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numbers , wherein some speeches of the Secretary are faithfully reported , trod rather lightly on the ground of what would be thc total of the Stewards ' lists . lie referred in those speeches t 0 the magnificent subscription to the Boys ' School and thc Benevolent Institution , and

tfhile informing the brethren that upwards of r 14 , 000 in the aggregate had been collected at the festivals of those two institutions , merely expressed his hope and confidence that the Craft would liberally support the favourite institution , 0 f which he had recently taken the duties . We

presume that , when he spoke , either modesty restrained him from anticipating a great collection for the Girl ' s School , or by keeping down the ardour of his fellow Craftsmen , he intended to take them by surprise . But whether or not cither of these were his motives , it cannot be

denied that the general body of Freemasons were not prepared for such an announcement as he made when he concluded his reading of the Stewards ' lists , that they amounted in the whole to £ 7 , 44 8 , with several lists yet to come in . Of the exertions made to obtain such an amount we

cannot speak too highly . We care not at all for the different Masonic qualities of any brethren . We sink all differences when we are engaged in the one great work of charity , and however widely our notions may differ on points which are only of minor detail , wc unite as a

band of brethren when the poor and distressed are out in the cold appealing for aid . Masonry is increasing now with unprecedented rapidity and we congratulate all the Institutions on their great success , and viewing the daughters of the distressed Freemasons as the most helpless of all

the objects of the brethren s bounty , we hail with immense satisfaction the glorious success which attended the Girls' Festival of Wednesday last . About 250 brethren sat down to banquet , among whom we noticed : —Bros , the Rev . A .

B . Fraser , Samuel Tomkins , John Hervey , Ii . Browse , John B . Monckton , D . Erasmus Wilson , Major W . Piatt , Dr . Jabez Hogg , Dr . Barriuger , R . J . Spiers , of Oxford , Raynham W . Stewart , Peter Matthews , Hyde Pullen , John Read , Rev . D . Shaboe , Thomas Fenn , Joshua Nunn ,

P . G . S . B ., Sir Gilbert Campbell , Ii . Bridges , A . J . D . Filer , I <\ Binckes , Sec . Boys' School ; James Terry , Sec . Benevolent Institution ; W . Paas , J . A . Rucker , Dudley Rolls , W . Gumbleton , P . G . D ., W . Winn , Lieut .-Col . Peters , George Kenning , J . J . Wilson , Ii . Keeble , W . West

Smith , Lieut .-Col . Peters , George Thcobali , Ii . Thompson , H . M Levy , A . A . Pendlebury , W Dodd , F . Harman , F . Walters , Thomas W White , W . Kench , Joseph Last , W . Smeed , Thomas Cubitt , G . P ., and J . T . Moss . A large number of ladies also attended , who

were regaled at seperate banquets , presided over by Bros . Thomas William White , and George Kenning , The different banquets were excellently supplied by Bro . Francatclli , and Bro . Goodchild was wry assiduous in his attention to the duties of Toast Master .

The fiction of the removal of the cloth having been observed , the labours of the chairman commenced , and it is but fair to say that these were discharged in a way which showed that they were no fiction at all .

In giving the first toast , the chairman said Brethren 1 rise to propose the first toast of the evening , that toast which is always well received in every assembly of Englishmen , and never better than anions : assemblies of our own body , " The

Health of Her G ; aeious Majesty the Queen , ' the Patroness of our Order . ( Cheers . ) The toast was followed by the National Anthem . The Chaiiman : Brethren I hope you will excuse me if I seem to htirrv the toasts a little

but 1 fancy that there are fairer scenes for us in a neighboui ing room , and perhaps a belter amusement for you than listening to dry speeches ; therefore , 1 will get on with thc toasts , and the next I have to propose is that ol

"The Health of the Prince of Wales , Past Grand Master and Patron of this ImfiUition . " I need not dilate on the merits of H . R . H . as a Mason , for 1 am sure that many of you were iu this room not a very long time ago , and heard fhe Prince of Wales declare how much ho was

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devoted to the Craft , and how much he intended to uphold the tenets of the Order . I give you also "The Health of the Princess of Wales , Patroness of this Institution . " The toast having been diunk , The chairman said : Brethren the next toast I

have the honour to propose to you , is that of "The Health of our Grand Mastcr , the Marquess of Ripon , " ( hear hear ) . I think I need say no more than to ask you to drink his health . His own acts speak for themselves , and you know what a worthy Grand Master he is , 1 give you his health .

The Chairman : Brethren , before I propose the next toast on the list I cannot resist expressing my deep regret that there is one toast that we have to omit this evening , the toast that usually I believe appears after that I gave last . It has pleased the Great Architect to take our late

Grand Master to himself , and I am sure that no brother F ' rcemason ever went to his grave more deservedly honoured than hc was . The next toast I have to give you is " The Health of the Earl of Carnarvon , the Right Worshipful Deputy Grand Master and the rest of the Grand Oflicers , Past and Present . " The Earl of Carnarvon

asked me especially to say that he had every intention of being here this evening , but unfortunately a banquet which sometimes calls many a public man away from other affairs prevents him from being here—I mean a political banquet . I give you " The Health of the Earl

of Carnarvon , Deputy Grand Master , and the other Grand Oflicers , Past and Present . " Capt . Piatt , Junior Grand Warden , replied . He said , Most Provincial Grand Master , and Brethren , your good wishes for the health of the Deputy Grand Master and the Past and Present

