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 , interesting , and useful information relating to Freemasonry in every degree . Annual subscription in the United Kingdom , Post free , 10 / -

NEW POSTAL RATES . Owing to a reduction in the Postal Rates , the publisher is now enabled to send the " Freemason " to the following parts abroad for One Year for Twelve Shillings ( payable in advance ) : —Africa , Australia , Bombay , Canada , Cape of

Good Hope , Ceylon , China , Constantinople , Demerara , France , Germany , Gibraltar , Jamaica , Malta , Newfoundland , New South Wales , New Zealand , Suez , Trinidad , L ' nited States of America , etc . P . O . O . ' s to be made payable at the chief office , London .

COLONIAL AND FOREIGN SUBSCRIBERS are informed that acknowledgments of remittances received are published in the first number of every month . NOTICE . —It is very necessary for our friends to advise us of all money orders they remit , more especially those from the United States of America and India ; otherwise we cannot tell where to credit them .

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 , Fleet-st .

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NOW READY . VOLUME 8 OF THE " FREEMASON , " from January to December , 1875 , bound in cloth , with richly embossed device on cover . Price 15 shillings . This volume forms a first class reference and chronology of the leading events in Masonry during the past year . It may be had through any bookseller , or at the office , 198 , Fleet-st ., London . NOW READY . Reading Covers , to take 52 numbers of the " Freemason , " price 2 / 6 , may be had at thc office , 198 , Fleetstreet .

Answers To Correspondents.

Answers to Correspondents .

All Communications , Advertisements , & c , intended for insertion in the Number of the following Saturday , must reach the Office not later thar . 12 o ' clock on Wednesday morninir .

E ' . W . S . ( Perth ) . —Vou have not forwarded address of the firm , and there happens to be a large number of that name . On receipt of address , enquiries shall be made . W . M . ELECT . —If appointed to both offices , yes . Bro . Hughan ' s two letters will appear iu our next . Owing to the extreme pressure upon our columns this

week th ! following unavoidably stand over : —Consecration of the Skelmersdale and Hamilton Lodges . Reports of Lodge of Truth , 521 , Huddersfield ; Royal Cumberland Lodge , " Bath , 41 ; Lodge of Honour , Bath , 379 ; Hartington Lodge , 1085 j Pattison Lodge , Plumstead , 013 ; Visit of thc Provincial Grand Lodgeof

Derbyshire to the Phcenix Lodge of St . Ann , Buxton , 123 $ ; Priory Lodge , 1000 ; Royal Commemoration Lodge , 1585 . Welchpool Lodge 99 8 ; Domatic Chapter , 177 ; Laying the Foundation Stone of Workmen ' s House at Clydebank ; and the following Scotch lodges : —3 a , 4 , 131 * 7 StS 7 h 579 . and 587 .

Births, Marriages, And Deaths.

Births , Marriages , and Deaths .

[ The charge is 2 s . Od . for announcements , not exceeding four lines , under this heading . ] BIRTHS . CCNNIS < - . TON . —On the 5 th inst ., atDevi / es , the wife of H . A . Cunnington , of a son . EAST . —On the 7 th inst ., at Cornwall-road , Westbourne Park , the wife of Major C . J . East , of a daughter . HAnnwic-K . —On the 10 th inst ., at Hereford-gardens , Park-lane , the wife of P . C . Hardwick , Esq ., of a son . HENDERSON . —On the Sth inst , at Lancaster-road , N . W .. the wife of I . Hendersoncf a daur / bter .

, MARRIAGES . LITTLE—M'KENZIE . —On the Oth inst ., at Ridge , Herts , Charles Edward Little , M . R . C . S ., Shenley , Herts , to Isabella , daughter of the late A . M'Kenzie . NAPIER—LEITH . —On the 6 th inst ., at St . Peter ' s , Eatonsquare , Lieut , the Hon . John Scott Napier , 92 nd Highlanders , to Isabella , widow of Major J . Leith , V . C . Wii . iouriiiBY—ROBINSON . —On the 15 th ult ., at Madras , Robert Frederick Willoughby , 21 st Fusiliers , to Mary Douglas , daughter of Sir W . R . Robinson . K . C . S . I .

