Masonic And General Tidings.

Masonic and general Tidings .

THK COMMITTEE of Management of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution will hold its regular monthly meeting at Freemasons' Hall on Wednesday , the r ith inst ., at 4 p . m . THE FISHMONGERS' COMPANY have sent a donation of 50 guineas to the Royal Hospital for Diseases of the Chest , City-road , E . C .

THE IST GRENADIER GUARDS , who are shortly to go to Gibraltar , have been ordered , as a preparatory step , to transfer their regimental transport at once to the 2 nd Scots Guards . H . R . H , THK PRINCE UF WALES , as Commodore of the Club , presided at the annual dinner of the Royal Yacht Squadron at the Castle , Cowes , on Tuesday evening , among the guests being the Duke of York , and Bro . the Hon . Sir Henry Keppel .

THE DUKE or CAMBRIDGE has re-opened the Chapel of the Royal Cambridge Asylum for Soldiers' Widows at Kingston-on-Thames . It had been closed for many years , but has now been completely renovated at the cost of Col . Hamilton , of the 14 th Hussars . BRO . R . D . M . LITTLER , C . B ., O . C , Chairman of the Middlesex County Council and Quarter Sessions , laid the foundation-stone on Tuesday of a new Court House , which is about to be erected at a cost of £ 7 . 500 , for the convenience of the Middlesex magistrates .

THE QUEEN has written to the Mayor of Ryde to express her sympathy with the widow ancfchildren of the man who met with a fatal accident during the preparations for her Majesty ' s visit to the town , at the same time enclosing a cheque for £ 10 for their use .

SOME 1400 children residing in the neighbourhood of Drury-lane , Clare Market , the Strand , & c , were entertained in the gardens of Lincoln ' s Inn by the Benchers on Saturday afternoon last , music , dancing , and games , as well as a substantial tea , being provided for the party . BRO . THE DUKE OF PORTLAND , accompanied b y the Duchess , presided at the luncheon in connection with the Welbeck Tenants' Agricultural Show , there being also present amongst others , Bro . the Marquis and Marchioness of Granby , Bro . Lord and Lady Wantage , Bro . Sir Frederick and Lady Milner , and Bro . Captain Holford .

AMONG THOSE PRESENT at thc interment of the late Bro . Richard Benyon at Eaglefield , near Reading , on Saturday afternoon last , were Mrs . Benyon , the widow , Sir John and Lady Shelley , Bro . Lord Wantage , Lord Lieutenant of Berkshire , the Earl of Portsmouth , Lord de Ramsey , and Bro . Sir John Mowbray , Bart ., M . P . THE DUKE OF YORK formally took over the command of the Isle of Wight Volunteers in succession to the late Prince Henry of Battenberg in the grounds at Osborne , on Monday , and when his Royal Highness had inspected the regiment , the Queen , accompanied by the Princess Henry of Battenberg and two of her sons drove up and reviewed the regiment .

THE QUEFN held a Council al Osborne , on Tuesday , when there were present Bro . the Duke of Devonshire ( Lord President ) , Viscount Cross ( Lord Privy Seal ) , and Bro . Lord Arthur Hill , M . P . ( Comptroller of the Household ) . Subsequently her Majesty was pleased to confer the honour of Knighthood on a number of gentlemen , amongst them being Bros . H . H . Bemrose , M . P ., and Henry Harben .

BROS , THE RIGHT HON . A . AKERS DOUGLAS , Lord Balfour of Burleigh , Lord Halsbury ( Lord Chancellor ) , Lord Ashbourne ( Lord Chancellor of Ireland ) , Sir M . Hicks Beach , Bart . ( Chancel ' or of the Exchequer ) , the Duke of Devonshire , Lord George Hamilton , the Right Hon . VV . IL Long , and Sir M . VVhite Ridley , Bart ., were among the ministers present at the Cabinet Council held at the Foreign Ollice on Monday .

THE WEATHER on Monday being especially fine , there was an immense exodus of excursionists and holiday folks generally from London on Bank Holiday . All the favourite inland and seaside resorts were crowded with visitors , and the various exhibitions and athletic and other recreation grounds were crowded with people . The railway and refreshment caterers did a splendid business , and everybody seemed to enjoy himself .

