Notes On Art, &C.

NOTES ON ART , & c .

QUADRUPLEX TELEGRAPHr . — Some novel American telegraphic appliances are now being tried between London and Liverpool , the first trial having been made on Tuesday night yvith satisfactory results . The system is known as the quadruplex , antl by its means four messages may be sent along one yvire simultaneously .

At either end there are two " sounders " and two keys , with four clerks , two to send and tyvo to receive ; anil by an ingenious arrangement a conflict of currents is prevented . Thus by the aid of this invention one wire may be made to do as much as four worked on the ordinary system . The duplex principle is a valuable contrivance , hut the quadruplex is twice as valuable .

The Channel Tunnel has been fairly begun in France , where several pits have been sunk to the depth ot , io yards . The French and English companies formed [ or its construction yvill each possess one half , and yvill respectively supply the funds for each portion , yvhile the excavation will be done in France by the Great Northern Railway , and in England by the South-Eastern and

Chatham and Dover lines . 1 he materials' of the French and English lines will pass through the tunnel in order to avoid delay and expense of transhipment , and as soon as the tunnel is completed the companies will endeavour to arrange for a similar exchange yvith other Continental lines . At the end of thirty years the tunnel yvill be ceded to * the tyvo Governments under certain conditions . The cominsr Fine Art Exhibition at Dundee

bids fair to be the best ever held north of the 1 weed Loans will be sent from several of the London museums , English artists will contribute largely , and the Queen has lent a valuable picture for exhibition . CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY LOCAL EXAMINATIONS . — These examinations commence on Monday , December 17 th , at 82 centres for boys and 6 4 for girls .

Lists of the centres of examination and the addresses of the local secretaries at the centres may be obtained from the Rev . G . F . Browne , St . Catharine ' s College-, Cambridge . The forms of entry for candidates are noyv in the hands of the local secretaries , to yvhom application for them must be made . The forms are to be returned to the same local secretaries on or before October 10 th , 1877 . The certificates obtained in these examinations excuse the

holders , under various conditions , from the Cambridge previous examination and the preliminary examination lor the legal and medical prolessions , and for musical degrees in Cambridge . Ai . Offenbach ' s neyv three-act opera , " Les Cerates d'Hoffmann , " is to be produced this winter at the Paris Lyrique . GENERAL GRANT . —General Grant visited

Stratford-on-Avon on Friday last , and was received by the Mayor and Corporation with every demonstration of respect . The General and Mrs . Grant proceeded to inspect lhe house yvhere Shakespeare was born , the Grammar School which the poet is said to have attended , the Shakespeare memorial noyv in course of erection , the church in which his ashes repose , ami the cottage yvhere Ann

Hathaway lived . Afteryvards the Mayor entertained the General and a distinguished patty . In responding to the toast of his health , General Grant observed that in bis country the memory of Shakespeare was honoured as with us , and there yvere societies which cultivated the study of his works as there yvere here . The address of the Corporation was contained in a casket made from the wood of the mulberry

tree said to have been planted by Shakespeare . THE INDIAN FAMINE . —Mr . James Wy lde , cf Charing Cross and the Royal Exchange , has just published a small map of India , showing in colours the districts affected by the various famines ol late years , especially that from yvhich the peninsula is noyv suffering . A sketch map is also appended , showing the average

rainfall of various parts of the country . MARLBOROUGH HOUSE . —Jn consequence of the recent illness of the Prince of Wales ' s son , all the drains at Marlborough House have been undergoing repairs , which has necessitated their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales taking up their residence at Clarence House on their way through London . —Faulty Fair .

TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION WITH AUSTRALIA . —We understand that steps haie been taken by 'he Agents-General for Victoria and Neyv Zealand , in combination with the other Australian colonies , for thc Purchase from the Eastern Extension and China Telegraph Company of the submarine cable from India to Australia . I he details of this scheme of purchase have been settled

° y Sir Julius Vogel , as representative of the Neyv Zealand Government , in conjunction yvith Mr . Michel , Agent-General for Victoria . The Australian colonies may be heartily congratulated on this proof of unity and enterprise . A LIFE RAFT . —On Wednesday last at the St . Pancras Baths , King-street , Camden Town , Sexton ' s Patent life-preserving mattrass yvas exhibited in action , the

" - Arthur Hall being the operator in the yvater . The mattress is not wholly an air one , but yvithout air , and of ts own buoyancy , will support four persons on it , and many Wore , i [ they are merely clinging to it . It is so made as to form a mattrass on board ship , cither as a bed in the " e'th or as a lounging mattrass on deck , and is always lead y for service . Pillows are made of the same material , and uninflated will keep afloat one person . The valves

° y which the mattrass and pillow can be inflated to a hgher degree of buoyancy are so constructed that , yvithout * "y disjointing , the filling yvith air is readily done , and ¦ here are no stoppers to be k » t . On Thursday the mat' <* ss was thus filled while afloat . Tbe air yvas let out , 'id then three lads of good size failed to press the mattress nder water . The manufacturers are Messrs . Hutchinson , ° i London , Paris , and Mannheim .

Masonic And General Tidings.

Masonic and General Tidings .

