Masonic And General Tidings.

Masonic and General Tidings .

THE DIRECTORS OF THE BANK OK ENGLAND decided to raise the Bank rate to four per cent , on Thursday . THE MERCERS' COMPANY have forwarded £ 21 ti Highbury ' s Home for Continued Invalids . THE SKINNERS' COMPANY have voted 20 guineas to the North London Hospita for Consumption . THE FISHMONGERS' COMPANY have contributed £ 50 towards the Home for Conlirmed Invalids at Highbury .

THE GOLDSMITHS C OMPANY have given a donation of , £ 100 to the Children ' s Country Holidays' Fund , 10 , Buckingham-street , Strand . ON AND AFTER Monday next the State Apartments of Windsor Castle will b ; open to the public on every week day , under the usual regulations , until further orders . HER MAJESTY THE OUEEN has been pleased to approve the appointment of the Duke of Argyll , K . T ., to be Lord Lieutenant of Argyllshire , in the room of the late Duke .

AT A MISCELLANEOUS sale of books at Sotheby ' s on the 16 th inst . a lirst edition copy of Cowper ' s ' * Poems , " with the substituted leaf , in the original boards and uncut , realised £ 30 ios . SIR ARTHUR S ULLIVAN has undertaken to conduct the Brass Band Combination , which will give a series of performances at the Crystal Palace to-morrow ( Saturday ) He will be assisted on the occasion by Mr . August Manns .

THE DUCHESS OF Y ORK , attended hy Lady Eva Dugdale , was present on Tuesday afternoon at an open-air reception given by the committee of Princess Frederica ' s Homes for Gentlewomen at Warwick House , Trinity-road , Tulse-hill . A VIOLIN by Antonius Stradivarius , 1697 , original label and scroll , with two bows , one by Dodd , was sold at Messrs . Sotheby ' s rooms on the Kith inst ., lor £ 495 . The violin was the property of the late W . C . Selle , Mus . Doc , who purchased it 40 years ago from a private collection .

BRO . LORD M AYOR , on the iGth instant , unveiled a bust of her Majesty , generously presented to the City of London Hospital for Diseases of the Chest , Victoria Park , as a memorial of the partial connection with the district , by Sir M . M . Bhowuaggree , M . P ., in honour of the Queen's long reign .

A WINDFALL FOR THE ROYAL HOSPITAL FOR I NCURABLES . —By the death of Mr . William Loney , of St . Heliers , Jersey , the Royal Hospital for Incurables , Putney , has become entitled to the residue of his estate , which will ultimately realise about £ 14 , 000 . The greater part of this amount is payable at once . THE WELSH H OSPITAL AT SPRINGFONTEIN . —The following telegram , dated Capetown , July 12 th , has been received fron : Professor Hughes , who has recently joined the Welsh Hospital at Springfontein -. " Hospital splendid . Staff all well . " The Mayor of Cardiff has forwarded to Bro . Sir David Evans , the Treasurer , a cheque for 0 , 300 as the result of the appeal made in Cardiff in behalf of the hospital .

A MONTHLY MEETING of the New Forest Lodge , No . 319 , was held at the old Masonic Hall , Lymington , on the ioth inst ., when there was a full attendance , includ ng some visiting brethien . Therceremonies of thc day were impressively performed by the W . M ., Bro . R . L . Gent , and at their close the brethren adjourned to the Bugle Hotel , where a banquet was seived by Bio . Dore , P . M . A pleasant evening was enjoyed , the brethren separating shortly before S p . m .

THE LIST OK members of the Duke of York ' s Lodge , No . 25 , Dublin , is very suggestive of thc active part taken by prominent Craftsmen in the South African war . Bro . Field-Marshal Lord Roberts is a member of this distinguished lodge , and to his name and 1 S other oflicers are the words " at present in South Africa , " besides which others are serving their Queen and country i . i India and elsewhere . Bro . the Earl of Shaftesbury is the present W . M ., and Bro . Sir Charles A . Cameron , C . B ., is the Honorary Secretary .