PRINCESS HENRY OF BATTENBERG visited Ventnor on Saturday afternoon last and lsid the foundation-stone ofthe nth block of the Royal National Hospital for Consumption . The inscription on the stone read— " To the Glory of God and in memory of Prince Henry of Battenberg . " The subscriptions amounted to about ^ , 7000 , of which the Treasurer gave 2000 guineas . Guards of honour were mounted on tne occasion by the Isle of Wight Rifle Volunteers .

AMONG the guests at the marriage of Mr . Henry K . Hohler and Mabel Caroline , second daughter of Sir George and Lady Julia Wombwell , at St . Paul ' s Church , Knightsbridge , on Saturday last and at the reception which followed at the residence of Bro . the Earl and Countess of Dai trey in Kiton-square were the Duke of Cambridge , attended by Colonel Fitz-George , Bro . the Earl and Countess of Jersey , the Countess of Carnarvon , the Bishop of Sodor and Man , and Mrs . Straton .

PRINCESS CHRISTIAN OI'SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN visited the Royal Albert Institute , Windsor , on Saturday afternoon last , for the purpose of presenting the certificates and medallions to the members of the local St . John Ambulance Association . Her Royal Highness also distributed the bronze Jubilee medals awarded to those who had rendered assistance duiing the Windsor celebrations . Among the recipients were ladies , railway men , postmen , and police constables .

MARK MASONRY . —By command of Bro . Rev . Henry Baker Tristram , D . D ., F . R . S ., Provincial Grand Mark Master of Northumberland and Durham , a Provincial Grand Mark Lodge will be held on Wednesday , 25 th inst ., at the Masonic Hall , Gladstone Street , Gateshead , at four o'clock . The Committee cf General Purposes will meet an hour previously lor the transaction of business . At 5 . 30 p . m . the banquet is to be provided in the banqueting hall of the Central Masonic Hall , Newcastle .

THE KING OF SIAM , with his son and suite , visited Westminster Abbey and St . Paul's Cathedral on Monday , evincing great interest in most of what he saw , the sword and helmet of Henry V . which he wore at Agincourt , the coronation chair and stones , the tomb of Queen Elizabeth , and others , in the former being especially honoured with his Majesty ' s attention . After seeing St . Paul ' s , the King drove to Eul's Court and visited ihe Victorian Era Exhibition , afterwards taking a trip to Ranelagh in Baron Deichmann ' s coach , and dining at the Club quarters .

THE LORD MAYOR and Lady Mayoress and the Sheriffs of London , with a large party of Civic functionaries and dignitaries , visited Brussels in State towards the close of last week , and met with a most cnthusiatic welcome on their arriv al and at the various banquets and gatherings held in their honour . The Civic party included Bro . Alderman Sir Joseph Savory , Bart ., M . P ., Alderman Sir Stuart Knill , Alderman and Sheriff Ritchie , Bro . Sheriff Rogers , and Bro . Alderman Col . Divis , M . P . The immediate purpose of the visit was to inspect the International Exhibition .

Ox THE 251 * 11 ULT ., a special service was held in Kilkeel Parish Church . The brethren of Lodge 144 , Kilkeel , assembled in their lodge room at half-past five o'clock , and were there joined by members of Lodges 142 , Castlewellan ; 172 , Ardglass ; ^ 97 , Warrenpoint , and several strong supporters of the Uoler from Newry . Shortly before six o ' clock the brethren , having been marshalled by Bro . H . C . Pentland , W . M . 144 , proceeded to church , the usual order being observed on entering . The service was read by Bro Rev . F . Dudley , M . A ., the highly-iespected incumbent of Kilkeel , and the Pooler The musical

lessons by Bro . Rev . Canon , Downpitrick . portion of the service , which included the anthem , " Break forth into joy , " by Semper , taken from Isaiah liii ., 9 and 10 , was well rendered by a large and efficient choir , Miss II . Lee presiding at the organ . At the conclusion of the service , Canon Pooler ascended the pulpit , and , taking as his text the fourth verse of the ist chapter of St . John ' s Gospel , delivered an earnest and powerful address to a large and appreciative ongregition . Ine collection , which was in aid of the Masonic Orphan Schools , was then taken up , and was entirely satisfactory .

