Masonic And General Tidings.

Masonic and General Tidings .

H . R . H . THE PRINCE OF WALES will open the English Education Exhibition , at the Imperial Institute , South Kensington , on the 5 th of January next . OFFICIAL NOTIFICATION is given of the appointment of Bro . Lieut .-General Sir Charles Warren as Lieutenant-General on the Staff of the Fifth Division for South Africa .

BRO . LORD KITCHENER , accompanied by Major Watson , left for Khartoum on Tuesday instead of on Friday , as he had intended , owing to the report that the Khalifa is now near Duem , on the White Nile , about 130 miles south of Khartoum . H . R . H . THE PRINCE OF WALES on Tuesday at Sandringham presented to Mr . W . H . Keytforth , late head boy of the King's Lynn Grammar School , the gold medal for general proficiency which his Royal Highness gives to the school annually .

IT WILL SERVE to give an idea of the scope of the labours concerned in the production of the " Oxford English Dictionary " to learn that in March last the debt on it was over £ 61 , 000 . The fact was stated at the recent meeting of the Philological Society , under whose auspices it is produced . PUBLICATION OF THE MEMOIR OF THE DUCHESS OF TECK has been deferred until after Christmas . In the meantime the work is receiving every possible assistance from members of the Royal Family , so that on its appearance it may be expected to prove a singularly authentic account of the late Princess and thelperiod in which she played so prominent a part .

OLD AND NEW COLOMBO . —Sir Thomas Sutherland , M . P ., will preside at the opening meeting of the Colonial Section of the Society of Arts on Thursday , the 23 rd instant , when Mr . John Ferguson , of Ceylon , will read a paper , with numerous lantern illustrations , on " Old and New Colombo . " The chair will be taken at half-past four o'clock .

THE L ORD MAYOR ( Bro . Alderman Davies ) has kindly lent the Mansion House and has promised to preside on the afternoon of Friday , the 15 th prox ., when Bro . Sir Squire Bancroft will tell the story of Charles Dickens ' s "Christmas Carol , " in aid of the Earlswood Asylum , which is in great need of sanitary alterations , as urged by the Commissioners in Lunacy . It is needless to say that the object is a particularly good one , and we trust the " reading " will be very fully attended .

AN IMPORTANT BOOK on accidents in factories , written by Mr . John Calder , is announced for this season by Messrs . Longmans and Co . The author deals with the distribution of accidents , their causes , 1 compensation , and prevention . His ( book is a practical guide to the law of the subject , and to the methods for guarding against accidents to plant and premises . It contains a large number of illustrations and tables .

THE W . M . OF St . James ' s Union Lodge , No . 1 S 0 , has requested us to state that in consequence of tbe very great success attending the Bohemiam Concert in the spring of 1898 , and the Cinderalla dances last winter , it has been unanimously decided to repeat them during the ensuing winter season . The Crown Room , Freemasons ' Hall , has been engaged for dances on the fourth Fridays in November and February , and the Large Hall has been secured for the fourth Friday in January .

AT THE MEETING of the Covent Garden Lodge , No . 1614 , held at the Criterion , Piccadilly , on the 14 th inst ., Bro . Henry G . Walker , W . M ., the sum of £ 10 ios . od . was unanimously voted from the lodge , and £ 12 13 s . 6 d . collected at the banquet table , making a total of £ 23 3 s . 6 d . for the Widows and Orphans of those brave soldiers who are lighting a just cause . We feel sure that these brave men , especially those who are connected with Covent Garden , will be cheered with this announcement when they read it in the Freemason in South Africa . The banquet , under the personal

superintendence of Bro . Thierry , gave great satisfaction . A DISCOVERY HAS been made at the Inner Temple which throws some light upon the architectural arrangements in the days of Knights Templars . Some operations have been carried on by the Benchers with a view to increasing their safe accomodation , and for this purpose some rather extensive excavations had to be made under the

Hall and the Temple Church . Almost directly under the entrance to the existing hall the workmen discovered an old doorway and staircase . They were carefully examined by his Honour Judge Baylis , who is one of the greatest authorities on the Temple , and he expressess a confident belief that they formed part of the ori g inal chamber occupied by the Templars at least 700 years ago . The walls shows a thickness of six leet .

ROVAL B OTANIC SOCIETY OF LONDON . —The first meeting of Fellows for the new session was held at the Gardens on Saturday last , Major J . W . M . Cotton in the chair . Six candidates for Fellowship were elected and the names of fifteen others read for ballot at the next meeting . The Chairman referred to the very satisfactory ma nner in which the membership of the Royal Botanic Gardens Club had increased . AU houeh

only in its first year ot existence , the new club rooms had already been found too small for its requirements , and steps were being taken to increase the accommodation before next season . Dr . R . Boxall read a paper on bulb growing in Holland , with lantern illustrations , and received the cordial thanks of the meeting . A second paper on bulb growing in England will be given on the 25 th instant .

