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and confirmed , and after this the minutes of the movable Grand Lodge , held at Leicester on the 3 <; thOct ., were read and confirmed . The next business on the paper being Ihe nomination of Grand Masters for the ensuing

year , General Brownrigg rose and said : I hive the honour of proposing that the Right Hon . the Earl of Limerick , Grand Mark Master , accept the position he now holds for the ensuing year . This proposition requires no comment from me , and I , therefore , simply propose "That the Rt .

Hon . the Earl of Limerick be Grand Mark Master Mason for the next year . " The M . W . G . M . M . M . enquired if any brother had any one else to put in nomination for the Grand Master ' s chair . No response being offered , he added—The next business before the lodge is the report of the General Board .

Bro . Binckes , Grand Secretary , then read the report of the General Board : — The number of certificates issued in the six

months ending 30 th September last is 3 18 . During the same period warrants for new lodges were granted to No . 193 , "Worthy Apprentice , " Bengal . „ 194 , " Simon de Montfort , " Leicester . . „ 195 , "Kent Dale , " Kendal .

The increasing interest evinced in the spread rnd prosperity of the Mark Degree has often been the subject of gratifying comment ; it is most satisfactory to be able to announce that that interest continues unabated .

On Monday , 23 rd October last , the M . W . G . M . M . M . visited Manchester , and in the presence of one of the most numerous and influential assemblies of Mark Master Masons ever knowni

assisted by his Grand Officers , installed , as successor to the late much lamented Bro . William Komainc Callender , the Right Hon . Bro . Lord Skelmersdale , D . G . M . M . M ., as Provincial Grand Mark Master Mason of Lancashire .

On Tuesday , 24 th October , the M . W . G . M . M . M . and his Grand Officers constituted at Birmingham a new Mark Province of the united counties of Warwickshire and Staffordshirs , installing as the first R . W . Prov . G . M . M . M . the Rev . Bro . W . K . Riland Bedford ,

under whose rule the best results may be anticipated . On Wednesday , 25 th Oct ., a movable Grand Lodge was once more held at Leicester , in which province the Order , under the able and experienced guidance of its R . W . Prov . G . M . M . M .,

Bro . Wm . Kelly , has made great progress . On this occasion a new lodge was consecrated , the Mayor of Leicester , Bro . William Barfoot , having been installed as the first W . M . The heartiness of the welcome given on the occasion of the last visit of Grand Lodge to Leicester

was on this occasion , if possible , exceeded , the new Town Hall ( by express permission of the Mayor ) having been placed at the disposal of the brethren , and the arrangements in every respect having been most admirable . The same remarks are equally applicable to the gatherings at

Manchester and Birmingham , and it may be questioned if these meetings in connection " with any degree in Freemasonry held on consecutive days were : ever more entirely successful or attended with results more calculated to promote the interests of the degree with which they were

associated . It is gratifying to report a continued increase in the work of those charged with official duties , and it has been found necessary to employ a boy in the office at a remuneration of 10 s . per week . The Board , in connection with this subject ,

recommends to Grand Lodge for its favourable reception the proposition , deferred for consideration at the last half-yearly communication , for an increase of dP . 50 per annum to be divided in equal proportions between the G . Sec . and Assist . G . Sec , such increase to date from the ist of July last .

The Board are also happy to report that on the 28 th ult . the adhesion of the old time immemorial Mark Lodge of York was formall y received , and the W . M . installed by the G . S ., Bro . F . Binckes . The Board regret to inform G . L . that a fire lias occurred at the offices of G . L ., No . 2 , Red Lion S quare . No damage has been sustained by

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the books or documents of G . L ., and the property injured is covered by insurance . ( Signed ) G . R . PORTAL , Past G . M . M .,

President . Bro . Curteis moved , and Bro . Edis seconded , its reception and adoption , which was put and carried unanimously . The M . W . G . M . M . M . having enquired whether

there would be any discussion on the recommendations of the report , Bro . Davison , G . T ., said that , in the absence of Bro . Portal , P . G . M ., he rose to move that the recommendation of the Board that the office

salaries be increased £ 50 per annum , dated from the rst July , rS / 6 , be confirmed . The prosperity of Mark Masonry they all knew of , and they could not bs prosperous without a necessary entailing of a great deal of extra work

on those who held official positions , the Grand Secretary and the Assistant Grand Secretary . Since the last increase of salaries in June , 1872 , there had been eight new Provincial Grand Lodges constituted—Kent , Cumberland and

Westmoreland , North Wales and Cheshire , Hampshire and the Isle of Wight , Sussex , Lancashire , Bristol , and South Africa ; lately Warwickshire and Staffordshire had been constituted . The increase in the number of

registered members of the Order had been verygreat . There were now no less than 36 47 members , and the number of lodges had increased from 150 to 207 . He did not think he need say more in this Grand Lodge to recommend

this vote to the favourable ; consideration of the brethren , and he trusted , in the few observations he had made , it would not lose its importance by the absence of Bro . Portal , who was to have made the motion .

Bro . Thos . Meggy , P . G . M . O ., seconded the motion , thinking that the extra work in Grand Secretary ' s office fully justified the salaries being put up as proposed . Bro . S . Rosenthal , P . G . D . C , supported tie

recommendation , and it was then put and carried without a dissentient voice . The Rev . C . J . Martyn , P . G . C ., proposed , and Bro . R . W . Edis seconded , the adoption of the report in extenso .