Masonic And General Tidings.

THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF FIFE left London on VVednesday evening , for Mar Lodge , Braemar . LADY HENRY SOMERSET has given a site to the borough of Reigate forthe erection of a block of almshouses as a permanent memorial of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee . THE BISHOP OF LONDON on Thursday consecrated a new church , dedicated to St . Peter , which has been erected at Lower Edmonton . The building will seat 520 people , and has cost £ 3800 .

J HE DUCHESS OF TECK and the Duchess of York , accompanied by a select party , enjoyed a river trip on Thursday , embarking at Windsor on a steam launch , and landing at Richmond . HER MAJESTY THE QUERN has forwarded a cheque for £ 100 to the Royal London Ophthalmic Hospital , Moorfields , E . C , as a donation towards the building fund of the new hospital now in the course of erection in the City-road .

THE LAST TWO NIGHTS of "Four Little Girls , " at the Criterion Theatre , are announced , the play being withdrawn after to-morrow ( Saturday ) . Next Saturday Mr . Horniman will produce a new and original comedy by Miss Martha Morton , entitled " The Sleeping Partner . "

THE QUEEN has approved of the Jubilee Commemoration Medal being conferred on all oflicers commanding brigades , units , and representative detachments of -the Regular Forces , Militia , Yeomanry , and Volunteers employed in lining the route of the Royal Procession on June 22 nd . AFTER THE FUNERAL at Dewsbury on Wednesday , of Bro . Dr . Hmchliffe , who was one of the oldest Freemasons in the district , it was announced that the deceased , after providing for his housekeeper and servants , had bequeathed property and shares worth about £ 50 , 000 towards higher education .

TUESDAY ' S "GAZETTE" contained the announcement that the Queen has been graciously pleased to appoint the Right Hon . the Earl of Derby , K . G ., G . C . B ., & c , to be Lord-Lieutenant and Custos Rotulorum of the County of Lancaster in succession to the late Earl of Sefton .

THE DUCHESS OF TECK and her daughter , the Duchess of York , paid an unexpected visit to the Cambridge Asylum for Soldiers' Widows , Kingston-on-Thames , driving over for the purpose from the White Lodge , Richmond . Their Royal Highnesses inspected many parts of the building , and chatted with many of the inmates . PRINCE AND PRINCESS ADOLPHUS OF TECK , the Duke and Duchess of Westminster , and Lady Lettice Grosvenor attended the Eaton Flower Show . The Princess presented the prizes to the successful exhibitors . During the afternoon Mrs . Drew , accompanied by Miss Dorothy , drove over from Hawarden Castle and visited the g round .

THE ANNUAL SHOW of the Essex , Herts , and Middlesex Horse and Foal Society , of which Lord Mayor Phillips is President , was held at Waltham I ross on Monday , and proved a great attraction , the number of entries ranging between 300 and 400 . Prizes to the amount of over £ 400 were awarded in the 43 classes in which the entries were arranged .

BARONESS BURDETT COUTTS distributed , on Tuesday , the prizes recently gained at the annual exhibition of the Brookfield Horticultural Society , Highgate , and was herself presented with an illuminated address , the gift of the allottees of the Highgate-rise Cottage Garden Allotments . The name of Bro . VV . Burdett-Coutts , M . P ., the present owner of the ground thus allotted , was associated in the kindliest terms with that of the Baroness in the address .

AFTER THE hospitable entertainment of the previous evening , the dalegites of the Conference of the Deaf and Dumb on Thursday settled down to the consideration ol practical schemes for the amelioration of their class . The mjeting wis h-sld at St . Saviour's Lecture Hall , Oxford-street , and the subjects discussed included a proposal for State-aided National workshops for the deaf , and ths development of the D ; af and Dumb Association as an employment bureau .

I HE HOT WEATHER IS just now exercising an unfavourable mlluence in the rate of mortality in London . L ? st week it rose from 20 to 23 . C per 1000 , the cause being due to the number of deaths among children caused by eating unripe fruit , 441 out of the 459 deaths having occurred among children under five years of age . The return , however , is still slightly below the average for the last 10 years . The Croydon rate was g . y , and that at Brighton the same as in the previous week , namely , 14 . 6 .