DEATHS . ROUEIITS . —On the 24 th Feb ., Bro . J . J . R . Roberts , ex-President of the Republic of Liberia , and Past G . Master of Liberia . RAWLINS . —On the 1 st inst ., at Allerlhorpe Vicarage , Yorkshire , the Rev . Christopher Rawlins , B . A ., aged 68 . RiciunnsoN . —On the jjth inst ., at Lavender-grove , Dalston , Emily , wife of W . ' T . W . Richardson .

ROPEII . — On the 7 th inst ., in London , Bro . Richard Steven Roper , of Newport , Monmouthshire . Goocii . —On the Sth inst ., at The Limes , Vi ' iSt Brixton , , Albert W . Gooch , in his 87 th year . PortTEu . —On thc 29 th ult ., Bro . Jas . Porter , of Wigton , Prov . G . S . W . iCumbciland and Westmorland , aged ¦)•> . BATH . —On the 6 th inst ., Bro . J . D . Bath , of Aigburth ,

near Liverpool .

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The Freemason , SATURDAY , APRIL 15 , 1876 .

Our Royal Grand Master's Return.

OUR ROYAL GRAND MASTER'S RETURN .

According to the different reports in the " Times , " His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales , on board the Serapis , with the Invincible and Raleigh , preceded by the Helicon , which had left the Port with Admiral Drummond to meet the ships , entered Valletta Harbour at to a . m . on

the 6 th , under salutes from the forts of St . Elmo , Ricasoli , and . Tigne , and from the ships of war . The latter were dressed with flags and the yards manned . At noon the Prince , under salutes from the forts of St . Angelo and Biscaris , landed at Marsa and was received by Governor

Straubenzee and Admirals Drummond and Rice , with the Military and Naval Staff , the members of the Council , and the heads of the Departments . The streets were lined by * the troops , commencing at the Palace corner of Strada Vescova : —i . Royal Artillerv , St . Elmo , Fort Manoel ,

Marsamuscetto , and the Royal Malta Fencible Artillery ; a . St . Elmo Regiment , ioist Royal Britishf Fusiliers j 3 . Floriani Regiment , 98 th ; 4 . 74 th . Highlanders ; 5 th . 71 st Highland Light Infantry ; 6 . 42 nd Highlanders . The procession passed through Portes Desbombes , St .

Anna , and Flonana , into Valletta , through triumphal arches . The road was studded all the way with lofty Venetian masts , with banners and devices , festooned with evergreens . The street balconies were festooned with damask . A guard of honour under a field officer was placed on the

pavement of St . George s-square , facing the entrance to the Palace . The main staircase and corridor leading to the drawing-room were lined by regimental sergeant-majors , and one sergeant from each battery and company . On arrival at the Palace , the Archbishop , members of the

Council , Judges , & c , received His Royal Highness . His Royal Highness was met by Lady Van Straubenzee in the corridor at the head of the stairs , and the Governor conducted him to his apartments . The Palace was reached at 1 . 30 p . m ., and the Prince appeared

on the balcony and acknowledged the loyal salutations of the assembled multitude . The day of the arrival of the Prince of Wales was proclaimed a close hol yday . The two banks distributed bread to the poor , and the

indigent receiving outdoor government relief received iff . each , and inmates of charitable institutions double rations , while a free pardon was granted to seveial well-conducted malefactors . After dinner the Prince witnessed from the

centie balcony of the Palace , amid the deafening cheers of thousands , a grand illumination , with several allegorical transparencies , on the Piazza San Giorgio , where on a grand stand a hymn was chanted , in which most of the Opera artistes and many amateur vocalists and instrumentalists

took part . At 11 p . m . His Royal Highness drove up the Strada Reale , preceded by native bands and banners , passing by Marich ' s Divan , the Casino , the Maltese Dining Hotel , the Cafe de la Reine , the Public Library , the Palace of Justice , and the Union Club , all of which were

brilliantly illuminated , as were the Auberge de Castille and the approach to the Upper Barracca , from which the Prince witnessed a magnificent illumination of the Dockyard and the entire circuit of Valetta Harbour . Along the bastions overlooking these places troops stood closely

ranged with coloured lights . Two thousand Chinese lanterns had been distributed among the boats plying in the harbour . The ships of war and several yachts were illuminated at the masts and yards , the portholes throwing up thousands of beautiful and repeatedly changing tinted lights . Nothing like it was ever before seen in Malta .