THE L ORD MAYOR AND THE COURT OF ALDERMEN . —On Tuesday a meeting of the Court of Aldermen was held at Guildhall . The Lord Mayor ( Bro . Alderman Newton ) , who presided , said at that , the first Court of Aldermen over which he had had the honour of presiding , he wished to ask for that assistance which had been invariably and cheeifully rendered to the Lord Mayor by his brethren . The duties of the Mayoralty were constantly increasing , and the calls by the Lord Mayor on members of that Court were not likely to diminish . On the motion of Bro . Alderman Sir Whittaker Ellis , a

heaity vote of thanks - was unanimously accorded to Bro . Sir John Voce Moore , th : late Lord Mayor , for the admirable manner in which he had discharg : d his official duties in the past year . THB M ASONIC CRUISES which were carried out in January , iSgSand 1899 , are to be repaeted this year . Bro . Lieut .-Col . Bramble . lP . A . G . Director of Ceremonies England , D . P . G . M . Bristol , has issued an invitation to Brother Masons to join the cruise . Amongst the well-known Masons who have already secured berths , may be mentioned the Aichdeacon of London , P . G . C , The first cruise , on which occasion Archdeacon

Steven ? , P . G . C , acted as Chaplain , visited Egypt , Palestine , and Malta only . The second cruise , on which Bro . Canon Bullock , P . G . C , acted as Chaplain , included Athens in the itinerary . On this occasion the cruise will be still further extended to visit < onstantinople , [ Athens , and Malta , as well as Palestine and Egypt . Last year the cruise was of special interest , as at the lodge meeting in Solomon ' s Quarreis , Mr . Conmp _ K . S . Perowne , was unanimousl y elected and initiated . The hearty wtlccme which our English brethren have received on the two previous occasions in Jerusalem and Egypt , is [ assured for the party who will visit Palestine and Egypt next year . .

Masonic And General Tidings.

THE LORD MAYOR wil ! preside at the presentation of prizes of the London Ri fle Brigade , at the headquarters in Bunhill-row , on Saturday , December 9 . AT THE MEETING of the Enfield Lodge , No . 1237 , held on Monday lasl , at the George Hotel , Enfield , Bro . J . Dexter was unanimously elected W . M . for the ensuing year . THE TOWER . —The Secretary of State for War gives notice that the Armouries of the Tower of London will be closed for cleaning from Monday , the 20 th instant , until Monday , the 4 th prox .

AN INTERESTING incident on the occasion of her Majesty ' s visit to Bristol was the presentation of Bro . Mayby , who played in the band which enlivened the dinner of herself and her mother at Burt's Hotel , Clifton , 69 years ago .

A NEW LODGE called the Beach Lodge of Instruction , No . 2622 , has been formed , and will meet at the London and South Western Railway Institute , Brunswick House , Wandsworth Road , on Wednesday evenings at S p . m ., commencing December 6 th . BRO . SIR CHARLES WARREN lectured on Palestine at Margate on Wednesday , and , replying to a vote of thanks , said it would be a pleasure to remember the kind wishes expressed , and to know that the hearts of the people were with them in South Africa .

PRESIDING OVER a county meeting held at Derby , on Tuesday , ir . aid of the fund for the families of Reservists and men killed and wounded in battle , Bro . the Duke of Devonshire made a strong appeal for aid , and spoke with feeling of the sufferings caused by the war . BRO . SIR SQUIRE BANCROFT , whose gifts to hospitals from his rendering of Charles Dickens ' s " Christmas Carol" exceed £ 10 , 000 , will repeat the " reading " this winter , in fulfilment of a limited number of promises , and with a like object . To one of the readings in aid of the Earlswood Asylum we refer in another paragraph .

AT A REGULAR MEETING , on the gth inst ., at the Masonic Room , Treharris , of the Fforest Lodge , No . 2 C 06 , Bro . Richard Evans , S . W ., was elected W . M . for the ensuing year , in succession to Bro . W . Cuthbert Thomas , who has removed to Fishguard , Pembrokeshire . Bro . Onens was elected Treasurer , and Bro . Harry Jones , Tyler . J THE BARONESS BURDETT-COUTTS , who was accompanied by the Countess of Dundonald and Lady Nottage , opened a sale of work at the Polytechnic , Regentstreet , on behalf of the Barefoot Mission of the Ragged School Union , the object of the organisation being to clothe the very poorest of the children attending the public elementary schools of London . ,

ANNEXING THE TRANSVAAL . —What will be the fate of the Transvaal afterthe war it is difficult to forsee , but one thing may be considered certain , and that is that every one who can will take care to annex a case of that delicious liqueur , Grant ' s Morella Cherry Brandy , which is so great a favourite at home and abroad . Sold everywhere ; also Grant ' s Cherry Whisky .

