Masonic And General Tidings.

Masonic and General Tidings .

THE COMMITTEE OF MANAGEMENT of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution will hold their next regular meeting , at Freemasons' Hall , on Wednesday , the ioth inst ., at 4 p . m . THEIR ROYAL HIGHNESSES the Prince of Wales and the Duke of York left Sandringham for London on Monday , as also did the guests who arrived on a visit on Saturday last . THE THIRD ANNUAL SUITER of the Citadel Lodge of Instruction , No . 1 S 97 , will again be held at the Holborn Restaurant on Friday , the 19 th instant , at 7 p . m . sharp . Bro . F . Dunstan , P . M . 1326 , P . A . G . D . C , Preceptor , will preside .

THE DISTRIBUTION OK PRIZES to Ihe students of the Royal Temple School of Art will take place , by permission of the Mercers' Company , at their hall to-morrow ( Saturday ) , the prizes being given away by the Countess of Ilchester . THE VOLUNTEERS' BALI ., which it is intended to hold in London in celebration of the Queen ' s long reign , will take place in St . James ' s Hall on Tuesday , the 2 nd March . The proceeds will be devoted to the Volunteer Forces' Benevolent Association . THE CUTLERS' COMPANY have voted a donation of 40 guineas to the United Kingdom Beneficent Association , which has distributed £ 292 , 000 amongst those who once moved in a good social position , but are now invalided and reduced to poverty .

AMONG THE GUESTS who arrived at Sandringham on Saturday last on a visit to the Prince and Princes of Wales were the Duke of Norfolk , Lord Russell of Killowen , Lord Rowton , Bro . the Earl and Countess Carrington , and Bro . Sir Frank Lockwood ,

Q . C , M . P . HER MAJESTY has graciously given her patronage to the exhibition and sale of Irish cottage-made work , which will be held , by the kind permission of Earl and Countess Cadogan , at Chelsea House , on St . Patrick's Day ( the 17 th March ) and the following day . THE DOWAGER COUNTESS DE LA WARR ' S cook , who was so seriously injured

when dropping from the top floor of her ladyship ' s burning mansion in Grosvenor-street , has since died , information to that effect having been conveyed to Commander Wells on Saturday last . HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN has been p leased to confer the honour of Knighthood and the second class of the Royal Victorian Order on General Lynedoch Gardiner , Groom-in-waiting to her Majesty , who served during the Canadian Rebellion in 1 S 3 S , and 20 years later , in the suppression of the Indian Mutiny .

WE ARE ASKED to announce that Bro . James Terry , P . M ., P . Z , P . G . S . B . Eng ., & c , Sec R . M . B . I ., has kindly consented to work the ceremonies of consecration and installation at the Farleigh Hotel , Amhurst-road , Stoke Newington , N ., one Friday evening during the month of March , of which due notice will be given . " YE OLDE FRIENDS' " fifth annual smoking concert will take place at the Freemasons' Tavern on Friday next , the 12 th instant , commencing at S p . m ., when Mr . Robert G . Barber will take the chair . The surplus from the previous concert enabled the Committee to give a "tea , entertainment , and gifts " to 300 poor children .

THE DUKE OF CONNAUGHT presided at the annual meeting of the Field Practice Association for Yeomanry and Volunteers , which was held at the Royal United Service Institution on Monday . His Royal Highness explained the objects of the Association , and urged the necessity of drill in drill halls as one of the most invaluable things in preliminary musketry training . THE EMPRESS FREDERICK OF GERMANY arrived at Osborne on a visit to her Majesty on Saturday afternoon last . Her Majesty reached Cowes Roads on board the Roval Yacht Victoria and Albert about 2 . 45 p . m ., and about half-an-hour later landed at Trinity Pier , East Cowes , where she was met and welcomed by Princess Henry of Battenberg .

THE FREEDOM of the borough of Croydon has been conferredupon Bro . Alderman Sir Fiederick Edridge , Deputy Mayor , in recognition of his eminent services to the town . Bro . Sir F . Fdridge was knighted on New Year ' s Day , has been four times Mayor of Croydon , and is the first citizen upon whom this honour has been conferred during Ihe 14 years the town has had its charter of incorporation .

