Masonic And General Tidings.

Masonic and General Tidings .

MADAME PATTI will be in London early next month . She proposes to give a concert under Messrs . Harrison ' s management at the Albert Hall on May 13 th . THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OK YORK left London for Coburg on Tuesday , in order to be present at the marriage of the Hereditary Prince of Hohenlohe Langenburg and the Princess Alexandra of Coburg . H . R . H . THE PRINCE OF WALES ' yacht , Britannia , while being towed from Cannes to Marseilles , in order to take part in the regatta at the latter port , was compelled by stress of weather to put in at Toulon .

THE ANNUAL MEETING of the Prov . G . Lodge of Bucks will be held at Buckingham on June 26 th . The Prov . Grand Sec . is endeavouring to arrange for the comfort of Londcn brethren by a through train from Baker-street . ST . BoT 01 . ru , ALDERSGATE . —The following brethren have been re-elected for the ensuing year—Benj . Norman , Senior Churchwarden ; James Holliday . Junior Churchwarden ; Matthew R . Webb , J . P ., Solicitor ; and Arthur B . Hudson , Surveyor .

ST . THOMAS ' HOSPITAL . —The Duke and Duchess of Connaught have signified their intention to be present at a concert of the Royal Amateur Orchestral Society , tr he given at the Queen ' s Hall , Langham-place , on Saturday afternoon , May 2 nd , in aid of the funds of this hospital . BRO . THE LORD MAYOR has consented to the 78 th annual meeting of the British and Fdreien Sailors' Society , of which the Duke of York is Patron , being held at the Mansion House on May 4 th , and the Countess of Warwick has undertaken to give the souvenir prizes to the young collectors .

THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE of the Young Women ' s Christian Association will be held chiefly in the Morley Halls , Regent-street , between the 23 rd and the 26 th instant . The Countess of Chichester will preside at the opening meeting , and on the second day Bro . Lord Kinnaird will entertain the guests at luncheon . THE OLYMPIC GAMFS at Athens continued during the whole of last week , and on Sunday last the victors in the various contests were entertained at luncheon at the King's Palace , there being also present the members of the various Committees , the correspondents of foreign newspapers , and the representatives of the local press .

THE RIGHT HON . A . J . BALFOUR , M . P ., First Lord of the Treasury , will preside at the annual Civil Service dinner , which will be held in the Whitehall Rooms , Hotel Mitroprle , on Friday , the Sth prox . Sir Courtenay Boyle will occupy the vice-chair , and t ' ie Belgian and Japanese Ministers , Bro . Lord Charles Beresford , and Major-General Sir Francis Scott will be the guests of the evening .

THE INTERNATIONAL SHOE AND LEATHER FAIR was opened at the Royal Agricultural Hall , Islington , on Monday , the whole of the available spsce being occupied by the exhibitors , both British and Foreign , to thc number of between 700 and Soo , at whose stalls were to be seen all the different kinds of covering for the feet , ranging from the heavy studded brogue to the tiniest and daintiest baby's shoe .

THE DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE , on his journey homewards from the South of France , paid a visit to M . Faure , President of the French Republic , at the Elysee , on Saturday last . His Royal Highness was received on his arrival with a salute from the guard on duty , and was conducted into the presence of the President by the Iatter's Secretary . On the Duke's retuin to the Hotel Bristol , the President called and paid the return visit .

VISCOUNTESS WOLSELEY has kindly consented to give away the prizes in the great marching and firing competition of the Guards , Militia , and Volunteeis of the Home District , at Bisley , on Saturday , the 2 nd May , and General Sir W . Gordon Cameron will act as chief umpire . Six battalions of the Guards , one battalion of the M

THE PORPOISE which had found its way up the Thames as far as Richmond , and was found floundering in the mud at Chiswick , opposite Messrs . Thornycroft ' s sheds , towards the end of last week , died almost immediately after it had been hauled on shcre . On being examined , it was found that the monster , which weighed S cwt ., and was 11 feet 3 inches in length , had received several wounds from harpoons , & c , but that the fatal wound had been inflicted by the blade of a propeller .

AMONG THOSE PRESENT at the marriage of Mr . Algernon E . Burnaby , of Bagtrrave Hall , Leicestershire , and the Hon . Sybil Cholmondeley , only daughter of the late Lord Delamore and sister of the present peer , at St . George's , Hanover-square , on Monday , or at Lady Delamore ' s subsequent reception at 39 , Upper Grosvenor-street , were Lord and Lady Forester , the Countess of Dysart , Bro . the Earl and Countess of Lisburne , Lord Crichton , and Bro . Lord and Lady Skelmersdale .