CITADEL LODGE OF INSTRUCTION , No . 1 S 97—A meeting of this lodge was held c n Friday , the 3 rd inst ., Bro . T . Feistel , W . M ., presiding . In the course of the evening Two Guineas was voted to the Daily Telegraph Fund for Widows ' and Orphans' . A meeting was also held on Friday , ' the ioth inst ., Bro . A . R . Revill , W . M ., presiding , when the First and Second Degrees were rehearsed . Bro . A . Rusby , P . M ., Acting Preceptor , gave a lecture on the Tracing Board .

BRO . FIELD-MARSHAL VISCOUNT WOLSELEY , K . P ., & c , has very kindly consented to take the chair at the 2315 th Anniversary Festival of the Royal Scottish Corporation , which will be held in the King ' s Hall of the Holborn Restaurant , on Thursday , the 30 th instant ( St . Andrew's Day ) . H . R . H . the Prince of Wales and Duke of Rothesay , K . G ., is President of the Charity which exists for the purpose of assisting the deserving Scottish poor of London .

IN CONNECTION WITH THE special appeal fund of the Channg-cross Hospital , a sale of the goods left over from the recent bazaar held at the Royal Albert Hall , will take place on Dec . 7 th , in the board-room of the hospital . On the nth prox . is also to take place a fancy dress ball at the Royal Palace Hotel , Kensington , in aid of the fund , while in connection with the same object , the Lord Mayor is to preside , on Dec . 6 , at a meeting which will be held at the Mansion House .

THE QUEEN IN COUNCIL has granted a Royal Charter of Incorporation to the British Home for Incurables at Streatham , under the name and designation of the " British Home and Hospital for Incurables . " The Lady Mayoress , accompanied , it is hoped , by Bros , the Lord Mayor and Sheriffs , will pay a visit to the Institution on the afternoon of Monday , the 4 th prox ., for the purpos : of unveiling the new east window in the chapel and for opening the sale of work made by the patients for their own benefit .

AT THE PALACE THEATRE , on Thursday next , a matinee will be given in aid of the Lord Mayor's War Fund . A large number of theatrical and variety artistes will take part in the programme , which will be lengthy and attractive . O . i this occasion the Patece vestibule and foyer will be fitted up with Jbwer and sweet stills , at which prominent lady artistes will preside . Miss Ada Reeve will concoct American drinks , and Miss Eva Green preside at a bar . A specially ^ illustrated programme is being prepared .

ON THURSDAY AFTERNOON news was received at Swansea that Mr . James Jones , a well-knewn merchant and the High Sheriff of Cardiganshire , had expired in the train while returning from Bristol , after taking part in the proceeding connected with the Royal visit . The deceased , who was a native of Cardiganshire , and 62 years of age , had served as alderman and mayor of Swansea , and had taken an active interest in friendly societies . Over 20 years ago he inaugurated a commercial travellers' scholarship at Aberystwith College .

A COMPETENT PROFESSIONAL . —A correspondent writes : " I read with a great amount of pleasure your important announcement in last week ' s issue of the Freemason re " Art and the Drama , " and believe it will be a subject ot very great interest and importance to a large number of your readers , especially , as rumour says , the matter will be entirely under the superintendence of a brother whose great literary attainments are so well known , and is a guarantee that what he has undertaken will be efficiently and entertainingly done . "

ON THE ioth inst . at the Masonic Hall , Jackson-street , Gateshetd , Bro . Samuel Brown , P . G . Stwd ., was installed as W . M . of Ravtnsworth Lodge , No . 26 74 . After the ceremony , Bro . Brown appointed and installed the following as his officers for the ensuing 12 months : Bros . T . R . Jobson , P . M ., P . P . G . S . B . ( Northumberland ) , I . P . M Robert Stewart . P . M ., P . P . G . Treas .. S . W . ; Robert Atkinson . I . W .: Ad ** - * nnA * A

P . M ., P . P . J . G . D ., Treas . ; John Carr , Sec . ; Dr . A . W . Blacklock , S . D . ; Anthonv Dodds , J . D . ; W . J . Jobson , P . M ., P . P . D . G . D . C , D . C ; Dr . T . M . KimpsteF , I . G . ; George Gilhespy , Frank J . Hastie , and Edward , Scuifield , Stwds . j and D . Sinclair , P . M ., P . P . A . G . D . C ., Tyler . Subsequently , th e annual festival was held at the Royal Hotel , Bro . Twibell , manager for Messrs . Swinburne and Co ., being the purveyor .

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