Masonic And General Tidings.

Masonic and General Tidings .

BRO . COLONEL T . DAVIES SEW ELL has been elected on the board of Truefitts ( Limited ) . THERE is a likelihood of Bro . Sheriff Lawrence being adopted as a candidate for the Stratford division of Manchester . THE FRIENDS of Bro . Col . T . Davies-Se-well will be interested to learn that his City address is now Temple House , Temple-avenue . WESTERN AUSTRALIA . —The revenue of Western Australia for the past month amounted to £ 263 , 282 , against £ ' 240 , 148 in January , 1000 .

THE LADY MAYORESS , Miss Kathleen Haydn Green , has consented to become one of the'Vice-Presidents of the Society of Women Journalists . BRO . SINCLAIR , Archdeacon of London , was invested as Chaplain of the Great City Lodge , No . 142 ( 1 , on Saturday last , by the W . M ., Bro . Frederick George Joy . THROUGH THE kindnessof Bro . the Lord Mayor the British and Foreign Sailors ' Society will hold its 83 rd annual meeting at the Mansion House on Monday , May 13 th .

THE KHEDIVE has warmly congratu ' ated Bro . Sir John Aird on the splendid work done on the dams of Assuan and Assiut , and the great benefit the country would derive thereby . THE MEMBERS of Scientific Lodge , No . 88 , Cambridge , have ordered to be placed on their minutes a record of their sense of the great loss which the nation has sustained by the death of the Queen , and congratulations to the M . W . Grand Master on his accession to the throne .

LONDON GENERAL PORTERS' BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION . —The 34 th annual dinner will be held at the Hotel Metropole , Whitehall-place , S . W ., on Friday , the 29 th prox . Bro . Victor L . Tapling ( of Messrs . T . Tapling and Co ., Limited ) , will preside . Dinner on table 6 . 30 for 7 o'clock . A TELEGRAM expressive of sympathy with his Majesty the King on the death of her late Majesty Queen Victoria and of greeting to him on his accession has been received at the Colonial Office from the Provincial Grand Lodge Officers , Netherlands , Constitution , Freemasons , on behalf of all lodges in South Africa .

THE two lodges of instruction held in Hackney in connection with the Duke of Connaught , No . 1524 , and St . Leonard Lodges , No . ijGfi , will hold a joint dinner in the Town Hall , Hackney , to-morrow ( Saturday ) . Bro . Walter Johnson , J . P ., will preside , and it is expected that there will be a very large gathering of local brethren . THE HONORARY SECRETARIES of H . R . H . the Prince of Wales ' s Hospital Fund for London are authorised to state that there is no intention of making any alteration whatever in the title of this Fund . Its full title is , it should be remembered , " The Prince of Wales ' s Hospital Fund for London to commemorate the 60 th year of the Queen's reign . "

THE ROYAL FARMS at Windsor will , it is stated , be maintained for the future on the lines laid down by the Prince Consort , and carried on so successfully since the death of that wise Prince by her Majesty the late Queen . The stock on the farms , including the famous pure-bred herds o { Shorthorn , Devon , and Hereford cattle , have been left to his Majesty King Edward VII .

THE PAST WEEK in the drapery trade has been characterised by a lull in the demand for mourning goods—a decided lull . The rush for black while it lasted was enormous . It monopolised all attention , to the exclusion of everything else . But the reaction has come , and the flow of orders for black stuff has dwindled away to merely something over normal proportions .

FEW 1 'EOI ' I . E have had up to the present time any conception of the number of men—and women—who make their living by money-lending . The passing of the recent Act has served to draw aside the veil , and now each person so engaged i ; obliged to register himself . Good service is rendered by the publication of a complete list of these traders by the Argus Publishing Company . The list is given according to the districts in which the lenders carry on their business .

A SPECIAL CHAPTER OI- GREAT PRIORY will be held at the Mark Masons' Hall , Great Queen-street , London , on Thursday , the 21 st instant , at 3 . 45 for 4 o ' clock precisely , to vote a loyal and dutiful address to his Majesty the King on the lamented death of her late Majesty Queen Victoria , offering him the respectful sympathy of Great Priory , and further tendering to his Majesty the humble and respectful congratulations of the United Orders of the Temple and Hospital on his accession to the Throne .

