Masonic And General Tidings.

Masonic and General Tidings .

THE J OPPA LODGE OF INSTRUCTION , No . 1 S 8 , will meet at the Globe , n and 13 , ST-insbury-pavement , E . C , until further notice . BRO . J AIRD , M . P ., left Port Said on Monday for England , having visited the reservoir works at Assouan and Assioot , which are progressing most favourably . MR . PERCY ALBERT ALTMAN , the eldest son of Bro . Sir Albert Altman . C . C , was married last week at the Wesleyan Chapel , Streatbam , to Miss Jessie Amelia Heath , the youngest daughter of Bro . Deputy Heath , LP ., of The Rvlinds , Norwood .

A SERVICE "in memory of those who have fallen in the war" was held in St . Paul ' s Cathedral on Tuesday , and was attended by an immense congregation . The Duke of Cambridge , Lord Lansdowne , and Bro . the Lord Mayor and Sheiiffs were amongst those present . ANGLO-AMERICAN SHOOTING CONTEST . —It is stated that a shooting contest between teams representing American and English volunteer soldiers has been arranged . The first match will be between teams of the Queen ' s Westminster Volunteers and the Sixteenth Pennsylvania Regiment , to be held in June next in London .

THE FREEMASONS of high degree of the United States and Canada held services last week at George Washington ' s tomb at Mount Vernon , on the Potomac , this beins the 100 th anniversary of the first President ' s death . Various notable personages were present , including Bro . M'Kinley , who delivered an eloquent speech . Buo . EARL CARRINGTON S ALLOTMENTS . —The annual meeting of the tenantry of Bro . Earl Carrington ' s allotments and small holdings in the Spalding district took place at thc Il : ill U .- . 'l , Spalding , last week . Mr . Richard Winfrey presided , and said they now had 3 . s :, c : es of land , divided amongst 2- 'u tenants , the annual rent amounting to £ 600 a jeir .

SONS or THE CLERGY . —Bro . Earl Egeiton of Tatton , the recently appointed Vice-President of the Coiporation of the Sons r . f the Clergy , presided last week at a Monthly Court of Assistants at the Corporation House , Blooms . bury-place . One hundred and fifty-two applications were presented hy the Registrar , Ssr Paget Bowman , including < ig from clertijmen , aid a total sum of £ 2650 was granted .

H . R . H . THE PRINCE OF WALES AND THE LKAGUK OF MKUCY . —T . R . H . the Prince and Princess of Wales received at Marlborough House on . Monday the President and Lady Presidents of the League of Mercy . The gathe . in ^ was a very pleasant one , their Royal Highnesses welcoming the representatives of this organisation , and crquiring about the work and the prospects of the mjvi'in ^ nt , in which they both tike a deep personal interest .

THE CURE OF CONSUMPTION . —A preliminary meeting , convened by the National ftssocialion for the Prevention of Consumption and other Forms if Tuberculosis , was held on Monday at Gray ' s Inn Hall , with the view . f a congress , representative of Great Britain and Ireland , being held in Limlin in thc spring of 1900 . H . R . H . the Piinceof Walts has accepted the presidency of the congress , and has expressed his intention of opening it in person .

INAUGURATION OF A NEW PENSION FUND . —Mr . Forbes , the general manager of the London , Brighton , and South Coast Rail . vay , with the approval ot the directors , held a smoking conceit on Tuesday , the iy' . h inst ., at the King ' s Hail , Holborn Restaurant , to inaugurate the establishment of tho new pension fund , and for the purpose of distributing certificates and badges to the stiff of the Brighton Railway wiio have passed the St . John Ambulance First Aid Examination .

BRO . MAJOR GEO . T . IIARLEY THOMAS , F . R . C . S . E ., Royal Army Medical Corps , son of our well-known Bro . James Lewis Thomas , F . S . A ., P . A . G . D . C , embarked on board the "Gascon" for South Africa on Saturday , ths iGth inst ., in medical charge ot the ist Battalion Royal Irish Regiment , forming part of the 12 th Brigade of the Sixth Division , which brigade is commanded by Major-General Clements , foimerlyof the South Wales Borderers . We wish him God speed and a safe return home .