THE COUNTESS OF DENBIGH distributed the prizes of the Honourable Artillery Company at the Armoury House , Finsbury , E . C , on Monday . The trophy given by H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , Colonel and Captain-General , and going this year to the Artillery Division , was won by Sergeant Kendall , but the regimental champion is Private M . A . Trask , who secured the position with S 6 7 points . A vote of thanks was afterwards passed to her ladyship for her kindness , and acknowledged by Colonel the Earl of DenbiVh .

IN COMMEMORATION of the completion ot the Prince of Wales' 21 st year of the Grand Mastership of English Freemasons , his Royal Highness has resolved to confer Past Grand rank on a large number of brethren , in addition to the usual yearly appointments to Grand Office . This will be done on the 2 yth instant . The step of conferring Past Grand rank to commemorate a great occasion was also taken in 1 SS 7 , when Grand Lodge , celebrated , in the Royal AJbert Hall , the jubilee of her Majesty's accession to the Throne .

BRO , SIR AUGUSTUS HARRIS intends lo celebrate his election as Master of the Loriners'Company by a unique entertainment at Covent Garden Theatre on Friday , the 24 th inst ., when he will give a dinner to members of the Court and their ladies , followed by a reception and ball . The company will number some 200 guests . Mr . Wilson Barrett , Mr . Stirling , and other members of the dramatic profession are members of the Company , which is the largest of the living guilds of London , and has included on its roll of membership 10 Lord Mayors and 26 Sheriffs .

THE EMPEROR AND EMPRESS OF GERMANY reached Venice on board the Imperial yacht I lohenzollern on Saturday afternoon last . Shortly after their arrival they were visited by the King and Oueen of Italy and the Crown Prince . The meeting , which was of the most cordial character , lasted for about three quarters of an hour , and the Italian sovereigns , & c , having returned to the Royal Palace , their Imperial Majesties , after a sufficient interval , landed under salute , and paid the return visit . The greatest enthusiasm prevailed in the city during the visit .

SWANSEA AND H . R . H . THE PRINCE OF WALES . —The Swansea Corporation has instructed its Tow n Clerk to write to Sir Francis Knollys , reminding him ot the promise given by H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , and asking him whether lhe yacht Britannia might be sent to compete at the Swansea Bay Regatta this year if other first-class yachts entered for competition , the Corporation undettaking that a prize of £ 100 should be offered for the winner of the race . It was also decided to ask his Royal Highness to make it convenient to call at Swansea during his forthcoming visit to the Principality .

BRO . LORD WOLSELEY AND THE CYCLIST VOLUNTEERS . —It has been decided that the challe nge cup which the Commander-in-Chief has recently given for a competition in riding and shooting by cyclist sections of Volunteer corps shall be contested for the first time at Bisley on Saturday , May 2 nd , the day of the marking and firing competition of the regulars , militia , and Volunteers of the Home District at the same place . Each cyclist team is lo consist of eight men under an officer , starting from Thames Ditton ,

ar . d following routes which will make the men cover 44 miles in getting to the firing point , the lide being in marching order and military formation . At the range they will fire 10 volleys at fioo yards and 1 ' ivc at 5 C 0 , after whicli each man will fire five rounds independently . T he rules have been drawn up by a committee of Regular and Volunteer officers who are themselves cyclists and have given much attention to the adaptation of cycles to military purposes , Major-General Stracey being at their head .

Masonic And General Tidings.

OWING TO THE DEMANDS on our space , we are compelled to hold over the ren of the Grand Lodge of Tasmania until our next issue . ^ ' COUNT DEYM , the Austro-Hungarian Ambassador in London , will preside at th forthcoming anniversary dinner of the German Hospital . THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING of the Bar will be held in the Old Dinner Hall of Lincoln ' s Inn , on Tuesday next , the 21 st inst ., at 4 . 15 p . m .

