Original Correspondence.

I . - __ II .. Here then we have in two short paragraphs a true record of those acts—and their results—of the Bovs' ¦ Srhool governing authorities , to which Bro . Tunnicliff states that he and his associates are hostile ; and in order to make their hostility successful and smash the authorities ' , he and they are appealing- to the Craft at large to furnish them with material in the shape

of grievances—whether real or imaginary matters little , I presume , so long as they can'be made to subserve their purpose . To this appeal 1 reply—The Masters and governing bodies of our chief public and private schools I know , and am prepared to accept or respect their judgment in matters of school management , discipline , and expenditure ; but who are ye that ye presume to constitute

yourselves judges ' and determine offhand the result of an inquiry which has not been yet begun ? And just as Bro . Tunnicliff is curious to know who I am that am writing as " Q ., " so , and with far greater reason , do 1 ask him to furnish the Craft he is appealing to for information with such credentials as will justify them in surrendering their right of . private judgment to a

petty and obscure clique . I wnte as one of the general body of Masons to which Bros . Tunnicliff and Greatbatch have appealed / so that it matters nothing who I am , whether " Q " or another ; but though it may savour of egotism to say so , I venture to think that I possess some knowledge of the history and management of an Institution on whose governing body these brethren and their associates have presumed to pass sentence of condemnation . I have

taken upon myself no personal responsibility , and need not disclose my name . Bros Tunnicliff and Greatbatch are acting as inquisitors-general into the affairs of the Boys' School , and the general body of Masons has a right to know by virtue of what or whose authority they are acting , or , at all events , to be furnished with some evidence oi their competency for the position they have assumed . — Faithfully and fraternally , October 15 . " Q . »

Reviews

REVIEWS

f " ¦ ' ¦ ' ¦ "" * THE MAKERS OF BRITISH INDIA . By W . H . DAVENPORT A " . With a Map and 12 Illustrations . London : John Hogg , 13 , Paternoster-row . Mr . Adams is quite right in his statement that too little attention is paid to the study of our connection with India , how it was first established , and the prowess and ability by which our empire over upwards of 200 millions

of people has been slowly but firmly built up . He is right , too , in his suggestion that this story of our Empire in India is one that is well worth studying , and he is to be congratulated on having placed within easy reach of our youth a judiciously compiled and pleasantly written account of the foundation and spread of this same empire . The work is based on the best authorities , a list of which will be found

in the early part of the volume , and the narrative , which is well arranged and sub-divided , sets forth clearly , yet concisely , the deeds of the mighty warriors and statesmen to whose daring , skill , and judgment this country is indebted for the establishment of its power in this portion of Asia . The Introduction covers the period from 1600 , when the East India Company was started , to 1761 , when our

French rivals for supremacy were beaten , and the French Empire in India—though subsequent attempts were made to revive it—virtually ceased to exist . Then follow a dozen chapters , in each of which a separate and distinct period is described , and the growth of our power in its successive stages of development exhibited in such a manner that the reader cannot help becoming more and more interested as he proceeds , especially as through the medium of Mr .

Adams he becomes personally acquainted , as it were , with the men who have ruled , and fought , and guided the destinies of England and India from the days of Plassey till the present time . We consider Mr . Adams has done a public service by his compilation of a history which was sorely needed for the edification of our youth in respect of this particular branch of British History , while Bro . Hogg deserves commendation for having so well discharged his duty as publisher .

THE STORY OF OUR COLONIES , By H . R . Fox BOURNE , author of " A Memoir of Sir Philip Sidney , " & c . A new and revised edition , with six Maps , London : John Hogg , 13 , Paternoster-row . 18 S 8 . This is another of the same class of useful book as Mr . Davenport Adams's , " The Makers of British India , " and

is to be commended for the same reason , namely , that it brings within easy reach of the general public the wonderful story of " the establishment and growth of our vast Colonial Empire . " The first edition was published in 1869 , but in the 20 years that have since elapsed vast changes have taken place . " The area and the population of our Colonies have been nearly doubled , and their trade has been far

more than doubled . With lew exceptions they have made immense progress in the opening up of material resources and in the growth of social and political institutions ; " and Mr . Bourne has been well advised to revise and reissue the work , so that without altering its character as a sketchbook of the establishment of our Colonial Empire or the manner of his treatment , it might continue to be in 1 S 88

what it was in 186 9 , that is to say , a well-written and concise account of the British Colonies , their various systems of government ; their trade and commerce , and the relations on which they stand to the Mother Country . Mr . Bourne appears to have been most careful in his work of revision and in incorporating the most important facts that have occurred during the additional period to which his narrative

extends . Our earliest efforts in colonisation are described in the opening chapter , and then in a long series of chapters we have sketched with accuracy , and with as much fulness as the limits of such a work would permit , the various groups of possessions in the West Indies , in North -America , in South Africa , Asia , Australasia , & c ,

which constitute our Colonial Empire . The narrative is well-written , not too overladen with detail to be wearisome , yet containing information sufficient to give a good general idea of our Colonial Empire . The book , top , is well got up , and will make a suitable Christmas gift to present to . youngsters who are well on in their "teens . "

