Correspondence.

Correspondence .

We do not liold ourselves responsible for the opinions expressed by our correspondents , but we ' wish , in a spirit of fair play to all , to permit—within certain necessary limits—free discussion . J

A QUESTION OF PRECEDENCE . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , Enclosed I send you copy of a letter which I have received from the Grand Secretary in answer to one of mine , and thinking it of general interest to the brethren in the Craft , I have obtained his permission to send it to you for publication in the Freemason— -Yours faithfully and fraternally ,

W . ROGERS , 1339 , 2454 . 93 and 94 , Chancery-lane , London . December 2 nd . " United Grand Lodge of England , " Freemasons' Hall , . " Great Queen-st ., London , W . C . " 27 th Nov ., 1 S 95 . " Dear Sir and Brother

, "It is quite an error to suppose that a brother initiated in a lodge has a greater claim to office than a joining member . The W . M . has absolute discretion as to the appointment of his officers ; but the general rule is for the W . M . to offer office to the brethren according to seniority on the register of the lodge , unless there be some special reason why a particular brother should not be promoted .

" I know it is often a question whether , in the case of a joining member and an initiate being elected on the same evening , the joining member takes precedence of the initiate . My own opinion is that in strictness he should , as it is quite possible the joining member might be called upcm to assist in the initiation—indeedif an Installed Master , the newly-elected joining member might himself

, perform the ceremony of initiation , and it would be an anomaly for the initiate , under such circumstances , to take precedence of the member of the lodge who actually made him a Mason . —I am , Dear Sir and Brother , yours faithfully and raterna y , ( Signed ) " E . LETCHWORTH , G . S . "

DERWENT LODGE , No . 40 . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , It is a matter of concern to some of the members of the Derwent Lodge , No . 40 , to know why the word " Derwent" was taken as the name of Lodge No . 40 , at Hastings , as there was , so far as we are , at this distant date , able to ascertain , no one , and nothing locally at that time , associated with such a

name . Perhaps some of your readers may be able to help us . —Yours fraternally , J . PEARCE , P . M . 40 . Cecil House , Ore , Hastings .

OUR BROTHER ' S BED . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother We require only £ 10 to complete this fund , and . as the year is nearly at an end I would ask 39 of your readers to send me a Postal Order for five shillings , which none of them will miss . A brother sends me five shillings remembering the admonition he received when poor and penniless ; will others do likewise ?—I am , dear Sir and Brother , very fraternally yours , W . PORTLOCK-DADSON , P . M . 13 S 3 , 281 , Strand , W . C , December Sth . Honorary Secretary .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

Masonic Notes and Queries .

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF BRO . HUGHAN . I am asked by so many of my friends for a List of my Works , Pamphlets , & c ., that as soon as possible ( in the New Year ) , all being well , they shall have their wishes gratified . The Bibliography , however , will take time to prepare , and its first publication will have to be imperfect , the complete List requiring the assistance of my friends , there not being a full set in any one Collection , not even my 0 Wn > W . J . HUGHAN ,

Bro. Alderman V. Morgan And The Grand Treasurership.

BRO . ALDERMAN V . MORGAN AND THE GRAND TREASURERSHIP .

We have been authorised to publish the following letter . We offer here no observations on its contents , as they speak for themselves , and , moreover , what little we feel disposed to say , will be found in one of our " Notes " — "Treasurer ' s House , " Christ ' s Hospital , London , E . C , . " 3 rd December , 18 95 . " Dear Sir and Brother ,

" 1 feel that a few words are due from me to those who proposed to support me on the present occasion for the office of Grand Treasurer . I atI 1 strongly of opinion , as I know are many , that annual contests are most inconvenient and , indeed , vexatious . I know that Bro . W . H . Bailey , a most energetic and liberal Mason , has large provincial sympathy and support , and that in the opinion of many brethren this constitutes on his part an exceedingly strong claim

I beg , then , that this year I may not be nominated , and I trust that in the spirit in which I am endeavouring to act , I shall receive next year such a measure of support as may justify the expectation I venture to entertain of then being chosen . " I am , dear Sir and Brother , "Yours faithfully and fraternally , "W . VAUGIIAN MORGAN . "

United Grand Lodge Of England.

UNITED GRAND LODGE OF ENGLAND .

The Quarterly Communication of United Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of England was held on Wednesday evening at Freemasons' Hall , London . Bro . W . W . B . Beach , M . P ., Provincial Grand Master for Hants and the Isle of Wight , presided . Bro . Montague Guest ,

Provincial Grand Master for Dorset , acted as Deputy Grand Master , and Bro . Dr . Balfour Cockburn , Provincial Grand Master for Guernsey , as Past Grand Master . Bro . Victor Williamson , P . G . W ., officiated as Senior Grand Warden , and Bro . Sir John B . Monckton , P . G . W ., as Junior Grand Warden .

Among some 800 other brethren who were present were—Bros . Sir Joseph C . Dimsdale , Sir Albert W . Woods ( Garter ) , ex-Sberiff Hutton , R . Loveland Loveland , F . A . Philbrick , Q . C . ; Edward Letchworth , G . Sec . ; Robert Grey , L . G . Gordon Robbins , Richard Eve , George Everett , S . Cochrane ,

R . Turtle Pigott , D . C . L . ; W . M . Stiles , G . Treas . ; Henry Smith , W . F . Smithson , W . G . Kentish , Dr . Ralph Gooding , Dr . F . Ernest Pocock , George Lambert , Dr . Godson , Hastings Miller , J . S . Cumberland , James Terry , J . M . McLeod , W . Lake , H . Garrod , C . A . Cottebrune , C . J . R . Tijou , and D . D . Mercer .

After Grand Lodge had been opened in form , and the minutes of the Quarterly Communication of September 4 th had been read and confirmed , Bro . S . S . BANCROFT , P . M . 2127 , rose , amidst loud applause , and said : Most Worshipful Grand Master in the Chair and Brethren , —You grant me a privilege which , as it were , ties my tongue , for so poor a straggler in the

ranks as myself could not dare to extol our august leader ; but , in my just humility , I am not blind to the Brotherhood of Freemasonry which permits me the distinguished honour in Grand Lodge of nominating our Illustrious and Most Worshipful Grand Master , his Royal Highness the Prince of

Wales , to again fill that exalted post . ( A pplause . ) I will only venture to add , in the Masonic words of Shakespeare— " His worth is warrant for his welcome here "—( renewed applause)—for it may be truly said of us , and all of us , that our humble duty towards the Prince is only equalled by our loyal affection for the brother . ( Applause . )

Bro . Lieut .-Col . BINDLEY , D . P . G . M . Staffordshire , P . G . D . of England , and Grand Superintendent Staffordshire , next rose and said : M . W . Grand Master and Brethren , —It is my honour and my privilege to propose as

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