HER MAJESTY ' S dinner party on Monday evening included the Prince and Princess ot Wales , Princess Henry of Battenberg , the Duke of York , Princess Victoria of Wales , Princess Charles of Denmark , Prince Christian Victor and Princess Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein , Princess Aribert of Anhalt , Admiral ot the Fleet Bro . the Hon . Sir H . Keppel and others . The Queen's private band , conducted by Bro . Sir Walter Parratt , played a selection of inusic in thc evening . On Tuesday the Queen's visitors included the Princess Louise Marchioness of Lome , and the Marquis of Lome , while the dinner party included the King of thc Belgians , who landed at Cowes in the afternoon .

THE KING of SIAM , accompanied by his sons and attended by Bro . the Earl of Lathom ( Lord Chamberlain ) , and Colonel Carrington , left Buckingham Palace for Portsmouth on Monday morning early and was met on his arrival by H . R . H . the Piince of Wales and the Duke of York , by whom the Eastern Monarch was most cordially welcomed . The whole party , after exchanging courtesies , went on board the Royal yacht Alberta and crossed to East Cowes , whence they were conveyed in Royal carriages to Osborne , where the King was received by her Mijesty . Later in the diy the Royal visitors returned to Buckingham Palace .

THE 2 ND BATTALION of the Princess Victoria ' s Royal Irish Fusiliers went through the ceremony of "Trooping the Colour" on the Queen's Parade , Aldershot , on Tuesday , the 3 rd inst ., being the 64 th anniversary of the first presentation of colours by the Queen , then Princess Victoria , to the regiment . Among those present were the Duke ot Connaught , the Duke of Teck , Bro . Lord and Lady Pirbrieh ** , Maj-Generals

Bengough and Barnard , and the whole of the Military District Head-quarters Staff . After the ceremony , the Duke presented long-service medals and other distinctions to sundry non-commissioned officers and men of the regiment , and later in the day the battalion gave itself up to festivity in honour of the occasion , while the officers entertained the Duke at dinner .

THE NEW PALACE STEAMERS , LIMITED , announce that on VVednesday , the 1 -th inst ., and each succeeding Wednesday until 1 st September , their well-known magnificent steamer La Marguerite will make a special trip to Boulogne and back , calling at Southend and Margate to and fro . A special feature of this trip—and one that will be greatly appreciated by the public—is the fact that passengers will have no less than 3 J hours on shore at Boulogne , as it is intended that a special train , to connect at Tilbury , will leave Fenchurch-street at G . 15 a . m ., steamer returning from Boulogne at 4 p . m . A considerable reduction in fares to Margate and Ramsgate is also announced to take effect on and after Monday next .

THE QUEEN has sent , through the Marquis of Salisbury , the following gracious acknowledgment of an address of congratulation presented by the Grand Council of the Primrose League on the occasion of the recent Diamond Jubilee Commemoration * ' Osborne , July 30 , 1 S 97 . I have laid before the Queen the address of congratulation on the completion of the ( loth year of her reign from the Primrose League , which you

forwarded to me on the 25 th inst . for presentation to her Majesty . The Queen commands me to ask you to express her sincere thanks for the kindly and loyal sentiments contained in the address , and also her Majesty ' s gratification at its touching allusion to the works initiated by thc Prince Consort lor the welfare of the people . ( Signed ) Arthur Bigge . "

MASONIC CEREMONY AT DUMFRIES . —Bro . Lord Saltoun , G . M . of Scotland , visited Dumfries on Tuesday , and installed Bro . William A . Dinwiddie as Prov . G . M . of Dumfriesshire , in succession to Bro . A . H . Johnstone Douglas . His lordship was accompanied by Bros . Major F . W . Allan , J . G . D . ; D . Murray Lyon , G . Sec . ; D . Reid , G . Treas . ; Kev . 1 . Wing Hewison , G . Chap . ; lames Muir , Acting G . D . C ;

and a number of office-bearers and members of Grand Lodge . The deputation was received by the Prov . G . Lodge , over which Bro . Provost Glover temporarily presided , and the Grand Master having taken the throne , carried through the installation , observing that it was the first ceremony of the kind at which he had officiated , and congratulated Bro . Dinwiddie on his election . About 70 brethren afterwards dined together in thc Koyal Kestaurant .