To Our Readers.

TO OUR READERS .

The Freemason is a sixteen page weekly newspaper , price 2 d . It is published every Friday morning , and contains the most important and useful information relating to Freemasonry in every degree . Annual subscription in the United Kingdom , Post free , lo / . Brethren in foreign parts , wishing to have this newspaper sent them regularly from the office of publication , should , in sending thenremittances , add to thc 2 d . per week thc postage on 2 oz .

newspapers . Thc Freemason , may be procured through any newsagent in the United Kingdom by giving ( if needed ) thc publisher ' s address , 198 , Fleet-st . All communications , correspondence , reports , & c , must be addressed to the Editor . Advertisements , change in address , complaints of difficulties in procuring Freemason , He , to the Publisher , 198 , Fleet-st ., London , E . C .

To Advertisers.

TO ADVERTISERS .

The Freemason has a large circulation in all parts of the Globe , its advantages as an advertising medium can therefore scarcely be overrated . For terms , position , & c , apply to GEORGE KENNING , 198 , F ) cct-st .

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NOTICE

Many complaints having been received of the difficulty experienced in procuring the Freemason in the City , the publisher begs to append the following list , being a selected few of the appointed agents : —• Abbott , Wm ., East-cheap . Bates , Pilgrim-street , Ludgatc-hill . Born , H ., us , London-wall .

Dawson , Wm ., 121 , Cannon-street . Gilbert , Jas ., 18 , Gracechurch-street . Guest , Wm ., 54 , Paternoster-row . Phillpott Bros ., 65 , King William-street . Pottle , R ., 14 , Royal Exchange . May also be obtained at W . H . Smith & Son ' s Bookstalls at thc following City Stations : —

Broad-strcct . Holborn Viaduct Cannon-street . | London Bridge . Ludgatc Hill .

Answer To Correspondents.

Answer to Correspondents .

All , , , for insertion in the Number of the following Saturday , must reach the Office not later than 12 o ' clock on Wednesday morning . Careful attention will be paid to all MSS . entrusted to the Editor , but he cannot undertake to return them unless accompanied by stamp directed covers . Thc following stand over : — " The Pope and the Freemasons ; " Reports of Lodges 31 , 1012 , 108 9 E . C , 332 S . C .

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TheFreemason, SATURDAY , J 12 , 1875 .

Masonic Medals.

MASONIC MEDALS .

In our last impression we stated that Bro . George Kenning was about to issue a medal , commemorative of the installation of our Royal Graid Master . To us of this generation , to all English Freemasons , the 28 th of April , 1875 , will ever remain an '' alba dies " of warm , and

loyal , and pleasureable memories . It seems most right then and very opportune , that Bro . Kenning should seek to keep alive the gracious recollection of that wonderful scene and that auspicious day by the issue of a medal both appropriate in design , and Masonic in symbolism .

We believe that such a " memento" will be g ladly welcomed and warml y appreciated by the Craft at large , the more so as we understand the medal is to be struck in gold , silver , and bronze , thus commending itself to the feelings and capabilities of all our brethren . But the issue bv

Bro . Kenning of a medal in 1875 seems to call our attention to the subject of Masonic medals generally . This history of Masonic English medals is still an unwritten chapter in our insular annals . We have no work on English Masonic Numismatics , and not even so far any attempt to

publish a perfect list of English Masonic medals at all . The subject has been alluded to more than once , but onl y cursorily or partially . It may be that we li 3 ve MS . collections amongst us , but they have not been given to the archaeological Masonic student . It is true that English Masonic medals are on the whole very " few and far

between , " and yet some do exist , and it is just possible that more exist in reality than we are aware of , as in the last century especially , some lodges had tokens or medals of their own , and in earlier times the guilds of the town or " limits " probably had their special tokens . A few Masonic medals exist for instance in tlie British Museum , but not . of any early date , and if

Masonic Medals.

any brother ' could afford time to hunt them up and publish a carefully compiled list of them he would confer a great benefit on all Masonic students . In Germany there are to be found some very interesting works on Masonic numismatology , such as " Mossdorf s Derkmiinzen , "

Arc , Arc , and we believe that an enterprizing French brother at Lille is now engaged in proparing a somewhat similar work , or has already prepared it . But in Great Britain , as we before observed , the history of Masonic medals has to be penned , and we shall gladly welcome the

" coming man'' and Mason who will give us a lucid account and a verified list of all our Masonic medals . At the present time when we are laboriously striving to collect the " disjecta membra " of Masonic history and customs , and habits , and acts , and evidences , the numismatic

history of English Freemasonry ought not to be entirely overlooked . We fear that there is not much perhaps in the " looking up" of English Masonic medals to reward the collector or the enquirer , as for some reason or other which we do not pretend to explain , English Masonic

medals are comparatively very few in number , and of rather modern date . That some lodge tokens and medals do however exist we have often ocular proofs , and we shall be very happy in our Masonic Notes and Queries , to afford room to any of our brethren who may be willing

kindly to forward to us descriptions of any Masonic English medals , which they either possess or know to be still extant , or have been issued in former days . We congratulate Bro . Kenning on his determination in answer to many applications

to issue a commemorative medal in 1875 , f ° - ~ lowing the precedent of the Commemoration Medal lor the Installation of George Prince of Wales , and we trust that his praiseworthy design may receive the generous support of the Anglo-Saxon Brotherhood .

Bro. Captain Boyton.

BRO . CAPTAIN BOYTON .

