Masonic Good Manners.

hasty utterance , and the unreflecting opinion . TJ- would point out to us that others have feelings as well as ourselves , and that our fellow creatures have sensitive sensations and tender hearts- So that when we annoy them by our rudeness , or hurt them by our want of good

feeling , when we seek to wound , to irritate a brother or fellow creatures by unamiable words , unfriendly acts , bad manners , we are . committing alike a breach of humanitarian morals , to take no hig her ground , and are evidencing the ignorance of our own Masonic principles . For good

manners would lead us always to forget our own individuality in that of our brethren and our Order . If we are exalted in rank or grade , good manners would bid us to extend a friendly hand to , and look with a kindly face on any humbler member of our Order . Good manners would

urge us to be courteous and genial to all , neither fopp ish nor priggish , but always natural , open , and honest , ready to do a good turn , and be not only a " buon camarado , " but a true Freemason , whenever we meet our brethren in lodge or out of lodge . There is nothing so odious in our

op inion , as the overbearing ill manners of a little brief authority , that vulgarity which , arising from a mistaken estimate of wealth or position , renders us pompous and pretentious , tyrannical , and even insolent . We do not say that such a state of things is common to Freemasons or

Freemasonry j happily it is not so . On the contrary , Freemasonry does succeed in educing in a wonderful way a great amount of true-hearted sympathy , and generous feelings , and good manners amongst us all . But as we are writing didactically to improve and to impress and to

elevate , we have necessarily to deal with what is possible and probable , as well as with what is actual and in pr . esentia . We trust that our humble , if warning words , will be appreciated by all who , like ourselves , deeply value

Freemasonry , especially under the conditions in which , as it appears to us , it ever looks most most fair , namely , in its genial inculcation of true fraternal sympathies , cultured gracefulness , good manners , loving memories , and honest hearts .

The Collision In The Solent.

THE COLLISION IN THE SOLENT .

The jury at Portsmouth have made their " deliverance " in the second inquest to the effect , that the collision was accidental , but they have added a " rider , " that the collision took place through an " error of judgment" on the part of the " navigating officer of the Alberta , " that " a

slower rate of speed , during the holiday months especially , would be more conducive to public safety , " and that , " also there should be a more efficient look out . " In England we wisely accept always the verdicts of juries , even when we do not agree them , and we think it would be

very bad taste , to say nothing of waste of time , to cavil at a free expression of opinion like that of a jury at a Coroner ' s inquisition . We are , however , writing in the interest always of truth , absolute truth , and matter of fact , and we are a little inclined to think , that under the guise of a

factitious public opinion , some injustice may be shewn , and has alread y been manifested by our impulsive English feeling , towards the members of a very gallant service . Let us here recapitulate the actual and proved realities of this no doubt most distressing case , " ab initio . " The

Alberta Royal Yacht , followed by a tender , Commander Sullivan , is on its voyage to Gosport , the Queen being " en route " for Scotland . The Alberta is running , as they say , free at 15 knots an hour . The yacht Mistletoe is on its way to Rjde , but yet is sailing , for a time ,

parallel to the Royal Yacht . But here begins the usual contradictions of a " running-down case , " which is generally considered in the profession , as to have as its inevitable condition , " hard ^ Wearing on both sides . " The officers and others of the Royal Yacht state distinctly , that they had seen the Mistletoe before the accident , and

'hat she was running abeam of the Alberta . Some of the surviving crew of the Mistletoe , as well as Mr . Heywood the owner , declare that this is incorrect , and that the Alberta ran down and on to the Mistletoe . Something no doubt was said on board the Mistletoe , though not apparentl y b y Mr . Heywood , about running in close

The Collision In The Solent.

to have a look at the Queen ; a discussion arose as to which vessel carried Her Majesty , ( the Royal Standard ought to have indicated that ) , and preparations were made for " dipping the ensign . " This evidence hardly squares with the assertion , that the Alberta ran straight down to

them . In this position , as there is this great and startling contradiction , we must next look at the acts of the two crews . Captain Welch on the Alberta sees the Mistletoe on his port side , but apparently in no danger of a collision , and crosses over to the starboard side of the

bridge to have a look at another yacht . When he turns to the port side again , he sees the bowsprit of the Mistletoe close to the bows of the Alberta ; a Quartermaster tells him at the same moment , that the yacht is put about , and he gives the order to starboard the helm , meaning ,

according to the rule of the road at sea , to give way , and go astern of the Mistletoe . But in a few seconds , and as Captain Welch well says , accidents happen at sea in seconds , comes the collision . The yacht is stopped , and then ordered to go slowly astern . And then that most

Iametrtable and saddening loss of life occurs , and the yacht goes down . This statement seems perfectly p lain and correct , and a sailor ' s unvarnished tale , and we cannot but regret the tone that was introduced into the cross examination at the first inquest . What has happened in the

interim on board the yacht ? Mr . Heywood did not give the order to put the helm down to port , and to send the yacht up into the wind , but he says that Captain Stokes did so , and fastened down the helm . Brown , the steward and cook , here appears on the scene , unusually , as the

coroner , Mr . Garnngton , forcibly observes , and seems alike to have advised and aided in the act . But why did the Mistletoe port her helm ? What good could possibly come of such a proceeding then ? The only effect , humanl y speaking , could be , to bring the Mistletoe across the

bows of the Alberta , and wc cannot help thinking and fearing , that Stokes , the captain of the yacht , though no doubt a good sailor , lost his head in the emergency ; put down his helm because he did not know what else to do , and left it , and went " forrard , " as there is evidence of in

the first inquest . If that be so , we have the real explanation of the unfortunate collision in the Solent . We are inclined to think that the Quartermaster ' s evidence in the first inquest was true when he said , that owing to the position a collision was unavoidable , that is to say , owing

