Masonic And General Tidings.

Masonic and General Tidings .

BRO . THE MARQUIS OF BREADALDANE has come to town for a few days from Tajmouth Castle . BRO . THE M ARQUIS AND MARCHIONESS OF TWEEDDALE have arrived at C , Hill-street , Berkeley-square , from Yester House , N . B . BRO . THE DUKE OF F IFE and Lord Farqubar have resigned their seats on the Boaid of Directors of the British South Africa Company . H . R . H . THE P RINCESS OF WALKS has become Patroness of the Young Helpers ' League , founded by Dr . Barnardo in connection with his Homes .

THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF BUCCLEUCH have arrived at Montagu House from Dalkeith , for a short stay , after which they will return to Scotland until the end of April .

THE EARL OF ROSEBERY , who is staying at his house in Berkeley-square , and attended the debate at the House of Lords on Tuesday , is expected to leave town shortly for Naples . THE OUEEN has sent a present of 20 pheasants forthe use of the patients in the City of London Hospital for Diseases of the Chest , Victoria Park , E ., of which her Majesty is Patron .

THE AFRICAN L EAGUE CONGRESS has unanimously passed a resolution declaring that a gift worthy of the J ubilee should be made by Capo Colony , and that it should take the fcim of a ccntribution to the Navy .

THE BULUWAVO C HAMBERS of Mines and Commerce and the Landowners ' Association telegraphed to Mr . Chamberlain on Monday urging the reinstatement of Bro . Cecil Rhodes and Mr . Beit in the best interests of Rhodesia . THE SPEAKER , Bro . the Right Hon . W . H . Gully , will give his usual full-dress Parliamentary dinner to members of the Government , on Wednesday , the 16 th inst ., and of the Opposition , on March the 2 nd . After each dinner Mrs . Gully will hold a reception .

THE DUKE OF YORK has been asked by the unanimous vote of the Corporation of Reading , tbe chief borough in the Royal county of Beiks , to accept the position of High Steward , which became vacant a few months since by the death of Mr . Richard Benyon , of Englefield House . WE ARE GLAD to learn that Bro . the . Earl of Mount Edgcumbe has sufficiently recovered from his illness to be able to preside at the Cornwall County Council . Lord Vall : tort , his son , is not , on account of his delicate health , seeking re-election as a repre . sentativeof Stonehouse on ihe Devon Municipality .

THE EARL AND COUNTESS OF UXBRIDGE won the first prize at the Monte Carlo Battle cf Flowers , held in lovely weather , on Tuesday . Their carriage represented a windmill , made of violets , with sails of white camelias . Prince Lubormirsky was a good second , in a beautiful victoria , decked with Marguerites , and drawn by a pair of handsome black horses . THE Q UEEN has again granted her patronage to the St . Patrick ' s Day Exhibition rf Ihe Irish Industries Association , which is to be held on March 17 th and iSth , at lar . sdcwr . e House , Eeikeley-iquare , by pcimissicn of the Marquis and Marchioness of Lansdowne . Her Majesty has intimated her intention of making purchases of Irish cottage-made work .

THE BRIXTON LODGE OF INSTRUCTION , No . 1949 , held its annual festival on the 25 th ult . at the Holborn Restaurant . Bro . George Langley , P . P . G . D . Middlesex , presided . The dinner was well attended , and Bro . H . Lovegrove , P . G . S . B ., was present to show his appreciation of the great assistance rendered to the Masonic Charities by the society .

A CABINET COUNCIL was held on Saturday last at the Foreign Ofiice . Among the Ministers present were Bros , the Right Hon . A . Akers-Douglas , Lord Balfour of Burleigh , Lord Halsbury ( Lord Chancellor ) , Lord Ashbourne ( Lord Chancellor of Ireland ) , Sir M .. Hicks-Beach ( Chancellor of the Exchequer ) , the Dake of Devonshire , Lord George Hamilton , the Right Hon . W . H . Long , and Sir M . White-Ridley .

H . R . H . THE PRINCE OF WALES has accepted from the Leeds Industrial Co-operative Society a handsomely-bound copy of their " Jubilee History , " written by Mi . G . J . Holyoake , presented in the name of its 37 , 000 members , whose business amounts to £ 1 , 000 , 000 a year , and the profits annually distributed amon ? working-class fa-nil !*; amount to £ 150 , 000 . ln extent and in revenues it exceeds all other co-opjrativa societies .