THOSE who have a fortnight to spare at Christmas time , and feel cnogetic enough to nd themselves thoroughly , for that space , of mist and mud , may care to know of a neat holiday plan devised by Gaze ' s , whereby their persons may be surrendered to that enterprising Co . ' s conductor on December 22 nd , and thereafter carried by easy enough stages to Nice , where plum pudding will be provided , thence on to Monaco , Mcnte Carlo , Genoa , and Turin , returning vid Mont Cenis to Paris in time for the Ntw Year festivities . And all who want to sec the last-named city before she becomes " impossible " had better hurry up .

THE LATE BRO . LORD DE TAIH . RY , whose " Poems , Dramatic and Lyrical , " first and second series , are well known , besides being a numismatist of no mean order , and a collector of book-plates , was , perhaps , before all else , a botanist and collector of dried plants . His * ' Flora of Cheshire , " published only a few months ago , proves beyond a doubt his skill as a botanist , and also his intimate acquaintance with the llora of the district . It is not generally known , however , that he had an entire collection of the whole of British llora , comprising some 20 , 000 sheets of specimens , all carefully

labelled . This herbarium , which completely filled three of the rooms in his London house , 62 , Elm Park-road , has been generously given by his sister , the Hon . Eleanor Lady Leighton , of Tabley House , Knutsford , to the Science and Art Museum , Dublin , and the Keeper of the Herbaiium , Professor Johnson , D . Sc , considers that it will form a veiy valuable acquisition to the Museum . Lady Leighton has * also kindly met the cost of remounting and labelling , and each specimen bears the name of the genus , species , and locality , besides the name of the collection . Lord de Tabley Herb .

ON THB EVENING of Wednesday , the 13 th instant , the second of a series of concerts , under the auspices of Lodge Operative , No . 47 , was held i : i the lodge hall , 43 , Overs ate , Dundee . Notwithstanding the inclement state of the weather there was a large attendance , the hall being well filled . A splendid programme was gone through by several members of the lodge along with their lady friends , and several leading local artistes who kindly lent their services on this occasion . A collection was taken up on behalf of the soldiers' and sailors' wives and families , when a considerable sum was subscribed . Lodge Operative are the first in the city to inaugurate these concerts or

musical evenings , which are got up for the very desirable object of allowing the members , their wives , families , and friends to meet for an occasional evening ' s amusement throughout the winter months . The success attending their first two venturts shows the necessity of having something of the kind in connection with the various lodges in the cily . The arrangements reflect the greatest credit on the committee of the premier lodge in Dundee , and a special vote of thanks is due to Bro . Henderson , the hardworking and enthusiastic Secretary , for his services on behalf of the movement . It is already whispered that several of the local lodges arc about to copy the example of Lodge Operative in this matter , and we coidially wish them all success .

THE CARDIFF BOHEMIAN CAMERA CLUII held at the Central Hotel , on the 14 th instant , an exhibition of photographic prir . ts and lantern slides . Duiing the evening the large bar . qutttirg hail was croudid , and the event proved in every respect a conspicuous success . 'Ihe prints included alimit 210 pictorial photographs , which have sicuicd awaids in the Amateur Photographer prize competitions . They were displayed Io advantage en 10 large panels , and gained general appreciation , not only for their aitittic meiils , but skilled technique of the exhibitors . There was a department for

ttade exhibits , . Yiestis . Eastman , Mtssis . Marion , Ihe Paget Company , and Messrs . Wellington and Ward beirg represented by examples showing the possibilities of the various paper manufactured by the firms . Ihe most interesting section of this part of the show were several panels covered with recent work by club members , prints by Mr . V . Fox ( Ihe president ) being much admired . The lantern slides projected by Mr . Ryan in first-class manner consisted for the most pait of collections kindly lent by the editors , of ihe hading photographic joinnal . s , and represented the winners in the open

puzi ; c < inpetitions . . Members' slides were also put on the screen , and i : was a particularly gratifying feature of the exhibition that the average men . !; of tbe prize-wim . injj slides was equalled generally , and in some cases excelled by the Ii cal examples . BID , Dr . De Vtre Hum , one ol the vice-presidents , acted as chairman , and tnat the first public show on a laige scale was an all-round success is attributable to the energy of a sub-committee , splendid praise being due to Mr . F . Fox , the chairman , and Mr . Franklyn ( yo , Neville-street ) , the secretary . The club now numbers Go members .

Masonic And General Tidings.

