Masonic And General Tidings.

Masonic and General Tidings .

BRO . LORD KITCHENER OF KHARTOUM has become a Vice-President of the Bethnal Green Free Library , in the place of the late Sir Sidney Webb . BRO . J UDGE BAYLIS , Q . C , has been elected Treasurer to the Honourable Society of the Inner Temple for the ~ ensuing year , in succession to Mr . Inderwick , O . C BRO . SIR SQUIRE BANCROFT will give a recital at the Wandsworth Town Hall on Tuesday , the Cthinst ., on behalf of the Royal Hospital for Incurables , Putney Heath . A DONATION of 25 guineas has been sent by her Majesty the Queen , through Bro . Gurney Randall , Past Master of the Butchers' Company , to the Butchers' Charitable Institution .

THE ANNUAL REGIMENTAL DINNER of the 4 th Battalion Suffolk Regiment will take place at the Grand Hotel on Friday , the oth inst ., H . R . H . the Duke of Cambridge presiding . BRO SIR HENRY IRVING ' S condition has improved so much that he will leave Glasgow at the end of this week for Torquay . He is now able to sit up most of the day , and his strength is returning .

THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF YORK , with Bro . the Duke of Athol and the Duke of Buccleuch , have been the guests of the Earl of Ancaster , at Grimsthorpe Castle , Bourne . Lincolnshire .

His EXCELLENCY the Russian Ambassador and Madame and Mdlle . de Staal , left the Russian Embassy , on Saturday evening last , on a visit to the Marquis and Marchioness of Salisbury at Hatfield . BRO . AI . DERM \ N SIR HORATIO _ D . DAVIES , K . C . M . G ., will leave London on Friday , the gth ins-t ., for a sojourn in Egypt . Lord Curzon , of Kedleston , the new Viceroy of India , is a passenger by the same steamer .

IT IS OFFICIALLY announced that on the occasion of the Jubilee of his Majesty the Emperor-King of Austria-Hungary a ' ¦ Te Deum " will be celebrated at the Church of St . Mary's , Chelsea , S . W ., at 11 . 0 a . m . to-day ( Friday ) .

T . R . H . THE PRINCE AND PRINCESS OF WALES , with Princess Victoria and Princess Louise ( Duches ; of Fife ) , attended by Miss Knollys , General Sir Diehton Probyn , Major-General Sir A . Ellis , and Bro . Sir Francis Knollys , were present at the Church of St . Mary Magdalene , in the Park , Sandringham , on Sunday morning last . THE ALDERMANIC VACANCY . —For the vacancy created in Langbourn bv the acceptance of the sinecure of Bridge Without by Alderman Sir Joseph Savory , Bart .. M . P ., Dr . Crosby , who has been a representative of the ward on the floor of the Court for the past 21 years , and Bro . Colonel and Sheriff Probyn , L . C . C , are candidates . Mr . Henry Clatke , C . C , is also spoken of as a possible candidate .

THE PRIMS MINISTER came to London from Hatfield on Monday in order to preside over the Cabinet Council , which he had summoned to meet at the Foreign Office in the afternoon . Mr . Balfour , Mr . Chamberlain , and most of the other Ministers who were out of town returned in time for the meeting , but neither Eail Cadogan nor Bro . Lord Ashbourne could make it convenient to attend .

THE DUKK AND DUCHESS OF CONNAUGHT and their two daughters , the Puncesses Margaret and Patricia , and their suite , arrived at Florence from Pan ' s on Monday evening , Sir Philip Currie , the British Ambassador , being present at the station to meet them . Their Royal Highnesses drove immediately to the Villa Cedri , about two miles outside the San Nicolo gate , where ( hey have taken up their residence .

THE EAST TERRACE at Windsor Castle was opened , by the Queen ' s command , on Sunday afternoon last , when the bands of the Scots Guards and 2 nd Life Guards played opposite her Majesty's apartments . The weather was fine , and many residents of Windsor and Eton and visitors were admitted to the Royal grounds . Prince Leopold and Prince Maurice nf Battenberg , Bro . Lord Edward Pelham Clinton , General Clerk , ¦ and Major the Hon . H . C . Legge were among the company .

THE Q UEEN went out on Saturday morning last , attended by the Hon . Ethel Cadogan , lind in the afternoon her Majesty , accompanied by her Royal Highness Princess of Battenberg , drove out , attended by Viscountess Downe . Captain Baron von Luttwitzand Captain Coerper ( the Military and Naval Attaches at the German Embassy ) , Colonel Hatton , C . B ., Grenadier Guards , and Lieut .-Col . C . G . Collingwood , C . B . ( recently employed on active service in the Soudan ) , arrived at the castle , and had the honour of dining with their Majesties the Queen and the K-npress Frederic .

