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had come to the knowledge of the Grand Master that for some lime great distress must have arisen among the brethren of South Africa on account of the war , and without waiting for an appeal to the District Grand Lodge or to Grand Lodge or private lodges , his Royal Highness felt that a fund should be raised as soon as possible and as local funds might not be enough that funds should be raised in other parts for the brethren out there to deal

with as they ought to be dealt with when Masons appealed to Masons in circumstances of distress . A scheme was being formulated when an appeal was made by Bro . Richards , the District Grand Master of the Transvaal , on behalf of the brethren in his district , and it was thought the better plan would be instead of waiting for the making of similar appeals , that the Executive should place themselves in communication at once with Bro .

Richards , who most fully and freely gave to them all the information at his disposal with regard to what was required in South Africa ; and when he fourd that a general fund was propostd , instead of several small funds for the se \ eral districts in South Africa , some lodges there being under the English Constititution and some of them not under a District Grand Lodge at all—Bro . Richards agreed to the proposal , and it had met with the Grand Master ' s

approval . He was advised that one fund should be establishedto his own fund Bro . Richards had most nobly contributed a sum of one hundred guineas to start the Transvaal Fundand he had agreed that that Fund should be merged into the great and general fund , and that the Transvaal and all other districts should share according to their requirements in the distribution of that fund . Bro .

Richards had placed his fund most unreservedly in the hands of the Grand Master , and he had agreed that it should be distributed at the hands of the Board of General Purposes , who , it was thought , could better deal with it . When Bro . Richards went to South Africa he would help in the distribution of the fund . The apportionment and general management would be entrusted to the Board of General Purposes instead of having a

separate committee for the purpose . The Board of General Purposes being formed of brethren appointed by the G . Master and brethren elected by the G . Lodge would be the best body to deal with it . The suggestion was made by Bro . Richards , which would be adopted by the Board of General Purposes , that one representative from each of the districts in

South Africa should meet in South Africa , at Cape Town or some other place , and deal with the claims there as they were made , because they would be better able to deal with them from their local knowledge of the circumstances of the case . He offered those remarks , and seconded the first resolution .

Bro . WM . RUSSELL said he had taken considerable interest in his own district in what Bro . Richards had done . He thought it most Masonic , and he considered that while they were enjoying the happiness and comforts of home they could not do better than support their brother Masons in distress in the Transvaal . He had induced lodges in his district to subscribe , but when he saw the Agenda Paper of Grand Lodge he felt himself in a

difficulty of having betrayed the brethren of his district . But when the Grand Master had come forward with the resolution and Bro . Richards had agreed to it unconditionally , he thought it was the finest feelings that Masons could have shown and that the unanimity shown among the rulers of the Craft in the Transvaal and South Africa in this matter was the greatest testimony they could have to the value of the step taken by the AI . VV . Grand Master

on the subject . Bro . J . E . LE FEUVRE considered ( hat Grand Lodge would be very glad to assist those of the lodges under different Constitutions who had shown themselves in need of assistance . He wished to emphasize the word " loyal" in the resolution , and he wanted to know whether that meant loyal to the Masonic Craft or loyal to their mother country . He did not think that

any words need be added to the resolution so long as it was understood that the funds raised by the Grand Lodge should be administered to brethren belonging to lodges under this Constitution who were loyal to their mother country . It was not necessaiy for him to say that one of the great principles of Freemasonry was loyalty to their Soverei gn .

Bro . J STRACHAN said the word " loyal " was advisedly put in , that the Grano Masier u > td the words for the purpose of making loyalty to the British Crown a condition . That was the mode in which it was brought belore the Board of General Purposes , and he had no doubt that the instructions which would he sent out by the Board when advised to do so would include tho ^ e who both before the outbreak of the war and since had remained loyal to the British Crown . After some further discussion the resolution was carried .

