Masonic And General Tidings.

Masonic and General Tidings .

H . R . H . THB PRINCE OF WALES visited Eastsvell Park on Saturday last at the invitation of Lord and Lady Gerard , and , having lunched svith his hosts , svent over the mansion and drove round the estate , returning to tosvn by train from Ashford about 10 p . m . THE DUKE AND DUCHFSS OF YORK and Princess Maud of VVales and suite visited the Empire of India Exhibition on Saturday afternoon . Aftersvards , accompanied by the Princess Victoria of Wales , they visited the Imperial Institute and heard the Strauss Orchestra .

BRO . THE REV . J . 6 TEPHEN BARRASS , rector of St . Michael Bassishasv , in the City , has arranged a splendid svalking tour in Ssvitzerland and Northern Italy for young men . The party will start en Tuesday , the 13 th inst . Full particulars can be had on application to Bro . Barrass . THE REV . DR . FARRAR was installed as Dean of Canterbury on Saturday last , the Cathedral being filled , and among those present being the Mayor and Corporation of Canterbury . The Dean of Westminster and the Speaker , svho had been expected to be present , svere unable to attend .

H . R . H . THE PRINCESS OF W . SLFS , svith the Duchess of York and the Princesses Victoria and Maud and a party rf friends , occupied the Band Stand Pavilion of the Imperial Institute Gardens on Tuesday , and in the course of their visit inspected the Photographic , Railsvay Appliances , and Geographical Exhibitions . PROFESSOR J , who has been appointed to succeed the late Professor Huxley as Dean of the Royal College of Sciences , South Kensington , is Professor of Geology at the Royal School of Mines . He is a Felloss * of the Royal Scciety . has been tsvice President of the Geological Society , and is the holder of the Wollaston medal for Geology .

THE DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE left Lordon for an extended tour on the Continent on Monday . A large number of officers assembled at the Victoria Station for the purpose of taking leave of his Royal Highness , among them being Prince Edsvard of Saxe-Weimar , Bros . General Sir R . Gippsand SirRedvers . Buller , V . C , and most ofthe Headquarter Staff .

AT A MEETING of the Fitzsvilliam Hunt on Saturday last , it svas announced that Mr . George Fitzsvilliam svould take upon himself the vacant mastership , and that Mr . Wright , formerly master of the Badssvorth , svould hunt the hounds for him . Mr . Fitzsvilliam does not ride to hounds , as his father , the late Hon . G . Fitzsvilliam , died from a fall in the hunting field .

HAMPTON COURT PALACE . —During the past fesv days several men have been engaged in repairing the stonesvork of the Great Hall , svhich had become somesvhat dilapidated in parts . The famous old vine , svhich is nosv 12 ; years old , survived the winter frosts , and is nosv covered svith about 1200 clusters of grapes . This is about the average number svhich it produces .

THE SHAHZADA NASRUI . LA KHAN visited the Prince and Prircess of Wales at Marlborough House on Monday , for the purpose of taking leave of their Royal Highnesfes previous to their departure from London . The Spanish Ambassador , accompanied by the Countess Casa Valincra and Mademoiselle . Alcalu Galiano , also visited the Prince and Princess on the occasion of his appointment as Ambassador to the Court 0 i St . James's .

THE DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE , svho commanded the Guards 41 years ago in the Crimea , made what is expected to be his last annual inspection of the battalions in London in Hyde Park on Saturday morning last . The battalions inspected svere the ist and 2 nd Grenadiers , the ist Coldstreams , and the 2 nd Scots Guards , svho numbered in all about 2500 men under the command of Major-General Lord Methuen . His Royal Highness svas attended by the Head-quarters Staff , and among those present on the ground as spectators svere Prince Edsvard of Saxe-Weimar and other old Guardsmen .

H . R . H . THE PRINCE OF WALES honoured Bro . Don Solomon Dias Bandaranaike , 70 S , Mudaliyar of the Governor ' s Gate , Ceylon , svho is on a visit to this country , by receiving him at Marlborough House on the 29 th ult . Don Solomon is a member of an ancient and distinguished Singhalese family , and had in 1 SS 2 the marked distinction conferred upon him of being personall y invested , by the late Duke of Clarence , during his and the present Duke of York ' s visit to Ceylon , svith the insignia of the rank of Mobandiram of ( be Governor ' s Gate . A reference to this event is made in " The Ciuise of H . M . S . Bacchante . "

THE REMAINS of the late Bishop of Winchester svere interred near the Lady Chapel , Winchester Cathedral , on Monday , the service being conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury , the Bishop of Rochester , and the Dean of Winchester . The congregation included , in addition to the relatives of the deceased prelate , several of the bishops , the Mayor and Corporation of Winchester , the Mayor of Basingstoke , the Chancellor of the diocese , Ihe governing body and masters of Winchester College , and about 400 clergy from all parts of the diocese . Among the friends present svere the Earls of Selborne and Portsmouth , and Bros . General Sir F . Fitzwygram , Sir John Mowbray , and Wyndham Portal .

