Holmes , P . G . D ., D . P . G . M ., £ 2315 5 s . to the Girls' School and gave an additional £ 186 iSs . to the Boys' School . In 1891 it raised £ 1364 4 s ., including the price of a Perpetual Presentation , for the Boys' School . But otherwise it has contributed only £ 52 ios . to the Girls' School in 18 9 6 and £ 3 6 15 s . to the Old People in February of the present year . As regards SOUTH WALES ( Eastern Division ) ,

with its roll of 22 lodges , there is reason for ils absence , seeing that only in May it returned £ lor _ , o to the Girls' School , at the Festival of which its Prov . G . M ., Bro . Lord Llangattock , presided as Chairman . But it is both regular and liberal in its support in ordinary circumstances , its contributions of £ 285 to the Benevolent Institution in 18 9 6 , of £ 3 ' JO to the Girls' School in 18 95 , and of £ 350 to this Institution in 1894 , being evidence sufficient of this fact , without going

further back . But if we were prepared for the absence of S . Wales ( ED . ) , on this occasion , we confess to a feeling of disappointment , that its immediate neighbour , SOUTH W ALKS ( W . D . ) , though it has only a small muster roll of 10 lodges , was unrepresented on Wednesday . It happened to be the turn of the Old People to receive the support of the Province , but it has done nothing , and all we can hope for is that it will do extra duty next year . In 18 94 , it raised

Analysis Of Returns.

£ 154 123 . forthe Benevolent Institution ; in 1 S 95 , £ 239 19 s . 6 d forthe Boys ' School ; and last year , £ 210 for the Girls' School . WILTSHIRE ( II lodges ) , did its year ' s work in February when it raised £ 205 par Bro . A . Plummer for the R . M . B . I . In 1 S 9 6 it gave £ 210 to the Girls' School , and in ' 895 , £ 279 6 s . to this School , while- in 1 S 94 , the Benevolent received £ 175 14 s . 6 d ., and the Boys' School £ 126 4 s . NORTH AND EAST

VORRSIIIRE ( 34 lodges ) was represented at the Girls' School Festival in May to the extent of £ 127 15 s ., but last year it subscribed £ 900 to the Benevo lent Institution and smaller amounts to the Schools , the year's total bein « £ 1022 19 s . In 1895 its subscriptions were on a modest scale , but in 1894 they reached £ 441 15- ! . ; in 1893 , £ 424 4 s . ; and in 1892 , the year of the Benevolent Jubilee , £ 733 4 * . GUERNSEY AND AI . DEUNEY ( five lodges ) raised £ 126 for the

Old People in February , £ 240 for the Benevolent Jubilee , and £ 57 ios . for the Girls' School in 1892 , together with smaller amounts to the several Charities in the interval ; while J ERSEY ( seven lodges ) figured in the Girls'School Returns in May for £ 241 ios ., having in 1893 subscribed £ 263 to this Institution , and also smaller amounts at other times to these and the other Charities . But the two Channel Islands Provinces are ' not strong , and it is eminently to their credit that they do so well every now and then .

Turning to the represented Provinces , we find that , BERKSHIRE , as usual , is in its place and has done some good work . True , only five of its 15 lodges sent up Stewards , but their lists , including lhat of Bro . C . E . Keyser P . G . D ., as the representative of the Union Lodge , No . 414 , Reading , for £ 80 17 s ., amounted together to the goodly sum of £ 176 8 s . In February

the Province , or rather eight of its lodges , raised £ 455 3 s . 6 d . for the Benevolent Institution , and in May two of its lodges between them compiled asum of £ 194 5 s ., so that the present year's total , amounting to £ 825 16 s . 6 d ., will compare favourably with most of those of its predecessors . In 1896 Berkshire raised in all £ 1010 igs . 6 d ., of which this Institution obtained the largdst share ;

in 1 S 95 it subscribed £ 939 6 s . 6 d . ; in 1 S 94 , £ 583 13 s . 6 d . ; in 18 93 , £ 724 7 s . ; and in 1 S 92 , £ 954 us . 6 d ., of which the Benevolent Institution very properly received by far the largest proportion , amounting to £ 65 i gs . 6 S . Even in 1 S 91 , when it had only just been erected into a separate Province under the late lamented Duke of Clarence and Avondale , it distributed £ 385 is . among the three Charities , so that its record is a bright one , and does it infinite credit .