to the porting of the Mistletoe ' s helm . Had the Alberta ' s helm been ported , as has been hastily suggested , we cannot understand what possible good could come of it , or how , as it then was , a collision , could have been avoided . When Captain Welch starboarded the Alberta ' s

helm , he did , though probably the case was desperate then , all that could possibly and nautically be done . There is an interesting chart in a recent number of our contemporary , " The Graphic , " which gives the actual position of the vessels at sea , and is , we think , decisive of

the case , namely , that the real cause of the collision was the porting of the Mistletoe ' s helm . There is one ingredient in the case which has been but little * . , attended to , the comparative speed of the tWo \ essels , one running at 15 knots , the other , it is surmised , at « , which we do not

profess to be able to explain . But the surmise may be incorrect , and if so , " cadit quiestio . " We feel naturally the deepest commiseration for Mr . Heywood and his sorrowing family , as well as for the friends and relatives of the captain

and mate of the yacht . But as we write , and always ought to write , in the grave interests of truth and right , and fair play to all , we feel that in this as in all other things , whether Masonic or profane , the abiding importance of the good old axiom , " Fiat justitia ruat coelum . "

The Cheque Bank.

THE CHEQUE BANK .

We have had our attention called to this new and useful banking establishment , and are glad to commend it to the notice of our readers . Though not of any long existence , it seems to

be , and is likely we think to become a very useful means of accommodation to business houses of various kinds . It is often inconvenient to remit sums , it is loss of time often to run to the nearest

The Cheque Bank.

Post-office for a money order , and with many of our readers time is money . One or two peculiarities of the Cheque Bank deserve attention . The cheques we may observe are good , however long they remain in circulation , so that those who hold them need not hurry to cash tbem , as

with common cheques , but they can keep them as long as they like , without any risk , and use them with the houses they do business with , as a " circulating medium . " And another point is , . that these Cheque Bank drafts can be paid away from hand to hand , and be used almost as bank

notes in the common transactions of mercantile business . They may pass through hundreds of holders , until some day they are paid into an account at a bankers ' , and then they return to the bead office for clearing . There are many of our readers who have daily to send small sums in

letters , and as postage stamps are sometimes troublesome , and coin is decidedly dangerous , and time is too valuable to go to the Post Office , the Cheque Bank affords a ready means of convenience to many , and a safe payment for all . Many persons object to keep much small cash

in the counting office , and these Cheques are a convenient substitute . In all that we have said , we do not wish to be supposed to undervalue our great postal system , with its admirable adaptation to the wants of all classes

alike , but we simply mention one or two points for the calm consideration of our readers , in which , as it appears to us , the Cheque Bank affords to many business men and firms , the maximum of convenience and of easy payments . We wish the experiment every success .

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

I We do net hold ourselves responsible for , or even as approving of the opinions expressed by our correspondents , but we wish , in a spirit of fair play to all , to permit—within certain necessary limits—free discussion . —ED . ]

THE POWERS OF W . MASTERS . To the Editor if the . Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — I am sorry to read that " An Absent W . M . " thinks that I was unkind in presuming that there was more in his question than met the eye . I was glad to hear that I was wrong . The fact than " An Absent W . M . " found it

necessary to ask whether he could require to have the lodge summons and a record of its proceedings sent to him , ap . peared to me to be so unusual a circumstance , that I imagined , and I hope not unjustly , that there must be something behind the question . I have not the least notion who " An Absent W . M . » is , but I unfeignedly express my regret that anything which I wrote should have annoyed him . P . G . W .

The Position Of Masonry In Great Britain In 1875 And Its Noble Charities.

THE POSITION OF MASONRY IN GREAT BRITAIN IN 1875 AND ITS NOBLE CHARITIES .

SECOND ARTICLE . Sorry am I to find that another " Breaker ahead has arisen . " I had hoped that in my last article I had exhausted all but solitary instances ; but the ultimatum from Grand Lodge respecting the wearing the jewel authorized by our Royal Grand Master , shows that a more extended ground for complaint Jias arisen , " self conceit , self

thinking " must have largely increased even in England to call forth this severe rebuke , which could never have happened without good cause , especially so socn after the Installation that occured this spring . All who have studied the constitutions of the Grand Lorlge of England know that all processions , all means for display , are strictly prohibited , save on special occasions ,

and then only by special dispensation . How then can this inordinate vanity have arisen . Brethren , you well know wc meet as equals , our jewels of office point out the superiority of those who are worthy , does the newly initiated know the meaning of our jewels ? We ourselves who know the meaning require no further information ! Let the P . M . who has worthily filled his chair receive decoration ,

but only m one case . If he has served the chair in one or more lodges ( to their satisfaction ) , let him put on bars for each successive holding of office . Let the P . M . be for life a member of Grand Lodge so long as he pays his dues , but not entitled to vote or speak in Grand Lodge or in his own lodge , during any period that he may be in arrears , or after taking his name off the books of his lodge until

he shall have replaced it in the books of Grand Lodge by rejoining his own or another lodge as a subscribing member . This would clearly define the high position of P . M . But I would go further , I would even propose the following method of recognising a worthy P . M . in lieu of giving him a jewel commemorative of esteem by his brethren : Remember brethren the Mason's apron is a higher

distinction " amongst us " than any other decoration . The emblems of a P . M . emblazoned as they are on his apron sufficiently prove him worthy ! Let these emblems suffice ! Believe me , brethren , I am not bigoted , but display begets display . Vanity , self seeking , personal aggrandisement are all repugnant to the true spirit of Masonry ; our highest aim is to do our work well and to be " Primus inter Pares . "