UNDER THE patronage of Bro . the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire the Eastbourne Amateur Operatic Socieiy will give a performance of " Princess Ida " at Devonihire Park , in aid of the Terriss Memorial Fund , on Tuesday and Wednesday next . The caste includes Mr . Richard Temple , jun ., as Hdarion , and Miss Nora Maguire ( late of the Savoy and Prince of Wales' Theatres ) , as Princiss Ida . An augmented orchestra has been engaged for the occasion .

BRO . 1 'IEI . D-MARSHAL VISCOUNT WOLSELEY , the Commander-in-Chief , will hold a levee at one o ' clock on Tuesday , 22 nd inst ., at the Horse Guards , Whitehall , the number of officers to be received being limited to 100 . Officers on full pay will attend in uniform ( levee dress ) . Ribbons of the Grand Cross of any Order will not le worn . Officers on the retired list and officers oa half-pay tl be in m irninj dress . Applications to attend the levee should hi addressed to the Military Secretary .

PRINCESS HENRY OP BATTENBERG , the Governor of the Isle of Wijht , paid a visit on Monday to the Home of Rest , Shanklin , an institution for the benefit of women who are broken down in health and need change and repose . It was bull and furnished at a cost of £ 12 , 000 by the late Mrs . Harvey , and presented to the Hampshire Girls ' Friendly Society . Her Royal Highness , who was attended by the Hon . Mary Hughes and Lord William Cecil , afterwards took tea with Lady Isabel Atherley at Landguard .

AMONG THE ladies who occupied seats in tbe gallery during the debate on the Address in the House of Peers were the Dowager Duchess of Bedford , the I ) jchess of Pcrtland , the Maichtoness of Tweeddale , the Marchioness of Headfort , Georgina Countess of Dudley , Isabella Countess of Wilton , the Countesses of Arran , Loudoun . Halsbury , Wicklow , Lucan , Essex , Mar and Kellie , Leitrim , Spencer , Chesterfield , and Portsmouth , Viscountess Falmouth , and Ladies Colville and Culross , Wantage , Henley , Mostyn , Hothfield , Tweedmouth , and Tenterden .

BRO . SIR EVELYN WOOD , V . C , completed his ojth year on Wednesday . He has seen a vast amount of active service , and from every campiign in which he has taken part has emerged with distinction . H ' n Victoria Cross was om during the Indian campaign of 1858-59 , receiving at the same time the thanks of ths Indian Gwernment . The gallant officer accompanied the Emprefs Eugenie to Zululand in IS 3 J , and was Sirdar of the Egyptian Army from 1 SS 3 to 18 S 5 . He has filled many important home appointments , and is at present on the Headquarters Staff .

LAST FRIDAY NIGHT ' " Gazette " contains the official list of the Commissioners appointed by the Queen for the Paris Exhibition in 19 : 10 . Among them includes H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , the Duke of York , Bro . the Duke of Devonshire , Bro . the Duke of Fife , the Marquis of Lansdowne , the Marquis of Lome , Bro . the Earl of Derby , Bro . the Earl of Jersey , Earl Cadogan , Lord Kelvin , Lord Rothschild , Sir William Harcourt , Sir John Lubbock , Mr . Asquilh , Bro . Sir Edmund Monson ( British Ambassador in Paris ) , Bro . Col . Davies ( the Lord Mayor of London ) , Sir Edward Grey , Bro . Sir Thomas Sutherland , Bro . VV . H . Preece , Mr . J . L . Kipling , Mr . J . S . Forbes , and Bro . Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild .

BY DESIRE of the Prince of Wales , the sermon preached in Sandringham Church by the Bishop of Ripon on Sunday morning , the 23 rd ult ., in commemoration of the death of General Gordon , has been published by Messrs . Skeffington and Son , and the proceeds of the sale are to be given to the Gordon Boys' Home . The discourse , called " The Venture of Faith , " is founded on the words of St . Paul—• ' He went out , not knowing whither he went " —and is a lofty panegyric of national virtue , of which General Gordon was a conspicuous example . Those who purchase the sixpenny book will have the satisfaction not only of possessing an admirable specimen of modern pulpit eloquence , but also of aiding an institution which is doing good work among poor boys .

