Masonic And General Tidings.

MASONIC AND GENERAL TIDINGS .

The Masonic address and casket which was presented to the Oueen , at Buckingham Palace last week , has been photographed , in one picture , by Messrs . Debenham , of isS , Regent-street . In our report last week we stated the ' length of the casket was six inches , it should

have been twenty-two inches . Bro . George Kenning has been elected Master of the Gold and Silver Wyre Drawers' Company . Bro . G . M . Felton presided at the dinner of the Commissioners of Sewers , on the iGth inst .

The Crusaders Lodge , No . 1677 , have generously agreed to present two new stained glass widows to the parish Church of Clerkenwell , which is being restored , and have opened a subscription list for that purpose . A Committee has been formed , of which Bro . Millward is Hon . Sec , and Bm . Maples , Treas ., for the purpose of carrying out the necessary details .

Bro . ] . A . Farnlield is the Hon . Sec . of the Committee for conducting the annual sailing barge match which will take place this year ( for the twentieth time ) over the usual con rse , from Erith to the Nore and back , on 1 uesday June-7 th . The Eagle has been specially chartered to accompany the race , and will leave London-bridge at

a . m . The Fifteen sections will be worked in the Friars Lodo-e of Instruction , 1349 , held at Bro . Pavitt ' s , the Liverpool Arms , Barking-road , Canning Town , on Tuesday , the "Wl inst ., at six o ' clock , p . m ., precisely . Bro . Moss , S D . H 19 , will preside ; Bro ; . T . J . Barnes , P . M . 544 and 933 SW . ; W . H . Myers , P . M . S 2 oand . 445 , J . W . ; VV .

,. Mu ~ to , P . M . 1349 , Preceptor , I . P . M . First Lecture : First Section , Bro . Hammond , 127 S ; Second , Bro . Watkins , 107 G •Third , Bro . Brittain , 127 S ; Fourth , Bro . Musto , iun „ 1349 ; Fifth , Bro . Stephens , S . D . 1623 ; Sixth , Bro . Pavitt , J . W . SGo ; Seventh , Bro . Stewart , 127 S . Second Lecture : First Section , Bro . Loane , D . C . 1421 ; Second , Bro . E- ^ chviege , D . C . 1349 ; Third , Bro . Richardson , 174 ;

Fourth , Bro . Smith , P . M . SGo ; Fifth , Bro . Myers , P . M . 8 ^ 0 and 144 s . Third Lecture : First Section , Bro . Musto , P . M . i 349 r . Second , Bro . Job , VV . M . 107 G ; Third , Bro . Barnes , P . M . 554 and 933 . Bro . the Marquis of Londonderry , K . P . P . G . M . Durham , presided at the annual meeting , at Willis ' s Roomson Saturday , of the Royal Yacht Squadron ,

, when , among other business to be transacted , was the election of a commodore , in place of the Earl of Wilton , deceased . H . R . H . the Prince of Wales was present , and was unanimously chosen as successor to the late noble earl , and warmly thanked the members for the honour conferred upon him . On His Royal Highnesses proposition Bro the Kin" -of Sweden and Norway was elected an

honorary member . The Marquis of Londonderry remains vice-commodore . Among those present , in addition to the noble chairman , were H . R . H . the Duke of Edinburgh , Bros , the Duke of St . Albans , P . G . M . Nottinghamshire ; Lord Suffield , Prov . G . M . Norfolk ; Lord R . Grosvenor , M . P ., P . G . W . England ; Sir T . Brassey ; K . C . B ., M . P . ; G . Bentinck , M . P . ; and the Rt . Hon . T . Milner-Gibson .

The medical profession have just sustained a o-reat loss through the death of Sir John Cormack , M . D ., English physician in Paris . Sir John , who was born in 1 S 15 , besides being a Fellow of the Royal ; Colleges of Physicians of London and Edinburgh , and a member of numerous other societies , was the author of several medical works , but he will be chiefly remembered for his

brilliant services in Paris during the sieges of 1 S 70 and 1 S 71 , for which he had received the Cross of the Legion of Honour . He was knighted by the Queen in 1 S 72 . Bro . the Earl of Wharncliffe presided at the meetin" - held , bv the kind permission of Bro . Henry Irving , in the Eyceum Theatre , on Monday afternoon , for the purnose of promoting the establishment of a School of

