Masonic And General Tidings.

Masonic and General Tidings .

BKO . RUPERT SMYTH has removed from ,- „ Coleman-street , to 133 , Aldersgatestreet , E . C . COUNT HATZFEI . DT , the German Ambassador , has returned to London from the L ' on ' iinent . THE EARI . OK WEMYSS has arrived at his residence in St . James ' -place from Gosford . THE RIGHT HON . G . J . GOSCHEN * , M . P ., returned to London on Saturday last , and is trst-sacting business at the Admiralty .

SIR WI ; . LIA * . I AND LADY HARCOURT are paying a visit to Lord James of Herefoid and Miss James at Feme , Salisbury . BRO . CAPTAIN HOI . FORB has left town for the North of Scotland , to replace Bro . Major-General Sir Stanley Clarke as Equerry in attendance on H . R . H . the Prince of Wales . * THE GLOVERS' COMPANY . —Bro . H . Homewood Crawford , the City Solicitor , has been elected the Master for the current year , and Bro . Sir Albert Altman , the renter warden .

IN CONSEOUENCE of the death of the Queen of Denmark , H . R . H . the Prince of Wales has postponed his proposed visit to Lord and Lady Wolverton at Iwerne Minster . THE DUKE OK CONNAUGHT will , to-morrow ( Saturday ) , hold a farewell parade of the troops in the Aldershot district , on Laffan ' s Plain , at 10 . 30 a . m . At the conclusion of the review his Royal Highness will take leave of the officers of the district .

H . R . H . THE DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE , K . G ., attended by Colonel FitzGeorge , will represent the Quein at the luneral of the late Queen of Denmark . Bro . Colonel the Earl of Strafford , Senior Equerry , will , by the Queen's command , attend the funeral on behalf : > f her Majesty . THE MARQUIS OF LORNH , M . P ., was indisposed on Tuesday . He had arranged to visit Cheshire to open some cottage homes " at Hyal , built by the Chorlton Union for the accommodation of their pauper children , but at the last moment he telegraphed expresssing his regret at inability to fulfil the engagement in consequence of a severe cold .

Br .: ) . LORD MAYOR DAVIES , M . P ., opened at the Mansion House on Monday aftei noon an exhibition of optical and scientific instruments arranged by the Spectacle Makers' Company , of which his lordship is the Master . The ceremony took place in the Saloon , in the presence of a very large company , and after a bouquet , tied with the Company ' s colours of red , yellow , and blue , had been presented to the Lady Mayoress , the Upper and Renter Wardens ( Mr . W . H . Thornthwaite and Bro . Sir Reginald Hanson , Bart ., M . P . ) made short prefatory speeches .

HER IMPERIAL HIGHNESS THE EMPRESS FREDERIC OF GERMANY , accompanied by their Serene and Royal Highnesses Prince and Princess Adolphe of Schaumburg-Lippe , and attended by Countess Perponcher and Count Seckendoiff , G . C . V . O ., arrived at Balmoral on Saturday morning last , from Buckingham Palace . The Empress was received at Ballater Station by her Royal Highness Princess Henry of

Battenberg . A guard of honour of the 2 nd Battalion Queen ' s Own Cameron Highlanders was mounted , under Major Davidson . The Queen went out , accompanied toy the Empress Frederic and Princess Henry of Battenberg . Captain his Serene Highness Prince Francis of Teck , ist ( Royal ) Dragoons , visited the Queen on his return from the Soudan , and remained to luncheon .

Bko . THE DUKE OF DEVONSHIRE , as Mayor of Eastbourne , made the presentation on Monday of a testimonial subscribed by the inhabitants in recognition of the efficient manner in which , during the three years prior to November last , Mr . Alderman Skinner performed the duties of the Mayoralty . The gift was in the form of a life-size portrait of the Alderman , which is to adorn the Town Hall , and a gold watch bearing

the borough arms and an appropriate inscription . After thanking Aldermin Skinner as his deputy , his Grace said that after mature consideration he had bsen obliged to d ; cline with thanks the invitation to take office a second year . At a meeting of the l ' own Council in Ihe evening , under the presidency of the Duke , a resolution was unanimously adopted , on the motion of Councillor Welch , seconded by Councillor Lambert , thinking his Grace for his generous gift of a site for a technical institute and public library .

MESSRS . NORMAN AND STACEY , LIMITED , have introduced into the praclice of purchasing furniture by instalments , which has of late years become so general , a new feature , which is said to be working admirably and which undoubtedly deserves to he brought prominently to the notice of the public , ltis that of " Free Life Assurance . " A gentleman , who proposes to furnish his house on this system , betakes himself to the firm of ' Norman and Stacey , Limited , " 11 S , Queen Victoria-street , E . C , and orders furniture to the amount of ( say ) , ( , 500 , to be paid for by instalments , monthly or

otherwise as may be agreed upon . The Company at once present him with a " Free Life Insurance , " terminable when the goods have been paid for , but which , in the event of his dying before lhe whole sum has been paid , enables Messrs . Norman and Stacey to write a receipt in full for the furniture , and present it to the next of kin , and even in seme cases to refund the money already paid in instalments . Thus the widow or children of a customer of the firm becomes the owner of the furniture . The system is proving so successful that those who have previously opened accounts with the firm are opening fresh ones or recommending their friends to become customers .

