Masonic And General Tidings.

Masonic and General Tidings .

ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS . —A Committee consisting of three brethren from each of the Leeds lodges has been formed for the purpose of considering the proposed removal of the Boys' School , and also of enquiring into the working and expenses of the Charities generally . WE HAVE GREAT PLEASURE in announcing that Bro . J . M . McLeod has succeeded in enlisting the services of Bro . Lord Henry M . Cavendish Bentinck , Prov . G . Master of Cumberland and Westmorland , as Chairman at the 99 th Festival in behalf of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys in 1 S 97 .

THE PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight will be held at Fareham on Tuesday , August nth , under the presidency of the Prov . Grand Master , Pro . W . W . B . Beach , M . P . Provincial Grand Lodge has not met at Fareham since 1 S 68 . LORD _ RUSSELL OF KILLOWEN has consented to preside at the annual dinner of the _ Associated Board of the Royal Academy of Music and Royal College of Music , which will take place in tie Whitehall Rooms , Hotel Metropole , on the evening of Friday , the 17 th inst .

ON MONDAY , Bro . Lord Henniker , Lieut .-Governor of the Isle of Man , presided at the first Tynwald held since his appointment to the Governorship of the island . The Tynwald ceremony is one of great historic interest . It is annual , and is at least one thousand years old . BRO , AND MRS . WILHELJI GANZ gave a small musical party , to meet Madame Adehna Patti-Nicolini , on the afternoon of the 3 rd inst , among those present being the Duchess of Buckingham and Chandos , the Countess of Lathom , the Countess of Chesterfield , Bro . the Earl of Hardwicke , Lady Arthur Hill , Lady Glenesk , and others .

THE LORD CHAMBERLAIN ( Bro . the Earl of Lathom ) has been authorised to announce that the marriage of her Rojal Highness the Princess Maiid of Wales with his Royal Highness Prince Charles of Denmark will , by her Majesty ' s command , be solemnised in the Chapel of Buckingham Palace at 12 . 30 p . m ., on Wednesday , the 22 nd instant .

Li HUNG CHANG , the Chinese Envoy to Europe , arrived at the Hague on Saturday afternoon last , having been met on the frontier by representatives of the Queen and Queen Regent . After being welcomed at the station by the authorities , he was driven in a Court carriage to the Hotel des Indes , and in the evening dined with the Minister for Foreign Affairs .

AMONG THE PASSENGERS who arrived at Plymouth on Saturday nightlast from the Cape by the Union Line steamer Athenian was Bro . the Hon . Alan de Tatton Egerton , M . P ., who was shut up in Gwelo for seven weeks , and afterwards proceeded with Bro . Cecil Rhodes to Buluwayo . It will be remembered that the brevet rank of Past G . W . was conferred on Bro . Egerton at the June Communication of Grand Lodge .

THE DISTRIBUTION OF piizes to the pupils of the Warehousemen , Cleiks , and Drapers' Schools took place on Saturday last , the ceremony being very gracefully performed by Miss Hind . The report for the past year , which was in every way satisfactory , showed that 10 boys sent up for the Senior Cambridge Examination all passed , one with honours , while 10 of the 14 gitls sent up for the Junior Cambridge passed , five taking honours and one being placed second among the 707 candidates , while another won the prize in the essay competition at Ihe Crystal Palace , effered by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals .

THEIR ROYAL HIGHNESSES the Prince and Piircess of Wales , with the Piincess Maud and other members of the family at Sandringham , drove over to Appleton Hall on Saturday last for the purpose of inspecting the pteparations that are being made for the future residence of Prince Charles of Denmark and the Princess Maud . The hall is a modern structure , and until lately was occupied by Gen . Stanley Clarke , but for several months past it has been in the hands of the builders and decorators . It is about a mile from Sandringham House , in a valley between West Newton and Flotsham .

THE DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE , as President of the Foundling Hospital , presided on Sunday . when "Foundlings' Day" was celebrated and a numberof young men and women , foimerly inmates of the Institution , but now earning their livelihood in various situations in life , were presented by his Royal Highness with the customary gifts of £ 5 . Subsequently the visitors looked over the Hospital , saw the children at dinner , and inspected the many pictures with which the walls of the Hospital are decora ' ed , conspicuous arrong them being Hogarth ' s "March to Finchley " and his portrait of "Captain Coiam , " the founder of the Institution .