Dramatic Art . Bro . the Marquis of Headfort , Grand Senior Warden of Ireland , and Bros . J . L . Toole and G , A . Sala were among those present in support of the movement , the two last brethren taking an active part in the proceedings . Bro . Baron Henry de Worms , M . P ., was present on Wednesday last at the fifty-fifth anniversary festival of the Licensed Victuallers' Asylum , which took place at

the Crystal Palace . Bro . the Earl of Carnarvon , Pro . G . M ., presided on Wednesday last at the annual meeting of the Protestant Blind Pension Society . Such is the demand for labour in New York that not 100 out of the 17 , 000 immigrants of last week lack employment , The demand for agricultural labour from the

West is urgent , and offers to prepay passages are not infrequent . The May flower show will take place at the Crystal Palace this day . An emergency meeting of the 1 ' nited Mariners Lodge , No . 30 , was held at the Guildhall Tavern , on Tuesday evening last .

The Beadon Lodge , No . 619 , held its first meeting for the season on Wednesday last , at its old quarters , the Greyhound , Dulwich , under the presidency of Bro . VV . Sharratt , the Worshipful Master for the second

year . A State Ball was held at Buckingham Palace , on Wednesday last . The attendance was numerous . The Four-in-Hand Club had their first meet for the season in Hyde-park , on Wednesday last . As usual , the gathering furnished a sight . Bro . VV . G . Lemon is a candidate for the office

of City Remembrancer . Bro . the Rig ht Hon . the Lord Mayor , J . G . W . ( W . M . Grand Masters' Lodge ) , accompanied by the Lady Mayoress , paid a visit to Peckham , on Tuesday last , for the purpose ot assisting in the opening of a sale of useful and ornamental goods , held on behalf of the Rye-lane Chapel and Sunday Schools .

Masonic And General Tidings.

The Princess of Wales , with the three 3 'oung Princesses , her daughters , the Duke of Teck ( President of the Society ) , and Princess Mary , Duchess of Teck , with the Grand Duchess of Mrcklenburg-Strclitz , were among the visitors at the first summer exhibition of the Royal

Botanical Society , hold on Wednesday last , in the Regent spark . The bright weather attracted unusual numbers of visitors to the beautiful gardens . The bands of the 1 st Life Guards and the Royal Horse Guards gave selections of music on the lawn .

The Prince of Wales left Marlborough House on 'Thursday afternoon last on a visit to Bro . Lord Carrington , S . G . W ., at High Wycombe , Bucks . The Duke of Edinburgh formally inaugurated the new Edystone Lighthouse on Thursday last . The Corinthian Lodge of Instructon , No . 1382 , met on Tuesday at Bro . Clark's , George Hotel , Cubitt

Town , E ., the several offices being filled as follows : Bros . G . Smith , VV . M . ; Brittain , S . W . ; Carnaby , P . M ., J . W . ; Delves , P . M ., Preceptor ; ClSearell , P . M ., Hon . Sec . ; VV . Millington , P . M . ; Doring , S . D . ; Morrison , J . D . ; and VV . Raiker , I . G . Lodge was duly opened , and the ceremony of initiation was worked , Bro . McLeod , candidate ; the ceremony being done with the view of making

the officers of the mother lodge proficient for their several duties . The evening having passed most profitably , lodge was solemnly closed and adjourned until Tuesday next . Brethren who ran make it convenient to attend this lodge will find a very cordial welcome extended to them . In the collection near the Guildhall Library are I wo books in which are described the reception of King

Charles 1 . by the Lord Mayor and aldermen upon his return from Scotland in 1 G 41 , and the entertainment given to the same king by the Corporation of London . Along with these works , which are quaintly illustrated , is another with a portrait of King Charles II . on its title-page , the subject being the absolute right of the monarch to the gold

and silver of the realm . —City Press . Bro . Alderman and Sheriff Hanson presided at the forty-fifth anniversary dinner of the Grocers and Tea Dealers' Benevolent Society at the Cannon-street Hotel , on Wednesday last . About 200 guests were present . Bro . Wilhelm Ganz had the direction of the musical

arrangements . A biographical sketch and portrait of Bro . G . R . Sims , the dramatist , is announced to appear in to-day's number of House and Nome .

Bro . Ex-Sheriff Sir Moses Montefiore , Bart ., has given a dinner to 500 poor people at Jerusalem , in celebration of the marriage of Bro . the Duke of Albany . Bro . R . R . Davis was elected a member of the United Wards Club , on Wednesday evening last . Bro . F . Foxley was installed VV . M . of the Phoenix Lodge , No . 173 , at Freemasons' Hall , on Saturday last .

