Festival Of The Royal Masonic Institution For Girls.

Henry Stockwell , H . Lane Wilson , Walter Churcher , and Mel . B . Spurr , Miss Dorothea Wa km ( violin ) , and Bro . W . Emerson ( piano ) . The grand piano fortes were kindly lent by Messrs . S . and P . Erard ( Bro . Daniel Mayer , P . M . —two years in succession—No . 59 ) .

STEWARD S JEWEL . Designed and Manufactured by George Kenning and Son , London

Analysis Of The Returns.

ANALYSIS OF THE RETURNS .

To use a conventional phrase , there is no need to gild refined gold , and there is rerlainly no need to preface our usual analysis of the Returns at this Festival wilh any laudatory remarks . The figures sp eak for themselves . The Board of Stewards numbered 763 , of whom 24 were ladies and one a

Lewis , the grand total ol the don \ tions and subscriptions amounting to £ 22 037 5 s . 6 d ., towards which hon don , with 300 Stewards , contributed £ 10 , 458 7 s . Gd ., and the Provinces and Foreign Staticns with 4 63 Stewards , 1- 12 , 578 18 s . Giving our attention , in the first place , to

LONDON , we find that of the 300 Stewards who acted in its behalf 73—of whom 16 were ladies and one a Lewis—were Unattached , while the remaining 223 were representative of 135 lodges , six Royal Arch chapters , one Rose Croix chapter , one Mark lodge , one Red Cross conclave , the Gins' School General Committee Dinner Club , and the Logic Club . The total returned by this section of the

Hoard amounted , as we have said , to £ 10 , 45 8 7 s . 60 ., and included in this figure nre the following lists , ranging from £ 100 upwards . The highest of these is the list returned by Bro . H . J . Homer , W . M . of the City of Westminster Lodge , No . 1563 , the sum thus accumulated with the assistance of 51 of the members , two ladies , and four outside brethren , [ being £ 791 2 s ., and including a donation from the W . M . himself sufficient to make him a Vice-Patron ofthe School . Next in order

comesthe list of Bro ., Daniel Mayer , S . G . D ., W . M . of the Royal Warrant Holders ' Lodge , No . 27 89 , for £ 525 , included in which is a donation qualifying Mrs . Mayer as a Vice Patron . The third place is taken by Bro . A . C . Spaull of the House Committee . with a list of £ 210 , and the fourth by Bro . T , Fish Marson , of the Friends in Council Lodge , No . 1383 , for £ 201 12 s ., of which £ 105 constituted his tivra personal donation . The representative of the Lodge of Felicity , No . 58—Bro . W . H . C . Crump—followed with £ 181 i ^ -s . ; with Comp . W . B . Heagerty , of All

Saint ' s R . A . Chapter , No . 1716 , close al his heels with , what for a chapter , is the very considerable sum of £ 180 12 s . Next in order stood Bro . R . J . Davis , who as Steward for the Mizpah Lodge , No . 1671 , had the satisfaction of compiling a list of £ 175 . The next in order were Bro . F . W . Chant Hobrow , of the Willesden Lodge , No . 2489 , and Bro . Sir J . B . Monckton , P . G . W ., of the House Committee , who represented , as he very frequently does , the Fellowship Lodge , No . 2515 , the amount entered to the credit of the iormer being £ 145 , and to that

of Sir John Monckton , £ 143 17 s . Bro . M . W . Jameson , Loyally Lodge , No . 1607 , 'elurnid £ 131 15 s . ; and Bro . C . E . Walton , Harringay Lodge , No . 2763 , £ 129 13 s . 6 d . Bro . F . Bascombe , W . M . Galen Lodge , No . 2394 , and Bro . H . Ramsbottom , VV . M . Hugh Owen Lodge , No . 2593 , are entered Ior £ 122 17 s ., and £ 121 respectively ; Bro . Robert Grey , P . G . W ., of the House Committee , being next in order with £ 115 ios ., followed b y Bro . Robert H . Head , representing the St . Marylebone

Lodge , No . 1305 , with L ' uo 15 s . fid . Bro . Charles Hammerton , P . G . S . B ., of the House Committee , is entered for C 107 , and , in addition , there were as many as five brethren who are returned with lists of . t' 10 5 , namely , Bro . S . Walter Stephens , Fortitude and Old Cumberland Lodge , No . 12 ; Bro . Alfred Salmon , W . M . Faith Lodge , No . 141 ; Bro . VV . E . Home , Old Westminsters' Lodge , No ,

22 33—the amount in this case being Bro . Home ' s personal donation ; Bro . E . W . Beard , W . M . Arcadian Lodge , No . 26 9 6 ; ar . d Bro . Imre Kiralfy , of the Jubilee Masters ' Lodge , No . 2712 . This is a goodly array of three-figure lists , which must have rejoiced the heart of the Secretary , who must also have been pleased to note that the total of the Returns ranged under the head of the " House Committee " was as much as . C 865 zs .

