Royal Ark Masonry.

plus , part of which would go for charitable purposes , and part towards an installation banquet . The Grand Officers to pay fees of office , to have their past rank confirmed , and that all these fees for office and dispensation fees be the property of this ' Body , which would thus efficiently represent the Royal Ark Mariners' Order .

Bro . R . Wentworth Little , Past Deputy Grand Commander , then stated that Bro . Portal had done him the honour to show him a programme which he meant to submit to this Grand Lodge . He believed it met all the conditions previously arranged , and went further , and conceded that the officers of this lodge should wear their collars in

Grand Mark Lodge . Again , this lodge was to retain all its fees until it had paid the debts it had incurred for clothing , & c . He thought the Grand Master had met , or endeavoured to meet , them in an amicable spirit , and there was probably no brother in the room who did not wish to see the treaty carried out to the fullest extent .

Bro . A . D . Lowenstark then moved that " The Rev . Bro . G . R . Portal be elected Grand Commander , the enthronement to take place on the 21 st of June . " The motion was seconded by Bro . Levander . The G . C . then put the motion , ancl it being carried unanimously , he declared the Rev . G . R .

Portal to be the Grand Commander-elect . Bro . A . D . Loewenstark also moved— " That a Committee be formed of the G . C , and five members of this , as well as of Grand Mark Lodge , to arrange the difficulties in the meantime . " This was seconded by Bro . Levander , and carried unanimously ,

The Committee was then appointed as under : — The G . C ; Bros . Joshua Nunn , Harris , E . H . Finney , A . D . Loewenstark , and M . Emanuel . Bro . Binckes stated that he should immediately take the necessary steps to call together the Committee ofthe Mark Degree , consisting ofthe Grand Master and five members of that degree .

The G . C . informed the brethren that having been so successful in the efforts made to restore this ancient Order to something like its former dignity , and having been so ably seconded by his officers and Royal Ark Mariners generally , he should not relax his endeavours to render it as influential and numerous as possible , in order to hand over to the Grand Commander-elect a powerful and

wellorganised body of brethren , ancl which must be a source of gratification to both degrees . There being no further business , Grand Lodge was closed in ample form . The appearance of the rooms on this occasion was certainly picturesque and handsome in the extreme , the brethren wearing the grand clothing , jewels , & c , of thc Order .

A Special Lodge of the Ancient and Honourable Fraternity of Royal Ark Mariners was held by dispensation at the Freemasons' Tavern on Thursday , the gth inst . Thc lodge was opened hy Bro . Meyer A . Loewenstark , G . S . B ., in due form and with solemn prayer , when Bros . Waters and Longstaff were admitted and obligated as Royal Ark Mariners . The ballot was taken for Bro . Major E . Hamilton Finney , 31 ° ; John Read ( Grand 0

Organist Mark ); and A . Ii . Cook , 30 ; which proving unanimous in their favour , Bros . Finney and Read were admitted , and elevated to the degree of Royal Ark Mariners according to antient custom . On the retiring of some of thc brethren , an Assembly of Commanders of the Order was then properly formed , and Bros . Finney , Starkey , and T . W . Barrett had the rank of Commander

conferred on them by dispensation , the ceremony being conducted hythe G . C , Bro . Morton Edwards , assisted by Bro . S . Rosenthal , 33 ° , G . D . C , and Bro . Lazarus , P . C . No . 2 . The brethren were then readmitted , and saluted thc newly-enthroned Commanders . No other business being before the lodge , it was closed in due form and with solemn prayer .

Dove Lodge , No . 4 , —A meeting of this lodge was held at Freemasons' Tavern , Great Queen-street , on Wednesday , the 1 st of February , when a number of brethren of the order were present ; A . D . Loewenstark , Commander . Bro . Major II . T . Duncan , D . G . M . for 15 . Burmah , and Bro . Geo . Neall were elevated , and the Commander-elect , Bro . Israel Abrahams was enthroned as Commander N .,

and invested his ofiicers as follows : —liros . S . l ' ollitzcr , S . W . J . ; Wolf Littaur , J . W . S . ; Rosenthal ! , S . D . ; Funkenstein , J . D . ; Albert , Steward ; M . Emanuel , D . C . ; J . Emanuel , Guardian ; A . D . Loewenstark , Treas . ; E . Hart , Organist ; Meyer A . Loewenstark , Secretary ; Laing , Warden . Thc lodge was then closed in due form and with solemn prayer . At the banc | uct ( a capital one ) which took place after the M irk Lodge was closed , Bro . M .

