Masonic And General Tidings.

Masonic and General Tidings .

THE COMMITTEE OF MANAGEMENT of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution will hold their regular monthly meeting at Freemasons' Hall , on Wednesday , the 12 th instant , at 4 p . m . BRO . SIR J . BLUNDELL MAPLE , Bart ., M . P ., opened a new public library at Penge on Saturday last . BRO . SIR HENRY HARBEN , J . P ., has subscribed ^ 500 towards the erection of a new church at Folkestone .

BRO . R . D . M . LITTLER , Q . C , C . B ., has been for the 12 th time elected the Chairman of the Middlesex Sessions . BRO . HOR 4 CE B . MARSHALL , M . A ., J . P ., Vias forwarded a donation of 170 guineas to the Orphan Working School . THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF YORK visited Feltham on Saturday afternoon last , in order to inspect the London County Council Industrial School , and to present the prizes to the boys .

BRO . THE DUKE AND DUCKESS OF DEVONSHIRE will entertain a large party at Compton-place , Eastbourne , to-motrow ( Saturday ) to Monday , when it is expected that H . R . H . the Prince of Wales will be amongst the guests . HOSPITAL SUNDAY FUND . —The contributions already paid in amount to upwards of £ 4 6 , 000 , a total which , exclusive of the gift of £ 10 , 000 with which the list was started , compares very favourably with last year's returns . The officials , therefore , are hopeful that the £ 50 , 000 asked for will be secured .

£ 96 FOR BURSS ' S POEMS . —At Sotheby ' s , on Tuesday , a copy of Vnt rare original Kilmarnock edition ot Robert Burns ' s poems , chiefly in the Scottish dialect , 17 SG , sold for £ 9 6 to Mr . Sabin . The copy is in the original boards , uncut , measures S :, by 5 ? inches , and is very defective , many of the leaves being supplied by facsimiles . NEXT SUNDAY the Duke of Cambridge will attend the anniversary Festival at the Foundling Hospital Chapel , at 11 o'clock , when the annual sermon in aid of the funds of the Institution will be preached by the Bishop of London . After the service his Royal Highness will distribute rewards to those former inmates of the Institution who have recently come of age .

THE WILL , made on May 3 rd , iS 66 , of Bro . Edward William Allen , of 4 , Ave Maria-lane , publisher , was proved on the 2 Cth ult . by Mrs . Sarah Ann Allen , of 18 , Marmoia-read , Honor Oak , the widow and sole executrix , the value of the estate being £ 12 , 252 4 s . 7 d ., and the net personalty £ 10 , 281 iSs . 3 d . The testator gives to his wife everything he dies possessed of .

THE LORD LIEUTENANT OF IRELAND visited Field-Marshal Bro . Lord Roberts and Lady Roberts at the Curragh on Monday , in order to greet their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Connaught upon their arrival in Ireland . His Excellency returned to Dublin in the evening , and left by the mail packet for England to attend a meeting of the Cabinet on Tuesday afternoon .

THE MARQUIS OF LORNE , M . P ., presided over the annual meeting , in the Marchioness of Zetland ' s house in Arlington-street , of the Children ' s Happy Evening Association on Tuesday , among those present being the Marchioness of Zetland , the Marchioness of Dufferin , the Countess of Gosford , the Countess of Galloway , Countess Cadogan , Viscountess Knutsford , the Countess of Jersey , Lady Beatrice Villiers , Lady Howard de Walden , Lady Belper , Lady Amherst of Hackney , and others .

A CABINET COUNCIL was held on Tuesday , among the Ministers present being Bros , the Right Hon . A . Akers-Douglas , Lord Balfour of Burleigh , the Earl of Halsbury ( Lord Chancellor ) , Lord Ashbourne ( Lord Chancellor of Ireland ) , Sir M . Hicks-Beach , Bart . ( Chancellor of the Exchequer ) , the Duke of Devonshire , Lord George Hamilton , the Right Hon . VV . H . Long , Sir M . White Ridley , and the Right Hon . C T . Ritchie .

THE TRIENNIAL REUNION of old Masonians took place at the Orphanage , Erdington , on the 28 th ult ., and nearly 300 "Old Boys" attended from all parts of the country . The trustees were represented at the gathering by Mr . J . E . Wilson and Councillor R . Toller . The building had been decorated for the occasion . Various outdoor spoils and games claimed attention , and after tea a short service was held . Mr . Toller extended a hearty welcome to all present .

THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF YOEK visited Exeter on Tuesday , when his Royal Highness opened the technical and university wing of the Albert Memorial Museum , after which Bro . the Hon . Sii Stafford and Lady Northcote entertained the Royal party and a distinguished company at luncheon at the Rougemont Hotel . Subsequently a shctt service was held at the Cathedral , and th . cn their Koyal Highnesses visited the Devon and Exeter Hospital , and a garden party followed at which the Duchess of . York icctived purses in aid of the institution .

THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF CONNAUGHT , who ate on a short visit- to the Curragh Camp as the guests of Field-Marshal Bro . Lord Robeits , V . C , and Lady Rcbeits , attended on Tuesday a review in which all the troops in the Irish camp took part . It lasted over three hours , and concluded with a march past . Amongst the troops engaged were the Gth Inniskilling Dragoons , of which his Koyal Highness is Colonelin-Chief . The Duchess cf Connaught took up a position at the saluting base , and as the tioops marched past she received a Royal salute . The Duke of Connaught led the

Inniskillings in peison . Afterwards their Royal Highnesses visited the military hospital . H . R . H . THE PRINCE OF WALES presided on Monday at the annual gener . il meeting of the Corporation of the Royal Colledge of Music , at Marlborough House , and afterwards at the annual general meeting ot the Associated Board of the Royal Academy of Music and the Royal College of Music for Local Examinations . The Hon . Sidney Greville has succeeded Bro . Captain Holford as Equerry in Waiting to his Royal Highness .

ON MONDAY EVENING the Duke of Cambridge honoured Bro . the Earl and Countess Carrington with his presence at dinner at their eesidence , Grnsvenor-strett . There were present to meet his Royal Highness the Marchioness of Lansdown ; , liro . the Marquis of Zetland , the Earl and Countess of Buchan , Lord Cecil Manners , Uro . Lord and Lady Suffield , Lady Leconlield , Lady Edith Villiers , Mr . and L \ ly Feolore Bertie , Mr . Harbord , Mr . Henry White and Miss White , Mr . Dawnay , Mr . Marshall Robert ? , and Col . FitzGeorec , in attendance on his Koyal Highness .

PRINCESS LOUISE ( Duchess of Fife ) and the Dukeof Fife visited T . R . H . the Prince and Princess of Wales at Marlborough House on Saturday last , and remained to luncheon . The Prince and Princess of VVales , attended by Miss Kn -llys and Uro . Captain Holford , drove to the studio of Mr . W . Q . Orchaidson , R . A , in tie morning , to inspect the picture which he is painting of the Oueen , the Princ ; of Wales , the Duke of Yotk , and Prince Edward of York , for the Royal Agiicultural Society of England .

AT THE ANNUAL DINNER of the East London Association for Promoting Life Governorships to H ispitals , held on the 5 th instant , in the Three Nuns Hotel , Aldgate , Sir W . H . Potter presided , and was supported by Mr . Wm . Moore , Q . C , M . P . ; Mr . Davis , the founder of the association ¦ Mr . S . F . Feldman , Vice-President ; Mr . S . Lazarus ; and Mr . Harrold , Secretary for the Hospital for Diseases of the Chest . It was stated that neatly £ Sooo had been given to the hospitals in London through the agency ofthe association , and 191 life governors had been appointed . By the guests at Wednesday ' s dinner and their friends a sum of £ 70 was collected towards the fund , of thc association .

THE MOST competent critics readily acknowledge that the Crystal Palace Orchestral Band , under Ihe conductorship of Mr . August Manns , has , by familiarising its audiences with the true masterpieces , been a most important factor in adv incing musical art in England . Hitherto it has only been possible to hear this line band in the afternoon : the Directors have , however , arranged that in future grand orchestral concerts

shall be given in the evening during the autumn and winter m inths . The world-famous Saturday Afternoon Subscription Concerts will be resumed in October next . The Crystal Palace Military Band ( Bandmaster , Mr . Herbert Goifrey ) will play during dinner in the new bandstand nr . terrace , erected and illuminated by Messrs . Defries and Son . lhe Military Band will also play in the North Tower Garden during the afternoon and evening . There are daily organ recitals by Mr . Walter VV , Hedgecock .