BRO . J . M . MCLEOD , P . G . S . B ., Sec . R . M . I . B ., has just communicated to the Secretary of the Isle of Axholme Lodge , Crowle , that the Board of Manage ment has resolved to still further retain , for the purpose of higher education , Percival Edmund Harrison ( son of the late VV . Harrison , who was head n . aster at the Crowle Board Schools ) , whose ordinary term expired at midsummer , 1 S 99 , and who has already received the advantage of 12 months' retention . He has shown such ability and good conduct as to entitle him to this special mark of favour at the hands of the Board .

INTERESTING MASONIC PRESENTATION . —At a recent meeting of the members of Lodge Amity , No . 137 , Poole , Bro . F . A . Sharp was presented with a Past Master ' s jewel , in recognition of his duties as Almoner of the lodge for upwards of 10 years . The presentation was made by the W . M . of the lodge , Bro . H . W . Scratchley , who made suitable reference to the work done by Bro . Sharp and the interest he took generally in the lodge . Bro . Sharp thanked the brethren for this handsome expression of their goodwill towards him . The jewel is of gold , and bears the following inscription : " Lodge Amity , 137 . Presented to VV . Bro . F . A . Sharp , P . P . J . G . D ., in recognition of services rendered as Almoner from 1 S 91 to 1 S 90 . "

Dr .. CHAS . FORSHAW , F . R . S . L ., has received the following letter relative to his " Masonic Musings " — " Marlborough House , Pall Mall , S . W ., 9 th July , 1900 . " Dr . Charles Forshaw , 4 S . Hanover-square , Bradford . " Sir , —I have submitted your letter tn the Prince of VVales , and I am desired by his Royal Highness in reply to thank you for your woik , ' Masonic Musings , ' which you have been so good as to transmit for his acceptance . —I am , sir , your obedient servant , "I ' RANCIS KNOLLYS . "

Bro . George Kenning is the publisher of " Masonic Musings . " It can be obtained from this ofiice post free for 5 s . ON MONDAY EVENING the Queen was present at a performance of Gounod ' s opera , " Faust , " hy the Royal Opera Company ( from the Opera House , Covent Garden ) under the direction of Mr . Maurice Grau . Her Majesty—accompanied by their Royal Highnesses the Duchessof Saxe-Coburg and Gotha , Princess Christian of Schleswig-Holstein , Princess Henry of Battenberg , Princess Beatrice of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha , their Highnesses Princess Aribert of Anhalt , Princess Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein ,

Princess Victoria Eugenie and Prince Leopold of Battenberg—entered the Waterloo Chamber at nine o'clock , when the opera commenced . The Ladies and Gentlemen of the Royal Household , as well as many invited guests , were present . Alter the performance the Oueen and the Royal I ' ami ly proceeded to the Green Drawing Room , where the latter were presented to her Majesty . The artists , the director and conductor of the opera , and the secretary had the honour of being presented to the Queen . Refreshments were served in the Dining Room for her Majesty's guests , and in the Audience and Presence Chambers and Vandyke Room for the opera company .

TUB OUEEN ' PRACTICAL S YMPATHY . —Her Majesty the Queen has contributed £ 10 to a fund raised in aid of Thomas Scott , engine driver on the North-Eastern Railway , who was run over by an engine in Newcastle Station , while endeavouring to rescue a col ' lie dog which had strayed upon thc line , and was so injured that both legs were amputated . The letter enclosing the donation is signed by Sir Fleetwood J . Edwaids , and says : " The Oueen commands me to express her admiration of the act of humanity of Thomas Scott itcorded in the newspaper cutting which you forwarded . No one could more fully appreciate it than her Majesty , whose fondness for animals is so great

that the < lueen would further ask you to convey the expression of her sincere sympathy with the poor fellow in the dep lorable accident that he met within his humane endeavour . Her Majesty is gratilied to hear that material assistance is forthcoming for him , and while it would he contrary to custom for the Oueen's name to appear in a subscription list of this nature , I am directed to enclose £ 10 , which her Majesty hopes may be of some temporary assistance to Mrs . Scott under the circumstance in which she is placed as desciihed in your letter . " The letter is addressed to Colonel Coulson , of Newbrough , Northumberland ,

Masonic And General Tidings.