WE HAVE IIEEN ASKED to state that the Hugh Owen Lodge of Instruction , No . 2593 , will not meet this ( Friday ) evening . H . R . H . THE PRINCE OF WALES , attended by Captain Holford , and H . R . H . the Duke of York , attended by the Hon . Derek Keppel , left Hall Barn on the 20 th inst . on the termination of their visit to Sir Edward Lawson .

ALL OXFORD MEN . especially those belonging to New College , will be sorry to hear that the Rev . J . E . Sewell , Warden , and the oldest Head of a College in the University , is seriously ill . He is about 90 years of age . PRINCESS CHRISTIAN inspected the hospital train , which bears her name , and has been made at Birmingham , for service in connection with the war in South Africa . Princess Christian was shown bow the train would be utilised .

BRO . DR . GILBERT LACEY BARRITT has been elected W . M . of the Hundred of Elloe Lodge , No . 4 69 , Spalding for the coming year , and Bro . Councillor Benjamin Fountain has , for the 35 th year in succession , be ; n re-appointed Treasurer . WE ARE INFORMED that the Legislative Council of the Straits Settlements has unanimously voted £ 50 , 000 for the relief of those connected with the expeditionary force in South Africa . The money will be handed over to the Mansion House War Fund .

ON FRIDAY EVENING LAST , at a meeting of the Segontium Lodge , No . 606 , a presentation was made by Bro . Edward Roberts , P . M ., P . P . S . G . W ., P . G . Sec , D . G . S . B Eng ., of an excellent portrait of Bro . Lord Harlech , Prov . G . Master of North Wales . The portrait , which is framed , will find a place in the lodge room . THE QUEEN , who was accompanied by Princess Beatrice , paid a visit to the Empress fcugenie on Thursday . Leaving Windsor at 10 minutes past 11 o ' clock , her Majesty travelled by way of Staines to Farnborough . After an hour ' s visit to the Empress , the homeward journey was begun , Windsor being reached shortly before two o ' clock .

LIVERPOOL MASONIC CYCLING CLUII . —At a committee meeting of the above club , held on Monday , the iSth inst ., Bro . J . C Robinson , P . P . A . G . D . C , President , in the chair , it was resolved that the sum of £ 21 be granted from the funds of the club to the West Lancashire and Cheshire Masonic Charities , and £ 5 5 s . to the Liverpool Reservist Fund .

THE OUERN will give . 1 Christmas entertainment to about 200 of the wives and children of the non-commissioned officers and men of the regiments stationed at Windsor and of the Reservists of the district . Her Majesty has also become patron of the Albert Hall Conceit , in aid of the widows and orphans of the members of the Colonial forces .

PRINCESS CHRISTIAN OF SCHLESWIG-HOI . STEIN will visit Leamington on Wednesday , the 17 th prox ., lor tha purpose of opening a new wing of the Warnford Hospital , erected as a Diamond Jubilee memorial of her Majesty's reign . Her Royal Highness will he the guest of the Earl and Countess of Warwick , at Warwick Castle , during her stay in Warwickshire .

THE ESTATE has been valued at & 43 . S 95 17 s . Sd ., including personalty of the net value of £ 41 , 456 14 s . id . of Bro . Lieut .-Col . Phineas Cowan , of 27 , Linden-gardens , ar . d of the firms of J . and P . Cowan and L . Cowan and Sons , of 7 , Mincing-lane , "wear refiners and soap makers , Sheriff of London and Middlesex in 1 SS 3-S 4 , and Aide . man of the Ward of Cordwainer from 1 SS 5 to 1 S 92 , and Past Master Gold and Silver Wyre Drawers' Company , who died on the 22 nd October last , aged 67 years .

LONDON UNITED TEMPERANCE COUNCIL . —The Council have arranged to hold their annual festival in the Oueen's Hall , Langham-place , on Monday , February 12 th , 1900 , when the Archbishop ot Canterbury will preside . The Council has secured the Crystal Palaces for thc purposes of the National Temperance FCteon Wednesday , July nth , 1900 , and the London Temperance demonstration , annually held in the London parks , has been fixed for Saturday , June and , 1900 .