Masonic And General Tidings.

HF . R MAJESTY will present the new State colours to the Scots Guards Regiment on Saturday , the 15 th instant . BRO . LORD AND LADY PIRBRIGHT have arrived in Grosvenor-place from Pirbright for the remainder of the season . THE DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE dined with Bro . Earl Carrington , L . C . C , and Countess Carrington on Monday evening . BRO . SIR J . B . MONCKTON , the Town Clerk , was 6 7 years old on Thursday , having been born on July Gth , 1 S 32 , at Maidstone .

THE SIRDAR ( Bro . Lord Kitchener ) has accepted an invitation to a banquet of the Fishmongers' Company on the iSth inst .

BRO . THE EARL AND COUNTESS OF RADNOR have been entertaining a large party at Longford Castle this week for the Bibury and Salisbury race meetings , GLASGOW UNIVERSITY intends to confer upon Col . H . A . Macdonald , the hero of Omdurman , the dignity of LL . D . The ceremony will take place about the 20 th inst ., Bro . Sir Henry Irving will also be there . PRIZE DAY atthe Royal Hospital Schools of Greenwich was celebrated on Monday when Lady Lucy Hicks-Beach , wife of the Chancellor of the Exchequer ( Bro . Sir Michael E . Hicks-Beach , Bart ., M . P . ) distributed the prizes to the boys .

THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF YORK left Lcndon on Monday morning on a visit to Lord and Lady Clifford of Chudieigh at Ugbrooke Park , Chudleigh ; Lady Katharine Coke , Major-Gen . Sir F . de Winton , and the Hon . Derek Keppel were in attendance . IN AID OF a fund for providing country holidays , a playing field and a cottage country home for St . Saviour ' s , Poplar , a dramatic performance will be given in the Victoria Hall , Archer-street , Bayswater , on the afternoon of the 1 ith inst .

ON SUNDAY MORNING the Queen and the Royal family went to Frogmore and attended Divine service in the Koyal Mausoleum . Several membeis ot the Royal household were present . The Very Rev . the Dean of Windsor officiated and preached the sermon . H . R . H . THE PRINCESS OF WALES , the Duke of York , the Dukeof Cambridge , and the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz and suite witnessed the performance of " La Boheme " at the Royal Opera House , Covent Garden , on Saturday evening last .

THE CANCER SOCIETY has commissioned Arthur C Duffey , Esq ., M . B ., B . Ch ., to proceed to lhe United States to report generally on matters affecting the object of the Society , and especially as to the operations of the State Laboratory for the study of cancer at Buffalo , N . Y . MIDDLE TEMPLE was en fete on the 5 th inst ., when the Treasurer ( Mr . William Ambrose , Q . C ) and Masters of the Bench of that honourable society entertained between three and four hundred barristers and their triends at a ball in their picturesque and old Elizabethan Hall , of which they are all justly proud .

IT HAS BEEN arranged to give four concerts in aid of the Prince of Wales Hospital Fund at the Crystal Palace o-i Sundays , 9 th , iGth , 23 rd ,. and 30 th inst . For the concert at 4 o'clock on Sunday afternoon next , Miss Clara Butt , Miss Florence Lancaster , and Mr . Andrew Black have been engaged . The string band of the Rjyal Engineers under the direction of Lieut . J . Sommer will also play .

IN ACCORDANCE with ancient custom , the Tynwald Court was held on the 5 th inst ., on Tynwald-hill , at St . John ' s-hill , Isle of Man . Many thousands of islanders and visitors attended . The Governor , Lord Henniker , accompanied by his two daughters , drove fiom Douglas , and after service in the church , the procession walked to the hill . Owing to the Acts passed not having received her Majesty's assent no promulgation could he made .

AFTER PROVIDING for the amort ' zation of leases , depreciation of plant , sinking fund for the redemption of Debentures , the payment of Debenture Interest , & c , the report of Spiers and Pond Limited recommends the payment of a dividend of S per cent ., less income tax , for the year ending the 31 st March , 1899 , leaving £ 3630 9 ? . 1 id , to be carried forward to next year . The warrants will be posted on the 15 th in . t . The share transfer books are closed from the 27 th ult . to the ioth inst ., both inclusive .

