Correspondence.

Correspondence .

Wc do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions expressed by our correspondents , hut wc wish , in a spirit of fair play to all , to permit—within certain necessary limitsfree discussion .

LOST PROPERTY . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , The following articles , amongst others , were handed to me after the meeting at the Royal Albert Hall , on the 17 th ult ., and I shall be glad to restore them to the owners thereof upon their calling here and identifying the same :

A crush hat . Provincial Grand Officer ' s Collar . Two walking sticks . Two apron cases with names of C . G . Scott and Charles Oxford on them . Pair of folding spectacles in leather case .

A Jubilee jewel . Pendant of P . M . Collar Jewel . Centenary jewel of St . John ' s Lodge , No . 2 , R . N . S . Four R . A . Regulation Jewels . Yours fraternally ,

HENRY SADLER . The Library , Freemasons' Hall , London , W . C .

THE INSTALLATION OF H . R . H . THE DUKE OF CONNAUGHT . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , I was very pleased to see that there is in the " Installation Number "

of the Freemason a copy of the Duke of Connaught ' s installation as Provincial Grand Master of Sussex in 1886 . It is the finest Masonic picture I have seen , and will be most interesting to those who were present at that unique ceremony Those who , unfortunately , have not a copy of the original , will , I have no doubt take the opportunity of framing this .

I wonder how many of the Worshipful Masters of Sussex lodges who were present in 1886 were also present at the Albert Hall on July 17 th . I grieve to say I know some have gone to the Grand Lodge above . I was W . M . of the Gordon Lodge , No . 1726 , that year ( 1886 ) , and still have the badge we wore that day . — Yours fraternally ,

THOMAS DUTTON , P . M . 1726 and 2410 . 7 , 'Manchester-square , W ., July 27 th .

MEETINGS OF PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGES . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , During the summer months many brethren would like an outing to visit one of the Provincial Grand Lodge meetings near London , both Craft and

Mark , but I noticed that only Middlesex and Surrey Craft advertised in the Freemason . The meetings of the Mark for the same provinces are not known anything of until the report of the meeting appears in your journal . P . S . —Will there be a special jewel for the 17 th July ? Yours fraternally , OBSERVER .

THE GREAT MEETING AT THE ALBERT HALL . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , I think that those having charge of the arrangements must be congratulated , and deserve the hearty thanks of all the 9000 who took part in the great gathering of the Craft .

All did well j but we must all feel that Bro . Letchworth and Bro . Frank Richardson must have spent many hours of really hard labour to secure so perfect a result . There was one defect in the management of the Hall , and " that was the closing

of all the refreshment bars on one of the hottest days in the year . If the brethren could not be allowed ordinary drinks , surely tea , lemonade , and ginger-beer should have been available , whereas there was not even cold water to be had . Thsn , as to the lavatories , plenty of water but no towels , on a day when frequent washing was a necessity .

The Albert Hall as a build ng is beneath criticism , the work of an engineer officer ( ranking on a level with the Crystal Palace ) , and it always appears to me that the exits from the different pirts of the house are not sufficiently separated . —Yours fraternally , HENRY LOVEGROVE .

Thc August Magazines.

Thc August Magazines .

Caesoll ' s Magazino opens with a further instalment of Rudyard Kipling ' s fascinating story " Kim . ' Max Pembetton ' s interesting serial " The Giant ' s Gate" is continued , and there are several complete tales of which " The ' Braggart , " " A Bank Scandal , " " The Magic Bat , " and " A Minister of Wrath " may be specially mentioned . An article on Miss Fanny Moody and her work is illustrated with reproductions from her paintings . A very interesting article is that devoted to the Alpine guards ; while all Englishmen will appreciate the

paper on John Hampden's home , which is illustrated from photographs taken b y his descendant , the present Earl of Buckinghamshire . Harry Furness contributes an article illustrated by himself on the division lobby of the House of Commons ; while under the title of " Actresses in Management , " an account is given of the managerial experiences of Mrs . Langtry , Mrs . Patrick Campbell , Miss Kate Rorke , Miss Julia Neilson , and Mrs . Lewis Waller . " Pulling down London " and " In the Arena" also contain interesting information .

ChamborB ' s Journal contains an instalment of three chapters of the current serial "The Love Affairs of Julius Standen , " and the complete stories " A Guerdon from the Grave , " " The Luck of William Phips , " " The Celestial Carp , " and " Three Matches . " There are interesting papers in " The Heart of

Thc August Magazines.

Montrose , " "Riding and Camping in Morocco , " "The Undergraduate at Oxford , " and "The Bell Rock Lighthouse . " Dr . Crespi contributes an instructive article , entitled " Interesting Facts about Fungi . " There is a further article on Special Service from the pen of Edward Ryan , while , under the heading of "The Evolution of a Community , " W . L . Manson writes of the Crofteis of the North of Scotland . Nelson Annandale contributes some curious information in a

paper entitled " A Day on an Edible Birds' -nesf Island . " Miss Helen Urquhart has some beautiful verses , for which she has borrowed the old title , " The Land o ' the Leal . " The Science and Art notes for the month deal , inter alia , with the South African tsetse fly , transport by tube , Australian aborigines , bird photography , motor-car speeds , turbine engines , American and British locomotives , and Scottish salmon fisheries .

