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We have much pleasure in announcing that a Committee has been formed for the purpose of presenting a testimonial to Bro . William Lake , the ' new Assistant Grand Secretary , in recognition of his long and able services to Freemasonry in Cornwall and the Metropolis . The kindness and courtesy he has invariably shown to all who have come into contact with him . as well as the conspicuous ability

with which he has discharged the important duties which have devolved upon him in the course of his long Masonic career , have been universally appreciated , and we rejoice to find that the Committee which has been formed contains the names of several distinguished brethren . Bro . Charles E . Keyser , M . A ., F . S . A ., J . P ., P . G . D ., is the President ; Bro . W . 1 . Hughan , P . G . D ., the Vice-President ; Bro .

J . Leach Barrett , Hon . Treasurer ; and Bro . James Stephens , " Elads , 129 , Maida Vale , the Hon . Secretary . Individual subscriptions are limited to a maximum of One Guinea , and should be forwarded either to the Hon . Treasurer ,

53 , Blomfield-road , W . ; to the Hon . Secretary at his address , as given , or they may be paid to the " Lake Testimonial Fund , " London and Provincial Bank , Edgware-road , W . We trust the testimonial may be worthy of the brother in whose honour it is being raised .

For the benefit of those whom it more immediately concerns , we beg to announce that the Prov . Grand Lodge of Essex will beheld at Grays , on Wednesday next , the 17 th instant , at 2 . 30 p . m . The meeting of the Prov . Grand Lodge of North and East Yorkshire will take place at the Mechanics' Institute , Selby , on Wednesday , the 24 th instant , and that of Suffolk at Aldeburgh ,-on Monday , the 29 th instant .

We wish it were in our power to publish a Report , the Returns , and an Analysis of the Returns in connection with one of our Festivals which were free from error either of omission or commission , and which , in consequence , gave rise to no feeling of annoyance to those who find the particulars which immediately concern them have been attributed by us to other brethren or hopelessly

misdescribed . We do our best to ensure accuracy , but there is so much to be done in so short a time , that we consider ourselves extremely fortunate if our mistakes are to be numbered by singles only , instead of scores . In the case of the recent Boys' School Festival there were sundry mistakes of omission on our part , which

we greatly regret . Thus in the Returns from Kent , we passed unnoticed , or , at all events , we did not ascribe due credit to , the admirable list compiled by Bro . John W . Elvin , of the Graystone Lodge , No . 1915 , Whitstable , and amounting to ^ 157 ios ., which , as will be seen elsewhere , has been since increased to / 184 16 s .

In Staffordshire we returned . £ 178 ios . as Provincial money , which should have been apportioned equally among four of the Staffordshire Stewards . Moreover , it was money raised by means of the Staffordshire Charity Association , and had nothing to do with Provincial Funds . Something of . a similar kind happened in the case of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight , while certain moneys from

Worcestershire were left out altogether . Under Warwickshire , also , we stated the list of the Athol Stewards , No . 74 , at , £ 105 instead of , £ 11 5 ios ., and as the brethren of this lodge have done so much of late years for our Institutions we

admit it is hard lines to be deprived of a portion of the credit to which they are so justly entitled . However , we trust the Report , Analysis , & c , when issued in pamphlet form , after careful revision and correction , will be as nearly accurate as it is possible for reprints to be .

Among the members of the late administration who are Freemasons there were but three of Cabinet rank , namely , Bro . Lord Herschell , a Past S . G . W . of England , who was Lord Chancellor , and Bros . G . J . Shaw-Lcfevre and Sir G . O . Trevelyan , Bart ., who were President of the Local Government Board and Secretary for Scotland . Among those of lesser rank there were Bro . the Marquis of

Breadalbane , Prov . Grand Master of East Perthshire , who was Lord Steward ; Bro . Lord Carrington , P . S . G . W . of England , Past G . M . of the United Grand Lodge of New South Wales , and till quite recently Prov . Grand Master of Buckinghamshire , who was Lord Chamberlain ; and Bro . the Earl of Cork and

Orrery , Master of the Horse . There were also Bro . Sir F . Lockwood , Q . C ., her Majesty ' s Solicitor General ; Bro . Lord Brassey , a Lord of the Treasury ; Bro . Lord Kensington , Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard , who is Prov . G . M . of the Western Division of South Wales , and it may be some others .

In the new administration the Craft is very strongly represented . Among the 19 ministers who form Lord Salisbury ' s Cabinet are included the following : Bro . Lord Halsbury , a P . S . G . W . of England , who is Lord Chancellor ; Bro . the Duke of Devonshire , Prov . Grand Master of Derbyshire , who is Lord President of the Council ; Bro . Sir M . E . Hicks-Beach , Bart ., Prov . Grand Master of

Gloucestershire , the Chancellor of the Exchequer ; Bro . Sir M . White Ridley , Bart ., Prov . Grand Master of Northumberland , the Home Secretary ; Bro . Lord George Hamilton , Prov . Grand Master of Middlesex , Secretary of State for India ; Bro . Lord Ashbourne , Lord Chancellor of Ireland ; Bro . Lord Balfour of Burleigh , a P . S . G . W . of England ; Bro . A . Akers-Douglas , Past J . G . W . of England , First

Commissioner of Works ; and Bro . W . Hume Long , Past S . G . D . of England , President of the Board of Agriculture . Among those of lesser rank are Bro . the Earl of Lathom , Pro G . M ., and Prov . G . M . West Lancashire , who has succeeded Bro . Lord Carrington as Lord Chamberlain ; Bro . Sir John E . Gorst , Q . C ., Past

J . G . W . of England , the Vice President of the Council ; Bro . Sir W . Walrond , Bart ., Patronage Secretary of the Treasury ; Bro . Lord A . Hill , Prov . Grand Master of Down , who is Comptroller of the Household ; and possibly some others .

