Original Correspondence.

dated Anno Domini 1 795 , and no allusion whatever is made to the York Warrant of 1786 . In thc list of officers in the bye-laws of 1859 , Sir Knight Yarker is described as the Registrar . Again , in the annual return of the encampment , dated 20 th February , 1863 , andjsigned " J . Yarker , " the date ofthe

warrant is given " 20 th May , 1795 , " anc even m annual return received in April last , which return , however , is not signed at all , " 20 th May , 1 795 , " is given as the date of the warrant . I mention these facts merely to show that the encampment , and even Sir Knight Yarker , have not hitherto attached

the importance to the York Warrant of 1786 , with which it is apparently now regarded . I cannot omit to notice the expression " apparent favouritism " in Sir Knight Yarker's letter . Considering that in my first letter to Sir Knight Yarker I disclaimed any thought of dealing unfairly with the Jerusalem Encampment ( ancl I beg to add here ,

or with any other encampment ) , and assured him in the strongest terms that on this question no feeling whatever did or could possibly exist , the use of the

expression in a letter intended for publication is , I think , to use Sir Knight Yarker ' s own words , " somewhat ungracious . " Yours very fraternally WM . TINKLER , G . V . C , K . T . August 31 st , 1870 .

THE RHODOCANAKIS CONTROVERSY .

( To the Editor of The Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —If your correspondents " X . F . S . A ., " and " Veritas" were not anonymous they would , I think , scarcely venture to make such reckless statements as those contained in their recent letters . By what authority does " ., F . S . A . "

speak on behalf of " every herald in the kingdom , and all heraldic F . S . A . 's , " whatever this latter expression may mean ? 11 is certainly not the fact , that all the gentlemen referred to agree that Burke ' s Peerage is " the only standard authority of thc clay ; " on the contrary , 1 know many Fellows ofthe S . A ., and

accomplished heralds and genealogists , who consider the volume in question but slight "authority , " and it was a most distinguished member of the Heralds' College , London , who first drew my attention to thc book mentioned in my former letter . The list of Naturalised Aliens given by" Philalethcs "

is very opportune . What if it should turn out that Prince De " me * trius Rhodocanakis , whose title has thus been recognised by thc Home Office , was of the family oi thc gentleman who has been the subject of so much newspaper correspondence ! As regards thc letter of " Veritas , " he states that Prince

Rhodocanakis " used a title so evidently denied him in his intercourse with the world , for thc purpose of taking higher honours in thc Craft , " thus making a brace of assertions without an atom of proof . Will " Veritas" repeat them in your columns , adding his real name and address ? The reply " Veritas "

vouchsafes me is amusing , but 1 deny having made any " attack " on Sir B . Burke . Your correspondent adds—of course without proof—that Prince Rhodocanakis " dare not submit his claims to Ulster ; " why should he do so , when the utmost Sir

Bernard could do , would be to recognise the title in Ireland , where the Prince docs not live ancl perhaps has never been ? Lastly , I too say , " let us have the proof , " and let " Veritas " set a good example by producing his . Yours fraternally ,

JULIUS A . PEARSON , F . S . A . August 29 th , 1870 .

( To the Editor of lhe Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , — l have for some time patiently , though with pain , watched thc correspondence in your paper , concerning the merits of Bro . Rhodocanakis . Do your correspondents forget that he is a brother ? Has "Veritas'' made

himself quite certain that " the Prince used a title so evidently denied him in his intercourse with the world , for the purpose of taking higher honours in the Craft ? " 1 would remind " Veritas ** ' that when once the cry of " Stop thief" is raised , all the tagrag-and-bobtail rush after , neither knowing nor

caring whether the cry was called for or not . Surely , Bro . Rhodocanakis is entitled to a certain amount of courtesy , such as is or ought to be shown by one gentleman to another . Whatever be his title , he is , to my personal knowlcdge , as gentlemanly in his manners as any Mason 1 have yet had the

privilege of meeting . Why then should his name be hawked about , and insult heaped upon insult ? Is it because he chooses to call himself , " Le Prince Rhodocanakis ? " or is it from envy ? At all events , whatever may have excited the wrath of " Veritas "

and others , it is to be regretted that brethren should forget the principles which were laid before them on their entrance into thc Craft . Trusting , clear sir and brother , that your influence will put an end to the unfratcrnal remarks which have appeared and may appear in your paper ,

Original Correspondence.

which is my only aim in thus troubling you , believe me , Very faithfully yours , A LANCASHIRE P . M . Liverpool , 29 th August , 1 S 70 .

