Correspondence.

Correspondence .

We do not hold 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 limitsfree discussion .

ELECTION OF GRAND TREASURER . To the Editor of the "Freemason , " Dear Sir and Brother , Will you permit me to take this , the earliest opportunity , of tendering my grateful thanks to the 1213 brethren who kindly attended at Grand Lodge this day to record their votes in my favour .

Although unsuccessful , the large number of votes polled in my favour will be generally considered a justification of my candidature , and I feel that it is only due to those brethren who have supported me to-day to announce that I shall solicit their suffrages on the next occasion . I desire also to express my obligation to Bro . Horace Brooks Marshall for his personal courtesy throughout the contest . —I am , dear Sir and Brother , faithfully and fraternally yours JOHN BARLOW .

London , 6 th March , To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother The method of appointing the Grand Treasurer is notoriously out of

joint with the times , and it has for many years been a puzzle to me that the farcical comedy of voting in person is permitted to continue , when proxy forms could be sent from the Grand Secretary ' s office by post to those brethren who are entitled to vote , and are desirous to avoid the consequent loss of time and expense to personally drop a piece of paper into the slot of a ballot box .

I have travelled over 400 weary miles to record a vote for one of the two London competitors for the vacancy , and to accomplish this feat I have lost two days of valuable time . It is manifest that unnecessary payment of innkeepers' bills and travelling expenses by country brethren engaged on Masonic business in town must , in the

long run , tend to reduce subscriptions from the distant provi nces to the detriment of the London Masonic Charities . The present costly and inconvenient method of voting is unfair to brethren who do not reside in London and the home counties , and the alleged honour of being elected by an unrepresentative vote does not in my humble opinion add dignity to the appointment . —Yours fraternally , NATHAN HEYWOOD . 3 , Mount-street , Manchester . March 6 th .

Re ELECTION OF GRAND TREASURER . To my many good friends who so kindly responded to my invitation to vote for W . Bro . Horace Brooks Marshall , and helped to secure his success , I beg to tender my most gratetul and earnest thanks . JAMES STEPHENS , P . Dep . G . D . C . Elads , Maida Vale , W . March 7 th .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

Masonic Notes and Queries .

1134 ] — I shall be glad of the co-operation of students , Secretaries of lodges , and all interested in precise information as to tbe earliest known minutes of Craft , Mark , Royal Arch , and Knight Templar meetings . So far as 1 k now , or have been able to discover , the record stands as follows , with respect to England : Master Mason ' s Degree 1725-7

Mark Masters Degree ... ... ... ... 1769 Royal Arch Degree 1758 Knight Templar ' s Degree 177 S-80 Typographical notices of the Royal Arch date back to 1 743 in Ireland , 1744 tor England , and as to Scotland 1 743 in minutes now missing . The R . A . is referred to in the " Ancient" G . L . Records so early as 1752 . W . J . HUGHAN .

Reviews.

Reviews .

"CosnuRN's ILLUSTRATED DIRECTORY FOR NEWBURY AND ioo PLACES IN BERKS , HANTS , OXON , AND WILTS " ( Caxton Printing Works , Market-place , Newbury ) . —Bro . Cosburn is a past master in the art of printing and publishinga local directory , and manages by dint of well-displayed advertisements , numerous portraits , views ot mansions , and an attractive " get up " generally , to make each successive issue of his directory—this being the 2 Sth—more welcome and more useful for reference , than any of its predecessors . Those who would like to see a mo lei directory , or a complete work of the kind for the town of Newbury , and adjacent parts , should send two shillings to Bro . Cosburn , and the receipt of a volume of nearly 500 crowded pages , will prove the truth of our assertion as to the merits of this excellent Annual .

Craft Masonry.

Craft Masonry .

Lodge of Honour and Generosity , No . 165 . The regular meeting of this ancient lodge was held on Tuesday , the 25 th ult , at the Inns of Court Hotel , Lincoln ' s Inn Fields . Present : Bros . Woodhouse , W . M . ; Godfrey Sykes , S . W . ; W . de B . Herbert , J . W . ; C . J . Andrews , S . D ; Bertram Van . Praagh , I . G . ; H . Bearman , Stwd . ; Henry Times , P . M ., Sec . ; Alfred P . Crabb , P . M . ; Ball , Burt , Hulbert , J . Harris Stone , Leo Norman , and Sir Wililiam Murray , Bart .