LORD IVEAGH has become a Vice-President of the Church of England Waifs an _ t Strays' Society , and has forwarded a donation of £ 100 towards its funds . ° BRO . THE DUKE OF FIFE has promised to preside at the 45 th Anniversary Festival which will be held at the Holborn Restaurant , on Wednesday , the 20 th inst ., in aij _? r the City Orthopcedic Hospital . ''" aidof DURING THE 12 MONTHS ended the 31 st December , 1835 , there were 17 persons killed and 4 . S 7 injured upon the railways of the United Kingdom , 12 of the former and SS of the latter being servants of the companies .

BRO . HIS EXCELLENCY LORD BRASSEY , P . G . W ., and Governor of Victoria has been elected a joining member of the Combermere Lodge , No . 752 , English Cons ' titu tion , and of the Clarke Lodge , No . 9 S , Victorian Constitution , both in Melbourne . A MEETING of the Royal Colonial Institute was held in the Whitehall Rooms of the Hotel Miitropole on Tuesday evening , when Mr . B . L . Clarence , formerly a judge of the Ceylon Supreme Court , delivered an address , in which he reviewed the history of Ceylon during the 100 years that it has belonged to the British Crown .

THE HOLBORN Subscription Cinderella Fancy and Evening Dress Ball in aid of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys will take place at the King's HaU , Holborn Restaurant , on Friday next , the 24 th inst . Dancing will commence at 7 p . m , jj „ special dispensation , brethren attending may wear full Craft and Royal Arch clothing . THE DUCHESS OF ALBANY and her two children , attended by Bro . Sir R . H . Collins , visited the Queen at her residence at Nice on Monday , and stayed to luncheon the Dowager Duchess of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha being also present . In the afternoon her Majesty went out for her usual drive , returning by the Boulevard der Midi and the harbour .

THE ANNIVERSARY FESTIVAL in aid of the funds of King ' s College Hospital was held at Freemasons' Tavern on Tuesday evening under the presidency ot the Lord Chief Justice of England , and in the course of the evening donations and subscriptions were announced to the amount of £ 3340 03 ., including , { , 1000 from the Rev . Francis Jocose to endow abed , £ 350 from the Goldsmiths' Company , and £ 200 from Messrs . VV . H . Smith and Son .

BRETHREN WILL I _ E PLEASED to hear that Bro . R . Hudson , the Prov . Grand Secretary of Durham , has arranged for Bro . VV . f . Hughan , P . G . D ., the Masonic historian , to deliver a lecture on " The Old Lodges in Great Britain , " at the Industry Masonic Hall , Jackson-street , Gateshead , at seven o ' clock , on the evening of Thursday May 7 th . THE MEETING of the Emperor of Germany and the King of Italy has been of the most cordial character , and each has bestowed decorations upon the ministers and great officers of the other . On Monday the Imperial visitors left by train for Vienna and the Italian Royal Family for Rome , amid the cheers of the large concourse of people which had congregated round the station .

THE EIGHTH ANNUAL dinner of the London Press Gang was held at Anderton ' s Hotel , Fleet-street , on Monday , under the presidency of Mr . H . Lawson . The Chairman , in proposing the toast ot the evening spoke in complimentary terms of the manner in which the British Press was conducted and asserted that it would compare favourably with the Foreign Press . Mr . Lowe , one of the Secretaries , responded for "The Society , " and Bro . Lord Headley for " The Visitors . "

IHE CONTEST for the Middlesex Battalion Challenge Cup , value £ 100 , will take place at the National Rill ; Association ' s ranges at Bisley to-mjrrow ( Saturday ) , the competitors being teams of eight efficient volunteers from any battalion having its headquarters in Middlesex , the City of London , or the Tower Hamlets . The conditions will be 10 shots at 500 yards and 10 shots at Coo yards , target ; , marking and position as in the first stage of the competion for the Queen's Prize .

H . R . H . THE PRINCESS OF WALES and her daughter , the Princess Maud , attended by Miss Knollys and General Sir D . Probyn , drove over from Sandringham to East Winch , on Monday , for the purpose of witnessing the annual steeple-chases of the West Norfolk Hunt Club , among those present being the Countess of Leicester and Lady Coke , Lord and Lady Hastings , Bro . Sir W . H . B . ffolkes , Sir Charles Pigott ; Mr . Pigott ( Chief Constable of Norfolk ); Colonel and Miss Barton ; Bro . and the Hon . Mrs . Hamon Le Strange ; and Mr . C D . Siymour , Mister of the West Norfolk Hounds .