We shall all have read , and read with pleasure not unmixed with admiration , how gallantly our Bro . Captain Boyton has passed over the " intervening waters " between the white cliffs of old England and the opposite fair land of France . Starting from Cape Grisnez and landing near

to Dover , our persevering and courageous brother has proved alike the value of his apparatus and the feasibility of his theory . Even on the first occasion it is clear now he mig ht have succeeded , and his last and prosperous effort must convince all , even the most sceptical , how

well armed in his quaint panoply , he can practicall y defy wind , and weather , and water . One amusing little incident seems to have occurred which we take from our contemporary , The Graphic . A porpoise , it is stated , drew near to have a look at this unusual inhabitant of the

deep , and our brother was at lust apprehensive that the interesting stranger was a shark . But so happily it turned out not to be , though our brother stood up ready for the fray . Whether the porpoise was , as they say he is , a member of the Marine Peace Society , or whether there

is a Freemasonry even among fishes , and that the startled monster looked on the adventurous Captain as a " friend and a brother , " we know not , but , leaping ' over the aquatic traveller , the porpoise is said to have dived down into the recesses of the 'azure main . How our brother

would have fared had he met , as Sir Hugo once did , the "Wasser Miidchen mit nodingson , " we do not presume to imagine even , but we gladly welcome him safe and sound from his little and somewhat hazardous " trajet . " What effect the possibility of such a passage may have

scientifically we cannot venture now to anticipate . We have probably in this fact the reality of " floatability " made even more distinct and decided . It is possible that the system may be well applied to life-boats and the like , though necessarily with some adaptation of means and apparatus . But be

this as it may , the record of Bro . Captain Boyton ' s successful , if perilous experiment , will long remain a very striking one , and a very satisfactory one , of the endurance , and energy , and pluck , and prowess of our gallant , and zealous , and adventurous brother . Her Majesty the Queen and our Royal Grand Master have alike testified

Bro. Captain Boyton.

their great pleasure and admiration at our brother ' s notable achievement , and the news of his success will be hailed with simultaneous feelings of hearty rejoicing , alike in the United States as in Great Britain .

Masonic Bibliography.

MASONIC BIBLIOGRAPHY .

Mr . Heckethorn has amused himself by saying that Freemasonry has no literature . A more gratuitous and wilful mis-statement never was made by any writer of any epoch . In 18 46 George Kloss put forth , at " Frankfurt-am-Main , " his most valuable and important

" Bibliographie der Freimaurerei ! " That remarkable work contains the names of JJ 39 . 3 books and pamphlets , bearing on the various branches of Freemasonry , and some of thc kindred and quasi-Masonic subjects . In addition he gives an appendix , containing 200 more

names of writers and of works , making in all 5 , 600 , more or less . Since that date , many additional works , some of no little merit and ability , havebcen published in England , Germany , and the United States especially ; and we shall not err in saying that if all known Masonic

productions could be put together , they would now reach to close on 7 , 000 in number . What becomes of Mr . Heckethorn ' s unwarrantable assertions that Freemasonry has no literature ? There is a large field of Masonic literature , though traversed only , perhaps , so far , by a few

enthusiastic students , but we believe that the number of Masonic readers and thinkers is strongly increasing , and it may be , as we trust , that a brighter day may yet dawn alike for Masonic literature and Masonic students . Bro . Walter Spencer has now advertised the very

interesting library collected through many years by his father , Bro . Richard Spencer , to be sold by Messrs . Sotheby , Wilkinson and Hodge on July 27 th and 28 th this year . We anticipate a large assemblage of Masonic literati from all quarters of the habitable globe , as in some respects the

collection thus offered " pro bono publico " is unique . The catalogue contains 600 lots , and there are in it some very rare and valuable works . Many of the booksandMSS . formerl y belonged to Bro . Dr . Oliver , and someof them will be , and are , deeply interesting to all Masonic students and

collectors . We confess that we had looked for a larger store alike of printed and MS . authorities belonging to him , but still such as Bro . Spencer submits for sale are most striking in themselves . We have been kindly permitted , by the favour and courtesy of Bro . Walter Spencer ,

to peruse , some time back , some of the MSS ., and very much struck we were with them , one and all . Most important they are for the true history of English Masonic Ritualism , many of them certainly , and they ought to be most carefully preserved . It seems now a great pity that

this unique library should be disposed of by public auction , as its like cannot possibly be gathered together again . Were it not that we are well aware of the peculiar apathy of our good brethren , in respect of Masonic literature , we shouldbe disposed to say that Grand Lodge should

at once seize the opportunity , winch may never occur again , of forming a first-rate Masonic library , attached to our Grand Lodge premises at Freemasons' Hall . If the scheme appears , as it probably will appear , too great to some , too expensive to others , we can only urge that our

English Grand Lodge ought to have , for the honour and spread of Masonic literature , a good and valuable library . We now have , thanks to the administrative skill of Bro . Havers and other zealous brethren , a Masonic centre worthy of our great English brotherhood , but we still

want a library . We have a few books , but books , Iike ^ everything else , require good accessories , especially for true students , such as a fitting room , a proper catalogue , and expert attendants . If it be said that readers are few , and that any expenditure for books or for a library would be money thrown away , we would

venture to submit that an intellectual and cultivated body of men like our English Freemasons ought in this era ofexpanding education to set the good example of giving a " pabulum mentis , " as well as as a " pabulum corporis , " to our rising generation of Freemasons . The time has arrived , and especially with this opportunity before