Edwards , G . C , staled that he had had thc pleasure of elevating the M . W . G . Mark Master , and several Grand Officers , as well as some officers of Grand Craft Lodge , and some idea might be formed of the progress this degree is making , when out of some 30 who were round the table , all except live or six were Koyal Ark Mariners , and ha hoped that this degree , having been buried for years as one might say , possessing merits lo some unknown , may yet become of considerable importance .

THE BEST FIRST . —Turner ' s Tamarind Cough Emulsion for the Throat and Bronchia , i 3 / 2 d . and 2 / 9 per bot . —All wholesale houses in London and Liverpool , and any respectable Chemist . —[ Advi . 'J

The "Captain" Relief Fund.

THE "CAPTAIN" RELIEF FUND .

The officers of H . M . 5 . " Resistance , " several of whom are members of the Craft , gave an amateur performance at the Birkenhead Theatre on the 27 th ult ., in aid of the fund for relief of the widows and orphans of those who perished in the " Captain . " The ill-fated ship having been built at

Birkenhead , a great deal of interest is naturally felt in that locality in everything connected with her mishap , and that , together with the novelty of the entertainment given by the gallant officers , caused the theatre to be well filled . The evening for the performance having been quite accidentally chosen ,

it was a curious coincidence thatthat very day completed a year since the ship was floated out from the building-yard into the river Mersey . The pieces selected for this occasion were "Our Wife " and the Irish farce " More Blunders than One , " in both of which the officers acquitted themselves very

creditably . Between the plays , Lieut . Heron . R . N ., entertained the audience with a song , which was vociferously encored , and the same compliment was also paid to Mr . Burnley , R . N ., for his admirable execution of a sailor ' s " hornpipe . " The evenine ' s amusement commenced with a most

appropriate prologue , written by Bro . Capt . Shanks , Royal Marines ( W . M . 189 ) , Knight of the Order of the Medjidie , & c , who , at the rising of the curtain , came forward and delivered it with great emphasis and precision , being frequently interrupted by enthusiastic and well-earned applause . When it

was concluded , Bro . Shanks was again called to the front , and received quite an ovation from the well-pleased audience . This is the second entertainment of the kind that the officers of the " Resistance " have given within the last two months , and they have thus added considerably to the " Captain " Fund .

PROLOGUE . Twelve months ago— 'tis that within a day—The " Captain " first on Mersey ' s river lay ; This day completes one year-since she with pride Came forth to navigate the restless tide ; On Friday she came forth—a day , ' tis said ,

That even bravest sailors greatly dread—But who then thought that noble ship would be So soon o ' erwhelmed with dire catastrophe ? Noble indeed she was—matchless in strength and speed , Perfect in all but safety ! As a steed

From the restraint of rein and curb set free Wanders uncheck'd , she roamed the faithless sea ; She sought not idle , calm repose , but loved To face the tempest in its fiercest hour , Yet , though her crew were brave , the sequel prov'd She could not cope with its tremendous power . Let us not sorrow for those heroes gone ,

'Twas God ' s high will ! their race on earth was run ! Within their liquid sepulchre they sleep , May He their widows and their orphans keep . Their death , to us , a lesson can impart That should not fail to reach the hardest heart , It loudly bids us lift our thoughts above , And put our trust alone in heavenly love !

Friends of the widow and the fatherless ( As you desire that God should aid or bless ) , Do you—with gen'rous rivalry—how prove Foremost in deeds of charity and love ; Bc ' t yours to dry the widow's burning tear , The wretched orphan's poverty to cheer ,

To soothe the bed of sickness , to impart Hope to thc hopeless—heal the breaking heart . These arc worthy objects—these , at least , Can give pure pleasure to thc human breast ; For this we , Amateurs , now tread the stage ,

You , too , who hear me , 111 this cause engage . We do not wish , to-night , to us our power Merely to frisk away an idle hour , Wc seek to aid in charity's design And , in our task , most gladly see you join .

What joy ' twould be if every heart could feel That happiness springs from thc wounds we heal ; Could wc but see all undisclosed despair , And take delight in giving comfort there ; What joy if all the springs within that move The tender sympathies of social love Were melted to compassion ' s softest mood , And our souls stirred—for age—to doing good .

When this world's vanities are nearly o'er , Ere fate thc curtain drops to rise no more ; When the fast fleeting breath has ahrost sped , Some moments thus devoted then will shed A calm and tranquil bliss , a ray serene , To gild thc mortal drama ' s closing scene .

Thoughts such as these made us adopt this plan For bringing some relief to suffering man , Inspir'd the Actors ( who will now appear ) With hope to dry , at least , one bitter tear

From those , lo whom that dreadful wreck has shown What ' tis to pass through life unlov'd—alone ! Should then our efforts and our hopes succeed , Yours be the merit , your : ; the happy meed

The "Captain" Relief Fund.