LORD HAWKE ' team of English Cricketers brought their tour in South Africa to a close on Monday , the 23 rd ult ., when they easily defeated a South African eleven in a final test match in a single innings by 32 runs . The following evening they were entertained at dinner on the mail steamer Pretoria , by the Union Company , and on returning thanks for the toast of their health , Lord Hawke expressed gratitude on behalf of himself and his fellow ciicketers for the hearty welcome they had everywhere received . Subsequently his lordship took the opportunity of awarding the Union Cup to Kimberley , as having displayed the best form against the English team .

AMONG THOSE WHO have promised to attend the special meeting which has been convened by Bro . Lord Mayor Sir W . Wilkin , at the Mansion House on Monday next , the 20 th inst ., in behalf of the Royal Alfred Aged Merchant Seamen ' s Institution , are R . E . Donkin , M . P ., President ; T . R . Tufnell , Vice-President ; Col . Robt . Williams , M . P ., Treas . ; Bro . Admiral Sir Leopold M'Clintock , K . C . B ., Chairman of Committee ; Sir Donald Currie , M . P ., Sir E . Sandys Dawes , K . C . M . G ., Bro . Alderman Sir J . C . Dimsdale , Sir Francis Evans , M . P ., K . C . M . G ., Bro . Sir E . T . Gourley , M . H ., Lord Hillingsdon , Bro . E . Letchworth , F . S . A ., James Pender , M . P ., and Bro . Sir T . Sutherland , M . P .

FREEMASONS WILL BE INTERESTED in the fact that Bro . Lord Sandhurst ' Governor of Bombay , in his capacity of Pro Grand Master of thi English Constitution in India , recently attended the annud Jamshedi Naoroz festival at the Masonic Hall , Byculla , under the auspices of the Rising Star of Western India , Eastern Star , Rising Sun , Islam , Cyrus , Aryan , and Zoroaster Lodges , whose members comprise Christians of various denominations . Hindoos . Parsees . and Mohammedans . His hxcellency , who

was decorated by the brethren with a garland of Ibwers , and presented with a bouquet , alluded to the cosmopolitan nature ot the gathering as being characteristic of l ' rcemasonry , which knew no distinction between creeds , nationalities , or parties , and whose object was to cement in one widesprpad and sympathetic bond of fraternity the members of the Craft to whatever faith they belonged . It was stated that Freemasonry was flourishing throughout the presidency . ... _ ... _ ... _ . _ J

WITH A VIEW to commemorating the tercentenary of the Whitgift I'oundation »"" the great benefits it has conferred upon the community of Croyd _ tn , it is proposed to establish a Special Exhibition , of the annuil value of ^ 60 , to one of the great centres of education . For this purpose a Committee has been formed , with the Archbishop ot Canterbury as President , and the Mayor of Croydon and the Kigat H > n . C . V . Ritcnie , M . P ., its representative in Parliament , as Vice-Presidents , and a subscri ption list opened , to which already some £ 400 has been contributed , and we doubt not Hie ui i

necessary sum will very soon be completed . Subscriptions may bs piu to any " - banks in Croydon and Norwood , or will be received by the Treasurer , Aldsrman Frederick Foss , J . P . ; the Honorary Secretary , Mr . Join Jones ; A-ldermin G . '" Rymer , J . P ., Deputy Mayor ; Chairman , or any of the members of the Committee . AN INFORMAL MESVINQ of Freemasons attending the Good Temp lars' Grand Lodge , at Southport , was held on Easter Monday . Bro . Guy Hiyler , S . D . ( the Ooou

templars' urand Counsellor of England ) presided , and amongst others present wc Bros . Edward Wood , J . P ., P . J . G . D ; VV . Sutherland ( the Good Temp lars L ; « nu Secretary of England ); Lieut . Walter Webb , P . J . G . W . ; K . E . M . Lawrence , A . . Bolwell , W . M . Cooke , P . M . ; F . W . Dimbleby ( who has succeeded Bro . Hayle /*• Grand Counsellor ) , and others . An interestinp- discussion on temperance and

freemasonry took place , and a hope was expressed that a list of Masonic lodges conducte on temperance principles might be compiled . With that object Bro . Guy tfiylej " . ' 3 Pilgrim-street , Newcastle-on-Tyne , will be glad to hear from brethren cunnecced m such lodges . Arrangements were made for a re-unbn of Mvsons at each recurrWo Grand Lodge session of the Good Templars .