His Imperial Highness The Prince Rhodocanakis, 33 ° .

HIS IMPERIAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE RHODOCANAKIS , 33 ° .

Some few weeks ago , during our absence from town for a month , a very objectionable correspondence was originated on the subject of the Prince Rhodocanakis' rank and status , and the claims of his Imperial Highness as a

descendant of the Eastern Emperors were not only freely canvassed , but various injurious and offensive observations were made respecting him . We have since fully investigated those claims , and are satisfied that His Imperial

Highness is the representative ( after his father ) of the last reigning Sovereign of the Byzantine Empire , and that he is acknowledged to be such , , in all official and authoritative documents which we have personally perused . Under these

circumstances , Ave have no hesitation 111 making the amende honorable , by tendering to the Prince our most ample apologies for having , although unwittingly , allowed our columns to become the

medium of circulating reports respecting the Prince , which are entirely destitute of foundation , and the publication of Avhich has caused us very sincere regret .

Rosicrucian Society Of England.

ROSICRUCIAN SOCIETY OF ENGLAND .

The quarterly meeting of this fraternity was held on the 12 th inst ., at Freemasons' Tavern , and amongst the members present we noticed : Fratres W . H . Hubbard , M . G . ; R . AVent-Avorth Little , P . M . G . ; J . Brett , D . M . G . ; H . G . Buss , Treas . Gen . : XV . R . Woodman , M . D .

Sec . Gen . ; Dr . C . H . Rogers-Harrison , Tertius ; W . B . Hambly , Sextus ; W . Carpenter , Precentor ; J . Weaver , Org . ; Angelo J . Lewis , M . A . T . B . ; G . Kenning , Med . ; D . R . Still , Asst . Sec . ; E . Stanton Jones , J . M . Chamberlin , J . S . Banning , Morton Edwards , and G . Butler . After the confirmation of the minutes , the

election of officers for the ensuing year was proceeded with , and resulted unanimously as follows : Fratres J . Brett , M . G . ; C . H . Rogers-Harrison , D . M . G . ; H . G . Buss , T . G . ; Dr . W . R . Woodman , S . G ; W . * J . N . Quilty , H . C . Levander , M . A ., XV . B . Hambly , J . Weaver , W . Carpenter , Rev . W . B . Church , ALA ., and E . Stanton Jones , Ancients .

It was further resolved that the annual banquet of the Society be held after the next quarterly meeting in January , 1871 , and the members of the committeeappointed last yearwere re-elected to carry out the arrangements . Frater Little announced to the fratres that

M . W . Frater Hughan , P . M . G ., who had arrived in London for the purpose of attending the meeting , had been unexpectedly compelled to leave town that morning , much to his own regret , and , it may be added , much to the regret of every member of the Rosicrucian fraternity .

Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

ROYAL MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION .

The Committee of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution held its usual monthly meeting at the Freemasons' Hall , on Wednesday , tlie 12 th inst ., at three o'clock p . m . Bro . John Hervey , G . S ., in the chair . There Av * re also

present , Bros . J . Smith , B . Head , W . Raynham Stewart , S . May , Browse , R . Spencer , F . Walters , N Wingfield , Bellerby , Young , H . M . Levy , Girard , J . R . Sheen , C . A . Gottebrune , Cox , Hemsworth , ancl others .

The minutes of the previous meeting were read and unanimously confirmed . It was announced that Bro . Col . F . Burdett , P . G . M . of Middlesex , would take the chair at the festival of the Institution which is arranged

to be held on Wednesday , January 25 th , 1871 . A resolution was carried that the salary of the Warden of the Asylum at Croydon be increased from ; £ io to , £ 20 . Several candidates were a Pproved of , whose merits will be brought before

Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

the subscribers at the next election . Some deaths of annuitants were reported to the meeting , and after other business Avas disposed of , a cordial vote of thanks was given to the everpopular and highly-esteemed chairman , and brought the meeting to a close .

Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS .

The Quarterly General Meeting of the subscribers to the Freemasons' Boys' School Avas held on Monday , at Freemasons' Hall . Bro . J HERVEY , V . P ., presided , and among the numerous other brethren who attended we

observed—Bros . Benj . Head , H . Browse , W . Young , Thos . W . AVhite , A . H . Tattershall , J . L . Hine , J . R . Sheen , Richd . Spencer , Edward Cox , W . Watson , John Symonds , Samuel May , H . Massey , L . Finch , A . Pratt , J . Chadwick , T . Meggy , James Weaver , W . Mann , John Hart ,

S . Rawson , Raynham W . Stewart , XV . Farnfield , James Stevens , Jas . Robins , H . G . Warren , H . Empson , J . R . Stebbing , E . S . Snell , H . Muggeridge , E . Harris , Tyreman , Geo . Cox , Rev . C . Woodward ( Chaplain ) , G . S . States , George King , jun ., Richd . Spooner , George Beckett ,

G . M . E . SnoAv , J . T . Bowen , R . B . Newsom , XV . H . Hemsworth , A . D . Loewenstark , and F . Binckes ( Secretary ) . Bro . BINCKES having read the minutes of the last Quarterly Court , and of the subsequent House and General Committees , which were

unanimously confirmed , Bro . J . SYMONDS , V . P .. moved the adoption of the report of the committee appointed to consider the question of the qualifications of candidates , and the alteration of law 51 by making the recommendation of applicants for admission to the school more stringent than it has been

hitherto . The institution was not for the benefit of persons who were in needy circumstances at the time of their initiation into Masonry , but of those Avho Avere in reputable circumstances at such time and aftenvards fell into want . Bro . E . Cox supported the motion , which Avas then put and carried . Bro . RAYNHAM XV . STEAVART moved— " That

the same Committee appointed on the 14 th April , 1870 ( and which has this day reported ) , be re-appointed—To consider the qualifications and privileges of Vice-Presidents , Life Governors , and Life and Annual Subscribers , and report to a Special Court to be holden on Thursday , 8 th of * December , 1870 . —That any

member of the late Committee unable to serve on the Committee as re-appointed , be at liberty to nominate a duly-qualified brother as his substitute . " His object ( he said ) was to consider the enormous advantages which lodges and chapters had now over and against Vice-Presidents , Life Governors , and subscribers . Bro . EDWARD COX wished to know whether

the question was to be discussed at this meeting or left to the Committee ? Bro . RAYNHAM W . STEAVART said it was not to be considered now . He merely moved the re-appointment of the Committee . The motion was carried .