Which gracious Heaven promises to those Who look with charity on human woes I With true delight our histrionic crew Exert themselves to win applause from you And feel supremely gratified to be The humble instruments of Charity !

Cynics may say we re but a motley crew , As well to acting as to speaking new : That accusation is perhaps , too true ! Yet , though our skill as orators be slight , And though our powers , Dramatic , may be few , When British Sailors and Marines unite There ' s nothing that they cannot " dare and do " !

Captain Petersen's Steam Life Boat.

CAPTAIN PETERSEN'S STEAM LIFE BOAT .

The invention of Capt . C . W . Petersen , for the application of steam power to lifeboats , is destined to effect an important improvement in our lifeboat system , and consequently to increase very considerably the means at our disposal for saving life at sea . The committee of the Shipwrecked Mariners' Society , after examining the models and drawings of

the invention , have expressed themselves greatly pleased with it , and are especially anxious that it should have an adequate trial , the success of which , we believe , will fully confirm the anticipations which have been formed of it , strengthened by the opinion of practical and scientific men , who have pronounced the invention to be one of the greatest value . Capt . Petersen is confident that his boat will be able to

put to sea in all weathers , and that , if upset , it will instantly right itself without losing its motive power . The advantages it will / possess , both in respect to increased speed and power , over the lifeboats now in use must , of course , be self-evident ; but the great thing is to put the invention to the test . This , Capt .

Petersen is most anxious to do ; but having necessarily exhausted , to a great extent , his available resources in experiments and multifarious incidental operations , he is obliged to appeal to the benevolent and to all interested in sailors and shipping , for subscriptions to enable him to accomplish

this object , and considering the important bearing his invention is likely to have upon one of the greatest of our national philanthropic instrumentalities , we are sure that this appeal will not be made in vain . Indeed , the manner in which it has already been responded to , prevents the barest possibility .

of such a result . The cost of building a trial boat will be about , £ 900 or ^ 1 , , towards which the Committee of Lloyds have subscribed , £ 50 ; the Salvage Institution , , £ 5 2 10 s . ; the Shipwrecked Mariners' Society , , £ 50 ; the Royal National Life Boat Institution , / ioo ; Miss Burdett Coutts , / ioo :

and about , £ 200 have been contributed by merchants and others , making altogether upwards of . £ 500 . The names here mentioned , as subscribers , afford a satisfactory guarantee for the practicability of the proposal , and we trust their liberality will at once be supplemented to such an extent as to ensure the

complete realisation of Capt . Petersen ' s intentions . The object is one of such national importance that it ought to command universal symyathy and support , and to be received with special favour and interest by maritime communities , directly concerned , in the welfare and interest of our seamen .

This being so , Capt . Petersen may reasonably expect such an amount of assistance—and that , too , within a very short time—as will enable him to put his invention to the test . To this end subscriptions are invited , and for their attainment we are pleased to state that the Committee at Lloyd ' s have granted

Capt . Petersen permission to attend daily in the vestibule in order to explain his interesting adaptation of steam power to lifeboat services . Donations may be paid to F . Lean , Esq ., R . N ., Secretary of the Shipwrecked Mariners' Society , Hibernia Chambers , London Bridge ; to Messrs , Fuller ,

Banbury , & Co ., Bankers , 77 , Lombard-street ; to Sir W . Mitchell , editor ofthe Shipping and Mercantile Gazette , in the columns of which paper favourable mention has recently been made of the invention . Wc trust the publicity thus given to thc subject will have the effect of expediting thc carrying out of an

experiment which , from its immediate connection with an essentially national instrumentality , cannot fail to excite the liveliest interest and attention among all who appreciate the dangers of the deep , or who understand , even by imagination , the perils to which seamen are oftentimes exposed within sight of our rock-bound coasts .

Bro . RANSFORD , P . G . Organist , announces that his Annual Evening Concert will take place on Tuesday , thc 28 th inst ., at St . James ' s Hall . BREAKFAST . — Eri's ' s COCOA . — Grateful and Comfdrlint ; . — The very agreeable character of this preparation ha . 1 rendered it : i general favourite . Thc Ci : < ilService Gazette remarks :

- ' * U y a thorough knowledge of the natural laws which govern tl ) C operations of digestion and nutrition , anil hy a careful application ot thc tine prapcrlies of well-selected cocoa . ' Mr . Kpps has provided our breakfast tallies with a delicalely llavoured beverage which may save us many heavy doctors'hills . " Kach packet islnbellcd--jAMKS Kri'S AXIJ Co ., nonio .-op . ithic Chemists , London . Als <\ makers of Kpps ' s Cacaoine . a very li ^ ht , thin , evening beverage . —[ Advt . ]