Masonic And General Tidings.

Masonic and General Tidings .

INDIAN FAMINE FUND . —Down to Thursday night the Lord Mayor ' s Fund at the Mansion House for the Indian Famine sufferers had reached a total of £ 310 , 000 , including a donation of £ 3000 from Dundee ( per the Lord Provost ) . H . R . H . THE PRINCE OF WALES , attended by Major-General Clarke and Bro Sir Francis Knollys , arrived at Marlborough House from Sandringham on Monday evening . PRINCESS CHRISTIAN OF S CHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN and daughter , the Princess Victoria , have concluded their visit to the Bishop of Winchester at Farnham Castle , and returned to Cumberland Lodge , Windsor .

A COURT DINNER of Ihe Spectacle Makers' Company was held on Monday evening , when it was announced that the Company had decided to subscribe 20 guineas per annum for three years to the Prince of Wales's Hospital Fund .

BRO . SIR HENRY IRVING has consented to preside as Chairman at the Anniversary Festival , which will be held at the Whitehall Room of the Hotel Mcitropole some time during the month of May on behalf of the Royal Society of Musicians . THE DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE , who is President of the German Hospital , has promised to take the chair at the 52 nd Anniversary Festival on behalf of that institution to be held in the Whitehall Rooms of the Hotel Metropole , on Friday , the 30 th April .

BRO . W . L . J ACKSON , M . P ., who has just completed his 57 th year , has been suffering from a sharp attack of sciatica , but nevertheless was able to preside at the opening meeting of the South Africa Select Committeee on Tuesday . The first witness called was Bro . Cecil Rhodes . BRO . SIR FREDERICK AND LADY DIXON-HARTLAND entertained at dinner at the House of Commons on Monday evening the Right Hon . A . J , Balfour , Bro . Lord and Lady George Hamilton , Lady Westbury , Mr . and Mrs . Chamberlain , Mr . and Mrs . Ritchie , and Sir David and Lady Salomons .

THE ANNUAL DINNER of the Sheffield Press Club was held in the Cutlers' Hall on Saturday evening last under the presidency of the Master Cutler , the principal guest on the occasion being his Excellency the American Ambassador , who made a genial and hearty speech , which was loudly cheered by those present .

BRO . J AMES TERRY , P . G . S . B ., Secretary of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , has very kindly consented to rehearse the ceremonies of consecration and installation in the James Terry Lodge of Instruction , No . 2372 , held at the Four Swans Hotel , Waltham Cross , on Wednesday evening , the 24 th March . BRO . HAMAR BASS , M . P ., has promised to contribute £ 15 , 000 towards providing a church and vicarage for the proposed new district of All Saints , Burton-on-Trent , on condition that an endowment of £ 300 per annum is raised . Towards this income Messrs . Bass , Ratcliff , and Gretton have promised £ 3000 , and Bro . Lord Burton £ 2000 .

THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF YORK visited the Adelphi Theatre on Saturday evening last , and witnessed a performance of " Black-Ey'd Susan . " The same day their Royal Highness ' s children , the young Princes of York , left Osborne for York House in charge of their nurses , crossing to Portsmouth on board the Royal yacht Alberta .

THE INTERNATIONAL CHESS MATCH between 10 leading British and American Champions resulted on Saturday last in a victory for the former by 51- to 41 points . There was a large attendance at the Hotel Cecil on lhe occasion and the play on the 10 boards was watched with great interest . The match was played by cable and did not terminate till close on midnight .

LADY KNUTSFORD inaugurated at the Garratt-lane Board School , harlsfield ; on Monday evening , the Wandsworth Branch of the Childrens' Happy Evenings Association . Her ladyship lost no time in declaring the Branch open , and then the young folks set about enjoying themselves , a pleasant surprise awaiting them at the end in the shape of a bounteous supply of oranges and buns . THE OUEEN , accompanied by Princess Henry of Battenberg and her children , left Osborne for Windsor Cattle on Monday morning and reached their destination about 2 p . m . Her Majesty , with lhe ladies and gentlemen of her Court , crossed over to Portsmouth on board the Royal Yacht Alberta .