THE LORD MAYOR presided at a meeting which was held at the Mansion House in connection with the City of London Swimming and Athletic Associations on Saturday last , when a number of prizes and trophies were handed to the fortunate winners . The distribution was made by the Lady Mayoress , to whom a cordial vote of thanks was aftei wards passed by acclamation and acknowledged on her behalf by the Lord Mayor .

BKO . THE EARL AND COUNTESS OF ARRAN , the Countess of Dunraven , Bro . the Earl of Poilarlincton , and Bro . Viscount and Viscountess Duncannon , have been among the guests recently entertained at Dublin Castle by the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and Countess Cadogan . On Monday their Excellencies gave a large dinner party , followed by a ball in St . Patrick ' s Hall , and this ( Friday ) evening there will be another dinner and ball .

THE ANNUAL DINNER of the Municipal Officjrs' Association , will he held atthe Holboin Restaurant , on Saturday , the 27 th inst ., under the presidency of Lord Mayor Phillips . Among the prircipal guests will be Bros . Lord Balfour of Burleigh , and Sir J . Blundell Maple , M . P ., Mr . J . N . Wanklyn , M . P ., the Clerk of the London County Council , the Town Clerk of London ( Bro . Sir J . B . Monckton ) , and the City Solicitor ( Bro . H . H . Crawford ) .

BRO . SIR GEORGE O . TREVELYAN , BART ., has resigned his seat in Parliament , after having been a member of the House of Commons for upwards of 30 years . Sir George was first elected for Tynemouth in iSrtj . He represented Hawick from 18 OS to iSSC . At the general election in that year he was among the defeated candidates , but in 1 SS 7 he was returned , at a bye-election , for the Bridgeton Division of Glasgow . Bro . Sir George Tievelyan is an author of high repute , the work he is best known by being his life of his uncle , Lord Macaulay .

A MEETING was held in the Egyptian Hall of the Mansion House , on Monday afternoon , under the presidency of thc Lord Mayor , for the purpose of calling attention to the urgent needs of the Royal London Ophthalmic Hospital , Moorfields . A sum of £ 85 , 000 is needed for the erection of the proposed new buildings and their adequate equipment and maintenance , and it was pointed out that during the last two years no iess than 700 , 000 persons had been treated , and as many as Sooo operations for cataract performed .

"AMICUS , " one of the oldett friends of the N ational Society for the Prevention of Ciuelly to Children , has forwarded a cheque for £ 300 , making his subscription for the j ear £ 1000 . Mr . and Mrs . J . Richards Kelly have sent a cheque for £ 100 , and Lord Rushton hss contributed £ 20 . A sum of £ 15 has been received from the magistrate of Ihe Marylebone Police Court , the magistrates of West Ham have presented £ 10 ios ., and the magistrate of Worship-street a like amount . The Talbwchandlers' Company have contributed a donation of £ 21 . —City Press .

A MEETING of Ayrshire men in London was held at the Holborn Restaurant , on Monday evening , under the presidency of Bro . the Duke of Portland , their purpose being the founding of an association , the primary object of which will be to assist natives of the county who have found the struggle for life in London too much for them . Bro . the Duke of Portland , as the principal landowner in Ayrshire , was elected the first president , while Bro . Sir James Fergusson , Bart ., M . P ., the Hon . 'Thos . Cochrane , M . P ., Mr . Baird , M . P ., and Bro . Caldwell , M . P ., with some 300 other Ayrshirernen were present , and enrolled themselves as members .

A SMOKING CONCERT in aid of the dinner fund for the poor children of the East end was held at . he Shuttleworth Club , on Saturday evening last . The large drawing room of the club was filled to overflowing , a large number of ladies being present . The concert proved a very great success , and the collection made in aid of the obj c . stated above should prove of material assistance to the promoters of the fund . The nioi-t successful items on the programme were the songs of Miss Blanche Sangwin and of Miss Carter , the latter being called upon to sing an encore a f ivouriteair from the opera , " The Geisha . " Mr . Perry , a very old favourite at the club , sang " My Friend , " and he was heartily applauded for his really excellent performance . The glees , admirably conducted by Mr . Norris , the organist of St . Nicholas Cole Abbey , also proved a great success .

Masonic And General Tidings.