BRO . J . . SHAND , P . M ., P . Z ., Registrar of | Westminster , has been presented with a handsome massive marble timepiece , subscribed for by some of his old Westminster friends , Freemasons and others . The presentation was made by Bro . Frank Todman ( of Messrs . Bertram and Co . ) , chairman , and W . M . of the Abbey Lodge ( Westminster ) , No . 2030 . An inscription on the gold plate upon the clock was as follows : " Presented to J . E . Shand ( John ) by some Westminster friends in recognition and appreciation of many years' friendship , and to commemorate hi j attaining his sixtieth birthday , 189 S . "

PRINCESS CHRISTIAN has consented to lay the foundation-stone of thc new Christ Church , Brixton-road , on Tuesday , the 13 th inst . I Her Royal Highness will afterwards open a Church Sale , in aid of the rebuilding fund , in the new Church Hall . On the following day the sale will be opened by Bro . Lord Kinnaird , and on Thursday afternoon by Bro . thc Hon . Evelyn Hubbard , M . P . Princess Christian is to christen the new battleship Irresistible , which is to be launched at Chatham on Thursday , the 15 th inst ., the interesting event being fixed one day later than the date originally proposed , in order to suit her Royal Highness's convenience .

BRO . LORD KITCHENER arrived in Edinburgh on Monday evening , having left Sandringham on the conclusion of his visit to T . R . H . the Prince and Princess of Wales in the morning . On his arrival at the Waverley Station the Sirdar was loudly cheered by a large crowd . His lordship , however , did not alight from the train , but continued Ihe journey to Dalmeny , where he remained overnight as the guest of the Earl of

Rosebery . Among thc guests invited to meet him were Bro . the Marquis and Marchioness of Breadalbane , the Eail and Countess of Hopetoun , Lord Moncrieff , Lord Provost Mitchell Thomson , the Lord justice-General , the Lord Justice Clerk , the Lord Advocate ( Mr . Graham Murray , Q . C , M . P . ) , Sir Will-am Muir , Mr . J . B . Balfour , Q . C , M . P ., General Chapman , Major-General Sir William Gatacre , Colonel Macdonald , R . E ., and others .

UNDER ORDINARY circumstances the fact that the three leading ladies papers had each an article last week on the beauty of crape and the circumstances of its being the fashionable material for mourning would strike one as strange . The explanation , however , is not far to seek . When H . R . H . the Princess of Wales recently returned from Denmark she was noticed to be wearing quite an unusual amount of crip : for the loss of the mother she £ 0 deeply mourns . As her Royal Highness is regarded as the leader of fashion in this country , the simultaneous appearance of the three articles referred to is only natural .

Masonic And General Tidings.

THE DUCHESS OF FIFE has returned to Portman-square on the conclusion ofjier visit to T . R . H . Prince and Princess of Wales at Sandringham . THE MARGATE SURF-DOAT Friend to all Nations was lost at sea early on the ist inst . on the anniversary of the day last year when she was capsized , and when nine out of 13 of her crew were drowned . On this occasion no lives were lost . BRO . MAJOR-GENERAL LORD KITCHENER OF KHARTOUM , attended by his aidede-camp ( Captain Watson ) and Commander John Keppel , R . N ., arrived at Sandringham on Monday last on a visit to their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales .

AT A MEETING of the Tewkesbury ( St . George ' s ) Lodge , Bro . Ralph Chandler was presented with a massive gold Past Master ' s jewel by the brethren of the lodge , in recognition of their esteem and regard of the useful Masonic work he has done during the last 21 years . The presentation was made by Bro . G . Banaster , the W . M . AN APPEAL has been issued by the Executive Committee of the Prince of'Wales ' s . Hospital Fund to alt those living in or making use of the Metropolis for help in extending the operations of the fund before the close of the year . They state that a further sum of £ 30 , 000 is required to meet the minimum necessities of the London hospitals for the present 12 months .

THE INSTALLATION of the Worshipful Master of the Vale of Catmose LodVe for the ensuing year took place at the Crown Hotel , Oakham , on the 24 th ult ., the new Master being Bro . Jno . Furley . There were representatives from Melton , Leicester , and Stamford , present , in addition to the local members . A banquet followed the business , the catering of Host Ben Furley being all that could be desired .

A MOST successful meeting of merchants , bankers , and others in furtherance of the Sirdar ' s project for the establishment of a Gordon Memorial iColIege at Khart urn was held on the 1 st inst . at the Mansion House , the principal speakers being Bro . Lord Kitchener and Lord Rosebery . After the meeting Bro . the Lord Mayor opened a Mansion House Fund , and made an appeal in support of the movement .

AT THE NEXT meetingof the Common Council Mr . Morton will move a resolution in favour of theadoption of the telephone ( for the police ) . The court can scarcely fail to readily acquiesce in the proposal to render the equipment of the police uo-to-date . Many provincial towns , possessing but a 20 th part of the population of the City , have had the headquarters of the police connected with the telephone for years .