At noon on the 7 th a Royal salute was fired in honour of Prince Leopold ' s birthday , and there was a general review of" the garrison at Floriana parade-ground . The Prince presented the 98 th Regiment with new colours , which were blessed by the Bishop of Gibraltar and the senior military chaplains . His Royal Highness lunched with tbe officers of the regiment . The United

Our Royal Grand Master's Return.

Service Ball was given the same night and the illuminations were repeated . The committee for the reception of the Prince of Wales are making every arrangement to give His Royal Highness a hearty reception on his landing . The Prince will be received by * the

Acting Governor and Staff , the Royal Naval officers , the Colonial officials , and with a guard of honour , and proceed to the Casemate-square . There the address of the inhabitants will be presented , and a deputation from the friendly societies and other bodies will join the

procession thence to the Convent , where His Royal Highness will alight . A levee will most probably be the next event , followed by a grand banquet given by His Excellency the Acting Governor , Major-General Somerset , and a reception by Mrs . Somerset will finish the

evening . The following day it is proposed His Royal Highness , as Grand Master of the English Freemasons , shall lay the foundation stone of the new market with Masonic honours , when a . large attendance of the brethren is expected . In the afternoon of the same day a

general parade of the troops in the garrisoa will be held , and in the evening there will be a grand illumination of the town and the Rock and a fete in the Almeda . His Royal Highness will drive through the town to witness the devices , when the united bands of five regiments of the

Infantry Brigade will march in from the Parade , playing the German tattoo and attended by an escort bearing torches ; after which a military concert and dancing will follow . On the next day a monster picnic in the Cork Woods and a meet of the Calpe hounds are arranged

for , and on the 4 th there will be races and athletic sports on the North Front , followed by a grand ball in the evening to ba held in the armoury in the Ordnance Store Department , where a large assemblage *! is expected to be present . " Thus far has the projected programme been

carried , but should the Prince honour the Rock with a longer stay further arrangements will be made to leave nothing undone that the Prince may retain a lively recollection of his visit . On Friday morning the Lord Mayor received a telegram from Malta stating in effect that the

Prince of Wales would have great pleasure in being present at a banquet , followed by a ball , in the Guildhall , to be given by the Corporation of London in celebration of his safe return from India . Our Royal Grand Master left Malta on the nth for Gibraltar , signalling " adieu" to his many friends .

The Vote Of Confidence In The Committees And Executive Of The Boys School.

THE VOTE OF CONFIDENCE IN THE COMMITTEES AND EXECUTIVE OF THE BOYS SCHOOL .

We rejoice to think and to know that the good sense of our excellent Order has practically , let us hope , silenced for some time to come the ebullitions of a morbid antipathy , and has properly

and openly rebuked the un-Masonic practice of defamatory pamphlets . A very numerous meeting at the Quarterly Court of the Boys' School , by an overwhelming majority , has asserted its unabated confidence in the House and Audit

Committees , and in Bro . Binckes , the energetic Secretary , and , indeed , it could not well be otherwise , for despite the able advocacy of our worthy brother , the Mayor of Wakefield , it was quite clear , that the West Yorkshire brethren , to use a common expression , had not reall y * ' a leg to

stand upon . The whole case , from its inception to its close on Monday , was as bad as bad can be , un-Masonic in form , unsound in every element . With no little ingenuity an attempt was made at the meeting to separate the province from the pamphlets , and the pamphlets

from the province , but the common practical sense of Freemasons scouted the latent Jesuitism . Two main points were before the meeting , first , the fact that a great province like West Yorkshire , whose exertions for the Boys' School had been noble , had all of a sudden passed

condemnatory resolutions in open P . G . Lodge , or , rather , accepted and approved of a condemnatory report which they had forwarded to every P . G . M in England . And , andly , that it was clear to every man of common understanding that this provincial agitation and this provincial movement were the " outcome " of a pamphleteering cru-