FOR THE VACANCY in the representation of Haggerston on the London County Council caused by the retirement ot Mr . E . P . Turton , two candidates , namely , Bro . George J . Shaw-Lefevre and Lord Wolverton offered themselves , and on Saturday last thc result of the election was declared to be in favour of Bro . Shaw-Lefevre by 301 votes , the numbers announced being for Bro . Shaw-Lefevre , 222 ( 5 ; ancl for Lord Wolverton , 1925 .

BY COMMAND of the Oueen , H . R . H . the Prince of Wales will hold a Drawing Room at Buckingham Palace on her Majesty's behalf , at 3 p . m ., on Thursday , the 4 th March . On Monday , the 15 th of the same month , the Duke of Connaught and Strathearn will hold a Levee at St . James's Palace , and Tuesday , the 30 th prox ., the Duke of York will hold a similar function at the same Palace , it Using her Majesty ' s pleasure that presentations to their Royal Highnesses shall be deemed equivalent to

presentations to the Queen . THE HOME DISTRICT RIFLE MEETING will be held at Bisley on May the Sth , when the principal prizes offered for competition will be the Daily Telegraph and General ' s Cups . There are 50 battalions in the District , which will be represented by one team each , the object of the competition being to secure excellence in shooting combined with matching . The team vvill be declared the winner which makes the greatest number of hits on the target alter marching some 11 miles .

THE DUCHESS OF ALBANY , attended by Bro . Sir R . Collins and the Hon . Mrs . Moreton , opened a three days' bazaar at the Kensington Town Hall on Monday in aid of the Church of England Society for Providing Homes for Waifs and Strays . There was a large attendance , her Koyal Highness being received by a committee of ladies , and subsequently accorded a vote of thanks for her kindness in attending . The Duchess has likewise given her patronage to Ihe Queen's Commemoration Fund forthe homes provided by the Wesleyan-Methodists Church tor the benefit of the men in her Majesty ' s Army and Navy .

THE EMPRESS FREDERICK OF GERMANY visited T . R . H . the Prince and Princess of Wales at Sandringham towards the close of last week , and on Saturday last drove out with her hosts and the Princess Victoria of Wales , and on Monday her Imperial Majesty left Not folk lor Windsor Castle , where she arrived about 7 . 30 p . m ., and rejoined the Queen . Among the visitors at Sandringham during the latter part of her slay were Ihe French Ambassador , Bro . the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire , the Marquis and Marchioness of Londonderry , Earl and Countess Spencer , Hro . Lord Herschell , and Lord lames of Hereford .

A DISASTROUS FIRE broke out in the Hop Warehouse of Messrs . Walton , Son , and Co ., of Chapel-yard , Union-street , Borough High-street , about mid-day on Monday last , and the Fire Brigade were slowly but successfully getting the mastery over the flames when a tremendous explosion occurred , the roof collapsed , and the walls fell outwards and downwards , carrying with them staircases ancl lloors , the men of the brigade , and falling upon other premises , the resu ' t being the deaths of two women and very serious injuries to many men . and women , who were at once removed to Guy ' s Hospital and carefully tended .

LORD RUSSELL OF KILLOWEN , Lord Chief justice of England , visited Hackney on Saturday last for the purpose of opening the new public baths , which have been erected at a cost of £ 65 , 000 . His lordship remarked on the growth of Hackney , which 50 years ago consisted of some four or five streets with scattered houses , many parts of the present densely populated suburb then being occupied by market gardens . At the

close of his lordship ' s address , Mr . Weeden , superintendent of the baths , dived through a paper-covered ring , which set free the Hags of the I ' nited Kingdom and the United States , while lhe paper was replaced by a covering on which were the same Hags with the motto " United we stand , " in allusion to the part taken by Lord Russell in the question of arbitration between Kngland and America . The display was received with enthusiastic cheers on the part of the spectators .

Masonic And General Tidings.

BRO . THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF ST . ALBANS have left London , or are on tho point of leaving it , for Wimbledon , where they have taken a house for a short term . DURING THE ABSENCE on leave of Bro . Major-General Lard Methuen , commanting the Home District , his command will be taken by Viscount Falmouth , commanding the Coldstream Guards .