BRO . SIR J . WHITTAKER ELLIS , BART ., HONOURED . —On Tuesday afternoon , at the Richmond Town Hall , in the presence of a distinguished company , the marble bust of Alderman Sir Whittaker Ellis , Bart , the gift of his friends , svas unveiled by H . R . H . the Duchess of Teck . The proceedings svere conducted in semi-private . Executed by Mr . Williamson , of Kingston-on-Thames , the bust isa striking likeness of the well-known original . Sir Whittaker is a popular figure in the ancient Royal borough , and fesv men have given more liberally than he to local enterprises . Mainly

through his instrumentality Richmond svas raised a few years ago to the dignity of a borough , and to mark the occasion he presented to the losvn the site upon svhich nosv stands the handsome pile of municipal buildings . Hc is to the front in all local movements , and no great step in the borough is ever taken without his aid and advice being sought . The tribute ol Richmond's gratitude ( for the subscribers are all Richmond men ) which nosv occupies the place of honour in the Town Hall bears a suitable inscription , engraven on a silver plate , recording the labours and liberality of the Alderman . — City Press .

THE LATE BRO . T . W . TESS * . —Probate of the will , dated February 22 nd , 1 S 95 , has been granted , and estate duty has been paid on £ 93 , 045 * 45 . id ., as the net value of the personal estate of Bro . Thomas William Tesv , ot Carleton Grange , Pontefract , a partner in the West Riding Bank and the Wakefield and Pontefract Bank of Leatham , Tesv and Co ., and Provincial Grand Matter , Grand Superintendent , and Grand Prior of the Province of West Yorkshire , svho died on the 29 th March last , aged 65 years . The executors are the testator's svidow , Mrs . Amelia Tesv , his son , Mr . Edward Grosvenor

Tew , and Mr . Claude Leatham , of Wakefield , solicitor , to the last named of svhom the testator bequeaths , ( , 50 , to his sister-in-law , Mrs . Elizabeth Ann Thompson . £ . 150 ; to his brothers and sisters and nophesvs and neices , £ 5 each ; to his children , £ 50 each ; to his servant , 'Ihcmas Woodcock , i . 50 ; to his servant . Edward Woodcock , £ 25 ; to Percy Wcod , if he assists the executors in svinding up the testator ' s estate , £ 300 ; to the other clerks in the Pontefract and Goole Bank of Leatham , Teiv and Co ., ^ 10 each ; to the Pontefract General Dispensary , , ( , 100 j anel some other legacies . Bro . Tesv bequeathed to his son Edward his guns and shooting appliances , his fishing tackle , and and to his

^ , 5000 ; daughters Emily , Mary , and Florence , /^ 10 , 000 each , and further ^ ' 5000 each after the death of Mrs . Tesv . 'To her the testator bequeaths £ . 303 , his plate , pictures , furniture , and household effect ? , Masonic and scientific articles , horses and carriages , and the income during her life of the residue of his personal estate and of all his real estate ; and , subject to Mrs . Tesv ' s life-interest , tlie testator devises his real estate and bequeaths the residue of his personal estate to his son , svhom he nominates to a partnership in the banking house of Leatham , Tew and Co ., and bequeaths to him his share and interest therein .

iM . w's iMiK . vnrriii :. \ V < - have il MM Shakcsju-an- s aullinrily lhat ( In- winter winil i-. not more iinkinil than mini ' s in ^ r . -ilitinle . In many case-. Ihis i-, nnrortnnntrlv only Inn irnc . Thi-re are times , however , when lhc ln-m-lit received is MI i . n at lhat injimtitiiiu- Iti-imm-s imi > osMhlc , When lilt- is n-ndi-rcd a burden In ns by sickness , and snmcnnr cnini-sand restores ns tn health , we shnnhl bc base indeed In li-i-l ungrateful . Tim .-, millions are In-ilay jrratrfiil In llnllnwny ' s Pills anil Ointment , which have cured them nl all stomach anil liver Irimlile-s , hanisheil headache , Jlalnli-ni-y , imli . rcslinn , ami Inw spirits , ami cleared their sy stems nl ,, 'imt , rheumatism , . sciatica , anil all similar ailments .