Other lists which may well be mentioned , though not amounting to £ 100 , ate as follows : £ 73 ios . per Bro . Frank Richardson , P . G . D ., of the House Committee ; £ 75 , per Bro . Walter L . Green , Britannic Lodge , No . 33 ; £ 87 3 s . per liro . Capt . W . Ford , of the Peace and Harmony Lodge , No . 60 ; £ 70 7 s ., per Bio . R . Cawley , Old Concord Lodge , No : 172 ; £ 72 8 s . C 5 d ., per Bro . Anley ,

A J' ** le Domatic Lodge , No . 177 ; £ 85 is ., per Bro . Harold A . Smith , St . Andrew s Lodge , No . 222 ; £ 95 lis . per Bro . E . Mosley , St . Mark ' s Lodge , No . 8 57 ; £ 90 6 s ., per Bro . H . P . Monckton , Buckingham and Chandos Lodge , No . ' P ° * £ 75 is . 6 d . from the Leopold Lodge , No . 1571 , per Bro . C . M . Morris ; * 74 os . 6 d ., per Bro . C , E . Cove , Skelmersdale Lodge , No . 1599 i £ & 9 Ss ., per

Analysis Of The Returns.

Bro . Frank W . Brazil , Wickham Lodge , No . 1924 ; £ 85 , per Bro , Thos . B . Tipton , from the Piccadilly LonVe , No . 2550 ; £ 86 12 s . from the Playgoers ' lodge , No . 2705 , per Bro . W . R . Bennett ; £ 8 9 5 s ., per Bro . Albert G . Neville , from the Lodge of Verity , No . 2739 ; and £ 84 each from Bros . Robert Manuel as Steward for the Logic Club and Walter Haddon , Unattached .

We have said that THE PROVINCES have done their part admirably . Of the 46 on the roll there were 37 which sent up 463 Stewards , whose lists amounted inthe aggregate C 12 57 8 18-., while last , ve-ir 33 Provinces , contributed , by the medium ol 282 Stewards , £ 10 , 054 13 s gd . The following were the absentee Provinces , namely , BRISTOL ( nine lodges ) , which , as

we mentioned in our Benevolent Returns , has been represented but once since the beginning of 1897 . This was at the Boys' Centenary in 18 9 S , when it raised £ 354 7 s . 6 d . It has a Charity of its own , which , naturally , has priority of claim on the support of the brethren , but this hardly appears to be a sullicient apology for its almost invariable absence from these anniversary gatherings . BUCKINGHAMSHIRE ( 20 lodges ) has also acquitted itself well throughout its career . In 1898 , its

total was returned at £ 1323 9 s . 6 d ., of which £ 1143 ' 8 s . fid . was raised for the Boys' Centenary . In 1899 , there was , necessarily , a diminution and the subscriptions to the three Institutions amounted to no more than £ 425 15 s . 6 d ., but this year , owing to the fact that Lord Addington , the present Prov G . Master , consented to preside at the Benevolent Festival . it contributed , as "Chairman ' s Province" only a fraction short of £ 1500 . HEREFORDSHIRE ( five lodges ) has

been unrepresented since the Boys' Centenary , when it raised £ 330 15 s . NOTTINGHAMSHIRE ( IS lodges ) took part in the Benevolent and Boys' Festivals in 1 S 97 , its contributions to the two amounting to £ 309 4 s . ; in 18 9 8 it went for the Boys' Centenary to the extent of £ 777 , while last year it supported this Institution with £ 199 10 s . In February one of its brethren acted as Steward for the Old People , and returned a sum of 10 guineas . SOUTH WALKS ( E . D . ) ,

which has 23 lodges on its roll , may fairly claim a respite from this branch of Masonic labour . In 1897 its chief , Lord Llangattock , was Chairman for this Institution , and his Province supported his lordship with £ io _ o . Jn 1 S 9 S it raised £ 605 6 s . 6 d . for the Boys' Centenary , and last year , when Lord Llanpattock presided at the Benevolent Festival , the amount of its subscriptions was £ 631 . WARWICKSHIRE ( 32 lodges ) , which was only modestly represented at

the Benevolent Festival in February , figured at all three meetings last year , contributing £ 84 to the Old People , £ 467 5 s . to this Institution , and £ 21 to the Boys' School ; while in 18 9 8 it raised no less than £ 5079 14 s . fid . for the Boys' Centenary . Moreover , it purposes holding a Festival in July , in behalf of its own Benevolent and Educational Funds . WILTSHIRE ( 12 lodges ) raised £ 173 5 s . for the Benevolent Institution in the month of February ; in 18 99 ,