( To the Editor of The Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I have to-day the opportunity of taking copy of the following letter , for which I beg insertion . I send it without authority and without remark , merely pointing out that Mr . Spartati is the Consul-General of Greece . Yours fraternally ,

August 30 th , 1 S 70 . S . London , 25 th August , 1870 . Dear Sir , —I was never more surprised in my life , than when I read that certain answers were given by me to parties who called upon me . In reply , I beg most distinctly to state that I have not seen any one who has asked me about you or your titles , nor , consequently , have I answered

any questions , or made any statement whatever . But on receipt of your letter I have made inquiries , and find that afew days back , some persons called at the Consulate , and addressing themselves to the Secretary , asked him whether he could oblige them with any authorised list of the Greek nobility . His answer was , as far as he recollects , '' We have neither authorised nor unauthorised lists

ofthe Greek nobility ; we have no nobility in Greece , nor do we acknowledge any titles . I do not know personally the Prince Rhodocanakis you speak of , but if he be a Greek subject , he cannot use his title in Greece . He may be a Prince here or elsewhere , but not in Greece . " I am sorry that you should have been annoyed in any way , but my Secretary could not have answered differently .

The parties after receiving theiranswers , mentioned ( according to my Secretary ' s statement ) that they were deputed by the Freemasons to make the inquiries . Had I been present I should have added that there are many Greek Byzantine Princes , as Prince Mavrogonlnlos , Soutzos , & c ,

and Counts from the Ionian Islands , & c ., who keep their titles even in Greece , ( by courtesy , ) though strictly Greece does not acknowledge titles of nobility . I remain , dear sir , yours truly , M . SPARTATI . The Prince Rhodocanakis .

Red Cross Of Rome And Constantine.

RED CROSS OF ROME AND CONSTANTINE .

The following conclaves of this chivalric Order have been recently formed : — Holy Land Conclave , No . 26 , at Toronto , Canada , by Em . Fratres S . B . Harman ( Mayor of Toronto ) , as M . P . S . ; J . K , Kerr , 1 S , as V . E . ; F . J . Menet , 1 S , W . R . Harris , and W . M . Tamieson .

Lactantian Conclave , No . 27 , at Kingston , Canada , by Em . Fratres W . 11 . Simpson , 33 ( Past Grand Master of Canada ) , as M . P . S . ; S . D . Fowler , as V . E . * A . S . Kirkpa trick , E . H . Parker , J . Kerr , H . E . Swales , G . M . Wilkinson , J . V . Noel , and G . A . Kirkpatrick .

Bombay Conclave , A o . 2 S , at Bombay , by Em . Fratres ] . Percy Leith , 33 " , Inspector-Gen . ; E . Tyrrell Leith , iS , as M . P . S . ; Colonel L . W . Penn , iS ° , as V . E . ; Hon . Justice Gibbs , 33 , District Grand Master of Bombay ; M . Balfour ,

iS ; C . A . Langley , 18 ; J . Dixon , iS ° ; J . P . Cornforth , 18 ° ; J . Thomas , 1 S ; A . F . Shepherd , iS ° ; A . Swift , Captain 15 . H . Mathew , 18 ° ; T . Crawford , G . W . R . Malins , and G . I , D'Emden , and A . Hay , 1 S .

The M . Em . Frater Colonel W . J . I ) . McLeod Moore , 33 ° , Chief Insp .-Gen ., lias also opened conclaves at Orillia , Trenton , and Bellevilleall in Ontario , Canada , and whicli are numbered 29 , 30 , and 31 respectively .

It is interesting to note that tlie Order has been in abeyance in India since the time of Sir Knight Richard J ebb , who was authorised , in 1 S 11 . to create Knights " within the limits of

British India ; " but it is not known how far he succeeded in establishing tlie Order there . It has now been happily revived under the able auspices of 111 . Bro . Percy Leith , and there is no doubt of its future success .

Indolence should not persuade the foot to halt , or wrath to turn our slaps out uf lhe way ; but forgetting injuries and . stilish feelings , am ! remembering man was born for ilia aid of his generation , and not for his own enjoyments only , bill lo do 1 ' nat which is good ; we should be swifl to have mercy , to save , lo . strengthen , and execute benevolence . — Old Lectures .

JoUKNKV . —!• * , very Freemason , when he is initiated into the Craft , is laugh ! lo consider human life as a journey , lie wonld faint will' fiili ;; ne , losa himself in unknown roads , or fall over high prccipeccs if lie was not suppuried , faithfully conchicled , mid fraternally warned , liy these means he arrives in safety at tha eta * of his journey , and is permitted to receive light himself , that he may be able lo support , lead , and wain others when traveling the same road . — Gadickc .

Royal Arch.

ROYAL ARCH .