BRO . THE EARI . AND COUNTESS CARRINGTON returned to town early during the present week from Dublin Castle , where they had been on a visit to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland and the Countess Cadogan . CRYSTAL PALACE CONCERTS . —These famous concerts will be resumed on Satur . day week , when the programme will consist entirely of the works of Schubert , in commemoration of the centenary of the composer's birth .

WE ARE GLAD to hear that Bro . Sir Henry Irvinghas completely recovered from lhe accident which befel him the morning after the production of "Richard III . " at the Lyceum , and that he will resume the performance on Saturday next , the 27 th inst . BRO . ; . F . G . DIMERY , P . P . G . P . Somerset , the present I . P . M . of Lodge Prudence , No . 20 C 9 , Leeds , and M . E . Z . of the Prudence Chapter , has just been presented with a handsome Past Master's jewel by the unanimous vote of the brethren of Lod ge Prudence .

BRO . J . LEWIS THOMAS , F . S . A ., P . A . G . D . C ., leaves England to-day ( Friday ) for Gibraltar on the P . and O . steamer Australia , for a sojourn of two or three months with his son , Bro . Surgeon-Major G . Harley Thomas , F . S . A ., F . R . C . S Ed ., who is quartered on the Rock . A CONCERT WILL be given , by the kind permission of the Duke and Duchess of Sutherland , at Stafford House , on the nth May next , under the patronage of her Royal Highness , the Princess of Wales , in aid of the funds of the United British Women ' s Emigration Association .

THE DOWAGER COUNTESS DF . LA WARR has been fortunate enongh to recover her diamond tiara , which was found in the safe quite intact , after the recent lire in Grosvenor-street . Her ladyship's pearl necklace was also rescued , being very slightly ; njured by the heat . THE LONDON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE has sent cablegrams to the Premiers of the several Australian Colonies inviting them to a special banquet on the occasion of their approaching visit to this country in connection with the commemoration of the

Queen ' s Diamond Jubilee . IN A LETTER Bro . T . J . Hamp , of the Holborn Restaurant , has received from one of the leading members of the Boston Corps ofthe H . A . C . the gift of a souvenir paperweight by the proprietors of the restaurant to each visitor is heartily acknowledged , and a cordial reference is made to the warm welcome extended to their friends by the English people .

THE 29 TH ANNIVERSARY FFJSTIVAL in behalf of the Mark Benevolent Fund will be held on Wednesday , the 14 th July , under the presidency of Bro . Col . A . B . Cook , R . W . Prov . Grand Mark Master for Middlesex . Full particulars of Bro . C . F . Matier , P . G . W ., G . Secretary , Secretary of the Fund , Mark Masons' Hall , Great Oueen-street , W . C .

BRO . THE DUKE OF DEVONSHIRE presided at a meeting , at the Cannon-street Hotel , on Wednesday , the 17 th inst ., of the British Empire League , Lord Tennyson , Sir John Lubbock , Bart ., M . P ., Sir R . Herbert , Sir Charles Freemantle , Sir Donald Smith , and several others being present . Lord Rothschild was appointed a Vice-President .

BROS . A . AKERS-DOUGLAS , Lord Balfour of Burleigh , Lord Halsbury ( Lord Chancellor ) , SirM . Hicks-Beach , Bart . ( Chancellor of the Exchequer ) , the Duke of Devonshire , Lord George Hamilton , VV . Hume Long , and Sir M . VVhite Ridley , Bart ., were among thc Ministers present at the Cabinet Council held at ( he Foreign Oflicj on Wednesday .

THE GUILDHALL BANQUET TO POOR CHILDREN . —Bro . Alderman Treloar , after paying all expenses , including the cost of 1000 hampers , sent to poor crippled children , has given £ 34 63 . id ., the surplus of his fund , to Mr . J . Kirk , ths Secretary of the Ragged School Union . Each hamper contained a 2 lb . pork pie , a plum pudding , a cake , a packet of tea , and a packet of sweets .