Reviews

ROMANCE OF THE MOUNTAINS . By ASCOTT R . HOPE , author of "Stories of Young Adventurers , " & c , with 12 Illustrations . London : John Hogg , 13 , Paternoster-row . Mr . Ascott Hope is a writer of considerable repute in the class of literary work to which he has chiefly given his attention , and his "Stories of Young Adventurers , "Stories

out of School-time , " and similar books have won him much well-deserved popularity among the rising generation of readers . In these pages we have a series of " stories , scenes , legends , adventures , " & c , derived from , or associated with , the various ranges of mountains , and very pleasant reading they are . In the nine chapters in which the contents of the volume are grouped will be found one devoted to " Mountain Myths , " another to " Bandits and

Brigands , " a third to " Mountain Warfare , " a fourth to " The Hunters of the Mountains , " while the last is headed " Lost on the Mountains , " and contains two stories which justify the title . and references to several other cases of persons being thus lost in recent years . We are satisfied the book will-add largely to Mr . Ascott Hope's popularity , and at the same time find , as it deserves to find , a ready sale among ) the gift-books that will be offered at the coming Christmastide .

Reports Of Masonic Meetings.

REPORTS OF MASONIC MEETINGS .

& raft Jlagonrg , ST . JOHN'S LODGE ( No . 167 ) . —The installation meeting of this lodge was held on Tuesday , the gth inst ., at Jack Straw ' s Castle , HamDstead . Present Bros . C . H . Fry , P . M ., W . M . ; W . A . ' Scurrah , P . P . G . S . of W . Middx ., S . W . ; Dr . Goodchild , J . W . ; Lane , J . D . ; George Trott , and Bros . I . T . Rowe , P . M . ; H .

Hollis , P . M . ; J . G . Humphreys , P . M . ; J . Ware , P . M . ; W . Wilkinson , P . M . ; John Potter , P . M . ; H . E . Coffin , P . M . ; and Edwin Storr , P . M . Visitors : Bros . Abel Simner , I . P . M . 177 ; H . H . Shirley , P . M . 1491 ; Hy . Dickey , P . M . 1744 ; T . C . Edmonds , W . M . 1507 ; G . F . Smith , junr ., P . M . 25 ; W . M . Stiles , W . M . 1732 ; Chas . B . Cooper , W . M . 449 ; James

Thorn , W . M . 2206 ; John Oldis , P . M . 1288 ; H . Longman , S . D . 2271 ; A . H . Scurrah , J . W . 2206 ; A . E . Pridmore , 1815 ; John Hudson , 2206 ; C . J . Coles , 339 ; G . H . Stansall , 2206 ; W . Russell Finlay , 21 S 2 ; W . Lincoln , 534 ; F . W . Hearn , 2206 ; E . W . Wheeler , Org . 2206 ; A . E . Cattle , 749 ; John Dale , 1613 ; J . H . Dobie , 2206 ; and W . J . Mitchell Grady , 1815 .

The lodge having been opened and the minutes read and confirmed , Bro . W . A . Scurrah , W . M . elect , was installed in the chair of K . S . by Bro . E . Storr , P . M ., Secretary of the lodge , in a most admirable manner , in the presence of 19 Installed Masters . The new Master then appointed and invested his officers as follows : Bros . Dr . Goodchild , S . W . ; Hearsum , J . W . ; Lane , S . D . ; George , J . D . ;

Trott , I . G . ; E . Storr , P . M ., as Secretary ; and J . T . Kowe , Treas . The W . M . then passed to the Second Degree Bros . A . E . Snook and F . W . Paul , after which Bro . Storr , P . M ., delivered the addresses in the most perfect and impressive manner . After some routine business the lodge was closed , and the brethren adjourned to a most sumptuous

banquet , when the usual loyal and Masonic toasts were given and responded to . Too much praise cannot be given to Bros . Wheeler , Org ., F . Hearn , Dobbs , and Hudson , all of 2206 , for the way in which they rendered the musical parts in the installation and passing , and also to Bro . Wheeler for so ably presiding at the piano after the banquet .