BY COMMAND of the Queen , H . R . H . the Prince of Wales held the last Levee of the season at St . James's f alace on Monday , his Royal Highness , attended by Bros . Lord Suffield and Sir Francis Knollys and Major-General Ellis , being escorted to the Palace from Marlborough House by a detachment of the Royal Horse Guards . Among the members of the Royal Family present were the Grand Duke cf Mecklenburg-Strelitz , the Duke of Saxe-Coburg Gotha , the Duke of York , the Duke of Cambridge ,

Prince Christian , and the Duke Ernest and Prince Albert of Schleswig-Holstein . Among the great officers in attendance were the Earl of Pembroke , Bros , the Earl of Lathom and the Duke of Portland , Viscount Curzon , M . P ., Bro . Lord Arthur Hill , M . P ., the Earl of Coventry , Lord Harris , and many others . The Diplomatic and General Circles were numerously attended , while guards of honour of the 1 st Battalion Scots Guards and the Royal Horse Guards were on duty in the Court of the Palace and the Mall respectively , the regimental bands being in attendance in both cases .

VISIT OF FREEMASONS TO THE MASON ' CAVE . —Some time ago the brethren of St . Thomas' Lodge , No . 40 , resolved to resuscitate the old custom of observing Midsummer St . John ' s at the Masons' Cave , Scotland . This practice has not been observed for a number of years , and the members of No . 40 are to be congratulated on its revival . On Wednesday , the 24 th ult ., the brethren , to the number of about 50 , including several members of Panmure Lodge , assembled in the Lodge Room , where the ledge was opened and immediately put in charge of the Junior Warden . Brakes were

in readiness for the conveyance of the party . A short distance from the cliffs the brethren left the machines , and , forming intdprocessional order , marched to the cave , which was well lit up with candles , and presented a comfortable appearance . Bro . Wilson , R . W . M ., addressed the company , and made reference to the object of the gathering . He thought it was a good thing to revive so interesting and ancient a piattice , and expressed the hope that the visit to the cave would become a yearly custom of the Freemasons of Aibroathand that til the lodges would unite to carry it

, out . Bro . Wilson then gave an interesting account of the history cf the cave , which t-ad again begun to figure in Masonic practices . A loyal , patrotic , and Masonic toast list was then gone through— "The Queen and Craft / ' " Prince of Walts , " "Grand and Provincial Grand Lodge , " and " Army and Navy , " being given by the R . W . M ., Brcs . D . S . Napier and G . Wilson replying for the two latter ; " Brethren frcm Sister Locges , given by Bro . Ellis , S . W ., replied to by Bro . Soutar , Panmure Lodge ; "Absent Brethren , " by Bro . G . Patterson , J . D . ; "Brethren from a Distance , " by

Bro . fNicoll , bee , replied to by Bros . J . D . Morten and Stewart ; "Town and Trade cf Arbroath , " by Bro . Soutar , replied toby Bto . E . Scott ; and "The R . W . M . " by Bro . Ellis , replied to by Bro . Wilscn . In Ihe course of the evtnirg Bros . Soutar and Peine entertained the cempany with scng and recitation , while Bros . Napier and Kear give interesting acccunts of the past Mascnic meetings in the cave . The brethren then returned to the lodge room , were the Cralt was recalled to labour and closed indue crder . The cutingproved a great success , being much enjoyed by one and all .

V . BENOIST , 36 , Piccadilly , W . —Banquets , Dinners , Suppeis , and Receptions served in Ihe most unique style . Menus and estimates on application . Also French Comestibles of every descriptitn . Sole Caterer to the celebrated Grafton Galleries . The best locale in the West End for holding Private Parties , Balls , & c . Telephone , No . 3 , 919 . Telegrams , Gouimet , London . —I ADVT . ]

THE TROCADERO RESTAURANT will shcitly be opened by Messrs . J . Lyons and Co ., Lirr . iUd , alter alerglhtncd period of pieparatkn . Evtiy effoit is being made to make Ihis the hsndscmest ard mest perfectly-equipped dining palace in Europe , and the arrangements for Mascnic meetings will be made a special feature . Applications respecting tookirgs shculd be made as eaily as possible to the proprietors , J . Lyons and Co ., Limited , Cadby Hall , Kensirgton , wheieall inquiries should be addressed . — I ADVT . I

Masonic And General Tidings.