BY THE DEATH of Mrs . Eleanor Sampson , which took place on Saturday lait , at Paddington , at the age of 09 years , the temperance cause loses one of its staunchest advocates . The deceased lady was the oldest known teetotaler in England . Born on 19 th January , 1 S 02 , of teetotal parents , she was one of a family of 13 children , three of whom lived to be over So years of age , and , having married in 1 S 24 a merchant seaman , she herself had 12 children , all daughters , six of whom married , so that at the time of the venerable lady ' s death she had 35 grandchildren , and as many as S 2 great grandchildren . They are all total abstainers .

MESSRS . PUTTICK AND SIMPSON concluded on Friday , the Sth instant , the four Jays' aale ot a collection of British , colonial , and foreign postage stamps . Among the prices were : British Guiana , 1850 , 4 c . yellow , pelure paper , cut round and mounted , extremely rare , £ 48 ; ditto , 12 c . blue , cut square , £ 44 ; British Guiana , 185 ( 5 . 4 c , blue , a very line bright copy , but with corners cut , extremely rare , £ 58 ; Hawaii , 1 S 51 , 5 c . blue , outer line very slightly torn into at one place , and cancellation rather heavy , £ 72 ; ditto , 13 c . blue ( first type ) , slightly damaged and rather heavy cincellaticn , £ 4 0 . The four days' sale amounted to about £ 4200 .

APROPOS of the princely gift of Mr . F . J . Ilorniman , M . P ., to Londoners , through the Coumy Council , it is of interest to note that but for the donor ' s illness a few yeais ago the museum at Forest-hill would probably be owned at the present thus in tru-it by the Corporation . At the time he was a candidate for Sheriff , it wis an open secret that Mr . Horniman intended offering the museum to the City . Unfortunately , a serious illness occurred at this time , and shortly before the Hay of election , Mr . Horniman was compelled to relinquish his aspirations , and retire from the contest . If he had been chosen as a Sheriff the City , and not the County Council , it is safe to say , would be the owner of this magnificent collection of curios and antiquities . —City Press .

THE ROYAL ALIIKKT ORPHAN ASYLUM , BAQSHOT , SURREY . —Ko .- Necessitous Boys and Girls from all parts of the United Kingdom . —The Festival Dinner in aid of the funds of this Asylum will be held at the Hotel Metropole ( Whitehall Rooms ) , on Monday , 29 th April , at 7 . 30 p . m ., when the Right Hon . Viscount Duncannon , C . B ., has kindly consented to preside . Her late Gracious Majesty Queen Victoria was for many years the patrcn of this Asylum , which was founded in 1 S 64 as a memorial to

the Prince Consort . The Queen , on many occasions , showed a kind inteiest in the welfare of the Charity , and ' w 18 ( 7 visited the Asylum- for the purpose of opening the large hall of the institution . Her Majesty was an annual subscriber to its iunds . It is respectfully submitted for the approval of the public that an institution so closely connected with these venerated names should not be allowed to suffer for want of means necessary to cany on its beneficent work amongst poor and fatherless children . Bro . Sir Reginald Hanson is Treasurer .

IN CONNECTION with the Robinson Lodge of Instruction , No . 2046 , Bro . J . B . Groom , P . M ., P . P . G . Org ., gave a lecture at the Freemasons' Hall , lirewer-street , Maidstone , on the 7 th instant , on " The Origin , Symbolism , and Work of the Early Operative Masonic Lodges . " The President . Bro . F . VV . Wright , P . M ., P . P . S . G . D ., occupied the chair , and there were about ( m brethren present , including visitors from sister lodges in the town and neighbourhood . The Chairman referred to the death of the Queen in his opening remarks ; and Bro . Groom said the great sorrow which had

darkened hall and hamlet had very properly disorganised all social functions . It was , however , felt that the lecture need not be postponed , as it might prove a comforting and legitimate break in a sad and weary week , and moreover the study of history was very often a consolation to troubled and p-rplexed minds . The lecture was of an interesting and instructive character , and was illustrated by lantern views , specially prepared by Bro . VV . Stansell , F . J . C ., l . P . M , Bro . Green was congratulated on his lecture , and ) Sro . Stansell on the excellent pictures produced .

Masonic And General Tidings.

BRO . SIR HENRY HARDEN has been elected a member of thecouncil of the Ruskir Union . BRO . T . BRIGGS will be nominated as the deputy governor of the Irish Society for the year ensuing . . \ BRO . ALDERMAN SIR WILLIAM TRELOAR will preside at St . James's Restaurant on Tuesday , the 2 Gth instar . t , at the banquet of the London Entertainments Protection Association .