The brethren adopted the report nem . con . Charity jewels were then presented by the Grand Master to Bros . Dr . Brette , G . W . Verry and Thos . Mortlock .

Bro . F . Davison , Grand Treasurer , afterwards read the Grand Treasurer ' s account as follows : —

GKNKHA ! . I-l'NI ) . £ •¦ ««• Balance from 31 st March , 18 7 6 31 e 14 10 Half year ' s receipt / . ' 94 10 ° Dividend 4 18 >) ¦ 290 8 9

£ (« S 3 7 Half year ' s disbursements 276 6 o Purchase of jf 2 oo New-Zealand five per cent consols at 104 : n « l brokerage 208 10 3 48 + I" 3

Balance m favour of Grand Lodge £ ' 3 ° 7 4 Ki'sn or P . i NKVoi . Kser . Balance 31 st March , 1870 £ 37 (> I Receipts for the half year Donations 77 2 o Dividends 14 16 3 i ) i 18 3

£ ' 49 4 4 Grants to petitioners 20 o o Balance in favour of Grand Lodge £ i * ' ) 4 4 Examined and found correct , jjtii Dec , 187 ( 1 . ( Signed ) Tnos . MI : < KIV , Auditor .

Bro . R . W . Edis proposed , and Genl . Brownrigg seconded , the reception and adoption of this account . Carried unanimously .

Bro . Binckes then said , that in accordance with the icsolution come to at last Grand Lodge , moved by Bro . Frank Richardson , he had written to those brethren who had placed their names for subscriptions on the Benevolent Fund festival lists , and on the first application he had met

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with no success . The second application , however , was so successful , that he would prefer that no action be taken on the motion , as he had no doubt from the numerous payments that had since been made , that before next Grand Lodge all the amounts would be paid .

Bro . Davison moved , and Bro . Levander seconded , that no action be taken , and it was carried unanimously . With reference to the case of a brother who has before complained , Bro . Binckes said he had the night before received from that brother

a further statement , which contained no new matter , but was an attack upon brethren of distinguished position . He would not read it to the lodge , but thought it was ri ght that it should be considered , and for that purpose should be referred to the General Board .

Bro . Magnus Ohren moved , and Bro . Curteis seconded , the reference of the matter to the General Board . Carried nem . con . Bro . Binckes then read a letter from Bro . W . J . Hughan as to a new reading of the letters on

the Mark jewel . Bro . Binckes reported that he had received letters of apology from R . W . Bros . W . Kelly , Prov . G . M . M . Leicestershire ; Hon . Wilbraham Egerton , Prov . G . M . M . Cheshire and North Wales ; Col . Francis Burdett , Prov . G . M . M .

Middlesex and Surrey ; Dr . H . Hopkins , P . G . W . ; W . J . Hughan , P . G . W ., representative of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania ; V . W . Rev . T . T . Ravenshaw , P . G . C ; Rev . C . R . Davy , P . G . C . ; W . S . Webster , P . S . O . ; I . J . Hooper Wilkins , P . G . M . O . ; W . H . M . Green , G . D . C .:

Thos . Trollope , P . G . D . C ; Henry Bagot , G . Swd . Br . ; Frank Richardson , P . G . S . B . ; W . H . Scott , P . G . S . B . ; Robert Butterworth , G . S . ; J . Cattley Mason , G . S . ; Alfred Williams , P . G . S . ; Augustus Great Rex , P . G . S . ; Bros . C . W . Duke , 166 ; L . Augustus Homfray , P . M . 109 ;

and Capt . S . George Homfray , P . M . 109 . Bro . Binckes said he did not know whether he would be doing right in mentioning the next subject in Grand Lodge , but at the last Grand Lodge an exactly similar thing was done b y another brother , and perhaps he would not be

considered out of order in taking the same course . He had been charged by the brethren of Cumberland and Westmoreland to ask that the next movable Grand Lodge should be held under his lordship ' s sanction , in the lake

district , at a date to be fixed b y his loidship . If his lordship agreed to the proposition , the brethren of the province of Cumberland and Westmoreland would insure the Grand Lodge a hearty welcome .

The M . W . G . M . M . M . said he was sure that the Grand Lodge felt the compliment of the brethren of that province ; but at the same time he thought it was rather early to make the appointment . It mi ght be well not to fix it definitely at present ; but another meeting of

Grand Lodge would be held in the summer of next year , when it would be fixed . At present it might be rather premature to fix it , but the Grand Lodge thanked the brethren of the province for the invitation , and would allow the matter to stand over .

Grand Lodge was then closed in due form , and the brethren adjourned to an excellent banquet ^ provided by Bro . Dawkins , the manager of the Freemasons' Tavern . When the cloth was cleared the usual toasts were proposed , and after the loyal and Mark Masonic toasts had been disposed of ,

Bro . F . Davison , G . T ., proposed "The Health of the M . W . G . M . " The brethren all knew that His lordshi p ' s heart was in his work , and that he wished well for the success of the Mark Degree . During the past two or three months he had taken the trouble to go to the meetings

at Manchester , Birmingham , and Leicester , on which occasions there was a vast assemblage of Mark Masons . It was perhaps a good thing for this degree that it changed its Grand Master every three years ; but there was also in it much

to be regretted , for when they got the right men in the ri ght place , as was the case with the present Grand Master , they had to part with him at the end of his term . It would be to the regret of everyone when the Earl of Limerick ' s term of office expired .