Masonic And General Tidings.

Masonic and General Tidings .

¦ DOWN TO Thursday night the Lord Mayor ' s Indian Famine Fund amounted to £ 499 , 400 , including a donation of £ 203 17 s . Cd . from the brethrer . of Devonshire , per Bro . Sir Stafford Northcote , Prov . G . M . . TUB ANNUAL SPORTS of the Mortlake Football Club , were held on the Castelnau Field , on Monday , among the spectators being the Duke and Duchess of Teck , and Prince Adolphus of Teck .

. THE MARINA THEATRE , Lowestoft , which has recently been acquired by sundry gentlemen of the town , has been entirely renovated and will be opened to the public on Monday next , the 26 th inst . THE TREASURER of Guy ' s Hospital has received a donation of ^ 1000 from Baroness de Hirsch towards the cost of buildinga Nursing Home in connection with the Hospital , as a memorial of her husband .

IT IS STATED that the Government have resolved on purchasing the freehold of Hertford House , so that there will be no necessity for removing the magnificent Wallace collection which has just been bequeathed to the nation . THE DUKE OK CAMBRIDGE , as President of the German Hospital , has arranged to act as chairman at the 52 nd annual festival of that institution , which will be held at the Whitehall Rooms of the Hotel Metropole , on Friday next , the 30 th instant .

AMONG THE PRINCE OF WAI . ES ' S guests at Sandringham during the early part of the week were Bros . Viscount Valentia and Admiral Sir Henry Keppel , Sir A . Blomfield , and Bro . Christopher Sykes . Bro . Sir Francis Knollys was one of the suite in attendance .

THE CRICKET SEASON commenced with the usual match on the Nottinghamshire County Grounds at Trent Bridge between 22 colts and the county eleven , the former being dismissed for So . The eleven had made 113 forthe loss of three wickets when play ceased . The following day play was resumed , the eleven winning in a single innings . THE VICEROY has directed that the 21 st and 22 nd June shall be observed as public holidays throughout India in honour of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee , but suggests that public ceremonies and great assemblies of people are undesirable , having regard to the prevalence of plague and famine .

BRO . MAJOR LORD SKELMERSDALE , eldest son of Bro . the Earl of Lathom , has resigned his commission in the Army , and is said to contemplate entering political life . His lordship joined the Royal Horse Guards as lieutenant in 1 SS 4 , became captain in 1 S 90 , and obtained his majority in 1 S 96 . THE DUCHESSES of Somerset , Grafton , Marlborough , and Montrose , and the Dowager Duchess and Duchess of Newcastle have become patronesses of the grand afternoon concert which is to be given in the Queen ' s Hall on the ist June in aid of the North Eastern Hospital for Children , Hackney-road .

THE CHANNEL FLEET has been ordered to return to England in time for the vessels composing it to be at their respective posts by the iSth May . The whole of the ships will take part in the naval review , which will be held at Spithead at the end of June ,. so that only defects of an urgent character will be taken in hand when the two divisions reach home .

AT THE recent Festival of the Building Clerks' Benevolent Institution , ths Craft was well represented by Bros . T . E . Collcutt , A . Ritchie , J . P ., H . Lovegrove , G . S . B . ; W . T . Farthing , W . Woodward , and others , the three latter being selected by the Chairman ( Mr . Hall ) to propose and respond to toasts . The King ' s Hall was well filled and a good sum collected .

BRO . VISCOUNT WOLSELEY arrived at Gibraltar on board the Prince George on Monday , and was received on landing by General Sir' R . ' Biddulph , the Governor , and the Divisional Brigade Staff . His lordship proceeded to the north front , and witnessed a parade of the troops in garrision , expressing himself well satisfied with the smartness displayed by the men .

THERE HAS BEEN * quite an exodus of fashionable people from the Metropolis , Bro . Earl Carrington having gone to Gwydyr Castle , Llanrwst , North Wales ; Bro . the Earl of Dumaven ( 0 Adare Manor ; Bro . the Earl of Cork and Orrery to Marston Biggot , Frome ; Bro . Earl and Countess Percy to Albury Park , Guildford ; and Bro . the Earl and Countess of Londesborough to Londesborough Park .

THB FUNERAL of Mary Rogers , who recently died in her 105 th year in Biggleswade Workhouse , of which she had been an inmate for some time past , took place on Good Friday in Biggleswade Cemetery . As recently as last Christmas she took part in an entertainment , contributing a song and a speech . Her intellect remained unimpaired to the very last , and like many other centenarians , she was a devoted lover of a short clay pipe .

THE CHRIST ' S HOSPITAL boys visited the Mansion House on Tuesday , and were presented with the customary gifts by Bro . Alderman Sir David Evans , who presided as the locum tenens of Lord Mayor Phillips , absent on the Continent , and who was accompanied by Lady Evans , and assisted by many civic dignitaries . After the ceremony , the civic authorities and the school attended Divine service in Christ Church , Newgatestreet , and the Spital sermon was preached by the Bishop ol Ely , Lord High Almoner to the Oueen .

THE SECOND MATCH for £ icoo between Roberts and Peall , in which the former conceded his opponent 12 , 000 in 24 , 000 points was brought to a conclusion on Easter Monday , when Peall again proved victorious by 627 points . In the course of the match Roberts made 73 breaks of over 100 , and Peall 36 . Roberts ' s highest amounted to 47 S and 405 respectively , and he also scored over 300 eight times , and 22 timss over 200 . Peall made two breaks of over ' 300 , and five others of upwards of 200 . Among those present at the concluding stage was Bro . the Earl of Londesborough .