BRO . LORD GEORGE HAMILTON has appointed Mr . R . F . Cavendish , M . P ., to be his private secretary for Parliamentary purposes , in succession to Bro . G . W . E , Loder , M . P ., who has resigned the appointment . OWING to the death of Queen Victoria , the dinner annually given by the Marquis of Salisbury on the eve of the opening of Parliament will not take place . For the same teason the other Ministerial dinners have also been abandoned .

A MEETING of the members of the Cabinet Committee was held on Tuesday after , noon at the Piivy Council , Whitehall , among those present being the Right Hon . A . J . Balfour . Bro . the Duke of Devonshire , Bro . the Right Hon . Walter Long , and the Right Hon . Joseph Chamberlain . MONSIGNOR GRAETO-PIGNATELLI PRINCE DE BELMONTH , the Papal Envoy to this country with a letter to King Edward Vll . from Leo . XIII ., and who was last week graciously received by his Majesty , has left London , attended by his suite . Prior to his departure the Prince de Belmonte forwarded a donation of iooof . to the Prince of Wales ' s Hospital Fund .

THE WREATHS sent for the funeral of her late Majesty the Queen , which had been placed in the vicinity of the Memorial Chapel , have , by the King ' s command , been removed to Frogmore , and are placed , with many others previously sent there , round the mausoleum . A list is being prepared of the names attached to the wreaths , and will be laid before his Majesty when complete .

BRO . THE EARL OK MOUNT EDGCUMBE , G . C . V . O ., Provincial Grand Master of Cornwall , and Past Deputy Grand Master of England , has had an address prepared for presentation to his Majesty the King , as Grand Master of the English Freemasons , in the name of the Provincial Grand Officers of Cornwall and of Cornish Freemasons , members of the 30 lodges in the county and also of the Cornish Lodge , London .

A SUPPLEMENT to the Loudon Goae / te , issued on Tuesday night , dated Wednesday , the 13 th instant , contains the following " Marlborough House , Feb . 12 , 1901 . The King , as Sovereign ot the most noble Order of the Garter , has been graciously pleased to command that a special statute under the seal of the Order shall be issued for conferring upon her Majesty the Queen the title and dignity of a Lady of that most noble Order , and fully authorising her Majesty to wear the Insignia thereof . "

His MAJESTY THE KING and H . R . H . the Duke of Cornwall and York dined with his Majesty the King of Portugal and the members of his suite at Buckingham Palace on Monday evening . The Marquis de Several , Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary from Portugal , and M . de Cameira Manoel , Secretary of the Portuguese Legation , had the honour of being invited . After dinner their Majesties , escorted by a detachment of 2 nd Life Guards , drove to Victoria Station , where the King of Portugal took leave and left for the Continent .

SEASIDE , FARMHOUSE , AND COUNTRY LODGINGS , SEASON KJOI . —The Great Northern Railway Company have again arranged with Mr . Walter Hill , of 71 , Southampton-row , London , W . C ., to prepare and print for the company a list of seaside , farmhouse , and country lodgings , and hotels and boarding-houses in the vicinity of Great Northern stations , so that the travelling public may have the means of ascertaining what lodgings of this description are available . The station masters at the various Great Northern stations are collecting the necessary information , and the book will be published early next spring .

THE KING OF THE HELLENES took leave of their Majesties the King and Queen at Marlborough House on Tuesday morning , and left for Athens . The King and their Royal Highnesses the Duke of Cornwall and York and Prince Charles of Denmark accompanied the King of the Hellenes to Victoria Railway Station . A guird of honour of the Grenadier Guards , with the colour and band of the regiment , was mounted at the railway station upon the departure of the King of the Hellenes . The King received in audience Bro . Earl Roberts , K . G ., Commander-in-Chief , and afterwards saw two privates , who paraded before his Majesty in the new khaki field uniform .

THE ALDERSGATE P . VST OEI-ICERS' CI . UP .. —The montly meeting of this club was held on Monday at the Manchester Hotel . Bro . V . I . R . Longman , CC- ( the President ) , occupied the chair , and there were also present Bros . W . T . Roberts , Rupert Smyth , the Rev . T . Selby Henrey , VV . S . VVhitaker , Dr . Adams , and the Hon . Secretary ( Bro . J . Mayhew ) . The President subsequently entertained the company at supper . His health was afterwards heartily drunk , on the proposition of Bro . the Rev . T . Selby Henrey ( late curate of St . Botolph ' s , Aldersgate , and an old member of the club ) , who expressed the great pleasure it afforded him to renew his connection with the parish . Bro . Longman feelingly replied .