Owing to the lamented death of her late Majesty it was decided that no visitors should be invited to this meeting , but an exception was made in the case of Bro . Edward White , W . M . 2 G 03 , who was specially invited for the purpose of being present at the initiation of his eldest son . The lodge having been duly opened , and the minutes of the previous meeting confirmed , liro . Bull was passed to the Second Degree . Subsequently the ballot was taken for Mr . Edward White , jun ., which having proved unanimous in his favour , he was initiated into the mysteries of Ancient Freemasonry in a most impressive manner .

Craft Masonry.

Notice having been given for the next meeting that a donation of 10 guineas be given to the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , and a suitable donation be also given to the Richard Eve Memorial , as Bro . R . Eve was an old member and P . M . of the lodge at the time of his death , the lodge was closed . The brethren then adjourned to the dining room , where the usual binquet was served .

On this solemn occasion , it being the first meeting of the lodge since the death of the Queen , the toasts were reduced to a minimum , and only included " The King and the Craft , " " The Health of the W . M ., " which was proposed by Bro . Alf . P . Crabb , acting I . P . M . ; "The Visitor , " to which Bro . Edward White responded in suitable terms ; and "The Initiate . " The next meeting of the lodge will be held on the 26 th inst ., when a large number of guests are expected , and a special musical entertainment is being arranged . The election of the officers for the ensuing year will also be held at this meetinf .

Peckham Lodge , No . 1475 . INSTALLATION OF BRO . G . R . WOODHAMS . The 27 th installation meeting of this well-known South London lodge was held at the Surrey Masonic Hall , Camberwell New-road , S . E ., on Thursday , the 21 st ult . Bro . J . H . Cooper , W . M ., occupied the chair , supported by Bros . G . Richard Woodhams , S . W ., W . M . elect ; I . Purdv , I . W .: Louis Doerr . P . M ., Treas . ; E . A . Whitbv .

P . M ., Sec ; J . W . Maxted , S . D . ; H . N . Cole , I . D . ; E . H . Mundy , Org . ; H . Vickery , P . M ., Stwd . ; G . Harrison , Tyler ; D . Channon , P . M . ; W . Douglas , P . M . ; D . Rose , P . M . ; C CStanford , J . J . Langford , F . J . Fuller , J . T . Newell , E . Mendoza , M . Bloomberg , L . Burrows , F . E . C . Brenchley , and W . Pyle . The visitors were Bros . H . Cox , 65 ; P . A . Turner , 147 ; H . R . Gurney , S . D . 1 S 61 ; C S . A . Nicholson , J . W . 169 ; R , Pearson , 1922 ; B . Jaffa , 1 G 6 S ; and T . J . Chapny , 780 .

THB WORSHIPFUL MASTER . ¦ After the minutes had been read and the usual preliminary business concluded , Bro . E . A . Whitby , P . M . and Sec , occupied the chair , and raised Bro . F . J . Fuller to the Degree of M . M . Bro . J . H . Cooper , W . M ., then re-occupied the chair , and installed Bro . G . R . Woodhams as W . M . for the ensuing year , who then invested his officers as follows : Bros . J . Purdy , S . W . ; J . W . Maxted , J . W . ; Louis Doerr , P . M ., Treas . ; E . A . Whitby , P . M ., Sec ; H . N . Cole , S . D . ; E . H . Mundy , J . D . ; W . Pyle , I . G . ; H . Vickery , P . M ., and E . C . Stanford , Stwds . ; and G . Harrison , Tyler . The

installation ceremony concluded with the usual addresses , the first and second being delivered by Bro . H . Vickery , P . M ., and the third by Bro . D . Rose , P . M ., the wellknown and much respected Preceptor of the Peckham Lodge of Instruction , in the masterly manner that South London Masons are accustomed to hear him work any part of the Craft ceremonies . The brethren subsequently dined together , but the lodge being in mourning on account of the lamented death of her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen , there was a total absence of the customary festivity and the usual display of musical talent .