Masonic And General Tidings.

AFTER THE close of the meeting of the British Medical Association on Thursday last a smoking concert svas given by the / Esculapius Lodge at the Portman Rooms , a full account of svhich svill appear in our next . THE CROSVN PRINCESS OF ROUMANIA and the Grand Duchess of Hesse took leave of the Queen on Wednesday , and having embarked on the Royal Yacht Victoria and Albert , crossed the Channel to Flushing , svith the intention of proceeding to Coburer .

THE CEREMONY OF laying the foundation-stone of the new Payne Smith Higher Elementary Church Schools svas performed by the Mayor of Canterbury on Monday , among those present being the Very Rev . F . W . Farrar , D . D ., svho had been enthroned as Dean of Canterbury the previous Saturday . THE LAST SPEECH DAY that svill be held in Christ's Hospital previous to its removal to its nesv quarters at Horsham took place on Wednesday , there being a large attendance of visitors in the great hall , among svhom were Bro . Alderman Sir Joseph Savory , Bart ., M . P ., and Lady Savory , Alderman and Sheriff Samuel , and Bro . Sheriff Hand .

THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF CONNAUGHT drove over to Windsor Castle on Saturday last , and having taken luncheon at the Victoria Tosver , visited the Albert Chapel and St . George ' s Chapel . Bishop Barry met them in the latter , and Bro . Sir Walter Parratt played a selection of organ music . Their Royal Highnesses left the Castle in the evening .

GENERAL REGRET is felt at the nesvs that Bro . Sir E . Baldsvin Malet , her Majesty's Ambassador at Berlin , has tendered his resignation , and has signified his svish to withdrasv from active service in October . The Emperor , on being advised of the fact , through his Ambassador in London , has openly avosved his sorrosv at having to part svith one who has played so eminent a part at his Court .

CHARLES DICKENS ' desk has been presented to the South Kensington Museum by Bro . S . B . Bancroft . lt tvas given by the great novelist ' s executrix to the ' ate Bro . Edmund Yates , and on his death svas sold by public auction , the purchaser being Bro . Bancroft . It svas used by Dickens only a fesv hours before he died on Sth June , 1870 . The inscription on the desk records the above facts .

THE MARRIAGE of the Duke of Argyll svith the Hon . Mary Erskine , youngest daughter of the late Mr . Archibald McNeill , of Colonsay , Argyllshire , Extra Woman of the Bedchamber to the Queen , svas solemnised in the chapel of the Bishop's Palace at Ripon on Tuesday , the proceedings being strictly private . The Duke and Duchess aftersvards left for Castle Hosvard to spend the honeymoon .

EARL WALDEGRAVE , as Captain of the English Eight svhich won the Elcho Challenge Shield at the recent annual meeting at Bisley of the National Rifle Association , has requested the Lord Mayor ( Bro . Sir J oseph Renals ) to be the custodian ofthe Shield until the next annual competition . The trophy svill be presented to his lordship and hung in the Guildhall in October , the ceremony being accompanied svith military honours .

THE MARRIAGE of Mr . Richard F . Cavendish , M . P ., second son of the late Lord Edsvard Cavendish , and nephew of Bro the Duke of Devonshire , with the Lady Moyra Beauclerk , daughter of Bro . the Duke and Duchess of St . Albans , was solemnised in and bridegroom left for Chatssvorth , which had been placed at their disposal b > the Bestwood Church , Notts , on Wednesday . After the svedding breakfast , the bride Duke and Duchess of Devonshire , for the honeymoon .

MONDAY svas the last night of the season at the Royal Italian Opera , Covent Garden , and the scene presented by the house svas brilliant in the extreme . The opera performed svas Gounod's " Romeo et Juliette , " and among the audience svere their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales , the Princesses Victoria and Maud , and the Duke and Duchess of York . In the course of the evening Bro . Sir Augustus Harris , after a brief speech , handed a biton , for presentation to Signor Mancenelli ( the conductor ) , to the prima donna , Madame Melba .