SOME idea of the facilities non given to the working classes to achieve succiss in the educational world is afforded by a statement made in last week ' s agenda of the Board . It appears that a lad named A . T . Sanders , while a puoilat the Bloomfieldroad Higher Grade School , was awarded the Londonderry Scholarship , of the annual value of £ 30 , and tenable for three years . The Head Master of the City of London

School reported that the lad was likely to pass in the first division of the London Matriculation Examination , and afterwards would probably obtain a scholarship at the University , and get into f-. e Indian Civil Service . He therefore earnestly asked the Board if they had any surplus funds out of which to provide for the boy ' s fourth year , as he was thoroughly worthy of it . The Board granted the application .

THE KING held a Court at St . James ' s Palace , on Wednesday , at which his Majesty received , on the Throne , deputations with addresses from the Corporation of the City of London and the London County Council . The King arrived at the Garden entrance of the Palace , escoited by a detachment of the Royal Horse Guards , and was received by the Great Ollicers of State and his Majesty ' s household . His Royal Highness the Duke of Cornwall and York arrived from York House , attended by Sir Charles Cust , Bart ., R . N . His Majesty ' s Bodyguard of the Honourable Corps of

Gentlemenat-Arms was on duty in the State saloons , under the command of Lord Belper , the Captain . The Royal Bodyguard of the Yeoman of the Guard was on duty in the interior of the Palace , under the command of Earl Waldegrave , the Captain . A guard of honour of the Grenadier Guards was mounted in the court of the Palace , and a guard of honour of Royal Horse Guards was stationed in the Mall . The King , accompanied by his Royal Highness the Duke of Cornwall and York , entered the Throne Room at 12 o'clock . His Majesty was attended by the Earl of Pembroke and

Montgomery ( Lord Steward ) , the Earl of Clarendon ( Lord Chamberlain ) , Bro . the Duke ol Portland ( Master of the Horse ) , Bro . Viscount Valentia , M . P . ( Comptroller of the Household ) , Bro . Victor Cavendish , M . P . ( Treasurer of the Household ) , Sir A . Acland Hood , Bart ., M . P . ( Vice-Chambcrlain ) , Lord Kenyon ( Lord in Waiting ) , General Godfrey Clerk ( Groom in Waiting ) , Mr . H . D . Erskine of Cardross ( Groom of the Robes ) , General the Right Hon . Sir Uighton Probyn ( Keeper of the Privy Purse ) , Bro . Sir Francis Knollys ( Private Secretary ) , Captain F . Ponsonby and Lieut .-Colonel

Davidson ( Equerries in Waiting ) , the Hon . Sir Spencer Ponsonby-Fane ( Comptroller in the Lord Chamberlain's department ) , Captain Walter Stopford , Mr . C . J . lnnes-Kerr , Colonel the Hon . Charles Eliot , and Bro . Captain N . G . Philips ( Gentlemen Ushers ) , Field-Marshal Bro . the Right Hon . Viscount Wolseley ( Gold Stick in Waiting ) , Lieut .-Colonel Fenwick , Royal Horse Guards ( Silver Stick in Waiting ) , Lieutenant Viscount Castlere ^ gh , Royal Horse Guards ( Silver Stick Adjutant in YVaiting ) , Colonel II . Ricardo , Grenadier Guards ( Field-Oflicer in Brigade Waiting ) , and Captain M . Earle ,

Grenadier Guards ( Adjutant in Brigade Waiting ) . Bro . the Kight Hon . C . T . Ritchie , M . P ., Secretary of State for the Home Department , was present at the Court . The deputation from the Corporation , headed by Bro . the Lord Mayor , the Sheriffs , the Court of Aldermen , the Court of Common Council , and the Principal Civic Officers were then introduced by the Lord Chamberlain , and presented the Address , which was read by the Recorder , to his Majesty , who was graciously pleased to reply . Bro . the

Lord Mayor and the mover of the Address and the two senior Aldermen , Bro . Sir Whittaker Ellis , Bart ., and Bro . Sir Henry Knight , were then presented to t . ie King . The deputction from the London County Council was afterwards introduced with like ceremony , and presented an Address , to which the King graciously replied . The chairman ( Mr . Dickinson ) , the vice-chairman , and the deputy-chairman had the honour of being presented to his Majesty . The deputation then withdrew