Grand Officers deserve and demand their unqualified and hearty thanks . As far as icgards the present Grand Officers cf the year , so short is the duration of their official existence , that it behoves them to " bear their blushing honours" with becoming humility and meekness . " Drest in a

little brief authority , " they " strut and fret their hour upon" the Masonic " stage , " and perchance are heard no more . " We are not every biennial ! We are only annual . The period of our reign being so limited , it would be most inconsistent with this ephemeral existence and an idle

waste of time to dwell any longer or to launch any more words or language , or I may say "Piatt "—itudes , or be " Like Mr . Trower , Who would take half an hour , To say , nobod y knew what ;

Or like the famed Dr . Fell , Who spoke veiy well , And sat down fatigued and hot . " Again , brethren , I beg in the name of the Grand Officers , Past and Present , to offer our sincere and hearty thanks for this compliment

and recognition . The Rev . A . B . Fraser : Brethren , an hour ago , I thought Masonry had nothing left in store for me , but I find I was mistaken . I have been entrusted with the privilege of proposing to you the health of that distinguished

Mason who honours us by presiding over us this evening . No words of mine can by any possibility be necessary to commend the toast to you . I will , therefore , simply call upon you to honour it as enthusiastically as it always should be . I give you " The Health of Lord Skelmersdale , the Provincial Grand Master of Lancashire . "

The Chairman : Brethren , I thank you most heartilv for the kind and warm way in which you have received my name , and I thank the brother who proposetl it , for the kind way in which he

did it . There are a good many of my Lancashire brethren about the room , and I am sure they will feel flattered b y it . It has given me great satisfaction indeed to be present on this occasion as Chairman . 1 have Unvs wished to

be connected more intimately than I have hitherto been with the Masonic Charities . This is an opening , and I hope I shall be able to follow it up . It is rather a bold thing for me to say with two Secretaries in front of me to take down my words ; but I am sure I mean what I say . All 1 hope is , that any future chairman may not . find himself in the same position as I am—a Chairman unfilled to speak well or persuasively , or to bring foiward all that can be said . But for my-

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self , if I can but induce you to subscribe liberall y I do not care about anything else . I thank you most heartily . The Chairman : Brethren , I now rise to propose the toast of the evening , viz ., " Success to the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls . " I

need hardly ask you to drink that toast heartily . You would not be here if you were not ready to do so . I can assure you , that last Friday , wdien I had the honour of being present at the annual prize-giving-away at the School , it made nie proud to think that I should be here to-day as

Chairman of the festival . ( Hear , hear . ) I can assure you I never was more gratified in my life , or more struck with the completeness and the thorough efficiency of the School , the healthy look of the children , and the evidently good discipline and good teaching that prevailed

in that School . ( Hear , hear . ) I am sure that our warmest thanks are due to those who more immediately interest themselves in that institution—the Committee the Secretary , and , more especially , I may say the Governess . ( Hear , hear . ) Long may she continue the Governess of

that Institution , for it will be very hard to replace her . Brethren , there has been a very great addition to that building lately , viz ., thc infirmary , a very useful building , and a most necessary one in the event of an epidemic , which I hope we may be long spared from hivimr . That

infirmary— I can bear testimony , having been all over it—is a most perfect building . Wh y do I mention this ? Simply because when wc see Committees exerting themselves we ought to support them by coming forward more and more liberally everv day .

I am told , that when the school was originall y founded there were few lodges in the country , and we were only able to provide for a small number of girls . In the year 18 51 there were 400 lodges in the country , and there was accommodation for 40 girls in the School . Now that

there are upwards of 1 , 400 lodges , what is the deduction we ought to draw ? I leave it to the mathematical gentlemen among us to answer it , but I think we ought to quadruple the number , if not more . There are 112 girls in the Institution now , and I believe there are eight vacancies

to be filled up , making 120 in all . I should like to see that Institution with double the number , and I do not see why it should not be done , I am told , but 1 will not trespass on the Treasurer ' s province , or the Secretary ' s , that we have been receiving a gigantic list to-day . I

am glad to hear it . I wish , and I repeat what I I said last Friday , that we could take that school down to the provinces in order to show the biethren their work in providing such a school , have no doubt if we could do so , we should get subscriptions enough to build ten schools . And

as to the education , brethren , people may ask what is the result 5 A very high standard of education is looked for now . I am happy to say it is given in tha ; school . We have only to look at the Oxford and Cambridge middle class examinations and we shall see that all the Girls have

had honourable mention , many have passed with distinction , and not one had not come out well . There is another thing that I ought to mention , as a reason for additional subscriptions . Unfortunately we are in the days of expensive living and still more expensive fuel—perhaps I

ought not to say much about that , as I come from a fuel county—but unfortunately it is so—all the p . ! ore reason , I say , for those that are in the fuel-producing counties to subscribe more liberally . I say that it needs your subscriptions and hope it will have them . I give you " Success

to the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , " and "The Health of the Treasurer , Bro . Tomkins , " with my hearty good wishes for its thorough prosperity . Bro . Tomkins replied , and Bro . Little , the Secretary , read the subscription lists , which amounted to ^ . ' 7448 . { The Report trill le concluded in our next . ' ]

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