THE " FREEMASON " INDIAN FAMINE FUND . —Intending subscribers ( lodges or individual ' members ) to this fund are earnestly requested to send in their subscriptions , large or small , at as early a date as convenient . Upyvards of £ 100 has alreaely been received , a list of which appears in the Freemason of this date . A list yvill be published each week of all

amounts received at the Office , ( 198 , Fleet-street ) , up to 6 o ' clock , p . m ., on Thursdays . The Provincial Grand Lodge of West Lancashire held its annual meeting at Southport last Wednesday , the 3 rd inst . A full report of the proceedings will appear next yveek , as yvell as details of the consecration of the Wilbraham Lodge at Walton , near Liverpool , this

( Saturday ) afternoon , at which Bro . Lord Skelmersdale , D . G . M . and P . G . M ., is excepted to be the consecrating officer . The Installation Meeting of the Marquess of Ripon Lodge , No . 1489 , took place on Friday , the 5 th

inst ., Era . J . E . Walford , C . C , P . M . 117 , being installed W . M . A full report will appear in our next . CONFIDENCE LODGE OF INSTRUCTION , NO . 193 . —The future meetiugs of this flourishing instruction lodge will be held at the Greyhound Tavern , Milton-st , Cripplegate , on Wednesday evenings at 7 p . m .

THE '" NEW CONCORD ROYAL ARCH CHAPTER , No . 813 . —This neyv chapter yvas consecrateil on Thursday week by Comp . James Terry , P . Z ., etc ., assisted by Comps . Win . Smeed , ami Brasier . Comp . A . Wootton yvas an able D . of C . and the music yvas contributed by Comps . Seymour Smith and F . H . Cozens . The ceremonies of consecration and installation were impressively

performed by Comp . Terry . M . E . Comp . J . K . Gallant , yvas the Principal installed . A full report in our next . A Meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Glasgow yvas held on Thursday last , in the Queen ' s Kooms , Glasgoyv , the business consisting- in the consecration of the Princes Lodge' , No . 607 , and installation of Office-bearers . A full report yvill appear in our next .

A Grand Council of the Illustrious Knights K . H . 30 ° , yvill be held at the Masonic Hall , 33 , Golden Square , on Wedneselay next , at 4 . 45 p . m . A Dramatic performance will be given in the Free Trade Hall , Manchester , on Wednesday , the 10 th inst ., in aid of the Manchester and Salford Indian Famine Relief Fund , by the members of the De Trafford Club .

The band cf the ist Kings Dragoon Guards will be in attendance , by kind permission of Lieut .-Col . Alexander . Several eminent brethren are on the Committee . The installation meeting of the King Karold Lodge , No . 1327 , takes place on the 18 th inst ., and not the nth , as stated in a previous impression . NEW SOUTH WALES . —The brethren who

have experienced so much difficulty in procuring the Freemason in this distant colony , will be pleased to learn that owing to arrangements made yvith Messrs . T . J . Jones and Son , " The Four Masonic Publicationsj" may noyv be obtained at their offices , No . 330 , George-street , Sydney , on the arrival of the Mail . ACCIDENT TO A DISTINGUISHED LIVERPOOL

BROTHER . —On Wednesday , the 26 th inst ., Bro . Dr . J . Kellett Smith , P . P . G . Registrar , West Lancashire , of Russell-street , Liverpool , travelled by the L . and N . W . Railway to Holyhead , for the purpose of visiting a patient at Pantasagh , yvhich is situated a short distance from Holyhead . In driving back to the station in a vehicle the horse tiok fright , and bolted at a furious rate , pitching

Bro . Smith out with great violence . He alighted on his head , sustaining severe injuries , and spraining his right ankle . He laid in a insensible condition in the road for a short period , but subsequently recovered . The horse yvas stopped and brought back to the spot , and as the doctor yvas unable to walk he had again to get into the vehicle . The horse ran off a second time before getting to

Holyhead , but fortunately Bro . Smith escaped without further injury in this instance . He is progressing favourably at the time of writing . One or tyvo gentlemen who yvere with him also sustained injuries and severe shocks , On dit , that Bro . the Hon . F . Stanley ' ,

R . W . D . P . G . M ., for West Lancashire , is engaged in writing a life of bis father , the late Earl of Derby , a preface being promised by Earl Beaconsfield . The Mansion House Indian Famine Fund had on Thursday evening reached over £ 300 , 000 , of which a quarter of a million has been remitted to India .

it is stated that the New Zealand Government will reyvard the Portland boatmen yvho saved the lives of the crews of " Avalanche " and the " Forest . " BRO . COMMANDER CHEYNE . — Hitherto unaided , but with his heart in the "oble cause , and yvith an indomitable energy and perseverance , has Commander Cheyne worked for the last ten months , in organising

Artie Committees throughout the length and breadth of Great Britain , for the equipment—by means of public subscriptions—of a single steamer , to be stored and provisioned for three years , destined for tbe discovery of the North Pole . From Plymouth to Dover , from Dover to Aberdeen , has this officer , by means of his inlcresting and beautifully-illustrated Arctic lectures , sensibly

impressed upon the public mind the fact that we are only baffled , not beaten . Responding to his truthful and energetic statements and appeals , he has rallied round him , on his committees , mayors , press proprietors and editors , ship-owners , merchants , clergy of different denominations , members of the medical profession , naval and military men ; and last , but not least , ladies have notably joined the movement .