Bro . J . SYMONDS moved— "That the Secretary of this School be empowered to confer with the Secretary of the Girls' School , and to summon conjointly with him die meetings ofthe Committee . " This motion was likewise cairied .

Bro . EDWARD COX enquired if provision had been made for summoning the Special Court . Bro . J . SYMONDS said that could be done by three vice-presidents , and he himself would take care to see it was properly done . It would also be done by the General Committee .

rhe election of thirteen boys out of an approved list of fifty-three then took place ( for result see advertisement on front page ) . Votes of thanks to the Scrutineers of votes and the Chairman concluded the business of the day .

A MEETING of thc Council and Fellows of the London Literary Union has heen convened by the President , Bro . R . Wentworth Little , and will bc held at Freemasons' Tavern , at 7 p . m ., on Friday , ihe 28 th inst . Various important subjects will be considered at the meeting .

Multum In Parbo, Or Masonic Notes And Queries.

Multum in Parbo , or Masonic Notes and Queries .

—«—THE KNIGHTS TEMPLARS IN IRELAND . The hospital at Kilmainham Avas the palace of the Grand Prior of the Knights of St . John of

Jerusalem , m the reign of Edward III . The then Grand Prior , John Archer ( see R . Kil . Arch ) , was deputed by the celebrated Parliament of Kilkenny to carry its remonstrance to the King .

I offer this information as a comment on the remarks in your issue of the 15 th instant . —SP .

THE 17 TH CENTURY ASTRONOMIC , AND THE IQTH CENTURY MASONIC , SCHOOLMEN . In the first half of the 17 th century it required a bold man to attack the astronomic dogmas and mistaken notions of the Ptolomaic

philosophy , with its cycles and epicycles , excentnes , and primum mobile , and such Avonderfully complex machinery . To attack this venerable hodge-podge , and seek to introduce some new idea showing

Heavens easy , artless , unencumber d plan , was sure to call down upon the daring innovator the direst wrath of the whole scholastic fraternity—and so it did . Yet " E pur se muove " was the grand watchword that opened the door

to " more light " and liberty . As it was with astronomic philosophy then , so will it be with Masonic philosophy HOAV . The readers of THE FREEMASON are respectfully requested to note the working out of the problem for themselves . PROGRESS .

THE BLUE BLANKET . This banner which was first presented to the trades of Edinburgh by King James III . in 1482 is an interesting relic , especially if the present one be the same as the original of 1482 . It is called the blue blanket from its colour . The

Deacon-Convener , is the custodier of it . There was an amusing history Avritten of it in 1722 by Alexander Pennecuik , who tells us in one place that " It had its rise about the 1200 year of God , when the Croisade was carried on by Pope Urban the Second (!) and so is older than any of

the Orders of Knighthood in Europe , save that of the St . Andrew or the Thistle , which had its originalabout the year 800 , " & c . Then at another place he says , " ' tis highly probable , it had its rise from the Croisade , or Holy War . For Monsieur Chevereau , in his History ofthe World ,

tells us , that Scotland was engaged in that war !" Ergo , here we have quite sufficient ground for a foundation upon which to build a fine legend , for " having thus accounted for the Original o the Order of the Blue Blanket , I may fairly infer , that ' tis as ancient and more honourable

than the English Order of the Garter . " And " The Crafts of Edinburgh having this Order of the Blanket to glory in , may justly take upon them the title of Knights of the Blanket . " I need hardly say , that as this standard did not exist until 1482 , the idea of its being planted upon the Avails of Jerusalem , in or before the

thirteenth century by the trades of Edinburg his a pure dream . I am not sure but Pennecuik was a bit of a wag , and his reference to the Order of the Garter a sly hit at the Masons whom he might say were equally justly entitled to take upon them the title of Knights of the Apron . _ ,. _„„ , w * P- B-

BROS . MONTAGUE , THORN , and D . J AMES , 0 Lodge No . 7 S 0 , thc lessees ofthe new Vaudeville Theatre ' in thc Strand , have , in a most liberal manner , presented , Miss Louise Claire , Miss Rose Evelyn , and Miss A . Newton each with a very elegant and valuable gold ring , set with brilliants and pearls , to mark their appreciation of the lalenls of those ladies in enacting characters at almost a moment ' s notice , and the zeal and readiness

with which they came forward lo prevent any inconvenience to the management by the unavoidable absence of three ofthe principal actresses at ihe above theatre . The liberal lessees also present the Society in Aid of the Sick and AVounded during the present war with the munifi cent sum of £ e \ o , being the result of a morning performance .

In type for next issue : — " The Mark Degree , " "Solomon ' s Temple , " "The Relation of St . John the Baptist to Freemasonry ; " reports of Lodges 665 , 815 , 1327 , 1329 ( consecration ) ; R . A . Chapters 422 , 959 , 1094 , 69 ( Scotland ) ; Domatie Lodge of Instruction , United Pilgrims ' Lodge of Instruction , M . M . Lodge 19 , letters from "P . M ., " "P . M . " Liverpool ; & c .