Its old associate BUCKINGHAMSHIRE , had but two of its 18 lodges represented on Wednesday , but , including Bro . Jas . Stephens and Mrs . Stephens , there were five Unattached Stewards , who helped to swell the total of the lodge lists to £ 68 5 " . In May it gave £ 171 4 s . to the Girls' School , and in February £ 250 8 s . 6 d . to the Benevolent Institution , making the subscriptions for the year £ 489 17 s . 6 J . In 1806 the

Province raised £ 429 Us ., of which the Old People received £ 61 17 s . 6 d . and the Girls' and Boys'Schools £ 186 1 is . and £ 181 2 s . 6 d . respectively ; in 18 95 £ 43 8 14 s . 6 d . was distributed amongst the three , while in 1894 the total was £ 590 , of which the Boys' School obtained £ 429 15 s . In 1893 the amount was £ 479 163 . j in 1892 , including £ 290 18 s . subscribed to the Benevolent Jubilee , £ 705 ' 5 - J and in 1891 £ 511 is ., of which £ 300 was in support of its then Prov . G . Master's ( Lord Carrington ' s ) Chairmanship at the Girls' School Festival . This also is a record of which the Province his good reason to be proud .

CAMHRIDGESHIRE has but six lodges on its roll , yet hardly a year passes in which it does not render substantial service to , at least , one of our Institutions . It 18 92 it raised £ 326 8 s . for the Benevolent Jubilee ; in 18 93 , £ 290 17 s . ; and in 18 94 , £ 239 for all three Charities . In 18 95 the figures were lower , and only £ 168 was divided—unequall y

—between the Schools ; but last year there was a reaction , and the year ' s sub scriptions reached £ 364 5 s ., of which the P .. M . B . I . received £ 101 " 153 . ; the Girls' School , £ 73 ios . ; and this Institution £ 189 . This year the Province raised £ 302 10 s . 3 d . for the Benevolent Institution in February ; £ 10 ios . for the Girls ' School in May ; and £ 10 ios . for this Institution on Wednesday , the total of the Returns being £ 323 103 . 3 d ,

CHESHIRE ha- 48 lodges on its roll , and three of these , represented by four Stewards , took part in Wednesday ' s proceedings by subscribing £ 65 12 s . In February it helped the Old People to the extent of £ 94 10 s ., and the Girls' School in May with £ 110 5 s ., so that the total for 18 97 is £ 270 7 s . Last year the Pro \ ince gave only £ 237 6 s ., out of which " Our Girls" had the satisfaction of

receiving £ 184 16 s . ; but in 1 S 95 , the Province did splendid work and supported Bro . Lord Egerton of Tatton , Prov . G . M ., as Chairman at the Boys' School Festival , to the extent of £ 2000 . During the years 18 94 and 18 93 the Province was busy organising a Benevolent Institution of its own , for which it raised a capital of upwards of £ 3000 , in addition to the moneys it has subscribed for over 30 years in maintaining an Educational Institution , but in 1892 it raised £ ig 83 for the Benevolent Jubilee , and in 1891 £ 1050 for this School .

CORNWALL has taken part in all the Festivals of the year . In February Bro . Major Shanks did duty as representative of the Province and its 30 lodges and accumulated the very excellent list of £ 179 16 s ., and last month Bro . Anderton , the respected Grand Secretary of the Province , handed in a total of £ 68 5 s ., while on Wednesday the same Bro . Anderton , assisted by Mrs . Anderton , represented the Province to the extent of £ 102 18 s . ; the total for the year amounting to £ 341 / os .

Last year Bro . James A . Bell , as Provincial Steward , raised £ 204 15 s . for thc Benevolent Institution , while Bro . Anderton and another helped this Institution with donations and subscriptions amounting to £ ioa 163 . In 1895 , when Bro . the Earl of Mount Edgcumbe , D . G . M ., Prov . G . Master , presided as Chairman at the G . rls' School Festival and the Province supported him to the extent of £ 750

, the total for the year was £ 789 18 s . In 1 S 94 the sum of £ 241 ios . was raised tor the Schools , and in 1893 the Boys' School received £ 225 15 s ., while in 1892 when the Earl of Mount Edgcumbe occupied the chair at the Benevolent jubilee his Cornish brethren bravely backed up his advocacy by subscribing £ 776 15 s , Such a record is most creditable .

It is many years since the Province ot CUMBERLAND AND WESTMORLAND has filled the position of " Chairman ' s Province , " the last occasion having been in 1868 , when the Earl of Bective—then Lord Kenlis , M . P . —presided at the Girls School Festival , and the donations and subscriptions from London and the Provinces amounted to about £ 4000 . It was a goodly sum in those days , when our Institutions were on a far smaller scale than they are now and the sum annually

required for each was proportionately small . But the Province has done good work since , as at the Boys '/ School Festival in 1883 , when a great efiort was made in behalf of the proposed Preparatory School , and Cumberland and Westmorland helped the project forward by subscribing , per Bro . G . J . McKay , £ 1050 . Again at the Girls' School Centenary in 1888 it subscribed £ 210 ; at the Boys ' School Festival in 18 91 , £ 265 13 s . ; and at the Benevolent Jubilee in 1892 , £ 420 . Since then it has helped this or that Institution with occasional contributions , but never before has it exerted itself as it did on Wednesday , when the number of its