Bro . James Stevens , P . M ., P . Z ., will deliver his lecture explanatory of the rituals of the ceremonies of the First Degree , at the Kingsland Lodge of Instruction , No . 1 G 93 , at the Canonbury Tavern , Canonbury-square , Islington , on Monday evening next . The annual meeting of the British Equitable Assurance Company was held at the offices on Wednesday ,

the lothinst ., Mr . J . F . Hartley in the chair . The report of the directors was read by Bro . VV . Gover ( the managing director ) , from which it appeared that 2112 policies were issued during the year , assuring £ 402 , 847 , and yielding a new annual premium income of £ 12 , 664 . The policies in force at the end of the year were 25 , 6 ^ , 0 , assuring £ 4 , 715 , 799 . The amount paid for death and matured

claims and bonuses in the year was £ 71 , 702 . Since the commencement of the company claims and bonuses had been paid for £ 667 , 837 . The company had invested during the year £ 7 6 , 961 , the average interest being at the rate of £ 4 15 s . 3 d . per cent . Bro . the Rev . Dr . P . H . Ernest Brette , in proposing a vote of thanks to the Chairman at a recent

meeting of the Royal Albert Asjlum , said he was connected with many charities , but in none of them did the subscribers possess a greater boon than in the Royal Albert Orphan Asylum . In other charities canvassing—or he would call it begging—was carried on ; whilst in that one they had all the different candidates' cases stated , and they had simply to select those whom they considered most

worthy . In fact , in that Orphanage they followed the true principle of charity , which was putting every consideration aside and helping the most deserving . The June number of the Magazine of Art will comprise among its contents an article b y Mr . Basil Champneys on " VVren and St . Paul ' s , " which tells the story of the great architect ' s connection with the cathedral ,

and of the development of the present building from the ridiculous design approved by Charles II . ; an important paper by Professor Colvin on Albert Diirer as a draughtsman , illustrated with ten specimens of his work ; an "Art Fable" by Mr . Austin Dobson ; and , under the title of " Fitness and Fashion , " an account of the recent exhibition of hygienic clothing , illustrated by sketches of the divided

skirt , the Greek dress , and other proposed innovations . 1 he part will contain full-page engravings of " The Widower , " after Luke Fides , A . K . A . ; the bronze group of "The Sailor ' s Wife , " after Alphonse Legros ; and "The Mountain Sprite , " after Conrad Dielitz . A meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society , South Kensington , was held on Tuesday afternoon , under

the presidency of Mr . J . M'lntosh , when His Majesty , William III ., King of the Netherlands , was elected a Fellow . On several ladies and gentlemen the same honour was conferred , after which Professor Henslow , F . L . S ., gave a lecture on the maple tree , with especial reference to

the collection of Japanese varieties exhibited by Messrs . Veitch , to whom a silver medal was awarded . In the course of his remarks the Professor illustrated the antiquity of the tree by the fossil remains found near Lake Constance , and by the frequent allusions made to it in ancient classical writings .

Bro . VV . Ganz will repeat at his concert this ( Saturday ) afternoon , Liszt's symphony to Dante ' s " Divina Commedia , " which was given by him for the first time , at St . James ' s Hall , on Saturday , the 22 nd ult .

Masonic And General Tidings.

I he work of saving life from shipwreck on the shores of the British Isles has assumed such proportions and efficiency as it obtained at no former period . The National Lifeboat Institution contributed last year alone to the saving of 1121 lives from various wrecks , while the Board of Trade and the Coastguard , by means of the rocket apparatus , rescued upwards of 500 lives . These facts are learned from the annual report of the Lifeboat Institution , which has just been issued .

Ihe mournful and shameful assassinations of Lord Frederick Cavendish and Mr . Burke have greatly affected all classes of society , and Punch has published the following touching " In Memoriam " to these two distinguished English public servants and citizens . As some of our readers may not see the pages of our well-known contemporary , we think it well to reprint the lines here :

" As blameless as the flowers which borrow stain From the spilt ruddy life-stream of the slain , When battle rages ' midst the fields of Spring ; As bravely fallen as the few who mount The dread death-breathing breach , nor pause to count The shot ' s quick crashing , or the steel ' s swift swing ; Rest , w-hile the whole land ' s voice lifts to the blue

, In grief and praise , Prean and Requiem too ! " Preparations are being made on an extensive scale for the visit ot the Prince and Princess of Wales , on Whit Monday , to open the Abbey Park , Leicester . The route is about a mile and a quarter in length , and there will be ten

triumphal arches of beautiful designs . The Lord Chancellor and Lord John Manners will be among the speakers at the luncheon . The Mayor will present the Prince with a splendid gold key , and the Mayoress the Princess with a silver spade with which to plant a tree to commemorate the visit .