THE MEETINGS of the Noith London Chapter at the Cock Tavern , Highbury , adjourned until the 1 st Monday in October . THE MANSION and grcun Is at Avery Hill , Eltham , owned and occupied by the late Col . J . T . North , are to be sold . The mansion is a new structure , and cost an enormous sum to build and fit up . THE QUEEN has been pleased to confer the dignity of a peerage upon the Ri ght Hon . Sir Hercules Robinson , G . C . M . G ., Governor of the Cape of Good Hope , and her Majesty's Lord High Commissioner for South Africa .

THE ANTIQUE PERFORMANCES and ceremonies associated with the installation of the Lord Warden , of the Cinque Ports , are officially fixed to take place in connection with Lord Salisbury ' s succession to the position , on August 15 . BROS , RIGHT HON . A . AKERS-DOUGLAS , Lord Balfour of Burleigh , Lord Halsbury ( Lord Chancellor ) , Lord Ashbourne ( Lord Chancellor of Ireland ) , S ' r Michael Hicks-Beach , Bart . ( Chancellor of the Exchequer ) , the Duke of Devonshire , Lord George Hamilton , and Sir M . White Ridley , Bart ., were present at the Cabinet Council held at the Foreign Office on Saturday last .

THE BRETHREN at Sidmouth heldjtheir annual installation banquet at the York Hotel , Sidmouth , on Wednesday , the 1 st inst . At the installation held subseq uently at the Masonic Hall , Bro . F . Goss was duly installed W . M . The W . M . appointed his officers for the ensuing year as follows : Bros . John Opie , I . P . M . ; H . Passmore , S . W . ; W . Cook , J . W . ; F . W . Mitchell , Sec . ; J . Hayes , S . D . ; T . W . S . Holden , J . D . ; J . Russell , D . C . ; Ridge , I . G . ; and W . Newbury , Tyler .

WE UNDERSTAND that Rayne Butler ' s latest work , "_ In the Power of Two , " which gained so much success and popularity in serial form , is shortly to be published b y Messrs . Simpkin , Marshall , and Co . The novel deals with hypnotism , isot absorbing interest , and throws a curious and decidedly new light upon this much questioned subject . It may interest our readers to knew that the above author is a daughter of the late Bro . Butler Wilkins , D . P . G . M . of Norths and Hunts , & c .

THE DUCHESS OF TECK presided at the opening of Lady Henry Som : rset ' s International Farm Colony for Inebriate Wonen , at Duxhucst , near Reigate . laths course of the proceedings , her Royal Highness received a number of purses contiinina ; £ 5 upwards , the contents of which amounted to upwirds of £ 600 . Among those present were the Duchess of Bedford , the Duchess of St . Albans , Sir Wilfred Lawson , and Lady Catherine and Mr . Somerset .

SATURDAY LAST was kept as Hospital Saturday in the Metropolis , and about 2500 ladies , in very many cases accompanied by children , were distributed at prominent places—street coiners , outside railway stations , & c , soliciting contributions from the passengers . It is believed that about £ 5000 was thus raised , while the collections in houses of business and other contributions will , it is believed , raise the total of the fund to about . fes . ooo .

BRO . D . P . CAMA , who some few years ago was elected to the position of Grand Treasurer , has forwarded to Bro . the Lord Mayor a cheque for 100 guineas for the Mansion House Poor-box Fund , with a letter in which he states : " To-day being the anniversary of my mother ' s death , to mark the solemn occasion I am desirous to do some charitable act , as taught me by my religion . " This is the third occasion within a comparatively short period that the Mansion House Poor-box Fund has benefited by this brother's benevolence .

THE MARCHIONESS OF LANSDOWNE , accompanied by Lady Beatrice Fitzmaurice , cpened an attractive Sale of Indian Art Wares at the Royal Albert Hall , on Monday , the object being to encourage and preserve the beautiful handicraft of the East . Among those present either at the stalls or as visitors were the Marchioness of Duffrein , the Duchess of Buckingham and Chandos , Lady Reay , Lady Wenlock , Lady Harris , Lady Frederick Cavendish , and others .

THE DEAN OF ROCHESTER has just received from a few of the leading brethren of the United States the sum of of 130 dollars , which they have requested him to expend at his discretion on something for Rochester Cathedral . It is believed that the Dean will purchase with the money a processional cross . At the festival of parochial choirs in the cathedral , the procession was headed by a crucifer in girded alb , attended by two acolytes , similarly vested . But the cross was borrowed .