THE OUHKN and H . R . H . Princess Henry of Battenberg drove out , at Windsor Castle , ™ Tuesday afternoon , attended by the Hon . Harriet Phipps , and her Majesty went out on Wednesday morning , accompanied by H . R . H . Princess Henry of Battenberg . His Highness Prince Alexander of Battenberg arrived at the Castle from his school at Park Hill , near Lyndhurst , for his holidays . The Dowager Lady Churchill has succeeded Viscount Downe as Lady-in-Waiting to her Majesty .

A VERY successful concert was given in the St . John ' s Church Room , Boscombe , on Wednesday , the 20 th instant , in aid of the funds of the Boscombe Hospital . Th ere was a full and varied programme of music and recitation provided for the delectation of the audience , among the artistes being several of London Ballad Concert fame—a male voice quartett . % the Southey-Frost String Quintet , Sic ., & c . The accompanists were Miss Alice Hardirg and Mr . Arthur Genge , the foimer likewise evoking hearty applause by a solo performance on the piino . We have little doubt that the hospital will be found to have greatly benefited by the concert .

AMERICAN HOSPITAL SHIP . —On behalf of the executive committee of the American Ladies' Hospital Ship Fund , Lady Randolph Churchill has communicated to the officials of the West India Docks and to Superintendent Cahill , of the dock police , her heaitiest thanks for the admirable arrangements made for the visit of the Duke and Duchess of Connaught , on the occasion of the presentation of the flag given by

the Oueen to the Maine . On Sunday last ever 10 , 000 people went over the Maine , and neither accident nor even a hitch occurred , thanks to the efficiency and tact displayed by the dock police , who have generously waived all claim for pay for the day , asking the executive committee to accept their gratuitous services as their contribution to the Maine Fund .

THE ETON COLLEGE VOLUNTEERS , of which the late Major Myers , of the King ' s Royal Rilles , who was killed in South Africa , was adjutant , have subscribed ^ ' iSo , and the officers and permanent staff £ QO , for a memoiial window in the Lower Chapel at Eton College , wheic deceased had already given two windows . It has also been decided Io put up a memoiial tablet in the drill hall , and to send any surplus that may be left over to the Rillemen ' s Aid Society , for the benefit of the King ' s Royal Rifle Corps and the R ille Brigade . Major Myers , by will , left to the headmaster a sum of money for the completion of two more windows in the Lower Chapel . He has also bequeathed his entire collection of curios collected abroad to Eton College .

THE HON . MRS . EDWARD THESIGER , on the 20 th instant , distributed the prizes to the pupils of the Westminster City School , of which Sir Sydney H . Waterlow is chairman and Mr . Robert Coffin headmaster . The school , the object of which is to give such secondary education as will qualify the students for practical life , contains between Goo and 700 boys . The report otthe examiner , the Rev . F . I . Foakes-lackson ,

Fellow of Jesus College , Cambridge , was exceedingly satisfactory . It was announced that the gold medal had been awarded to Vincent Cope , who , like last year ' s winner , has taken his B . A . degree at London University while still at school . John MacFadden secured the silver medal . At the instance of Mr . H . A . Hunt , deputy-chairman of the gov ernors , a vote of thanks to Mrs . Thesiger was carried by acclamation .

ANNHXING THE TRANSVAAL . —What will be the fate of the Transvaal after the war it is ditticuU to forsee , but one thing may be considered certain , and that is that every one who can will take card to annex a case of that delicious liqueur , Grant's Morella Cherry Brandy , which is so great a favourite at home and abroad . Sold everywhere ; also Grant ' s Cherry Whisky .

Instruction.

Instruction .

HUGH OWEN LODGE , No . 2593 . A meeting was held on Friday , the 15 th inst ., at the Frascati Restaurant , Oxfordstreet , when there were present Bros . Alfred Taylor , W . M . ; H . Ramsbottom , S . W . ; | . 15 . Scrailer , J . W . ; II . G . Holland , P . M ., Preceptor ; R . II . Nicholls . P . M ., Treat . ; Ue . nry Thos . Kobelt , Sec . ; j . W . Hunt , S . D . ; W . G . Read , J . D . ; C . C . Ridgway , I . G . ; Jas . Harnett , and 11 . 10 . Williams . Ihe lodge was opened in due form , and the minutes of the previous meeting read and confirmed . The ceremony of initiation was rehearsed , Bro . Nicholls , P . M ., acting as the candidate . The ceremony of passing was rehearsed , Bro . Barnett acting as the candidate . The lodge was then closed .