CONSECRATION OF THE ANDREW CHAPTER , No . S 34 . This new chapter was consecrated at the Royal Sussex Hotel , Broadway , Hammersmith , on Saturday the 27 th ult ., by E . Comps . R . Wentworth

Little , P . Z . 177 and 975 , as M . E . Z . ; Joshua Nunn , P . Z . 820 , P . G . D . C , as H . ; and James Brett , P . Z . 177 and 97 s , as J .: and it is needless to add that

with efficient Principals , aided as they were by the tact and experience of E . Comp . H . G . Buss , P . Z . 177 , as D . C , the ceremony was rendered to perfection . We are indebted to Comp . John Thompson , H . of the new chapter , for a copy of his paper , the West London Observer , from which we make the following interesting extracts , in thc latter part merely

altenngthe future into thc pasttense , as the proceedings fully justified the encomiums of our friend : — The Royal Sussex Hotel , Broadway , Hammersmith , is a house rendered famous in the memory of Masons , because from it issued a goodly assembly ofthe Craft , headed by the very popular Grand Master of the Order , the late Duke of Sussex , in the year 1 S 25 , to lay the

foundationstone of the Hammersmith Suspension Bridge . The brethren on that occasion , clothed , opened a lodge , and proceeded in procession through King-street West , to the then narrow turning known as Angel-lane , there being 110 other approach to the bridge at that time , as we quote from " Faulkner ' s History of Hammersmith " : — " On the 7 th of May 1825 , the foundation-stone of the north tower was

laid by His koyal Highness the Duke of Sussex , with Masonic ceremony . The coffer dam being fitted us as an amphitheatre in which the stone was suspended . At four o'clock the Royal Duke arrived , the officers of the Grand Lodge assembled at the Latymer School Room , and the lodge was opened by the Master and Officers ofthe Caveat Lodge , No . 231 . The procession then walked from the

school-room to the Broadway , down Angel-lane , in Masonic Order . On arriving at the entrance , the procession divided and took their station right and left , and the Duke passed to the platform . The ceremony of laying the stone commenced after three cheers had been given to his Royal Highness . The Grand Treasurer delivered to him a bottle containing the coins of the reigning sovereign ;

also a brass plate to be placed over the cavity , with the following inscription : ' This foundation-stone of a bridge of suspension over the river Thames , from the hamlet of Hammersmith , in the county of Middlesex , to Barnes , in the county of Surrey , was laid with due Masonic ceremony , by His Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex , Most Worshipful Grand Master , on Saturday , May the

7 th , 1 S 25 . \ V . 1 . Clark , Esq ., Engineer ; George , AVilliam , and . Stephen Bird , and Captain Brown , Royal Marines , Contractors . ' Mr . Robert Holl , Past Grand Secretary , Clerk and Secretary . ( Jn the stone being lowered , the Duke scattered the corn , and said , ' As I have poured thc corn , the oil , and the wine , emblems of wealth , plenty and comfort , so may the bridge tend lo communicate

prosperity and wealth from one end of the island to the other , God bless the King . ' The procession then returned nearl y in the same order , and His Royal Highness dined with a numerous company at thc Coffee house , " now the Royal Sussex Hotel . . . The notice informs us that the new chapter is called thc "Andrew " Chapter , in fitting compliment to one ofthe mostaccomiilishcd Masons in the Order

in general and of this neighbourhood in particular . Such an esteemed godfather will gather good working Royal Arch Masons from all round , and we predict for this chapter a thoroughly successful and happy issue , alike worthy of the Founders and complimentary to Bro . Andrew . The ceremony uf the consecration was conducted by Comps . K . Went worth Liltlc , P . Z . ; Joshua Nunn .

P . Z . ; and J . Brett , P . Z . ; while the ceremony of installation of Principals was performed by Comp . Andrew , P . Z ., names which guarantee a great treat to Companions . An oration on the nature and principles ofthe institution was delivered by Comp . Brett ; the Dedication Prayer and other scripture portions were all entrusted to proper exponents , and these ancient ceremonies having been

observed , the Companions were asked if they approved of the officers named in the charier , and the approval having been signified ! in Masonic form , tlieM . li . Z . dedicated and constituted the chapter , and the patriarchal benediction was succeeded by the installation ofthe Principals and investment of Officers , as follows : —li . Comps . K . S . Lines , M . li . Z . ; John Thompson , as A . ; and J . Slack , as J .

1 he subordinate Oflicers appointed were , Comps . S . Millis , S . N . ; Bean , P . S . ; Read , 1 st Asst . ; Woilhinglon , 2 nd Asst . ; Bryan , D . C ; llorshead and Cole , Stewards , Among other Companions present we noticed Comps . Joseph Smith , P . G . M . C . and P . Z .. 177 ; \ V . Smith , P . Z . 33 ; G . King , jun ., Z . 1260 : G . King , sen ., II . 1260 ; Payne , P . Z . 177 ; Daly , Lawe , Roche , Simpson , Bray , and Bristo .

At the conclusion ofthe ceremonies of installation , E . Comp . Andrew delivered some fine addresses to the Principals and Companions , and on resuming his scat was loudly applauded . It was then proposed , seconded , ancl unanimously resolved , that the rank of Honorary Member be conferred upon Comps . Little , Nunn and Brett ,

for their services at thc consecration , and these Companions having expressed their acknowledgments the chapter was closed , and thc members and visitors proceeded to the banquet , which was exceedingly well served , and there was no lack of really drinkable wine during the evening . After thc cloth was cleared , the M . E . Z . gave thc