Masonic And General Tidings.

The Lord Mayor acknowledges the receipt of £ 3 ios ., in aid of the Indian Famine Fund , from the De Shurland Lodge , No . lo 8 o , Sheerness . Bro . the Rt . Hon . the Earl of Carnarvon , has returned from Bretb y Park , to his Hampshire Estate , Highclere Castle , near Newbury , where he will probably stay for some time for the shooting .

A new church , built at the sole expense of Lord Skelmersdale , R . W . Deputy Grand Master , and at a cost of between £ 3000 and £ 6000 , was opened on Saturday , at Dalton , near Wigan . At the subsequent luncheon Lord Skelmersdale said he wished it to be understood that all the sittings in the church were free and open for e . ver .

The Installation meeting of the Faith Lodge , No . 141 , will be held on the 30 th inst ., at Anderton ' s Hotel , when Bro . E . Mallett will be installed W . M . for the ensuing year . The marriage of Mr . John Shaw , general man -ger of the South-Eastern Railway , with Miss Spencer , daughter of the late Bro . Sidney Spencer , will take place at the church of St . Mary Aldermary , on the 13 th inst .

A biography of Mr . Compton , the comedian , is in course of preparation by one of his sons . A provincial actor , a Mr . Burnham , was play ing the role of Matthias , in " The Bells , " in a little theatre at Blackpool , in Lancashire , the ^ other night , when who should he espy among the audience but Mr . Henry Irving . The sight was enough to make the stoutest heart quail .

The creator of the character , who had come to the little yvatering place for a day or two on the quiet , had evidently been attracted by the graphic announcements on the walls , and was present , " for the fun of the thing , " to see his favourite character burlesqued . Mr . Burnham is said to

have evinced the greatest trepidation at the sudien and awful discovery ; but luckily the audience seemed to set down the actor ' s first start and pallor to the jingling of those accursed sledge bells in the ears of Matthias , and Mr . Irving is reported to have expressed a fair approbation of the piece as a yvhole . —Mai / fair .

LIVERPOOL . —In answer to the numerous letters that the publisher has received from "brethren in Liverpool , we beg to state that the Freemason is to be obtained in Liverpool on Friday afternoon at e o ' clock , at the Office , 2 , Monument place ; at the Masonic Hall , Hope-street ; and at the Landing Stage .

The World states that in the death of Mr . R . J . Spiers , not only have the Freemasons lost a conspicuous and energetic "brother , " but many persons have to mourn an erudite and pleasant companion . To the world at large Mr . Spiers was known as an enterprising Oxford

tradesman ; but he was much more than tbat—he bad a quaint s'ore of archaeological and antiquarian lore ; and in the days ot his prosperity , literary men of all opinions were made welcome to his beautiful house in Oxford , and found an admirable cicerone in their generous host .

A Proposal having been made to the Prince of Wales to consider practical measures for preventing wrecks and loss of life at the Scilly Islands , which are embraced in the Dukedom , His Royal Highness has directed the correspondence to be laid before the Duchy of Cornwall

Council at their next meeting . MANCHESTER . —For the information of the fraternity in Manchester , thc publisher begs to state that the Freemason may now be obtained at Overall ' s , 47 , Bridge-street , Manchester , on Saturday morning at 8 o ' clock .

CLEOPATRA S NEEDLE . —A telegram received at Lloyds from Liverpool , states that the Olga , steamer , having in tow the Cleopatra Obelisk , has put into Algiers for coal . A quarterly convocation of the Metropolitan College of the Rosicrucian Society will be held at the Koyal Masonic Hall , 8 , Air-street , Regent-street , on Thursday next , at half-past 5 .

The Queen And The Royal Family.

THE QUEEN AND THE ROYAL FAMILY .

The Queen and Court are at Balmoral . Prince Leopold is also there . H . R . H . the Prince and Princess of Wales have been staying at Abergeldie . THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH . —Some of our contemporaries

have been premature in announcing that his Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh is about to be relieved from his present command . The Osborne goes to Marseilles to convey the Duchess to Malta , and thc Sultan has been ordered to convoy her , after which duty the Sultan , yvith the Duke of Edinburgh , will rejoin the flag- of Admiral Hornby . —Army and Navy Gazette .

the Princess Louise and the Marquis of Lome have gone to Inverary Castle . The Duchess of Edinburgh is about to proceed with the Royal children to Malta , where she will meet the Duke . She intends to stay at Malta for the winter . The Duke of Cambridge has been inspectingjthe Royal Artillery at Woolwich .

Constitutions of the Ancient Fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons , containing the Charges , Regulations , E . A . Song , & c . A copy should be in the possession of every brother . It may be obtained for 2 S . at the office of the Freemason , or yvill be sent post free to any part of the United Kingdom on receipt M twenty-five penny stamps . Address , Publisher , 19 8 , ! Fleet-street , London . —ADVT .