DOMATIC LODGE ( No . 177 ) . —The brethren of this lodge opened its new season on the 12 th instant , at Anderton's Hotel , under the Mastership of Bro . Henry J . Chapman , and there was a very numerous attendance of members and visitors . Among those present were Bros . H . J . Chapman , W . M . ; Richard Harvey , S . W . ; N . Salmon , J . W . ; Geo . Everett , P . M ., Treas . ; T . Morris ,

Sec . ; A . Simner , P . M . ; W . J . Ferguson , P . M . ; Harry Price , P . M . ; P . B . Spink , P . M . ; J . McLean , P . M . ; P . Pierpoint , P . M . ; W . M . Foxcroft , P . M . ; Edward White , P . M . ; J . E . Walford , P . M . ; Isaac Buscall , P . M . ; J . E . Spurrell , S . E . ; T . B . Goodfellow , J . D . ; Robert Hewetson , I . G . ; E . A . G . Smith , D . C ; A . Piper , Stwd . ; and C . Riechelmann , Org . Visitors : Bros .

Richard Eve , P . M . 1 , P . G . Treas . ; J . H . Ross , S . D . 1964 ; T . E . Mundy , J . D . 1670 ; F . j . Eedle , W . M , 1441 ; H . E . Poole , 2030 ; G . D . Power , S 98 ; F . Holder , 2030 ; A . W . Oxford , I . G . 4 ; B . Brett , 1791 ; H * Massey , P . M . 616 , 1928 , & c . ; H . Carman , P . M . 548 ; R . E . H . Coffin , P . M . 1572 ; W . H . Price , 1 S 16 ; R . Atkins , P . M . 55 ; and B . Kenyon , 2012 .

There was plenty ot work before the brethren , consisting of a raising , and , according to the programme , four initiations . The raising was disposed of first , and Bro . D . Charteris received at the hands of the W . M . the Third Degree . Three out of the four candidates for initiation duly appeared , viz .: Messrs . Joseph Inkermann Higgs , Ernest Samuel Smith , and Fagioli Attilio , and the W . M .

gave them the initial ceremonies of the Craft , performing all his work in brilliant style . After some other formal business the lodge was closed , and the brethren adjourned to banquet , with Bro . Chapman at their head . The usual toasts followed . The W . M . first gave the toast of " The Queen and the Craft , " and said in doing so he did notlttempt to say

anything new , as every one present was a good Mason and a loyal subject , and knew perfectly well how highly her Majesty appreciated the Craft . The W . M . afterwards proposed "The M . W . G . M ., " and said that no one could perform the duties of Grand Master with greater ability or discretion than the Prince of Wales .

Bro . Ferguson , P . M ., proposed "The Pro Grand Master , the Deputy Grand Master , and the rest of the Grand Officers , Present and Past . " He said that on the Grand Officers depended a good deal the welfare and management of the great work which was done in Freemasonry . At the head of the working officers , saving and excepting H . R . H ., who worked quietly and not ostenta-

Reports Of Masonic Meetings.

tiously , they had the Pro G' . Master , the Earl of Ca narvon , and the Deputy G . M ., the Earl of Lathom . Tif " brethren who had attended Grand Lodge had seen ho admirably the Earl of Catnarvon performed his dutie ^ and he was a fair sample of the other Grand Officer' !' His voice was heard through the whole of Grand LoaVe " and the direction of Grand Lodge affairs was exercised

with the greatest decorum and precision . They were verv fortunate in having such a distinguished nobleman to pre side over them . There were numerous other Grand Officers who were probably noble in reality , though not noble in rank , and they discharged their duties with equal anxiety and zeal for the good of the cause . It was an honour conferred upon few . Many achieved it because

they occupied a distinguished station , and so far they were fortunate ; but there was one office which the Craft in general had the power to confer as an honour on some bro . ther every year . Each year the Craft could send to Grand Lodge a Grand Officer who should take rank with the highest , though Freemasonry knew no -difference in rank when the brethren occupied their position as Freemasons

The Domatic Lodge had as a visitor that evening , a Past Grand Treasurer . A few years ago two members of the Domatic Lodge were Past Grand Officers , one passed to the great majority , and they had only one left , and he took a very retiring position , coming to the lodge meetings only about twice a year , paid his subscriptions with the most punctual regularity , sent his -kind congratulations to the