EARL AND COUNTESS AMHERST left town on Wednesday for Morvick , Rogart Sutherlandshire . ' A CONTRIBUTION of £ 50 , 000 towards the endowment fund of Birmingham University was announced on the 19 th instant from Sir James Chance . THE DUKE OF YORK was or . Tuesday last gazetted to be Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Fusiliers ( City of London Regiment ) .

THE PRINTERS' PENSION CORPORATION has received a gift of £ 311 from Mrs . Mary Maxwell to found a second pension to be named the John Maxwell Memorial Pension . ON THE 19 th instant the contributions to the Daily Telegraph Widows and Orphans Fund amounted to 111 , 427 shillings , bringing the grand total to 3 , 906 , 96 7 shillings .

BY THE WILL of the late Mr . Augustus Matthew Goddard , St . Thomas ' s Hospital receives a legacy of £ 1000 for the endowment of a bed to be called " The Matthew and Patience Goddard Bed . " HER MAJESTY THE Q UEEN has presented Madame Suzanne Adams , with a bracelet , composed entirely of diamonds and sapphires , as a souvenir of her performance of Marguerite , in " Faust , " at Windsor Castle , on the 16 th instant .

BRO . ALDERM AN SIR WHITTAKER ELLIS , Bart ., and Lady Ellis gave a fete at Buccleuch House , Richmond , recently in aid of the Royal Cambridge Asylum . The Duke and Duchess of York were among those present . PRINCE WALDEMAR OF DENMARK , who has been on a visit to T . R . H . the Prince and Princess of VVales at Marlborough House , left London for Gravesend on Tuesday to resume command of the Danish cruiser Valkyrien .

As WILL BE SEEN from our advertisement columns , the Midland Railway Company are offering special facilities for intending visitors to the Isle of Man , the Lake Districts , and other well-known holiday resorts on their system . ALL THROUGH the summer at the London Hippodrome , both at the morning and evening performances , iced lemonade will be distiibuted gratis and ad lib . in all parts of the house . In addition to this , fans will be provided for the convenience of the audience .

THE COMMITTEE of Lloyds have decided to bestow Lloyd ' s medal for meritorious services upon Captain Engelbart , of the Norddeutscher Lloyd steamship Kaiser William der Grosse , for his services on the occasion of the great fire at New York on the 30 th ultimo . THE ANNUAL Provincial Grand Lodge of Essex was held at the Town Hall , Clacton-on-Sea , on the 17 th inst ., when there was a large attendance of Past and Present Provincial Grand Officers and members of the various lodges in the Province . A full report will appear in our next issue .

THE PRINTING of companies' prospectuses , plans , illustrations of industrial works , Masonic work of all description , & c , produced with rapidity . Fast machinery and every modern appliance for the production of large quantities at short notice . Freemason Printing Works , iC and 16 a , Great Queen-street , London , W . C . BRO . SIR J B . MONCKTON ( the Town Clerk ) , has , with Bro . the Lord Mayor and Chief Commoner ( Mr . VV . R . Pryke ) , been the recipient ofthe Khedive ' s portrait in a silver frame , mounted with the donor ' s monogram in gold . Accompanying the gift was a cordial letter of thanks for the pleasure the Guildhall entertiinm ; nt afforded his Highness .

BY COMMAND of her Majesty the Queen , Sergeant M'Askill and Private I . Asquith , of the newly-formed 3 rd Battalion Scots Guards , went down to Frogmore on the 19 th instant to exhibit the new Army uniform which has been devised by a committee of experts . Her Majesty displayed great interest in all the particulars of the uniform , and expressed her admiration of it .

T . R . H . THE PRINCE AND PRINCESS OF WALES have abandoned their proposed visit to Goodwood House in consequence of the indisposition of the Duke of Richmond , who was to have been their host . It is probable , in these circumstances , that the Princess of Wales will not be present during the race week , but that the Prince of VVales , who will live on board his yacht , will attend the meeting .

