Supreme Grand Chapter.

Most Excellent , it needs no formal resolution on our part as Royal Arch Alasons to express the pride and gratification we feel at the happy event ; bound by our mystic tie to his Royal Highness the Grand Z ., we are in the words of the poet , " One in our griefs , our affections an a' . " We sympathise with the pride her Alost Gracious Majesty has in descendants ; we rejoice at the gratification of their Royal Highnesses the grand parents at the birth

of the infant Prince ; and for the young couple , who are just entering life withall its responsibilities , we trust that the Great Architect of the Universe will in His goodness increase their contentment , lighten their sorrows , and so guard their little son that he may become a true Lewis , a joy to them in his youth , a stay in his manhood , and a comfort to them in their old age . ( Cheers . )

The ACTING Al . E . Z .: Is it seconded ? Do you make a motion ? Comp . MCINTYRB NORTH : Yes , Most Excellent . Comp . E . LETCHWORTH : No , you cannot . Comp . AICINTYRE NORTH : I beg * to move . Comp . E . LETCHWORTH : No , you cannot . You must give notice of motion .

Comp . MCINTYRE NORTH : I think on a former occasion the Presiding Officer did not make a formal motion on the matter , but simply mentioned the subject as an expression o ! Grand Chapter ' s feelings on that occasion , and I do the same . Grand Chapter was then closed .

Provincial Grand Chapter Of Wiltshire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND CHAPTER OF WILTSHIRE .

The annual convocation of the Prov . Grand Chapter of Wiltshire was held on Tuesday , the 17 th ult ., at the Alasonic Hall , Marlborough , under the presidency of Comp . the Right Hon . the Earl of Radnor , Grand Superintendent . Those present were—Comps . W . J . Mann , Prov . G . Treas . ; J . K . Read , Prov . G . S . N . ; W . S .

Bambridge , Prov . G . Reg . ( acting Prov . G . S . E . in the unavoidable absence of Comp . H . C . Tombs , P . A . G . Soj . Eng . ) ; A .. Plummer , P . P . G . H . ; R . W . Merriman , P . P . G . Reg . ; H . Bevir , P . P . G . Treas . ; J . A . Randell , P . P . G . S . N . ; Theobald Ringer , P . P . G . S . N . ; G . Drake , P . S . 1533 i W . E . N . Browne , M . E . Z . 355 ; G . W . Wiltshire , P . Z . 632 ; A . Barns , P . Z . 355 ; Lord Frederick B . Bruce ; the

Rev . W . Gardiner . J ., H . Leaf , H ., and J . Andrew Lloyd , M . E . Z ., all of 1533 ; and H . Howse , P . Z . 663 . The Prov . Grand Chapter having been opened , the roll of chapters was called , and , with the exception of one chapter unavoidably absent , all answered .

The minutes of the last convocation were verified , and the various reports , having already been printed and distributed to the companions , were adopted . The GRAND SUPERINTENDENT then addressed the companions , congratulating the province on having maintained its strength , and afterwards appointed and invested the following Prov . Grand Officers for the ensuing

year : Comp . H . Bevir ... ... ... - ... Prov . G . H . „ R . W . Merriman ... ... ... Prov . G . J . „ H . C . Tombs ... ... ... Prov . G . S . E . „ E . B . Merriman ,,, ... ... Prov . G . S . N . ,, G . Le Palmer ... ... ... Prov . G . Treas .

,, W . S . Bambridge ( re-appointed ) ... Prov . G . Reg . „ F . Griffin ... ... ... ... Prov . G . P . S . „ G . W . Wiltshire ... ... ... Prov . ist A . G . S . ,, H . Howse .,, ... ... Prov . 2 nd A . G . S .

„ Amos Barns ... ... ... Prov . G . Std . Br . „ J . Chandler ... ... ... Prov . G . D . C . 1 , W . Dean ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Janitor . The ACTING PROV . G . S . E . having announced the receipt of letters for

non-attendance from several companions , and there being no further business for transaction , Prov . G . Chapter was duly closed . The companions subsequently partook of an excellent dinner , Comp . H . Bevir presiding , when the usual loyal and Masonic toasts were duly honoured .

