Another Terrible Colliery Explosion.

ANOTHER TERRIBLE COLLIERY EXPLOSION .

The most appalling disaster that has occurred in the history of British coal mining , with the solitary exception of that which happened at the Oaks Colliery , Barnsley , in 1866 , occurred at the collieries of Messrs . Richard Evans and Co ., Haydock , about seven miles from Wigan . The

firm employs several thousands of hands , and their chief offices are in the centre of a thicklypopulated village , situated a short distance from Earlstown Junction , on the Manchester and Liverpool section of the London , and Northwestern Railway . The village , which , although very neat and clean for a colliery village , still

possesses many of the dusky characteristics of its class , is about a quarter of a mile distant , and , in extending their operations to the Wood Pits , the colliery proprietors have mined a piece of wooded country , and the head gearing is on one or two sides lvd from view by the trees among which it is situated . The principal charge of these extensive collieries is in the hands of Mr .

Chadwick , a gentleman of very large experience in mining , who had among his staff several certificated managers , and who has had for many years the reputation of being one of the most accomplished minine : engineers of the district . Thus speaks the Thnes on Saturday last , and most mournful is the account of this appalling

disaster . Though 250 miners were said to be " down" at the time of the explosion , this account is not quite correct , though it is to be feared that 180 pcor fellows at least have laid down their lives . The question must occur to

us all , can science do nothing to mitigate the effect and avert the possibility of such terrific explosions ? The account of the distress of the families is very heart-rending , the record of the gallantry of those who volunteered to go down most affecting .

The Election Of Secretary To The Girls' School.

THE ELECTION OF SECRETARY TO THE GIRLS' SCHOOL .

We are happy in being permitted to state that we understand the Great Hall of the Freemasons ' Tavern is secured for the election , a fact which will be bailed by all , and we trust that we shall not be deemed presumptuous in suggesting to

the authorities of the Girls' School that arrangements should be made to simplify the process of verify ing the qualified voters , and distributing the voting papers . In the Great Hall each of the Committees can have a separate table .

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

[ We responsible Tor , or even as approving of iheopinions expressed by our correspondent ? , but we wish , In a spirit of fair play to all , to permit—within certain necessary limits—free discussion . —Rn . l

ELFXTION OF SECRETARY , GIRLS' SCHOOL . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — Will you allow me on behalf not only of Bro Paul Storr , one of the candidates , but equally in the in terest of those who intend to put themselves to the ami

able trouble of attending at Freemasons Hall on the 1 ith of July to vote , to respectfully offer a suggestion , or rather two suggestions . The fiist is that , looking at thc short hours of polling , 2 to 3 , thc alphabet should be broken into at least six divisions , with a polling place to each . The second is , if anything , more important . We highly

value our Lady Governors , and of these I am m a position to say that Bro . Storr numbers many among his supporters . Probably oilier candidates do the like . Let there be a separate and easily accessible polling place for ladies only . So shall they be encouraged to come , be freed from crowding or inconvenience , and go away with a better opini m of Freemasonry than ever . I am , fraternally yours , JOHN B . MONCKTON .

ANNUAL RETURNS TO GRAND LODGE . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brotht r , — Last week , happening to be in town for thc Derb y , 1 seized the oppo'tunitv to attend the Quarterly Communication of Grand Lodge . A ter the business , I had the curiosity to look over the register boi . ks in the ante-room , more

particularly as regards the nineteen lodges in the province to which I belong . That inspection , I am ashamed to confess , let in daylight on serious deiilection of duty on the part of newly installrd Masters and newly appointed Secretaries of at least half-a-dozen lodges of the nineteen ] refer to , inasmuch as annual returns do not appear to have been made of the Masters , Wardens , and Past Masters , for

Original Correspondence.

periods varying from two to eighteen years . Will it be believed that one of the lodges so neglectful of its duty , or ignorant of thc " Book of Constitutions , " is over a century old , and has more than a hundred subscribing . members ? Another lodge , whose warrant dates from i 860 , does not appear to have made a single return I Supposing any

present officer or Past Master not returned to the Grand Secretary , were to present himself at Grand Lodge , and be refused admission , who would be to blame ? May I be permitted to give the important clause bearing on the subject , viz ., pp . 66 and 67 , 8 vo edition , " Book of Constiutions" ? : —" 2 ; . Each lodge shall annually make a

return to the Grand Secretary ot the Masters , Wardens , and Past Masters , of the lodge and of all members who claim to be entitled to attend the Grand Lodge as Past Masters , having served the office of Master in some other lodge , specifying the lodge in which each of them has served the office of Master , and no brother shall be

permitted to attend the Grand Lodge unless his name shall appear in such return . " I am not aware whether any other provinces are oblivious of the existence of the above rule ; but , at all events , as regards ray own province , 1 shall feel it my duty to mention the ¦ subject at our very next meeting . Very fraternally yours , A . P . M . AND PROVINCIAL