Masonic And General Tidings.

BRO . THE DUKE AND D UCHESS OP FIFE have returned to 15 , Portman-sqm , from Brighton . MRS . GULLY has issued invitations for a reception at the Speaker's House on ] Wednesday next . THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OP CONNAUGHT are expected home early next weeh from the Riviera .

BRO . ' EARL AND COUNTESS OF ARRAN have arrived at their residence in Hertford-street from Windsor . BRO . LORD CLAUD HAMILTON has left town for Marseilles , en route for Egyp ^ where he will spend the next few weeks . BRO . THE EARL AND COUNTERS OF WHARNCLIFFE have come to Wharncliffe House , Curzon-street , from Wortley Hall , Sheffield . EARL DE LA WARR will preside at the Anniversary Festival in aid of the funds of the Royal Blind Pension Society on Friday , May 13 th , at the Hotel MStropole .

AMONG THE visitors to Wulff ' s Circus at the Crystal Palace on the 4 th inst . were the 200 cripples on the register of the Ragged School Union and Shaftesbury Society . PRINCESS CHRISTIAN has changed the date of her forthcoming visit to the Hamp . stead Hospital , for the purpose of unveiling two Diamond Jubilee beds , from March 5 th to Saturday the 26 th instant . BRO . THE EARL OF DUNRAVEN has returned to town from Adare Manor , Limerick . The Countess is slowly recovering from an attack of inflammation of the lungs , supervening upon influenza .

THE SERVICE members of the House of Commons met on Wednesday , and reappointed Bro . Sir James Fergusson as their Chairman , with Colonel Brookfield as Secretary . Bro . Lord Charles Beresford attended the proceedings . BRO . SIR SQUIRE BANCROFT , by the reading he gave on the evening of the 4 th instant in the Inner Temple Hall , completed the sum of £ 7000 as gifts to hospitals and similar institutions by his rendering of Dickens's " Christmas Carol . "

THURSDAY WAS the sSth anniversary of the marriage of her Majesty the Queen with the Prince Consort , that event having taken place at the Chapel Royal , St . James ' s Palace , on February ioth , 1840 . The Prince Consort died at Windsor Castle on December 14 th , 1 S 61 . THE CHILDREN ' S ORCHESTRA , of which the Queen is patron , has received the gracious consent of Princess Henry of Sattenberg to bee ome President of the orchestra , a position filled for many years by the late Duchess of T eck . The first concert of the season will be given at the Westminster Town Hall on Tuesday , March ist .

THE QURKN has decided to leave Osborne next Wednesday morning , on her return to Windsor Castle . Her Majesty , and suite cross the Solent in the Royal yacht to Gosport , and travel by special train over the London and South-Western and Great Western Railways to Windsor , where they are timed to arrive early in the afternoon . H . R . H . THE PRINCE OF WALES , attended by Bros . Major-General Sir Stanley Clarke and Sir Francis Knollys , arrived in London on Monday , and was in attendance at the House of Lords the following afternoon . The Duke and Duchess of York also came to town from Sandringham . In the evening H . R . H . the Prince of Wales was present at the performance of "Julius Cesar " in her Majesty ' s Theatre .

A REQUIEM was celebrated at St . Mary ' s Church , Cadogan-street , for the late Mar . quesa di Santurce , and was attended by members of the family and a large number of friends , including the Marques di Santurce and Messrs . Cristobal and Adrian de Murrieta ( chief mourners ) , Bro . the Earl and Countess of Kilmorey ; Bro . Lord and Lady Charles Beresford ; Hon . Helen Henniker ; and Bro . Sir Francis Knollys .

A LETTF . R from General Sir Dighton Probyn , on behalf of H . R . H . the Prince ot VVales , has been received by the Restoration Committee at Stratford-on-Avon , stating that his Royal Highness recollects with much pleasure the visit he paid to _ the church there , and trusts that the effort now being made to obtain the funds requisite to complete the restoration of the edifice , wherein lie the remains of our national poet , William Shakespeare , may be successful . His Royal Highntss enclosed a cheque for 20 guineas .

ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS . — "Our Boys" have again scored well in the Preliminary Local Examination conducted by the Cambridge University Syndicate in December last . The Class List has just been issued , from which we find the Masonic bovs have gained two second class , one third class , and 30 passes with " Distinctions . " The average age of the successful candidates was 13 years , only five of the boys being over the age of 14 years . The results of the " [ Junior " and "Senior " examinations are not yet published . THE PANTOMIME OF " Cinderella " will be played for the last time at the Garrick

Theatre , on the evening of Saturday , the 19 th inst ., and the new play " 221 Curziti Street , " by Messrs . Brandon Thomas and John Edwards , will be presented during the following week . The names of the ladies and gentlemen engaged include the following : Messrs . Arthur Bourchier , Martin Harvey , Herbert Sparling , Cairns James , Eugene Mayeur , Holmes Anton , Fitzroy Morgan , Littledale Power , and H . Thomas ; Mesdames Lottie Venne , Fanny Coleman , Grace Dudley , Alice Beet , Birdie Sutherland , and Fanny Brough .

IT IS EVER known that the Jews invariably listen to grace with covered heads . It occurred to Mr . Thos . J . Hamp , managing director of the Holborn Restaurant , that the spectacle at Jewish gatherings , Masonic and other , of gentlemen wearing hats of all descriptions , and some even using the humble but necessary serviette for temporary headgear , was incongrous to say at least . Consequently , after submitting to the Chief Rabbi a specimen of black paper cap which has now been adopted for the use of our Jewish brethren at the Holborn Restaurant and receiving an intimation of approval , all members of the ancient race will find themselves provided with the covering referred to . It has been remarked by Jewish brethren that the idea is a kindly and considerate one .

AT HOLY TRINITY CHURCH , Sloane-street , took place the marriage of Mr . Email Richardson and Miss Irene Caroline Burges , youngest daughter of Colonel Burges and the late Hon . Mrs . Burges ( sister of Bro . the Earl of Lathom ) , of Parkanaur , Couily Tyrone . The Archdeacon of Bristol ( uncle of the bridegroom ) officiated , assisted by the Rev . Forde Tichborne . The reception , given by Colonel Burges at 4 Hans-crescent ,

, was largely attended , amongst those invited being Bro . Lord Halsbury ( Lord Chancellor ) and Countess Halsbury , Countess of Leitrim , Lord and Lady Mostyn , Lade Louisa Hamilton , Countess of Crawford , Lady Dynevor , the Ladies Knox , Lady Juliana Walker , the Hon . Dudley and Mrs . Ryder , Countess of Belmore , Viscount and Viscountess Cross , and Bro . Lord and Lady Llangattock .

THE ANNIVERSARY ot the funeral of Prince Henry of Battenberg was marked by a special service , privately held in Whippingham Church on Saturday morning last . Her Majesty was present , accompanied by Princess Henry of Battenberg , Princess KnJi and Princes Maurice and Leopold of Battenberg . The ladies and gentlemen oi the Court in attendance included Viscountess Dawne , the Hon . Harriet L . Phipps . the

Hon . Mary F . Hughes , the Hon . Evelyn Moore , Bro . Sir Henry Byng , Lord Willi" " Cecil , and Major Legge . The service was conducted by the Rev . Clement Smitri , rector of Whippingham and Chaplain to the Queen . In the afternoon the Bishop 0 Winchester consecrated an extension of the Whippingham churchyard . This addition "' piece of land has been given by her Majesty , who has also borne the cost of laying it ° and building a substantial wall around it .

THE BEAUTIFUL model of H . M . S . Minerva , which was built specially for the Lw Mayor ' s Show at a cost of 200 guineas , has been purchased by the management of the Alexandra Palace , and will be on view throughout the coming season . The Minerva is the latest type of war vessel in the British Navy , and as such the model ( which was constructed according to scale by the Government officials at Chatham ) will be a i " ' interesting exhibit . It is nearly 40 feet long and 10 feet across the beam . Rumaurs are

afloat that two very handsome loan-collections of pictures have been offered to the 1 <" for exhibition purposes during the opening season of the Palace . Everyone who « the Palace in the old days marvels at the wonderful state of preservation in which all j " buildings have kept . Practically na work beyond touching-up is required ro p '" ! entire buildings in first-class condition . It is interesting to note that many of the s ' " ' holders this year were at the Palace when it was first opened .