Correspondence.

Correspondence .

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions expressed by our correspondents , but wc wish , in a spirit of fair play to all , to permit—within certain necessary limitsfree discussion .

THE REMOVAL OF THE BOYS' SCHOOL . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , Referring to thc paragraphs and correspondence in your issue of the 24 th instant , there are some points calling for remark .

You inform us that al the last Quarterly Court there were 86 provincial and 89 London brethren . Would you kindly supplement that information by giving the number of brethren hailing from different named provinces ; at all events , let us know how many were from the " home provinces " in the vicinity of London , and from those further afield ?

You state in your leading article that your " readers may carefully peruse the resolutions that have been passed in opposition lo the scheme , they will not find in any one of them a single argument of any real value against the proposal . " Will you kindly state , for the information of your numerous readers , when it

became the custom ( except , possibly , at Trade Union meetings ) to embody in a resolution a statement of the arguments on which it was founded ? In the provinces , at ail events , the practice is to confine the resolution to a bare statement of the conclusion arrived at , leaving the arguments for the speeches of the proposer and seconder .

You express your hope that now the scheme of the Board of Management has assumed a tangible form , you have heard the last of some " very un-Masonic threats of some lodges and brethren to remove their support if the resolution is persisted in . " It is true that lodges and brethren—of whom the writer is onehave endeavoured to emphasise the fact that if the scheme of the Committee was carried into effect contrary to the views of a number of the Subscribers in the

provinces , it would undoubtedly end in considerable additional support to the local charitable funds , to the probable detriment of the Central Charities , unless reasonable means were afforded by the Committee for allowing thc provincial brethren to express their views . The Central Committee have preferred to rely on the purely legal ground of a resolution passed at a quarterly meeting . These

meetings ( held in London ) it is impossible for thc brethren at a distance—those to whom the question is the most important—to attend , except at an expense which is prohibitory . The Committee have carried their point , and can , so far , score a victory . But there are some victories which , in their after consequences , are worse than a defeat .

A large number of the brethren in the more distant provinces hold a strong view that a vote so obtained is not in any way morally binding upon them . You will not alter that view by the use of strong words . But whereas there is at present simply a decided movement in favour of strengthening the local Charities , you may , by a little judiciously-applied abuse , succeed in enlarging that feeling into one of direct hostility to the existing Committee . I submit that this is undesirable from any point of view .

I may mention that in this province a special meeting of the subscribers to the local Charity Fund ( established 10 years ago ) is just about to be held , with a view to largely strengthen its position and supplement its funds . The promises of financial support already received render the success of the movement a certainty . —Yours fraternally , D . P . G . M . AND P . G . O . Bristol , October 29 th .

THE LATE BRO . SIR AUGUSTUS HARRIS , PAST G . TREAS . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , Will you kindly allow me , through the columns of the Freemason , to put before the brethren the memorial which is being raised to perpetuate the memory of Sir Augustus Harris . It is not necessary for me to say what he did for Masonry , or to appeal in vain ( 1 am sure ) for contributions for the object we have in view .

Subscriptions may be sent to Bro . P . M . Alderman Frank Green , 193 , Upper Thames-street , E . C ; or to me , at I . , York Buildings , Adelphi , W . C—I am , yours fraternally , Eccentric Club , 21 , Shaftesbury Avenue , SIDNEY SMITH ,

Piccadilly Circus , W ., Hon . Secty October 31 ,

A QUERY . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother I was speaking a few days ago of thc "record" of Bro . James William Abbott , P . P . G . D . C . East Lanes ., which appeared in your issue of the 26 th September .

The brother to whom I was speaking sends me the following " record "" Referring to our conversation , I lind that I wan proposed in Everton Lodge , No . 823 , Liverpool , October 18 th , 1871 , and was initiated the next month . 1 have passed the chair , and been in office 17 years . I have not missed a lodge nightregular or emergency—and , as we have had on the average two emergency lodges each year , I think this is a ' record , ''' The writer of the foregoing is Bro . Joseph J . Boyle , P . M . 823 , P . P . G . S . BWest Lanes . —Yours fraternally , W . GOODACRE .

Prov . G . ; Sec . West Lancashire . Granville Park , Aughton , near Ormskirk , October 30 th .

Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS .

Wc have had thc following letters sent on to us by the Secretary , and as their contents concern the all-absorbing question of the removal of the School to another and healthier site , we have much pleasure in publishing them in our columns : IOJ , Palace Gardens-terrace , Kensington , W .,

Dear Bro . McLeod , October 39 th , 1 S 0 O . I am sure it imut be very jalisldiluiy II- you and your Committee lu see that better counsels have prevailed among those brethren who were opposed to the removal of the School , and that a great majority of them are now disposed to lend a helping hand . My object in writing to you , however , is to remind you that , so far , an important—I may almost say the most important—factor has either been overlooked

Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

or not touched upon . This is the bearing which the removal will have on the health of the schoolboys and teachers . The present hygienic surroundings at Wood Green are , in my opinion , detrimental to health , and much of the illness of the boys must be placed to this cause . No doubt most of the children that come to you inherit weak health , while many must have a deteriorated physique . This goes without saying , as the parents in most cases die early and from constitutional causes , so that the necessity for healthy surroundings is of the , utmost importance to start with .