AN INTERESTING collection of war medals , numbering about 170 lots , was sold at Messrs . Debenham , Storr and Son ' s rooms in Covent Garden on Wednesday . A rare naval medal for an engagement between the Chesapeake and Shannon realised £ 28 . A Waterloo medal was sold for £ S ios . ; one bestowed forthe Indian Mutiny brought JL , 6 ios . ; an East India Company ' s gold medal for Ceylon fetched 27 guineas .

A COMMITTEE of Virginia Freemasons recently visited President McKinley in order to secure his co-opealion in the celebration of the centenary of General Washington ' s death next year . The Committeemen from Mount Vernon said they were not without hope that H . R . H . the Prince of Wales might he induced to altend the meeting . President McKinley replied with evident pleasure— " Certainly . We should be glad to have him with us . We could entertain his Royal Highness at the White House as on the cccasicn of his previous visit to America . Yes , invite him . "

THE OFFICERS of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment were in the fortunate position of being able to congratulate themselves over the victory at Omdurman in a bumper of champagne . Owing to the foresight of their mess president , each officer ' s kit included a bottle of Moet ' s Dry Imperial . On the morning of the battle the store was carefully placed in a desert pool , so that after the hard day ' s work it was cooled to a nicety . This was the first occasion for many years that the pop of a champagne cork had been heard in the Sudan . — Wine Trade Review .

WE REGRET to . announce the death of Bro . Sir William Earle Welby-Gregory , fourth baronet , which occurred at Denton Manor , near Grantham , on Saturday afternoon last . The deceased was born in 1829 , educated at Eton and Christ Church , Oxford . In 1 S 75 he succeeded to the title , assuming in the following year , like his father , the surname and arms of Gregory . Sir William represented Grantham from 1 S 57 to iSGS , his three predecessors in the baronetcy having respectively sat for the same constituency . From 1 S 6 S to 1 SS 4 he represented South Lincolnshire .

BRO . LIEUT .-COL . AND SHERIFF PROBYN was , on the 23 rd ult ., entertained at dinner at the Hotel Cecil by a large number of private friends , in celebration of the Civic and Masonic honours which have been bestowed on him by his appointment as Sheriff of London and his election to the office of Grand Treasurer of English Freemasons . Bro . the Earl of Euston presided . A handsome service of silver was presented to Bro . Colonel Probyn during the evening , and in the course of his acknowledgment he said that there was a large balance over the cost of another presentation thit had been made to him , and that he should hand that over to the Masonic Charities .

BRO . SIR ALBERT WOODS ( the Gaiter King of Arms ) and Lidy Woods celebrated t ' le Coth anniversary of their wedding day on Thursday . Sir Albsrt Woods received his appointment as a member of the Heralds' College in July , 183 S , but the first public ceremony he took part in was the funeral of the Duke of Gloucester in November , 1 S 34 . As he was born in 1 S 1 G , he is now in his 82 nd year . Lady Woods is a daughter of the late Mr . Robert Cole , of Rotherfisld , in Sussex . Sir Albert succeeded his father , the late Sir VVilliam Woods , as Garter King of Arms , and received his K . C . B . in the Diamond Jubilee year .

A COPY OF this paper containing Dr . Ch \ s . Forshvw ' s so-met oi the death of Lord Lathom having been sent to her Majesty the Queen and H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , the Queen has been graciously oleased to accept and acknowledge the same , and the Prince of Wales , as Most Worshipful Grani Master of the English Freemasons , has instructed Sir Francis Knollys to send Dr . Forshaw the following letter : "Sandringham , Norfolk , November 29 , 1 SgS . —Dr . Forshaw , Sir , —I have submitted your letter , and enclosed to the Prince of Wales , and 1 am by desired His Royal Highness , in reply , to thank you for the copy of verses which you have been so gojd as to send him . —1 am , Sir , your obedient servant , FRANCIS KN JLLYS . "

THE DUCHESS OF ALBANY visited the Welsh Girls' School , Ashford , Middlesex , on Saturday , and was received by Bros . J . Lewis Thomas , F . S . A ., P . A . G . D . C ; the Dean of St . Asaph , G . Chap . ; Studholme Brownrigg , P . G . Chap . ( Chaplain to the School ) , and Alfred H . Bevan , P . P . G . R . Bucks . Her Royal Highness accepted 3 bouquet presented by Miss Ida Bevan , and afterwards attended a service , when she ¦

unveiled a brass in the new chapel which has been erected at the sole cost of Bro . A . H . Bevan . Bro . the Dean of St . Asaph expressed the thanks of the Givernirs and children , assuring the Duchess that the pleasure which her visit had given would extend far beyond the confines of the School , and that parents and old pupils in the Principality of Wales and all parts of the British Empire would be grateful for the kindly interest she had taken in the work of the School .

NATIONAL TOAST . — " Here ' s to John Bull , Pit and Saidy in Grant ' s Morella Cherry Brandy , " acknowledged by all to be delicious and comforting ; and well calculated by its soothing properties to make all parties work together for ths benefit of the nation . Sold everywnere . Also Grant ' s Ciierry Whisky and Sloe Gin . —Aovr .

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