THE PHINCKSS LOUI . SE ( Marchioness of Lome ) visited Croydon on Monday for the purpose of opening an exhibition of work in celebration of the coming-of-age of the Croydon High School , which was inaugurated in 1 S 74 , and to take part in the distribution of prizes and certificates .

A NUMEROUS CO . UIV . NY assembled at the London -School of Medicine tor Women on Tuesday , when the Duchess of Portland distributed the prizes to the successful students . Mrs . Garrett Anderson read the report , and when the proceedings were concluded , a vote of thanks to her Grace was passed by acclamation .

Correspondence.

Correspondence .

| We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions expressed by our correspondents , but \ rc wish , in a spirit of fair play to all , to permit—within certain necessary limits—Irce discussion . J

THE GRAND TREASURERSHIP . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , In answer to the two letters in one of your recent issues , I wish to state that I have not overlooked the rig hts of the provinces . In 1 S 92 , the provinces provided a Grand Treasurer , and for 1897 it would be

well to have a similar nomination . But if we are to have a provincial candidate , let him be a real and bond fide one like Bros . Woodall , Eve , and Murray , not practically London brethren with a provincial connection . The two brethren mentioned by " A Provincial" are to all intents and purposes London Masons . The first has his chief offices in Pimlico , and branches in Brighton and Paris ; the other is the London representative of a provincial firm ,

but resides in London . Who shall determine , and who can control the selection of London or provincial candidates ? and my object in writing was to avoid the contested election which has become so distasteful to most brethren , that during the last few months I have heard many of them say that they would vote for the election of the Grand Treasurer by some such body as the Board of General Purposes , or leave the appointment in the hands of the M . W . G . M . —Yours fraternally ,

HENRY LOVEGROVE . MASONIC VAGRANTS . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , Since your able article of 30 th March , scarcely a week has passed without complaints from different parts of the country of cases of fraud and imposture by the Masonic vagrant ; surely every thinking brother must be

convinced of the enormous evil which is being done by indiscriminate alms given to every loafer who applies . I am satisfied , not only that we are keeping in idleness an army of impostors , but that there is reason to fear , if steps are not taken to put down the nuisance , that some of these men with certificates , to which they have no right , may even gain admission to our lodges , and become possessed of information to which they are not entitled . And yet unthinking brethren in the sacred name of Charity are supporting them , by giving many hundreds of pounds annually , while our all-deserving Institutions are needing help .

I am glad to see that the Province of Kent is really in earnest in endeavouring to deal with the question ( thanks to Bro . Little , of Medway Lodge ) . I am also glad to say that my lodge , Royal Albert Edward , No . 1362 , is desirous of helping , and passed the following resolution at its last meeting : "That the W . M . be authorised to communicate with the P . G . Sec . with a view to arrange a meeting of representatives of all lodges in the province to consider the best means of dealing with the Masonic vagrant . "

Armed with this resolution , and the whole of the correspondence which has appeared in the Freemason since 30 th March , we shall at an early date seek the assistance of the P . G . Sec . of Surrey . It' is a burning question and more than ripe for solution , and , 1 trust that in every province some brother will be found who will make it his special business to see that the evil is placed before the whole of the brethren in its proper light .

The Craft is most certainly indebted to you for allowing so much of your space to be devoted to the ventilation of this difficult social problem . —Yours fraternally , ALFRED C . MUTTON , No . 1326 . 47 , High-street , Redhill , Surrey , 6 th July .

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF MIDDLESEX . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , I crave permission to point out an omission in the otherwise very excellent report of the proceeding at the recent meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Middlesex . Your representative stated that the thanks of the Charity Committee were given in its report to Bro . Geo . R . Langley , the special Secretary

for elections , for his indefatigable exertions in that capacity , which tended to the great success achieved in the year's work , but omitted to state that a special vote of thanks was proposed at the meeting by the Deputy Prov . Grand Master , was duly seconded , and on being put to the meeting by the Prov . Grand Master with eulogistic mention of Bro . Langley's great services , was unanimously carried with acclamation . I am quite sure that you will wish to give publicity to well merited recognition of good Masonic work . -Yours faithfully and fraternally , HOWARD H . ROOM , Prov . G . Sec . Middx .

Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS .

The regular monthly Council meeting was held on Friday , the 28 th ult ., Bro . Charles E . Keyser in the chair , supported by Bros . Fairchild , Everett , Step hens ,

Imray , Thomas , Pritchard , and others . Bro . Dr . W . H . Kempster , Vice-President , P . M . 60 , P . G . Stwd ., was unani mously elected to fill the vacancy on the Board of Management created by the death of Bro . W . Masters .

Several petitions were accepted and the list of candidates for the October election was closed . There will be 46 candidates for 16 vacancies . Notice of motion was given by Bro . RICHARD EVE ( for the Board of Management ) to increase the salary of the Head Master by 100 guineas to 600 guineas per annum .

H . R . H . THE PRINCE OV WALES presided at the 12 th annual meeting of the R * College of Music , which was held at Marlborough House on Monday . Among l" « present were the Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha , Prince Christian , Bro . the W Lathom , and Bro . Sir J . Whittaker and Lady Ellis . THE DUCHESS OK TECK , attended by the Hon . Mary Thesiger and the Hon . ' Nelson Hood , opened the new Homoeopathic Hospital in Great Ormond-street on » day . The City of London Artillery Volunteers , of which the Duke of Teck is ™ ° ' al Colonel , furnished a guard of honour and the building was gaily decorated . Her ' 1 Iighncss was very cordially greeted by the President and Committee .