THE GREAT CITY LODGE OK INSTRUCTION will be resumed at the Red Cross ( J . R . Huggett ' s ) , Paternoster-square , at 7 p . m ., on Thursday , the 25 th inst ., and each succeeding Thursday , under the able Preceptorship of Bro . J . K . Gwyn . City brethren cordially invited . Offices will be taken on the first evening by officers of themather lodge , and in rotation on future occasions .

A VERY successful conversazione has bcen held at the Birkbeck Institution , Chancerylane . The students and friends began to arrive shortly after 6 p . m ., and were received by Bro . Justice Gainsford Bruce , who takes a deep interest in educational matters , and was well supported by the principal and council of the Institution . In the course of the evening a succession of interesting entertainments was given .

WE REGRET to announce the death of the Countess of Devon , which occurred on Thursday afternoon at Powderham Rectory , Starcross , South Devon . She was taken ill on Monday , became unconscious shortly after , and gradually sank . The Countess of Devon , who was S 2 years of age , was the daughter | of Henrietta . Anr . ie Countess of . Rothes , and married in 1 S 35 . The Earl of Devon is rector of Powderham and Prebendary of Exeter , and is in his SGth year .

AMONG THE guests at the Parliamentary full-dress dinner given by the Speaker of the House of Commons ( Bro . VV . C . Gully , Q . C . ) on Wednesday were Bros , the Hon . Sir Stafford Northcote , Bart ., Sir John Mowbray , Bart ., Sir Charles Dilke , Bart ., Sir James Fergusson , Bart ., Sir K . Hart Dyke , Batt ., the Right Hon . W . L . lackson , the Right Hon . A . Stanley Hill , Q . C , the Right Hon . C . Stuart Wortley , A . H . Smith Barry , Sir C . Dalrymple , Bart ., and W . W . B . Beach .

AN INFLUENTIAL deputation , which included Lord Lister , Lord Rayleigh , ! Sir Douglas Gallon , Sir Andrew Noble , and others , waited upon the Prime Minister , at " the Foreign Ollice , on Tuesday , for the purpose of urging on his lordship the desirability of establishing a National Physical Laboratory at Kew or elsewhere , at a cost of £ 30 , 000 for building and a yearly grant of £ 5000 for maintenance . His lordship's reception of the deputation was most ; cordial , and the answer he gave them , so far as it went , was deemed favourable .

LADY ASHBOURNE gave a ball at the residence , in Merrow-square , Dublin , ot the Lord Chancellor of Ireland ( Bro . Lord Ashbourne ) , on Tuesday evening , which was very numerously attended , among the principal personages present being the Lord Lieutenant and Countess Cadogan , the Duke and Duchess of Buccleugh and the Ladies Scott , the Marquis and Marchioness of Downshire , Lord and Lady Metingein , Lady Arthur Hill and Miss Hill , the Earl of Ava , and a number of the officers at present quartered in the Irish capital .

AT THE MEETING at Padstow on Tuesday evening in last week , of St . Petroc Lodge , No . 17 S 5 , a beautiful Past Master ' s jewel , subscribed for by the members , was presented to Bro . W . 11 . Pope , P . P . A . G . Sec . The presentation was made by Bro . W . Brown , W . M ., who remarked that it was in recognition of services rendered the lodge and as a token of respect and esteem . Bro . Pope , to whom the prestation came as a suprise , thanked the brethren for their valuable gift and hoped his future work for the Craft might show , to some extent , how greatly he appreciated their kindness .

H . R . H . THE PRINCE OF WALES , as President of the Society of Arts , presented , at Marlborough House on Tuesday , to Professor I ) . E . Hughes , F . R . S ., the Albert Medal awarded him by the Council of the Society in recognition of his services to arts , mmu factures , and commerce by his many inventions in electricity and magnetism , especially the printing telegraph and microphone . In the afternoon his Royal

Highness , accompanied by the Duke and Duchess of leek , was present at the special service held in thc Church of St . Saviour , Southwark , on the occasion of its re-opening after restoration , 'the Archbishop of Canterbury , the Bishop of London , and other prelates took part in the ceremony , while the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress and Sheriffs of London were present in State .