THE GREAT EASTERN RAILWAY . —This company havejdedded to allow each firstclass passenger 150 lb ., each second-class pisienger 120 lb ., ani eich third-cl ass passenger 100 lb . of free luggage , although their Parliamentary powers entitle them to make a charge for excess luggage above 120 lb . per first , 100 lb . per second , and 60 lb . per third-class passenger . This will not apply to continental travellers , as the company are bound by the regulations of the continental railways .

BRO . SIR HENRY IRVING brings his season to a close on Saturday , the 28 th inst On that day there will be two performances—afternoon and evening—at the Lyceum . At both peiformances a varied and interesting programme is to be presented , consisting ot four separate items , namely , the third act of "Robespierre , " "Nance Oldfield , " " Waterloo , " and the fourth act of " The Merchant of Venice , " thus affording scope for the appearance of Sir Henry and Miss Ellen Terry in several of their most popular roles .

IN CONNECTION with Piincess Christian ' s Homes of Rest for Discharged Soldiers and Sailors now in course of eredion at Bisley , we are authorised to state that her Majesty the Queen has been graciously pleased to endow two beds ; their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of York endow one bed for a soldier or sailor ; her Royal Highness Princess Christian of Schleswig-Holstein one bed for the King's Royal Rifles ; and their Highnesses Princess Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein and Princess Aribert of Anhalt a bed for a " greenjacket . "

ABHPDEEN CITY PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE . —The quarterly communication ol this lodge was held on the 13 th instant . In the absence of liro . Wilson , Prov . G . Master , the chair was occupied by Bro . Crombie , Dep . Prov . G . Master . The Chairman referred in feeling terms to the death of Bro . Gill , Prov . G . Sec . Bro . David W . Clark presented his commission from the Prov . G . Master , and was formally installed in the office of Prov . G . Secretary . Bro . A . A . Tindal was elected Prov . G . Treasurer , and Bro . VV . Wilson Prov . G . I . G .

THE NINTH ART LOAN EXHIBITION promoted by the City Corporation at the Guildhall Gallery has just closed its doors , after proving one of the most successful ever held , over 200 , 000 persons having passed through the turnstiles during the last three months . The total attendance of the public at these displays has been nearly two millions , while the value of the works of art temporarily entrusted to the Common Council has been nearly two millions sterling . The expenses have been £ 9816 , les £ 5255 received for catalogues .

HRR MAJESTY , on the iSth instant , decorated Staff-Sergeant S . W . McConnell , Aimy Gymnastic Staff , with the Medal for Distinguished Conduct in the Field for his good services during the linal pursuit and defeatjof the Khalifa in the Soudan in November , 1 S 99 , for which he was brought to notice by the Sirdar of the Egytian Army . Her Royal Highness Princess Henry of Battenberg was present with the Queen . Lord Lawrence , Lord-in-Waiting ; Lieut .-Colonel Sir Arthur Bigge , and Major-General Sir John McNeill , Equcrry-in-Waiting , were in attendance .

HER MAJESTY and Princess Henry of Batte » berg were present on Tuesday afternoon at the christening of the infant son of Prince and Princess Louis of Battenberg , which took place in the drawing-room of Frogmore House , l'he gold font from Windsor Castle was used for the baptism of the little Prince , who received the names of Alb : rt Victor Nicholas Louis Francis , and for whom her Majesty was sponsor . The Dean of Windsor officiated , and the musical portions of the service were sung by several of the lay clerks and choristers of St . George ' s Chapel , under the direction of Bro . Sir Walter Parratt .

FOR THE LAST time before Vacation , which in the Citv will commence on the ist August , Bro . the Lord Mayor presided over the Court cf Aldermen . The Senior Sheriff elect attended "to give bond" that he would duly perform the duties of "is ollice . Mr . Sheiiff elect Lawrence , on account of urgent private affairs , begged to postpone his attendance for the same purpose until the next Court . The Chamberlain and Bridge Masters recently re-elected made the usual declarations . Brn . Alderman Sir Henry Knight , Sir J . T . Ritchie , and Bro . Vaughan Morgan were appointed on the governing body of the United Westminster Schools ,