OFFICERQUERIES . To Ihe Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — Can you , or any of your numerous readers , favour me , an American brother , with a reply to the following queries : — First . Whether Dr . Birdwood ' s " Hand-Book to the

Indian Court of the Paris Exhibition" is on sale , and if so , thc price . Second . Can some of your Correspondents give us the derivation of thc word " Aryan , " and what it strictly alludes to . I often see it used , but have never been able to find a clear and satisfactory definition of it . Yours fraternally , W . W . A .

[ The following two letters , which originally appeared in and were addressed to thc Times , appear to deserve preservation in the pages of the Freemason . ' ] THE LETTER " H . " Sir , —I am afraid that the beautiful county of Worcester , far more deserving of the title of thc " Garden of

England" than either Kent or Herefordshire , must be held to be the cunabula of ihe offences of omission and of commission agaimt the letter " h . " I was nearly five years at Bromsgrovc School , and the following lines appeared somewhere about that time in one of the Worcester papers : — "T HE COMPLAINT OF THE LETTER H TO THE INHABITANTS

OF WORCESTERSHIRE . " Whereas by you I have been driven " From Hope , from Home , from House , from Heaven , " And placed by your most learn'd Society " In exile , onguish , and anxiety , " I hereby ask full restitution ,

" And beg you'll mend your elocution . " To which the following rejoinder appeared in the next week ' s paper : — " Whereas we ' ve rescued you , ingrate , " From Hell , from Horror , and from Hate ,

" From / ledgcbill , Ziorsepond , and from Aaltcr , " And consecrated you in Altar , " Wc think you need no restitution , " And shall not mend our elocution . " I rather incline to think that they have kept to t heir determination and have been as good as their word .

" Floreat semper Fidelis Civitas . I am , Sir , your obedient servant , F . O . MORRIS . Nunburnholme Rectory , Hayton , York .

EASILY CAUGHT . Sir , —Will you kindly suffer a word of warning to those in search of cooks ? About a fortnight ago , in answer to an advertisement in 77 ie Times , a respectable , middle-aged female presented herself at our vicarage . She was , according to her own

description , what we had been longing for and sighing after for many weary years—perfectly au fait at dairy work , breadmaking , and plain cooking , with an inveterate hostility to beer , spirits , and followers on the kitchen premises , a paragon of perfection , in short , for £ 25 a year , everything included . Somewhat inexperienced in the ways

of a wicked world , she had started from Eastboume that day , and , as they would not book her faither than Hastings , she had spent all her money and was left high and dry at our vicarage with an empty purse and no return-tickct . Being tender-hearted , compassionate people in our humble way , we obligingly gave her a good dinner , left her the

superintendence of our spoons and forks while in consultation together , and , rather than that she should walk all the way back to Eastbourne , my wife made her a parting present of 14 s ., second-class fare , as our newly-found friend could not endure the rough company that usually travelled third . Would you believe it , Sir , this paragon of perfection , this domestic treasure , to whom the dairy work of six cows

was but a trifling lecrcation—a pleasant interlude in the midst of life ' s sterner duties—turns out to have been an arrant impostor ? Thc lady to whom she gave a reference for a seven years' character existed only in her ardent imagination . The vicar of the parish who a fortnight ago buried her mother repudiated her with scorn , and finally , to crown all , a letter addressed to Miss Evans herself

Original Correspondence.

—this is the treasure ' s name—is returned endorsed " Not known . " The next paragon that appears may walk to Jeiicho if she likes , but I scarcely think that her expenses en route will at the present be defrayed by A COUNTRY VICAR .

Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

ROYAL MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION .

The monthly meeting of the committee of this Institution was held on Wednesday , at Fie < masons' Hall . Bro . Col . Creaton , V . P . and Trustee , presided . There werealso present : Bros . Dr . Jabez Hogg , J . G . Stevens . J . Newton , Charles G . Hill , Jas . Willing , jun ., S . Rawson , Erasmus

Wilson , G . Bolton , Thos Cubitt , Charles John Percival L . Stean , H . Massey ( Freemason ) , and James Terry ( Sec . ) Bro . Terry read the following report of thc House Com - mittee to the Committee of Management : " The House Committee desire to report that on the 7 th May some of the stewards cf the late Festival visited the Institution , ana , after inspecting thc buihiing , were

entertained at luncheon by various members who were present to receive them . Upon the occasion they were pleased to express their high gratification at witnessing the comfort of thc residents and thc admirable order of the building and grounds . That on the 31 st May they again visited the Institution , with the secretary , and paid the annuitants . They availed themselves of the opportunity afforded

by this visit of presenting to Dr . Strong , the honorary surgeon , the testimonial voted to him at the last committee meeting , which consisted of a service of plate , and was very kindly presented by Col . Creaton on behalf of the commiltee , and graciously acknowledged by Dr . Strong . They have also to report that D . Hazbittlc , the new gardener , commenced woik on the ird inst ., and seems to be

a useful man . The residents are all in a good state of health considering their advanced years . The Institution is in a thorough state of repair , and , as far as can beforeseen , will not require for some time any considerable outlay to keep it so . " ( Signed ) J . CREATON . " Croydon , May 3 rd , 1878 . "

Bros . john Hervey , Benjamin Head , Gol . Creaton , W . Hale , and H . G . Warren , were re-elected the Finance Committee . The election of the House Committe resulted in the return of Bros . Benjamin Head , Col . Creaton , Raynham W . Stewart , J . A . Farnfield , and C . J . Percival . Half her late husband ' s annuity was presented to a

widow , and Bro . Terry obtained the leave of the committee for the use of the hall at the Institute at Croydon for the summer entertainment to thc inmates . Leave of absence was granted to several of the annuitants who desire to visit their friends at this season ; after which Bro . Wm . Stephens gave notice that he should move that a life-governorship of the Institution should be presented to Bro . Cutbush , in recognition of his kindness and

liberality in giving the Institution in the course of the last three years about £ 100 . worth of flowers , & c ., for the garden . Bro . Erasmus Wilson gave notice that he would move that an alteration be made in rules 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , and 26 , so as to alter thc donations to the Institution to guineas instead of pounds . A vote of thanks to the chairman closed the proceedings .

TERMSOKSTJBSCRIPTION TO THE "Freemason " Twelve Months 10 s . fid . six .. 5 s . 3 d . Thtte „ 2 S . gd .

Post free to any part of the United Kingdom . Address , Publisher , 198 , Fleet Street , London . FREEMASONRY IN PORTSMOUTH . —We understand a few zealous and experienced Masons contemplate the founding of a new lodge of Freemasons near the Commercial-road , Landport for the convenience of brethren residing in that locality , and a desire to spread thc

principles of Masonry in this large and thriving borough . We hope they may be successful in their application and endeavour to emulate thc successful working and practice of benevolence as is done in those lodges which are established and so well known . PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF MIDDLESEX . —A meeting of this Grand Lodge takes place at the

Greyhound Hotel , Hampton Court , this ( Saturday ) afternoon , at 4 o ' clock . Banemtt at 6 , with Col . Francis Burdett , P . G . S . W ., R . W . Grand Master in the chair . The musical arrangement are in the hands of Bro . T . C . Walls , S . W . 1381 , G . Org . Middx . A report of the proceedings will appear in our next . Mr . George Henry Savage , M . D . University

London , L . R . C . P . London , has been appointed President physician and medical superintendent of thc Royal Hospital of Bethlehem , at £ 700 per annum , pupils fees , furnished residence , & c , vice Williams , appointed a Commissioner in Lunacy ; Mr . George Davis , L . R . C . P . London , M . R . C . S . England , has been appointed resident obstetric assistant to thc Westminster Hospitpl , vice Horner , whose appointment has expired .

We learn from Wednesday ' s City Press that the funeral of the late Bro . E . S . Stillwelf took place at Highgate on Saturday . The mourners were Bro . Stillwell ' s sons and other members of his family , and Bro . Alderman Knight ; and amongst those who attended to shpw their respect for the deceased were many members of the Commen Council , besides the managers , foremen , and workpeople from the establishments in Barbican and Little Britain .