MUSEUM STATISTICS . —An interesting return relative to the national museums in Bloomsbury and Cromwell-road svas issued on Monday as a Parliamentary paper . To the former the number of visitors during the year svas 578 , 977 , exceeding those in any of the five preceding years ; 209 , 973 persons used the reading-room , a daily average of 670 , thehighest on record . In the Natural History Museum during the same period the total number of visitors svas 413 , 572 , an excess of more than 500 over the previous year , and giving a daily average of nearly 1330 .

THE DUKE OF YORK , attended by Sir Francis de Winton , visited the Maxim . Nordenfeldt Gun Works at Erith on Monday , and svas conducted over them by Mr . Maxim , svho explained the various machinery . Subsequently he visited the Cray ford factory , svhere he inspected the nesv light cavalry gun , from svhich he fired several rounds . Lastly a journey svas made to Baldwyns Park , Bexley , the residence of Mr . Maxim , where he witnessed experiments svith the flying machine , svhich he mounted and travelled a short distance by at the rate of betsveen 40 and 50 miles an hour .

THE ANNUAL MEETING of the British Medical Association was inaugurated on Tuesday by a special service in St . Paul ' s Cathedral , the sermon being preached by the Archbishop of Canterbury . Subsequently the first general meeting of members svas held at Exeter Hall , svhen the retiring President , Dr . E . Long Fox , introduced his successor , Sir Russell Reynolds , svho is also President of the Royal College of Physicians . In the evening there svas a further meeting at the Imperial Institute , svhich svas very numerously attended , at svhich the nesv President delivered his inaugural address .

THE ANNUAL REGATTA of the Royal Cork Yacht Club , svhich dates from the year 1726 , commenced at Queenstosvn on Monday , the principal race being for yachts of over 40 tons , racing for a prize of the value of £ 100 given by Mr . George Gould , of New York , over a course of 40 miles . The Britannia and Ailsa svere entered , but at the conclusion of the first round , svhen the former was nearly 25 minutes ahead , the Ailsa was becalmed , and the Committee subsequently shortening the course , the Britannia passed the svinning post at 5 hours 12 minutes 20 seconds , having started at 10 . 30 a . m .

BRO . THE EARL OF DUNRAVEN ' S Valkyrie , which is about to try conclusions with the best of the American yachts for the possession of the America Cup , started from Greenock on Saturday last on her voyage across the Atlantic The yacht is in charge of Captain James Harrison , an Anchor Line Shipmaster , who has had considerable experience of the Atlantic trade , and is expected to reach her destination in about 20 days . Notwithstanding the unfavourable state of the weather , there svas a large crosyd of spectators on the quays at the time of the Valkyrie ' s departure who cheered her lustily as she was tosved out to sea .

Ar OSIIORNE ON SATURDAY last , the Queen conferred the decoration ofthe Victoria Cross on Surgeon-Captain H . Frederick Whitchurch , for having , during the sortie from Chitral on the 3 rd March last , gone to the assistance of Captain Baird , svho had been mortally wounded on the heights about a mile and a half distant . When the Ghoorkas svho had accompanied him svere so diminished in number bv casualties as lobe no longer able to carry the captain in a dooly , Surgeon-Captain Whitchurch took him on his back and carried him the rest of the distance , eventually succeeding in getting him and the rest of his paity back into the fort .

THE ANNUAL DINNER of the Royal Geographical Society took place in the Whitehall Rooms of the Hotel Merropole on Tuesday evening , under the presidency of Mr . Clement R . Markham , amongst the guests being the American Ambassador , the Belgian Minister , Bros the Earl of Crawford and Lord Kinnaird , Bro . Admiral Markham , Sir George Nares , Professor Vambe-ry , Professor Geikie , and Mr . H . MStanley , M . P . On the same day the members of the Geographical Congress , nosv assembled in London , attended a garden party given by thc Baroness Burdett-Coutts and

Bro . VV . Burdett-Coutts , M . P ., at their residence , Holly Lodge , Highgate . A NEW DEPARTURE . —Many newspapers insure their readers against railsvay accidents , but it has been left to our contemporary , Swimming , to introduce a nove system of insurance , namely , against drowning . Purchasers of this paper are presented svith an insurance coupon , by svhich £ iouo are guaranteed to the legal representatives ol

any such purchaser svno is accidentally drowned , having voluntarily entered the water m an attempt to rescue anothtr person from drosvning , and £ mo if accidentally drosvned . This is certainly a most useful scheme , and should commend itself to the thousands of swimmers and others who spend most of their holiday time on or in the water . Swimming is a penny weekly paper devoted to the interests of this healthy and useful pastime .