Du . VV . J . CllF-TWODE CRAWLEY has wntten ' . a highly interesting introductory chapter to Mr . Henry Sadler's " Masonic Reprints and Historical Revelations , " which were published a decade ago , and which throw much light upon the history of Irish Freemasonry . The whole subject is discussed in detail . It is shown that' the foremost literary men of the Augustan age that saw the foundation of the Grand Lodges of England were almost as familiar figures in the society of Dublin as in that of London . Swift , Addison , Ticket ! , Parnell , Steele , had all been residents of Dublin , and with them

were clcsely linked Pope , Aibuthnot , Gay . I he revival of rreemasonry was as striking on one side of the Channel as on thc other , and could no more escape the notice of Swift in Dublin than of Pope in London . It would be natural to expect that if some of these great names should be shown to belong to Freemasons , others of their associates would be lound in the ranks of the Craft . 'Ihis is precisely what has been ascertained liy the intelligent and well-directed efforts of Henry Sadler . We cannot follow out the whole course of the inquiry . It is proved that the Fraternity of Freemasons was well

known in Dublin in 16 SS , and that it was connected with I rinity College . As the author addt— " the evidence that the upper classes of society in lieland were well acquainted with Fieemasonry and its tenets before William of Orange landed there , will come somewhat as a surprise , but lhe proof is beyond cavil . " Dr . Chetwode Crawley draws attention to a highly remarkable work , and his exposition of it is valuable . This reproduction of an old and striking record gains in importance from his criticisms , and it will , we doubt not , be scanned with a curious interest by all the members of thc Masonic Order . —Irish Times .

Masonic And General Tidings.

THE DUCHESS OF PORTLAND will give a ball at Welbeck Abbey on the nth prox . BRO . LORD DUNRAVEN has returned to town , after cruising round the VVest Coast of Ireland in his yacht , the Cariad . PRINCE ARTHUR , son of the Duke of Connaught , is in due course to goto the Royal Military College , Sandhurst , to prepare for a commission in the cavalry .

H . R . H . THE PRINCESS OF WALES , in reply to the resolutions of condolence on the death of the Queen of Denmark passed by the Church Congress at Bradford last week , has sent the following message to the Bishop of Ripon : " Deeply touched by kind sympathy of Church Congress and yourself . —Alexandra . " THE OUEEN went out on Monday morning . Their Royal Highnesses the Prince

of Wales and Princess Victoria of Wales and the Duke and Duchess of York visited the Queen , and remained to luncheon . In the afternoon her Majesty drove out , accompanied by her Imperial Majesty the Empress Frederic and her Royal Highness Princess Adolphe of Schaumburg-Lippe , and was joined by her Royal Highness Princess Henry of Battenberg .

BARON DE COURCEL , the retiring French Ambassador , who has returned from Paris to present his letters of recall , visited the Foreign Office in the afternoon of Tuesday , and saw the Permanent Under-Secretary . His Excellency will either defer the actual presentation till the Queen returns from Scotland , or , as has sometimes been done , present the letters througlTthe medium of the Foreign Sacretary . The Russian Ambassador also called at the Foreign Oifice .

ASYLUM FOR IDIOTS , EARLSWOOD . —The autumnal election of this chanty will occur on Thursday , the 27 th inst ., at the Cannon-street Hotel , for the purpose of choosing 30 applicants , viz ., 11 part payment and 19 ordinary for a period of five years from a list of 130 approved candidates . The poll \ will commence at one o'clock and close at two o ' clock precisely . The Treasurer of the Charity , Bro . Alderman Sir Joseph C . Dimsdale , will take the chair .

WE HAVE BEEN requested to announce that the Crusaders Lodge of Instruction , No . 1 G 77 , have ' moved their quarters to the Metropolitan Tavern , 95 , Farringdon-road , E . C , and hold their meetings on Wednesday at S . 30 p . m ., under the Preceptorship of Bro . C . Weeden , P . M , S 13 . We also announce that there is a Charitable Association in connection with the lodge , Bro . E . Dimes , of 3 , King-square , E . G ., is the Secretary , by whom all particulars will be courteously furnished .

PRINCESS LOUISE MARCHIONESS OF LORNE travelled from London to Windsor on Tuesday aflernoon for the purpose of opening a very interesting industrial e xhibition on behalf of the building fund ofthe Albert Institute . TheQueenand Prince and Princess Christian are the patrons of the establishment , in which " thi deipo it interest his been manifested by her Majesty and every msmbsr of th ; Ri / il family si ice its founlatiin in 1 S 35 . The Guard of Honour was furnished by the Windsor Volunteers , under Mijoc W . A . Ellison , and was mounted in the roadway fronting the institute .

ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON last the pupils of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls were entertained at the Mansion House by the Lord Mayor ( Bro . Alderman and Colonel Davies ) and the Lady Mayoress . The girls , numbering nearly 300 , were received by the Committee of the Institution at the Mansion House shortly after three o ' clock . An adjournment was then made to the drawing room , where a concert was held ,

those present including the Chairman of the Institute , Bro . J . H . Matthews , and Bro . Sir J . B . Monckton . During the proceedings the girls were brielly addressed by the Lord Mayor , who heartily welcomed them tothe Mansion House . Various kinds of amusem ents were piovided forthe girts , including a sumptuous tea , presided over by the Lady Mayoress .

THE SOUTHAMPTON DOCKS . —A great ceremony is to take place at Southampton Docks next week , which should have a peculiar interest for Freemasons . On Wednesday , the 12 th inst ., will fall the fioth anniversary ot the laying of the foundation-stone of the Southampton Docks , and the directors of the L . and S . W . Railwa ¦ have determined to commemorate the occasion by the laying of a coping-stone at the south-west corner of the new deep-water quays . These quays are beyond the Prince of Wales Dock , the largest single graving dock in the world , and the appearance of the dock estate in this direclion has of recent times undergone a complete change . The ceremony of 1 S 3 S was

in Masonic form , and it is proposed to follow that example on the present occasion . Since the announcement was made several people have turned up who , in one way or amther , took part in the proceedings of Co yeirs ago . The s ' one will be laid by Bro . W . VV . B . Beach , M . P ., Prov . Grand Master . All the Misonic bodies in tie province will bi represented , including the lodges which took pirt in the cerem > ny on the previous Decision . The chairman and directors of the company will be present as a matter of course , and they will welcome the Mayor and Corporation , m : mb ; rs of public bodies , and the Consuls at the port as representing foreign countries .

IHE GRAND MASTER OF TASMANIA , Bro . the Hon . C . E . Divies , M . L . C , on the eve of his departure for Tasmania , entertained at a farewell dinner , on the 29 th ult ., at Freemasons' Tavern , representatives of the various Orders and Degrees of Fieemasonry by whom he had been hospitably received during his stay in England . Among those present were Bro . the Earl of Euston , 33 , Pro Grand Master of the Grand Mark Lodge ; Bro . Thomas Fenn , Past Grand Warden , Representative of Tasmania ; Bro . R . Loveland Loveland , Q . C , 33 , President of the Board of General Purposes ; Bros . John Strachan , Q . C , Grand Registrar ; Col . and Sheriff

ClilTord-Probyn , Grand Treasurer ; Edward Letchworth , Grand Secretary ; Frank Richaidson , 33 , P . G . D .. Representative of South Australia ; Captain Hearn , Grand Sword Bearer ; C Fitzgerald Matier , Grand Secretary of Mark Masons ; and Kelso King , P . G . Master of New South VVales Mark Masons . Among apologies for unavoidable absence were letters from Earl Amherst , Deputy Grand Master ; the Viscount Dungarvan , Deputy Grand Master of Mark Masons ; Sir John Monckton , and others . A most enjoyable evening was spent , and the kindest and best wishes of all present were offered lo Bro . Davies , who left London on Tuesdiy for the Continent , en route for Australia , via Naples , in the ss . Bremen , on the 2 nd prox .

ENTERTAINMENTS that smack of parting cheer are now being given to Lord and Lady Elgin , writes the Simla correspondent of the Daily Mail . Recently a large Masonic ball was held in the Town Hall , and the Himalayan brethren seized the occasion to present her Excellency with a handsome Masonic jewel in appreciation of her efforts to lighten the condition of native wome . i in India . Aid this condition doe ; indeed need amelioration , judging by the latest revolting murder of a child-wife . . We wonder whether Lord Elgin ' s work during his five years of office in the I * - 1 st will be

appreciated at its right worth at home . One needs to have spent the last three yeirs out here to comprehend fully the enormous responsibilities and anxieties that hive pressed upon him . Here the general opinion is that Lord Elgin has shown not only hi g h courage , but maiked statesmanship . Mistakes he has made , but on the whole trivial mistakes ; and once he had rightly grasped the situation , he showed himself firm of purpose and sound in judgment . The programme of his final tour is now out . lie

goes to Burma , arriving at Rangoon on November iCth , thence to Mandalay and Bhamo , and on his return to Calcutta , which he is timed to reach on December 19 th , he calls at Moulmein . The Lieutenint-Govern * ir ofthe Puijib and Lidy Mickivorth Young have recently had two charming masicil evenings , held in the ball room at Barnes Court . The Viceroy and Lady Elgin were present at the first , ha / ing din : d there previously . —Daily Mail .

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