The Century Magazine Midsummer Holiday Number opens with an interesting illustrated article on " Midsummer in New York , " which is calculated to make the perspiring Londoner thankful that his climate is no worse . Other articles of interest are those on "America's Agricultural Regeneration of Russia" and " The Paris Commune—Thirty Years After . " The serial tale , " The Making of a Marchioness , " is concluded , and Dr . Brooks , F . R . A . S ., con .

tributes a most instructive illustrated article on ' Photographing by the Light of Venus . " There is an appreciative paper on " Venice Gardens , " and complete tales , entitled " Pe ' re Raphael , " " Mrs . Thankful ' s Charge , " also further chapters of the serial , " D'Ri and I . " "The Wanderers " is a quaint poem by Josephine Darkham . The remaining papers deal with the " Despatch of Trains in America , " " The Simplification of English Shilling , " and " An American ' s Impressions of India . "

The Idler Midsummer Fiction Number contains some capital short stories in addition to some further chapters of the current serial , " The Puppet Crown . " Among the best of the former are "A Romance of the Frozen North , " " Ottenhausen ' s Coup , " " Miss Morgan ' s Victory , " and " A Letter from the 'Ilio . " The thrilling story of the fall of Quebec is graphically related j and in the way of humorous reading " The Bicycle and its Wild Oats " and "Sand Wheels , " by W . Alden , are well worth reading . The beauty spots of the Boyne Valley are described ; while the verse and illustrations are excellent .

Longman ' s Magazine contains an instalment of four chapters of the serial tale " The Gold Stealers , " a story replete with humour and bright with local colour . " Enoch—a Boy Naturalist , " is an interesting complete tale by Edith Dart . In " Recollections of a Tenderfoot" J . R . Sumner relates his experiences of ranching in the Western States . The Rev . C . H . Benhing contributes " Some Notes on an Examination , " while Fred Whisham appeals successfully to all lovers of nature with his paper entitled "Autumn by the Sea . " " At the Sign of the Ship " contains the usual interesting chit-chat compiled by Andrew Lanz .

MaoMlllan ' S Magazine opens with a further instalment of the current serial tale " Princess Puck . " There are three complete stories , viz ,, " In the evening of her days , " " The Great Invitation , " and " Our Lady of Little Canon . " " The Fly-fisher ' s Aftermath " will appeal to all anglers , while " The letters of Elizabeth" contain some charming reminiscences of provincial life in England

during the latter end of the 18 th Century and beginning of the 19 th . The first of a series of papers on " The Land of the Poppy , " dealing with the production of opium in India , is entitled " Among the Opium Vats . " Natives of Shrewsbury will be delighted with " Sabrina ; Corolla . " David Hannay contributes a capital paper concerning our Army and Navy , entitled " Invasion or Raid . "

Temple Bar offers its readers besides continuations of the serial stories , " The Firebrand , " " The Secret Orchard , " and " An Alpine Prelude , " the following capital complete tales : " The Master Mathematician , " " In an Egyptian Garden , " "The Secret of Mangroves , " "Dogs of the Lord , " and "Polly . " There is a further paper on "A By-way of the Boer War , " and an appreciative article on T . E . Brown , poet and humorist .

To The Memory Of Bro. Sir Frank Lockwood.

TO THE MEMORY OF BRO . SIR FRANK LOCKWOOD .

A brass tablet in memory of Bro . Sir Frank Lockwood was unveiled in Manchester Grammar School last week by Mr . Justice Ridley . It bore the following inscription : "In memory of Sir Frank Lockwood , born 1846 , died 1897 , M . P . for York , and Solicitor-General , who was proud to have been a scholar at the Manchester Grammar School . "

Justice RIDLEY said Sir Frank Lockwood was a man who possessed qualities which endeared him to everybody . He was adroit , quick , brilliant , and eloquent , and was universally loved for his kindness and unselfishness . Lord Rosebery , who was one of his greatest friends and admirers , would have been glad to assist in the little ceremonial that day , but his engagements prevented him from being present .

A Coronation March.

A CORONATION MARCH .

MUSICIANS' COMPANY'S PRIZE . The Musicians' Company of the City of London have resolved to offer a prize of 50 guineas for an orchestral march , suitable for use at the festivities which may be held in celebration of the Coronation of Edward VII . We have no official Coronation March at present , and , indeed , comparatively few marches at all , most of those used at State ceremonials being from foreign sources . Particulars and conditions as to this competition may be obtained from the clerk

of the Musicians' Company ; but it may be mentioned that besides the 50 guineas the winner will receive the freedom and livery of the Musicians ' Company . Sir Frederick Bridge , Gresham Professor j Sir Walter Parratt , Master of the Music to Queen Victoria ; and Sir Hubert Parry , Director of the Royal College of Music , have agreed to act as adjudicators . The Musicians' Company , although it has long since relinquished most of its duties and privileges , is one of the oldest Guilds in the City of London , and at any rate it dates back to 1472 , when

it was chartered by Edward IV . as a " Perpetual Guild , or Fraternity , and Sisterhood of Minstrels . " The Guild was for some years attached to the chapel of the Virgin under St . Paul ' s Cathedral , and it had to control all "Pretenders to minstrelsy" and to fine and silence the unqualified , until they had studied so as to fit themselves to take part in public performances . C ynics aver that if those duties were revived and were properly performed , we should bs sparei the efforts of a good many insufficiently educated or incompetent pianoforte an j recital givers .

THE QUEEN has given her permission , through the Duchess of Fife , for a valuable addition to the Passrcore Edwjrds' Siilo s' Palac : to be called the "Alexandra Wing . " BRO . W . W . B . BEACH , Prov . G . Master , will hold the annual meeting of the Province of Hants and the Isle of Wight on Tuesday , the 6 th instant , at Aldershot . Visiting brethren will be welcom d at the meeting , which will take place at the Tin Hall .