1 he other resolutions were : and Resolution . " That the apportionment and general management of such fund be entrusted to the Board of General Purposes of Grand Lodge . 3 rd Resolution . " That a sum of money bs granted from the funds of the Grand Lodge towards the said fund . 4 th Resolution . " That each Provincial and District Grand Lodge , and each private lodge within the jurisdiction of this Grand Lodge , be invited to subscribe to the iund ; subscriptions to be sent to the Grand

Secretary . Sth Resolution . "That it is earnestly hop'jd that subscriptions to the Fund will not be allowed to interfere with intended contributions or donations to the established Scholastic and Benevolent Institutions of the Order .

6 th Resolution . " That a copy of the Most Worshipful Grand Master's Message and the foregoing Resolutions be sent to the several Provincial Grand , District Grand , and Private Lodges , with a request that the Message and Resolutions may be read and acted upon at the first meeting alter their receipt . " All these resolutions were carried amidst loud applause .

Bro . STRACHAN said , in seconding the last motion , that everything was in readiness , and on this resolution being passed it would be sent out to all the lodges . Bro . Gen . LAURIE then moved : " That the sum of 1000 guineas be voted from the funds of Grand Lodge to the ' South African Masonic Relief Fund , ' in accordance with the foregoing message of H . R . H . the Moit Worshipful Grand Master . " Bro . J STRACHAN having seconded ,

Bro . J GLASS , P . M . 453 , said he considered the sum very inadequate to the case , and he moved to that tff : ct . A BROTHER seconded it . Bro . STRACHAN asked that the amendment be withdrawn . ^ It had been thought better to consult the District Grand Master of the Trunsyaal , and he was of opinion that 1000 guineas would be a handsome beginning from Grand Lodge . The Craft at large would like to take part in the raising of the fund , and if at tome future time—which he hoped might not be the case

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—they should find the distress had grown to such dimensions that the money was not sufficient , they could come again to Grand Lodge . Bro . LENNOX BROWNE thought they ought not to vote a sum which would interfere with the M . W . G . M . The brethren would no doubt like to hear something from the District Grand Master of the Transvaal who would perhaps inform them of the number that might be likely to come to us for help . It would give Masters of lodges an indication of what would be wanted .

Bro . Gen . LAURIE said that he would point out that this was the first contribution to the Fund . He was sure the brethren would realise that this was not the sum to be contributed by the whole of the brethren , but it was a handsome lead . He called upon Bro . Richards to say a few words . Bro . GEORGE RICHARDS , who was received with loud applause , said he gladly took this opportunity of expressing the feelings of deep and sincere

gratitude with which he listened to the message of the M . W . G . M . this evening . When he ( Bro . Richards ) started the Fund for the relief of the distress of his loyal brethren in the Transvaal some months ago , he had no idea that thedistress would have grown and become so accentuated as it had at that day . When he found his Royal Highness , with his usual thoughtfulness , took up the case he knew that no time would be lost in bringing it before

the Craft , and he was pleased it had met with the mark of his approval and sympathy , and that his ( Bro . Richards' ) efforts were so well seconded . With regard to the remarks of Bro . Le Feuvre , in speaking of the loyalty of the brethren of the Transvaal , he must inform him that the Masonic brethren were loyal , and he was proud to say that there were Dutchmen there who were not subjects of the Queen , but who were as loyal to the Empire

and the State as he ( Bro . Richards ) was himself . He wished the brethren to bear that in mind . When we were at war , we were not at war with them all . There were Dutchmen fighting on our side against the forces of the Transvaal , and he hoped that we should be able to extend to them the hand of friendship . With regard to the remarks of Bro . Lennox Browne , he would say it was a most difficult

thing for him to give the information he asked ; he could not tell them how many brethren could be relieved , or the number of cases , for there were many who did not wish to publish their sufferings or privations , and it was with great difficulty the District Grand Officers had been able to trace out many great cases of distress . All he could say was that the contribution from Grand Lodge was a magnificent start of the fund which had been

incorporated under the auspices of the M . W . G . M . If it should , unfortunately , be necessary for the brethren in South Africa to come again before Grand Lodge , it would be found , he was sure , that Charity , as it had been in the past—the Charity of English Freemasons—was the " Charity " that " never faileth . " Respecting the remarks of the Grand Registrar as to the

management of the fund , he would inform the brethren that the brethren in South Africa who were in distress would all share and share alike . One more remark he would make , that the action of the Grand Master had intensified the brethren ' s loyalty towards him that it was impossible to express , and it would strengthen one more link of the chain of objects which bound the English brethren with their brethren beyond the seas .