THE THREE PER CENT , BANK RATE . —The Directors of the Bank of England have reduced the Bank rate of discount from 3 ! to 3 per cent ., the last change having occurred a fortnight ago , when the rate was reduced Irom 4 per cent . A HALL IN Alio of the fundsof King ' s College Hospital , will be held at the Queen ' s Hall , Langham-place , on Wednesday , the 24 th inst . THE RICHMOND TOWN COUNCIL have decided to acquire from the Crown 100 acres in the Old Deer Park , Richmond , for the use of the public .

THE DUCHESS OF YORK , attended by Lady Mary Lygon and Mijor-General Sir F . de Winton , arrived at York House , St . James ' s , from Sandringham , on Saturday last .

WE ARE GLAD to hear that Bro . W . L . Jackson , M . P ., Prov . G . M . West Yorks , who has been lying ill at Bournemouth , is so much better that he is expected to attend the South Africa Committee tc-day ( Friday ) . A SALE of work will be held by Lady George Hamilton , at 17 , Montague Street , Portman Square , on Tuesday , the gth instant , from 11 a . m . to 7 p . m ., in aid of thc Parochial Mission Women Fund , which is greatly in need of support .

THEIR ROYAL HIGHNESSES the Prince and Princess of [ Wales will open the Yachting and Fisheries' Exhibition , including coast illumination and life-saving appliances , to be held at the Imperial Institute , on or about the 17 th of May next . WE ARE PLEASED to hear that Mrs . Caulfield is sufficiently recovered to undertake a journey to France , which it is hoped will completely restore her to health and enable her to again give her supervision to the management of the Greyhound Hotel , Hampton Court .

BRO . HORACE BROOKS MARSHALL , J . P ., D . L ., has kindly consented to preside at the annual festival of the Orphan Working School ( with which is amalgamated the Alexandra Orphanage ) , Maitland Park , Haverstock Hill , N . W ., Hornsey Rise , and Margate , Kent , on Tuesday , March 30 th next .

IN OUR REPORT last week of Bro . John Newton s installation as W . M . of the Palatine Lodge , No . 2447 , Manchester , the name of Bro . W . P . James Fawcus , one of the founders and a P . M . of the lodge , was printed in error as Bro . " Fowens . " We regret the mistake , and have much pleasure in correcting it . THE LARGE PICTURE , painted by the late Mr . Samuel Bird , of Mr . Gladstone standing on the terrace of the National Liberal Club and looking towards the Houses of Parliament , will be exhibited , together with the photogravure of the same , and a number of other oil paintings by Mr . Bird , at the Gallery , 175 , New Bond-street , about the middle ot this month .

AN INTERNATIONAL SANITARY CONFERENCE will be held at Venice , Wednesday , the ioth inst ., having been definitively chosen for its meeting . Delegates have already been appointed to represent Austria-Hungary , France , Great Britain , Russia , Belgium , Holland , and Italy , and it is expected that other countries will also select their representatives at an early date .

THE GREAT MEETING of the Royal Geographical Society will be held in the Royal Albert Hall , on Monday next , the Sth inst ., when H . R . H . the Prince of Wales and the Duke of York will be present , and Dr . Nansen will give a full account of his latest Polar Expedition . On the following day the Doctor will lecture on the same subject at St . James ' s Hall , at 8 p . m .

H . R . H . THE PRINCE OF WALES , dined with the American Ambassador ( Mr . T . F . Bayard ) at his residence , S 3 , Eaton-square , on Wednesday evening , among the guests invited to meet his Royal Highness being the Marquis of Salisbury , the Lord Chancellor ( Bro . Lord Halsbury ) , the Marquis of Lansdowne , Lord Russell of Killowen , Bros . Lord Balfour of Burleigh and Earl Carrington , Cardinal Vaughan , and Bro . General Sir Evelyn Wood .

DR . NANSEN , the intrepid Arctic explorer , arrived at Queenborough at 6 a . m . on Wednesday , being met by the Secretary of the Royal Geographical Society and others . Thence he travelled by London , Chatham and Dover Railway Company's line , per special train , to London , which was timed to be reached about S a . m . Here he was met by Sir George Baden-Powell , with whom he will remain a guest during the first portion of his sojourn in the Metropolis .