Westbourne Lodge , No . 733 . INSTALLATION OF BRO . WM . BUSBY . The installation meeting of this lodge was well attended on the 21 st ultimo , at the Holborn Restaurant . Amongst the members present were Bros . C . E . Lilly , W . M . ; Wm . Busby , W . M . elect ; H . H . Bagnall ; E . Thomas , S . D . ; S . R . Walker , P . M ., Sec . ; G . Beesley , J . D . ; C Halston , I . G . ; J . W . Curtis , P . M . ; C Brown , P . M . ; L . A . Scott , P . M . ; T . W . Allen , P . M . ; W . HallettP . M . ; G . WeaverP . M . ;

, , W . M . Roberts , P . M . ; A . Arrowsmith , P . M . ; and many others . Visitors : Bros . A . Cocks , W . M . 174 ; R . Philip Upton , P . M . 1328 ; B . R . Thomas , W . M . 511 ; E . J . Whittle , 53 S ; T . Pollard , Sec . 2 G 4 S ; E . A . Wase , 1658 ; A . Ellenden , J . W . 1 G 23 ; R . C . Blow , 1306 ; W . Bawn , S . D . tGoS ; G . Campbell , GKJ ; A . E . Wright , 2006 ; G . T . Harvey , 200 G ; Rev . J . Clarke , 151 ; H . Dehane , P . M . 1543 ; C D . Mogford , P . M . 23 G 2 ; W . Middleweek , P . P . A . G . D . C . Middlesex ; W . VV . Lee , P . M . ; and others .

Lodge was opened , and minutes confirmed . Bro . Wm . Busby was tien installed as W . M . by Bro . C . E . Lilly , who gave an excellent rendering of the ceremmv . Tne officers appointed were : Bros . C . E . Lilly , I . P . M . ; H . H . Bagnall , S . W . ; E . Thomas , J . W . ; J . Welford , P . M ., P . G . S . B ., Treas . ; S . R . Walker , P . M ., Sec ; G . Beesley , S . D . ; G . Halston , J . D . ; G . T . Meek , I . G . ; C . A . Cottebrune , P . M ., P . G . P ., D . C ; T . G . Matthews , Asst . D . C ; A . C . Hawkins , Org . ; E . J . White , Stwd . ; and S . Ellis , Tyler . A Past Master ' s jewel was presented to Bro .

Lilly , I . P . M ., in recognition of his services during the past year . Bro . Lilly returned thanks , and said it would be a pleasant reminiscence of his year ' s work and a mark of appreciation of his small efforts . A letter was read from Bro . Mirtin , who was initiated in ISGIJ , tendering his resignation , but the consideration of it was adjourned until the next meeting . The Auditors' report was adopted , and lodge wis closed . After banquet the usual loyal and Masonic toasts were honoured .

Bro . CE . Lilly , I . P . M ., proposed "The W . M ., " and said this was the most important toast on the list . Bro . Busby had been installed as W . M . that evening , and they all welcomed him and congratulated him on reaching that distinguished position . They also wished him a very prosperous year of office . If the members only gave the W . M . work to do , it would be done well and ably . The brethren would drink the toast with heartiness and good fellowship .

Bro . Wm . Busby , W . M ., thanked the I . P . M . for the kind and sympathetic manner in which he had proposed the toast . He only wished he could feel he deserved the compliments paid him . It was a happy moment for him to be invested as W . M ., and he had in fact been happy each time he had received a collar . Following , as he did , so many distinguished brethren who had helped to work the lodge up to its present high standard and reputation , he would endeavour to maintain that reputation . He hoped they would accept his efforts in the spirit he intended them . If he but had their hearty

approbation , then his year of office would be the happiest of his life . He felt it a distinction to occupy the chair in the beginning of a new century . All their endeavours should be used to help the orphans left by the war , and he was sure this lodge would do its best as in the past . All lodges would doubtless be doing their best to help the Masonic Institutions , and he hoped the Westbourne would not be behind in the amount of contributions . He thanked them heartily for the way they had received the toast , and assured them he would endeavour to do