Bro . GLASS then withdrew his amendment , and the motion was carried unanimously and with general cheering . Bro . EDWARD BEAUMONT , P . G . S ., P . M . No . 26 , in moving " the election of Grand Master , said he had the honour of proposing for election as Grand Master for the ensuing year , H . R . H . the Prince of Wales . Of course he was not going to detain the brethren more than a

few moments . The Prince of Wales was so universally popular that it would be idle to waste time in discussing his merits . But he thought the Prince ' s popularity was founded on that foremost of all virtues the loyalty to the Queen . But more than that , the 25 years he had been Grand Master , he thought the Prince ' s own merits had accounted for much . He was not going to dilate

on them , for that would be outside the limits of good taste , but he thought those peculiarities would impressed themselves upon other brethren ; one was the charm of manner and of voice which he had : his voice was heard to the utmost almost of the hugest assembly , as he himself had noticed in the greatest halls . Then , during the 25 years the Prince of

Wales had ruled over Masons , the growth of Freemasony had doubled . It . was well to trace that extension of Masons sines the Prince had ruled over them . When he was first installed 25 years ago , there were some 1200 lodges ; the Grand Director of Ceremonies had just informed him that now the number was over 2700 . They might dwell on that as showing the popularity of Freemasony , and that was owing to the Prince of Wales . He moved his re-election . ( Applause . )

Bro . FITZROY TOWER , Prov . S . G . W . Bucks , said , on rising to second the motion with great pleasure , he felt no words were necessary as he was sure the motion would be unanimously carried . He hoped that for many years the Prince of Wales would be Grand Master of English Freemasons . The election was unanimous , and Bro . FRANK RICHARDSON , acting D . C , proclaimed the Prince of Wales by his diffjrent titles duly elected .

Bro . J GLASS , P . M . 453 . moved , and Bro . J HAVILAND , P . G . D ., Dep . Prov . G . M . Norths and Hants , seconded the election of Bro . Harry Manfield , as Grand Treasurer , and there being no other candidate for the office , Bro . General LAURIE declared Bro . Harry Manfield duly elected .

The report of the Board of Benevolence for December , 1899 , and January and February , 190 ¦> , was read , and on the motion of Bro . J . H . MATTHEWS , President , seconded by Bro . D . D . MERCER , Senior Vice-President , the following grants were confirmed : A brother of the Henry Muggeridge Lodge , No . 1670 ,

London ... ... ... ... ... £ 50 o o A brother of the Newall Lodge , No . 1134 , Manchester ... 75 o o The widow of a brother of the St . David ' s Lodge , No . 3 66 , Milford ... ... ... ... 50 o o A brother of the Lodge of Agriculture , No . 1199 , Yatton 50 o o A brother of the New Concord Lodge , No . 813 , London 50 o o

The widow of a brother of the Mersey Lodge , No . 477 , Biikenhead ... ... ... ... 50 o o The widow of a brother of the New Cross Lodge , No . 1559 , London ... ... ... ... 50 0 o A brother of the Finsbury Park Lodg :, No . 12 SS , London uo o o A brother of the St . James's Lodge , No . 1579 , Enfield ... 50 o o The widow of a brother of the Southern Star Lodge , No .

115 S , London ... ... ... ... 100 o o A brother of the St . John the Baptist Lodge , No . 39 , Exeter ... ... ... ... ... 50 o o The Report of the Board of General Purposes , as published in the T reemason last week , was taken as read , and ordered to be received and ntered on the minutes .