I shall never forget the disappointment I experienced when present at the laying of the foundation-stone at Wood Green , and had to walk about in a plastic clay and slush , a very slough of despair ; and when I attended the opening ceremony two years later , the surroundings had scarcely improved . " What an unlit place , " a medical brother remarked , " for our Boys' School , " and much since must their health have suffered . What a saving , then , in health will the removal be to the very excellent site chosen at Bushey . I know the spot well , the surroundings are first rate , while the gravelly soil will be so favourable to health . The water , too , is of the best , the air superior to that of Wood Green .

I would remind you , also , of a point for consideration . Since Wood Green was built , school buildings have gradually improved . They are now built with a keen eye to hygiene , and a change has been made in them for the better as educational structures . No doubt these changes bring with them greater care and watchfulness on the part of yourself and your Committee ; indeed , your Committee have to watch over the mental as well as the physical health of the boys placed in their charge . Their great anxiety will , perhaps , be that the boys suffer no injury to their health , either mental or physical , while in attendance at School .

The conviction , however , remains in my profession that there is yet much to oe done in amending our school hygiene , and while admitting that much has been done , it is clear that in many things we are at present only at the beginning of our improvements . Consequently the School question may not yet be dismissed from the order of the day . In a matter of so much general importance , it will give me great pleasure if I can offer you any suggestion or assistance , especially with regard to the admission

of light to the class-rooms , and the neglect of which creates defects of vision and short sight among the boys and delay in the development of their mental powers . Yours faithfully and fraternally , ( Signed ) J ADEZ HOGG , Hon . Consulting Surgeon-Oculist to the R . M . I , for Boys , W . Bro . J . M . McLeod , Sec . R . M . Institution for Boys .

102 , Palace Gardens-terrace , Kensington , W ., Dear Bro . McLeod , November 2 nd , 189 G . As you still have a remnant of doubting Thomas ' s to deal wilh leave you to publish my letter of last week if you think proper .

I may also mention a fact which came to my knowledge last year , namely , that steps were taken to build a Sanatorium for the better classes on , I believe , this very plot of land , but in consequence of the death of the principal promoter of the scheme , the negotiations were broken off . I am quite sure , however , that a higher price was asked for the land . I am confident that I am not exaggerating when I assert that it is one of the healthiest sites within that distance of London , while as to the question of water you know I am an authority on this necessary of life . 1 carefully examined the source and the chemical process of softening it

after it had been pumped into the reservoirs , and I found it had lost about 10 per cent , of its hardness . This in every way renders it the most wholesome drinking water of the many supplies obtained near London . I wish and have long striven to make the London Water Companies adopt the same means of improving our water . Believe me , yours fraternally , ( Signed ) J ADEZ H OQG , Hon . Consulting Surgeon-Oculist , R . M . LB . To J . M , McLeod , Esq .

Royal Masonic Institution For Boys' Scholarship Fund.

ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS ' SCHOLARSHIP FUND .

A general meeting of the subscribers to this fund was held on Friday , thc 30 th ult ., at Freemasons' Hall , Great Queen-street , W . C , Bro . George Everett , P . G . Treas ., and Vice-Patron of Institution , in the chair . There were present Bros . Sir John Monckton , G . E . Fairchild . W . A . Scurrah , Dr . Mickley , Dr . W . H . Kempster , J . F . Haden , W . Russell , Dick E . Radclyffe , Thomson Lyon , J . G . Milbourn , Rev . H . A . Hebb , H . A . Tobias , J . W . Burgess , E . Margrett , J . W . Gieve ,

P . Ravenscroft , S . Cochrane , J . H . Whadcoat , C . Pulman , P . O'Doherty ( Old Masonian ) , John Strachan , and J . M . McLeod , P . G . S . B . ( Secretary ) . Bro . RAVENSCROiTsubmittedhis report on the audit , from which it appeared thc total amount promised to date was £ 1626 12 s ., of which £ g $ 12 s . was unpaid but in course of collection , and that the expenditure for printing and stationery , advertisementspostagesand clerical assistance had amounted to £ 57 8 s . 2 d . ,

, , The report was unanimously adopted , and Bro . J STRACHAN , for the Executive Committee , submitted and explained the regulations which had been formulated after much care and thought on the part of those constituting the Committee . The regulations were severally put to the meeting and carried with a few minor alterations .

It was unanimously resolved to invite Bros . Ear ! Amherst , Dep . G . M . ; Sir John Monckton , P . G . W . ; and Chas . E . Keyser , P . G . D ., to become Trustees of the fund . Bros . J . M . McLeod , P . G . S . B .. and John Strachan were appointed the Honorary Secretary and the Honorary Treasurer respectively . Bros . Eve , Everett , F . Richardson , Fairchild , John Glass , W . Russell , D . L

Radclyffe , J . H . Whadcoat , and Walter Martin , with R . S . Chandler ( Old Masonian ) , were elected as the Board of Governors of the Fund , and power was given to them to decide in what securities the fund should be invested . Bro . Percy Ravenscroft , A . C . A ., was appointed Honorary Auditor . Votes of thanks to the ofiicers who hatl worked up the Fund , and lo the Chairman of thc meeting , closed the proceedings .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

Masonic Notes and Queries .

X 090 . 1 THE LAMENTED GENERAL PIKE , 33 ' . I leel personally indebted lo Bru , John Vaiker for his genorous and most Masonic references to the late General Albert Pike , the beloved Grand Com * mander of the " Ancient and Accepted Rite" forthe United Slates of America ( S . J . ) , and , without doubt , the uncrowned king of the " High Degrees . " Tne charges against my lamented friend are baseless and wholly untrue , as cm he proved over and over again , not only from his honourable connection vf th tw Fraternity of Fieeand Accepted Masons , thc Knights Templar ( Christ ' an ) , ana