Provincial Grand Mark Lodge Of Dorsetshire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND MARK LODGE OF DORSETSHIRE .

The annual meeting of the above Prov . G . Mark Lodge was held at the Alasonic Hall , Wimborne , on Tuesday , the 24 th ult ., when the Prov . Grand Master , Bro . Rev . W . M . Heath , presided over a goodl y number of brethren from various parts of the province . After the labours were completed , the brethren partook of a banquet under the presidency of the Prov . Grand Master , at which their enjoyment was only marred by the knowledge that the Prov . Grand Alaster and his

Deputy , Bro . Sir R . N . Howard , were about to resign the leading positions they had held so long and so well in the province , and in which they had the love and esteem of every member . The following officers were then appointed and invested by the Prov . Grand Alaster to serve for the coming year : Bro . Sir R . N . Howard , 133 ... ... ... D . P . G . AL 1- W . Watts , 99 ... .,, ... Prov . S . G . W . II J . B . Cole , 126 ... ... ... Prov . J . G . W .

., li . W . baker , 99 ,,, ... ... Prov . G . M . O . i , F . W . H . Hetley , 126 ... ... ,.. Prov . S . G . O . 1 . J . D . F . Reid , i 2 t ... ... ... Prov . J . G . O . 11 George Hobgood , 99 ... ... ... Prov . G . Treas . 11 Russell Patey , 99 ... ,,. ... Prov . G . Sec . 11 Z . Milledrare , 126 ... ... ... Prov . G . Ree * . of AL

11 R . Score , 1 33 ... ,., ,,. Prov . G . L of W . ,. M . Davey , 1 33 ,., ... ... Prov . G . D . C . 11 R . Tucker , 121 ... ... .., Prov . S . G . D . 11 A . Rayner , 126 ,,, ,,, .,. Prov . J . G . D . 11 N . Bowes , 126 .,, ,,, ... Prov . G . S . B . n C . J . Freeman , 133 ,,, ... ,,, Prov . G . Std . Br . II W . G . Dowell , 1 33 ,,. ... ... Prov . G . I . G . 11 Albert Harris , 99 ... ... ... Prov . G . Tyler .

The Grand Lodge Of New York.

THE GRAND LODGE OF NEW YORK .

BY BRO . R . F . GOULD . The Proceedings of the Grand Lodgeof New York at the 113 th Communication of that body , in June last , have been lately issued , and the manner in which the affairs of the largest Alasonic commonwealth in the United States are conducted , may be of interest to many readers of the Freemason .

The volume of " Proceedings" is of very formidable dimensions , 244 pages being devoted to what may perhaps be described as the text—18 S to the Report on Foreign Correspondence and six to the index , making a gross total of 43 S . The Grand Lodge was opened on the afternoon of June 5 th , 1 S 94 , at two o ' clock , when there were present the Grand Officers , the District Deputy

Grand Alasters ( 30 ) , the Commissioners of Appeals ( 6 ) , the Trustees of the Hall and Asylum Fund ( 6 ) , the past ( elective ) Grand Officers ( 16 ) , one Past Alaster of earlier date than 1849 ( since which year the privileges of Past Masters have been curtailed ) , the Representatives of other Grand Lodges ( 55 ) , and 725 brethren who represented an equal number of private lodges ,

and were made up of 66 7 Alasters , 19 Senior Wardens , seven Junior Wardens , and 32 proxies . With regard to the last-named , however , it should be stated that a law is proposed , if , indeed , it has not yet been enacted , that every proxy must be a member of the lodge he represents , and also an Installed Alaster .