AFTER PROVIDING for the amoitization of leases , depreciation of plant , sinking fund for the redemption of debentures , the pajment of debenture interest , and carrying £ 15 , 000 to general reserve fund and £ 5000 to amortization of leases in advance , the report of Spiers and Pond , Limited , recommends the payment of a dividend cf 10 per cent , and a bonus of 3 s . per share , less income tax , for the year ending the 31 st March , 1 S 9 6 , leaving £ g S 20 12 s . 2 d . to be carried fcrwaid to next jear . The warrants will be posted on the iSth inst . T he share transfer books aie closed from the 29 th June to the 13 th inst , both inclusive .

THE ROYAL SOCIETIES CLUB , under the presidency of Sir Clements Markham , gave a banquet en Saturday evening last in honour of the newly-elected Fellows of the Royal Society and the Royal Academicians . The Italian Ambassador and Sir Henry Johnston replied for the toast of "The Visitors . " A reception followed , at which between 500 and 600 guests were present , among them being Bro . Lord Suffield , Sir H . Havelock-Allan , Bro . Tomlinson , M . P ., Sir Donald Smith , High Commissioner for Canada , Admiral Sir Erasmus Ommanney , Sir William Hunter , Sic Bartle Frere , and others .

THE HONOURABLE ARTILLERY COMPANY of Boston , Massachusetls , U . S . A ., which is an effshcot from the Honourable Artillery Company of London , arrived , to the number of 345 , including band , off Queenstown , on Monday evening , on board the Cunard steamer Servia , and proceeded in the vessel to Liverpool , whence trey took train to London , where they are quartered at the Hotel Cecil , and are enered for a series of fetes , in which the parent company in the Metropolis will take the lead as hosts . They will also be inspected by the Piince of Wales , who is Colonel and Captain Gineral of the London H . A . C .

J UBILEE OF SEMPER FIDELIS LODGE , No . 529 , WORCESTER . —This lodge was consecrated on July 4 th , 1846 , and therefore completed its 50 years on Saturday last . Toceltbrate the event , ihe W . M . ( Bro . W . E . Williams ) , Wardens , and brethren , with their lady friends , assembled on Monday for a river trip to the ancient and interesting town of Tewkesbury and a picnic at Pull Court . The excellent weather and complete arrangements left nothing to be desired , and the function therefore passed off to the enjoyment of all present and satisfaction of the brethren , who were able to c nsider that

they had favourably marked an interesting occasion in the history of their lodge , which at the present moment is numerically the strongest in the Province of Worcestershire . MASONIC CHARITY IN WEST LANCASHIRE . —On Friday , the 3 rd instant , under the presidency of Bro . Dr . J . Kellett-Smith , P . P . G . R ., a meeting of the Cturt of Governors of the West Lanes shire Masonic Institution was held at the Masonic Hall , Hope-street , Liverpool , when there was a large attendance . After the transaction of

the business of the various Committees of the Institution , eight children were elected on Ihe educational fund , four on the combined fund , and six children received grants for advancement in life after leaving school , in accordance with the recommendation of the General Committee . A change in the by-laws was adopted , on the proposition of Bro . R . H . Leake , P . M . 1547 , and the proceedings closed with a vote of thanks to Bro . Dr . Smith for presiding .

FREEMASONRY IN THE WEST . —The installation of Bro . the Hon . Sir Stafford Northcote , Bart ., C . B ., as Provincial Grand Master of Devonshiie , will lake place in Exeter on Wednesday , the 12 th August next . The installation ceremony will be performed by Bro . the Right Hon . the Earl of Mount Edgcumbe , Prov . Grand Master of Cornwall , and Past Deputy Grand Master of England . The present Deputy Prow-Grand Master , Bro . G . C . Davie , P . M . 251 , P . A . G . D . C . England , has consented to continue to hold his important office . Bro . John Stocker , P . M . 39 , P . P . J . G . W ., has accepted the Prov . Grand Master's invitation to act as Prov . Grand Secretary , in

succession to Bro . John Brewer , P . M . 251 , who retires . A large gathering of the brethren is anticipated on account of the popularity of the appointment , and the fact that there has been a \ ety considerable inctease in the memberships of the lodges in the larger towns of the province since Bro . Viscount Ebrington succeeded the late Bro . Rev . John Huyshe as Prov . Grand Master cf the county . Bro . John Stccker ' s acceptance of the office of Prov . Grand Secretary will give considerable satisfaction . He is in close touch with the Craft throughout Devon , and is held in high esteem in Masonic circles . Sir Stafford , by accepting this appointment , becomes the Prov . Grand Master of both Cralt and Mark Masonry in Devonshire—a distinction accorded to few .