£ 288 15 s . for this Institution , and £ 10 ios . for the Boys'School ; and , in 18 9 8 , £ 71 is . for this Institution , and £ 539 os . 6 d . for the Boys'Centenary , [ ERSEY ( seven lodges ) subscribed £ 130 12 s . to the Benevolent Festival , and £ 131 5 s . to the Boys' Centenary in 1898 , hut has taken no part in the Festivals that have since bsen held . The last occasion on which the ISLE OK MAN ( nine lodges ) figured in the Returns was in 1898 , when it raised a modest sum for the Boys' Centenary . But , after

all , these outlying Provinces appear to occupy a rare position ; if they are unrepresented at these gatherings , they are so remote from headquarters , no one seems to consider they have been wanting in any part of their Masonic duly ; while , when they do r-nter an appearance , they do so with much goodwill , and are always sure of a hearty welcome . The lodges comprised within the 10 absentee Provinces are 135 in number , and must be left out of the reckoning in forming an estimate of this section of Wednesday ' s Returns .

Passing to those Provinces which took part in the Festival , wc have first in alphabetical order , that of BEDFORDSHIRE , two of whose seven lodges sent up lists , amounting ; together to £ 153 us ., of which £ 126 appeared on Bro . Wardill ' s list , as Steward for Lodge , No . 475 , In February , one lodge , with Bro . the Rev . V . P . Wyatt for its Steward , subscribed £ 31 ios . to the Old People , while last year two lodge representative- ! , of

whom our Rev , Bro . Wyatt , was one , and two Unattached Stewards compiled a total of £ 133 17 s . Cd . for this School . In 1898 , which is its record year , it raised £ 33 12 s . for the Benevolent Institution and £ 288 4 s . 6 d . for the Boys' Centenary , or together £ 321 16 s . 6 d . In 1 S 97 , it gave £ 66 3 s . to the Old People , and in 1896 , it helped this and the Benevolent Institution . In short , it has done its duty since it was erected into a Province in 18 S 5 , and more than that cannot be looked for even from the strongest Provinces .

BERKSHIRE ever since it was formed into a Province by itself under the late Duke of Clarence and Avondale has shown itself a consistent and impartial supporter of all our Institutions , and on certain special occasions has done more thin mif- * ht have been expected from a Province of such , moderate strength . Even in 1891 , the yexr of its formation , it distributed . C 385 ios . amongst them , while in 1892 , the year of

the Benevolent Jubilee , it raised in all £ 945 us . 6 d ., of which £ 060 9 s . 6 d . was subscribed to the Jubilee . In 1893 it compiled a total of £ 724 73 ., and in 18 94 . one of £ ¦ 583 13 s . Gd . In 189 5 it almost equalled its 1892 figures by raising £ 935 6 s . Cd ., while in 1896 it surpassed them with a total of JB 1019 19 s . 61 . In 18 97 it was content with a smaller aggregate , and figured for £ 825 16 s . 6 d . ; but then came the Boys' Centenary year , and Berkshire established its record b y

subscribing £ 163 16 s . to the Old People ; £ 9 6 12 s . to this Institution ; and £ 143 6 17 s . to the Boys' School—in all U 1 G 97 5 s . Last year it also did greit things by giving £ 24 2 os . 6 d . to the Old People ; £ 431 9 s . gd . to the Girls ' School ; and £ 552 18 s . 6 d . to the Boys' School , at whose Festival Bro . C . E , Keyser presided as Chairman , giving a total for the year of £ 1226 8 s . gd . This

year its Returns will probably be not so high . In February , seven of its 17 lodges were represented at the Benevolent Festival , the number of Stewards , including one Unattached , being 10 , and the total returned £ 282 4 s . Cd . On Wednesday , five lodges were represented , the number of Stewards , including Bro . 0 . E . Keyser , being eight , and the total returned £ 252 6 s .

There are but seven lodges in CAMBRIDGESHIRE , but for many years past it has been doing excellent work and having subscribed £ 95 15 s . lo the Old People in February , it has now , by the hands ot Bro . J . H . Moyes as its sole Provincial representative , with Bro . W . Armitage , representing

Lodge , No . 859 , contributed £ 100 ios . to this Institution . Last year it was content with contributing £ 222 12 s . to our Institutions , but this is not very surprising after what it accomplished in 18 9 8 , when the total of in returns , including £ 707 3 s . 6 d . to the Boys' Centenary , amounted to £ 759 13 s . Cd being at thu rate of more than £ 108 per lodge . In 1897 , it raised £ _¦! _ u-.. 3 1 ., and in 18 9 6 , £ 36455 .

CHESHIRE , which now musters upwards of 50 lodges does great things on great occasion Thus in 1891 , when a successful effort was made to reinstate the Boys' Schoo in popular favour , the Province contrihuted £ 1050 at the memorable festival