PRESENTATION TO BRO . ROBERT MILNE . —In the Waverly Hotel , Aberdeen , eon the 30 th ult ., Bro . Robert Milne , Inspector ot Works , wa presented with a Masonic jewel by a number of brethren and friends prior to his departure for Egypt to act as Inspector of VVoiks in connection with irrigation works on the Nile . Bro . George L . Grassick presided , and in tendering thc gift to Bro . Milne congratulated him upon obtaininjj so important an appointment . The evening was enjoyably spent with song and sentiment .

• IN TAKING THE CHAIR for the first time as President at the annual meeting of the Hospital for Epilepsy and Paralysis , Regent's Park , the Earl of Hardwicke mentioned that the institution must leave the present premises in April next , as the lease would then expire . Canon Barker dwelt on the length of time , averaging 70 e ' ays , for which patients were retained , and on the increasing attendance of out-patients . Lord Farquhar considered that to have in hand , or in view , £ Sooo out of the £ 16 , 000 which at least would be required was most hopeful .

AT THE ANNU W . CONFERENCE of the Hospital Matrons' Council of Great Britain and Ireland , held at 20 , Hanover-square , on Saturday last , an important proposition was made by Mrs . Bedford Fenwick to the effect that an International Council of Nurses be formed , The resolution was seconded by Miss Stewart , Matron of St . Bartholomew's Hospital , and carried unanimously by a very representative gathering of matrons and nurses . A provisional committee was agreed upon , and will meet in London before the International Nursing delegates leave England at the close of the present Congress of Women .

IF COUNTRY MEMBERSHIP , drawing and dining rooms for ladies , and bedrooms for members are to be regarded as features of progress , the Junior Army and Navy Club is to be congratulated on liaving carried out all these changes in its management . The immediate use of the club by candidates , pending the result of their election , will also be esteemed a boon by ollicers on foreign service who return on short leave of absence tc- this country ; while the payment of the entrance fee , if desired , by two instalments of live guineas each , will be equally appreciated by the younger , and , probably , less wealthy membets of the two services . —Globe , June 17 th .

FURTHER ARRANGEMENTS have been completed for the garden fete and fancy fair which the Duke and Duchess of Connaught are to give in Bagshot Park on Tuesday , the iSth , and VVednesday , the 19 th instant , in aid of the fund for the restoration ot the parish church of St . Anne's , Bagshot , and to provide a new organ . The id' . e is under the patronage of the Qjeen , T . R . H . the Prince and Princess ^ of Wales , the Duke and Duckess of York , Princess Christain of Schleswig-Holstein , Princess Louise Marchioness of Lome , and Piincess Henry of Battenberg , and will have many attractions . Special trains 1 ave been arranged from VVateilno ( No . 1 platform ) after two p . m . on both days , returning from Bagshot about half-past six in the evening .

ON SATURDAY LAST the Queen inspected the Hon . Artilliry Company of London , of which corps H . R . H . the Prince of Wales is Captain-General arid Colonel . Her Majesty , accompanied by T . R . H . Princess Christian of Schleswig-Holstein , Princess Louise ( Marchioness of Lorne ) , Piincess Henry of Battenberg , the Duchess of Connaught , and the Princesses Marearet and Patricia , their Highnesses Prinjess Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein , Princess Victoria Eugene , and the Princes Maurice and Leopold ot Battenberg , drove to the review ground in Windsor Park , escorted by a captain's

escort of the ist Life Guards . The Oueen was met at the double gates by T . R . H . the Duke of Connaught and Prince Christian of ScV . leswig-Holstein , who accompanied her Majesty to the ground on which the Hon . Artillery Company had been formed in line , under the command of the Earl of Denbigh , Lieut .-Colonel commanding . T . R . H . the Prince of Wales , the Duke of Connaught , and Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein were attended by Bro . Captain Holford , Bro . Colonel Egerton , and Colonel the Hon . Charles Eliot . H . R . H . thc Prince of VVales took command of the line , which received

her Majesty with a Royal salute . The Batteries marched past in line at close intervals , and also trotted past in column . The battalion marched passed in column and quartercolumn . The line having reformed , advanced in review order , and gave a Royal salute , after which the Queen left the review ground . A guard of honour of the 4 th ( Eton College ) Volunteer Battalion the Oxfordshire Light Infantry was mounted at the saluting point . The ground was kept by the ist Life Guards and 2 nd Battalion Scots Guards .