W . M . in the chair , and hurried home to tea . Perhaps that brother ( Bro . James Brett ) had done the hardest work asa Grand Officer , as he was a constant attendant at the Board of Benevolence , of which he was Senior Vice-President , and and he was a very good sort of Grand Officer . They had now an opportunity of sending another Grand Officer to Grand Lodge , and they had also a member of the lodee

who was willing to accept the office . All who had the pleasure of knowing the candidate to whom he alluded ( Bro . George Everett ) would feel confident that if they supported him at the next election , they would never regret it ; they would feel they had a true Freemason and a thorough brother for the office . Those who were intersted in the Domatic Lodge , would feel that that lodge ought to

be represented in Grand Lodge , and that Bro . Everett was a fit person to take the honour , and must exercise an influence there . In concluding his remarks upon the Grand Officers , he would say the brethren were grateful to them for the interest they had taken in Freemasonry , and he hoped they would continue to take an interest in it , and that the Domatic Lodge would take an interest in it as it

had done for many years past . Bro . Richard Eve , Past G . Treas ., aftersome preliminary formal observations as to the extent and way in which the Grand Officers performed their functions , said that the Earl of Carnarvon , by his visit to Australia , reconciled the various Masonic bodies there , and those various bodies , ranking under the Scotch , the Irish , and the English

Constitutions , now formed one Grand Lodge in Australia bearing allegiance to the Grand Lodge of England . The English brethren were glad that had been done , for it showed what services could be rendered by brethren distinguished in the offices of State , and their high position in society generally . But there was in Masonry what the brethren regarded with some greater pleasure , that all

brethren were equal . Although we recognised the compliment that "Great kings , dukes , and lords had laid by their swords , our mysteries to put a good grace on , " they felt that ail brethren were equal in lodge , and equal before the Craft , while the ability or qualifications of one or other might not be so great , as rank and station were considered by some . The Craft were glad to have those brethren

with them . He ( Bro . Eve ) did not happen to represent those brethren who were selected by the Grand Master to occupy Grand Pffice , but he filled the proud position of a Grand Officer sent to Grand Lodge by the body of the Craft . He esteemed it a very great honour , and an honour which all brethren might well seek to obtain . When he came to this Domatic Lodge he felt that he met with a

great number of brethren to whom he owed a deep debt of gratitude , as he remembered that two years ago , when he had the pleasure of being introduced to the brethren , how kindly he was received by them ; he remembered with still greater satisfaction not only the kind way they received him , but the enthusiastic way in which they supported his endeavours to get the office of Grand Treasurer , and he

did not know that he could show his gratitude better than by suporting Bro . Everett in his candidature . Bro . Everett was very kind to him in that candidature , and as his ( Bro . Eve ' s ) heart ' s desire was gratified he trusted Bro . Everett ' s heart ' s desire would be gratified . If Bro . Everett should be elected Grand Treasurer of England , the office would be held by a worthy brother , who , not only by his age in

the Craft but by his services , had endeared himself to the members of the Craft , and that the office in his hands would be upheld with all credit and dignity . He ( Bro . Eve ) had great pleasure in being present at this meeting , and he thanked the brethren tor the kind and gracious way in which they had received the toast of the Grand Officers of England .

Bro . Simner , I . P . M ., in proposing the toast of "The W . M ., " congratulated the brethren on entering a new session of the lodge , and trusted that the Great Architect would give them health and strength to enjoy the Masonic treats the W . M . had in store for them . He did not think they had for a long time had a Master in the chair who did his work more conscientiously or in a more painstaking

way than their present W . M ., who tried his utmost to add to the already great credit of the lodge . The W . M . s heart was in the work . The brethren knew the man , they had seen him , they had seen his work , they knew what he tried to do to make his ritual perfect , so that those who came up to be initiated , passed , and raised might receive a lesson they never could forget .

The W . M ., in reply , said that the six months the brethren had been parted seemed in no way to have lessened the warmth of their feelings towards him . " must express his gratification at their acknowledgment or him , and he hoped in the remaining months he should he in the chair he would be received with the same warmtn . his

or even with increased warmth . From the bottom of heart he thanked the brethren . The W . M ., in proposing "The Initiates , " said that the number of initiates that evening showed that the voxa & Lodge was in no downward way . While they tod «* blood month after month , there would be little difficullty > finding Masters of the lodge , and it was evident that stuff of which the initiates of that evening were m » °