Bro . the Duke of St . Alban ' s , P . G . M . Nottinghamshire , presided at the annual festival of the Samaritan Free Hospital , held at Willis ' s Rooms , St . James's , on Tuesday last , supported by Bro . the Right Hon . Lord Leigh , P . G . M . Warwickshire ( President of the Institution ) and others . The Secretary announced the receipt of sub scription and donations to the amount of £ 1258 . Bro Harker was toastmaster .

Bro . Dean Burgon has been lecturing at Gresham College on " Divinity " this week . Bro . Brinsley has been appointed a member of the Markets and Special Guildnall Improvement Committees . Bro . Inspector J . R . Foulger has been granted the superanuation allowance of £ 121 Gs . Sd ., on the recommendation of the Police Committee .

Bro . Horace Jones , Grand Superintendent of Works , the City Architect , has been elected President of the Royal Institute of British Architects , in succession to the late Mr . Street , R . A . Bro . Joseph Young will be installed W . M . of the Fowke Lodge of Mark Alasters , at the Freemasons ' Hall , Leicester , on Thursday next .

Last year eleven new lifeboats were placed at the following stations : England and Wales , Co . Northumberland , Bamborough Castle ; Yorkshire , Robin Hood ' s Bay and Whitby ; Norfolk , Palling ; Essex , Harwich ; Sussex , Newhaven ; Glamorganshire , Pcnarth ; Pembrokeshire , Little Haven , St . Bride ' s Bay ; Carnarvonshire , Portmadoc ; Anglesey , Cemaes . Ireland , Co . Dublin , Poolbeg .

On Saturday last the Lad y Mayoress and party visited the Shipwrights' International Exhibition , held at the Fishmongers' Hail , and were shewn over the exhibition by the Honorary Secretary . The Lady Mayoress expressed great interests in the exhibits , and minutely examined the model . of the old Viking ship from Norway . Before leaving , the party were photographed by one of the artistes of the Stereoscopic Company .

Bro . the Earl and the Countess of Jersey entertained the Duke and Duchess of Marlborough and Lady Georgiana Spencer Churchill , Viscount Cranbrook and Hon . Miss Gathorne Hardy , Lord and Lady Balfour of Burleigh , Lord and Lad y Wm . Osborne , Lord Moreton , Lady Caroline Jenkins , Hon . Miss Leigh , Mr . H . Littleton , Mr . and Mrs . Albert Grey , Mr . Browning , and Mr . Cotes at dinner , at their residence in Great Stanhope-street , Paik-Iane , on Wednesday last .

Further donations to the Royal College of Music have been made by Bros . Alderman Sir Francis Wyatt Truscott , Alderman Sir T . Gabriel , Bart ., Alderman Hadley , Alderman Staples , and Alderman and Sheriff Hanson .

The president of the Royal College of Surgeons , Bro . Sir Erasmus Wilson , has nominated Dr . C Aleymot Tidy to the post of scientific analyst , an appointment which the Secretary of State for the Home Department has just confirmed .

Bro . Alderman P . de Keyser presided , in the absence of the Lord Mayor , at the forty-fifth anniversary festival of the London Coffee and Eating House Keepers ' Association , held at the Guildhall Tavern on the 12 th inst . The thirty-fourth concert of the Great Western Railway Musical Society , of which Bro . H . E . Dehane is Secretary , took place on Friday . This was the last for the season of a most successful series .

The announcement that the Electric Exhibition now being held at the Crystal Palace , as at present constituted , will close on June 3 rd , has given a fresh impulse to its undiminished attractions , many who have not yet visited it being naturally anxious to avail themselves of the rapidly passing opportunity for making themselves acquainted with such a collection of wonders of science as has never before been brought together .

An exhibition of bicycles and tricyles , and other kindred machines , was opened on Thursday last at the Royal Aquarium , Westminster . Bro . the Rt . Hon . the Lord Mayor presided at the biennial Festival of the Finsbury Dispensary , at the Albion , on Friday , the 12 th in > t ., supported by Bro . Alderman and Sheriff Hanson , Mr . Sheriff Ogg , the under-Sheriffs , and several distinguished visitors .