THE SPEAKER of the House of Commons , Bro . Gully , Q . C , gave his first fulldress Parliamentary dinrer on Wednesday evening , among thiT guests being the First Lord of the Treasury , the Colonial Secretary of State , Bros Lord George Hamilton , Viscount Folkestone , Lord A . Hill , and Akers Douglas , Mr . G . J . Goschen , Bros . G . Balfour , Sir M . Hicks-Beach , Bart ., Sir M . White Ridley , Bart ., W . H . Long , W . Ellison Macartney , and the Hon . G . Curzon .

A SPECIAL MATINEE of Bro . Oscar Barrett ' s pantomime "Aladdin , " at Drury Lane Theatre , will be given on the afternoon of Thursday , the 25 th instant , when the entire receipts will be handed over in aid of the late " Bro . Sir Augustus Harris Memorial Fund . " The principal artistes have generously given their services , and the occasion will be a memorable one , for it will mark the 100 th performance of this—the most successful pantomime ever produced at Drury Lane Theatre . THE DUKE OF YORK has very kindly consented to preside as Chairman at the ; o ; h

anniversary festival in aid of that most deserving Charity—the Licensed Victuallers ' Asylum . The festival will be held at the Hotel Cecil on Thursday , the 25 th instant , and hopes are being confidently expressed that the knowledge that his Royal Highness will act as Chairman on the occasion may help materially to swell the amount of donations and subscriptions . Mons . P . Cremieu Javal , J . P ., Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors of Messrs . Spiers and Pond , Limited , has enrolled his name as one of thc Stewards .

A "SHUTE-ING" EXHIBITION . —The employes of Messrs . George Kenning and Son , of Little Britain , were on Thursday afternoon instructed as to the best manner of escaping from the premises in the event of a fire breaking out . A fireman from the establishment of Messrs . Merry weather and Sons was in attendance , and the " shutes , " which are provided by the firm and always kept in readiness , having been placed in position at the back of the premises , the work girls were placed in them and conveyed , amidst a good deal of amusement , to terra firtna . The drill was not without its use . in that it proved the possibility of escaping in safety from the highest buildings , —City Sress .

WE HAVE much pleasure in announcing that a Colloquial French Class , conducted by Mons . M . H . de Larmoyer , has been opened in connection with the Crystal Palace Company ' s School oi Art , Science , and Literature . The class , which is intended primarily for ladies who are desirous of acquiring fluency in conversation , and will be open to members of the existing French classes , meets every Thursday during the season at 2 p . m . The fees are £ i ns . 6 d . for thc Colloquial French Class only and

£ 1 is . for students attending other Trench classes , the number of lessons in each case being restricted to 12 . Intending students can inscribe their names only in the office of the school , in the Library next the Byzantine Court . We must also mention that the Crystal Palace District Orchestral Society has commenced its meetings on Thursdays from S to 10 p . m ., for the season , in the High School Hall , West Sydenham , Herr G . Midler conductor . For terms apply to the Hon . Sec , E . W . Lulham , The Homestead , West Hill , Sydenham .

THE SEVENTH ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING and an extraordinary general meeting of Harrod ' s Stores , Limited , were held at the Stores , S 7—105 , Brompton-road , S . W ., during the afternoon of Thursday , the 4 th inst . At the former , the report of the directors was submitted , and from this it appears that the company commenced business towards the end of 18 S 9 , since when there has been such a steady rate of progress that the profits during the year 1 S 9 6 amounted to £ 71 , 071 , or upwards of £ 19 . 000 in excess of the profits of the previous year . Indeed , so steady and progressive has been the

company ' s success during the brief period it has been in existence , that the dividends payable to the shareholders haye increased from S per cent , to 20 percent , in 1895 , and directors proposed at this meeting that a dividend of 25 per cent , should be paid in respect of 1 S 96 . At the extraordinary meeting which followed immediately upon thc general , a resolution was submitted for increasing thc capital of the company to

£ 421 , 400 , by the creation of 140 , 0100 new Ordinary Shares of £ 1 each , to rank equally with the original Ordinary Shares , and to be issued at such times , in such 111 inner , and at such premium as the directors may think lit . This step has been taken in order to provide in part for the outlay consequent upon the recent extension of the premises , and for the further development of the business , which is undoubtedly one of the largest , as it is also one of the best conducted businesses in the Metropolis .