In accordance with American usage , the Grand Alaster delivered an address , which was of the usual comprehensive character , and occupies 28 pages of print . Under " New Lodges , " he observes : " Early in the year application was made to me by a number of former residents of the city ol New York , one at least of whom had been a member of this Grand Lodge , for a dispensation to form a so-called * Traveling Lodge' in France , for the

use of Americans and other English-speaking persons sojourning in that country , and particularly in its capital . Being personally acquainted with these applicants , and knowing from actual observation the great deprivation it is to them to be denied the benefit of Alasonic intercourse and fellowship only to be found within a Alasonic lodge , I was induced to give the application thoughtful consideration . I found upon an examination ofthe Transactions ,

that in 18 S 6 M . W . Bro . Lawrence , in his address to the Grand Lodge , presented a somewhat similar case , and asked you to indicate the policy deemed most wise to be pursued in future with respect to the establishment of lodges beyond the borders of the State of New York . He asserted his belief in the power of the Grand Alaster to grant the dispensation asked for , and in the authority of the Grand Lodge to establish the proposed new Iodge , and

in lhat opinion I most heartily concur . / am informed that such traveling loiiges , authorised by the Grand Lodge of England , exist at Antwerp , and in other cities upon the Continent , their membership being limited to Englishmen , and such lodges are independent of any local Masonic jurisdiction , [ italics mine ] . If , as in the case of the application made to me , membership was to be limited to English-speaking persons temporarily

resident on the Continent of Europe , and such lodge to be established in territory which is , if not unoccupied , certainly not under the jurisdiction of any governing Alasonic body with which we are in fraternal intercourse , it would seem there was no legal obstacle to the establishment of such a lodge , and that the question would , therefore , resolve itself into one of expediency or propriety on the part of this Grand Lodge . I denied the application

made to me , but inasmuch as Grand Lodge has not placed itself upon record on this question , I deem it wise to lay it before you at this time , and to repeat the request made by the Grand Alaster in 1886 . " The Grand Alaster ' s address having been referred to a Special Committee of three for sub-division and reference , the next business proceeded with was a consideration of the successive reports from the Grand Secretary ,

Grand Treasurer , Trustees of the Permanent Fund , and of the Hall and Asylum Fund , Superintendent of the Alasonic Home , Grand Lecturer , Grand Librarian , Committee on Antiquities , and of Bro . Charles T . AlcClenachan , Historian—who had the satisfaction of presenting to the Grand Lodge a bound copy of the fourth volume of the History of Freemasonry iu New York , " which completes the series as to the early history of Freemasonry , and that of the Grand Lodge to the present day . "

Next follow the reports of the Committee on Accounts , and on Foreign Correspondence ( to be again referred to ) and the Board of Relief—30 m 3 of whose " Cases of Interest " afford very instructive reading , e . g . " Case No . S 42 . —A clerk from Scotland . Received his three degrees in one evening , June 14 , 1893 ; certificate dated June 9 , 1893 ( before he was initiated ) . Arrived in this country the same month , but did not come to us until September 30 . In the meantime hid visited several Lodges here . Given some money .

" No . 858 . —A railroad laborer , from Scotland . Applied to us before under another name , but denied it . He has been all over the country , begging , and receiving money from Alasons . " No . 862 . —A sailor from England . Received the third degree June 1 , 1 S 93 ; immediately started for this country , deserted his ship ( English navy ) on arrival , and promptly appeared before us for aid .

" No . S 73 . —A book-keeper , from Scotland . Received second and third degrees October 25 , 1893 ; immediately started for this country , and appealed to us November 21 , 1893 . " Nos . 907 and 908 . —Both from Scotland . Came together from the West , ' beating ' their way on railroads . When examined separately , their stories did not agree ; when together , no two men were ever more thoroughly

identical . Case of tramp , with no room to give them the benefit of doubts . " In the aggregate , the sum of one thousand six hundred and thirteen dollars was disbursed in Charity , among 254—out of 350 —petitioners for relief . Thus constituting an average dole of six dolUrs and thirty-five cents in each particular instance . The applicants of Scottish nationality

were 72 in number , 71 men and one woman , of whom 51 were relieved . England follows next with 47 cases ( 30 relieved ) , and Ireland has the third place with iS ( 15 relieved ) , Connecticut and New York each furnished 1 / applicants for assistance , but with these exceptions the highest number ol cases from any American Alasonic jurisdiction did not exceed nine .

In the foregoing estimate , however , I omitted Canada , which , having supplied 15 petitioners , comes next after Ireland on the foreign list , and is entitled to the fourth place as regards numbers . Italy follows with a contingent of 12 from among her " pjor and distressed brethren , " after which there is a great drop in the number of applicants from any single Alasonic jurisdiction . ( To be continued ) .