SIR WILLIAM LAWRENCE , who died at his residence in Brighton on Sunday morning last , was born in 1 S 1 S . and on thc death of his father in 1855 was elected his successor as Alderman of the Ward of Bread-sireet . Having retained this position for 40 years , he was in' 1895 transferred to the Bridge Without Ward . The deceased served the ofKce of Sheriff in 1857 and lhat of Lord Mayor in 1 S 63 . From iSfij to 1874 a .. d again frcm 1 SS 0 to 1 SS 5 he represented the City of London in the House of Commons , and in the year of the Queen's Jubilee ( 1 SS 7 ) had conferred upon him the honour of knighthood .

THE FINAL MATCH for the Army Association Cup between the Royal Artillery , of Portsmouth , and the 1 st Lancashire Fusiliers , was played on the Athletic Ground , Aldeishot , on Monday , in the presence of the Duke and Duchess of Connaught and their daughters , the Princesses Margaret and Victoria Patricia , aad over 20 , 000 spectators The play was very even , and it was not till a quarter of an hour before time would be up that the Royal Artillery succeeded in scoring the first and only goal that was made in the match . At the close the Duchess of Connaught presented the cup and silver medals to the winners and bronze medals to the defeated team .

THE QUEEN and the members of her family at Cimiez witnessed a display of firewoilis on Monday evening , among the set pieces being poitraits of her Majesty and H . R . H . the Piince of Wales . A special anthem was sung by the choral society of Nice , and the gardens were illuminated . On Tuesday , during breakfast in the garden , her Majesty was entertained by a troupe of Neapolitans , who sang a selection of songs of their country . In the afternoon the Queen and Princess drove to Cap St . Martin and visited the Empress Eugenie at the Villa Cyrnos , and on the return jjurney stopped at La Tuibie , where her Majesty paid a visit to Bro . Sir E . Malet .

AMONG the pleasure resoits to which the public are accustomed to give their patronage on Bank and other public holidays the Crystal Palace would appear to have proved about lie chief centre of attraction during the recent Eastertide , the number of people who visited it on Easter Monday having been close on So , ooo , and these behaved in so orderly a manner that not a single charge arising out of the festivities was brought to

the notice of the Penge magistrates . Ihe Zoological Gardens , thc South Kensington and British Museums , Madame Tussaud's , and oilier places were also well suppoited ; Greenwich Paik , Hampstead Heath , & c , Src , were visited by crowds of holiday folk , and there were the usual hosts of excursionists to Brighton , Margate , Gravesend , and other familiar icaside or river icsorls . 'Ihe weather was somewhat overcast , but it was not till evening that rain came to damp the ardour of the vast army of holiday-makers .

Masonic And General Tidings.

AMONG THE CONTRIBUTIONS received at the office of the Prince of Wales ' s Hospital Fund for London , this week , may be mentioned : Percy Lodge , No . 19 S , £ 2 2 s . ( annually ); and the Lewisham Lodge , No . 2579 , . £ 2 13 s . 6 d . THE FOURTH International Shoe and Leather Fair opens at the Royal Agricultural Hall , Islington , on Monday . HER MAJESTY THE Q UEEN has been pleased to approve the use of the Roya Arms by the Irish Industries Association .

TO-DAY ( FRIDAY ) , being the anniversary of the birth of Shakespeare , a selection from his works will be given at the Theatre Metropole , Camberwell , by several wellknown artists . THE MAKIJUIS OK SALISBURY was received by the Queen at the Hotel Regina , Cimiez , on Monday afternoon , and remained in conversation with her Majesty for the best part of an hour .

THE DUCHESS OF YORK has sent valuable gifts to the British a *> d Foreign Sailors' Society for its bazaar , which is to be opened at Streatham Town Hall on the 12 th prox . by the Duchess of Fife . H . R . H . THE PRINCE OF WALES has fixed Saturday , the 29 th prox ., for his visit to Canterbury in connection with the Cathedral restoration scheme , commemorative of the 13 th centenary of the coming of St . Augustine .

IT IV AS ANNOUNCED in Tuesday ' s Gazelle that Princess Christian of Schleswig-Holstein , will , by command of the Queen , hold a Drawing Room on her Majesty ' s behalf , at Buckingham Palace , on Tuesday , the 4 th prox ., at 3 p . m . THE " DISGUYSED MINSTRELS , " a troupe composed of Guy ' s students , have , as the result of a series of performances , just completed the endowment of a cot , and have also arranged to support two beds for a year in the wards of the hospital .

LEOPOLD LODGE OF INSTRUCTION , NO . 1571 . —On Thursday , the 29 th instant , Bro . James Terry , P . G . S . B ., Secretary R . M . B . I ., will rehearse the consecration and installation ceremonies at the Bridge House Hotel , London Bridge . Time , 6 . 30 for 7 sharp . BRO . MAJOR-GENERAL LORD METHUEN , C . B ., resumed command of the Home District on Wednesday on his return from leave of absence , and in the morning inspected the 2 nd Life Guards under Colonel the Earl of Dundonald at Knightsbridge Barracks .

THE QUEEN will return to Windsor Castle from the Continent on Friday next , the 30 th instant . On Friday , the 21 st prox ., her Majesty will leave the Castle for the North , taking Sheffield , to which she will pay her promised visit , by the way , and spending her 78 th birthday at Balmoral . AT DEVONPORT , on Thursday morning , an accident occurred on board her Majesty ' s cruiser Magicienne . Whilst a stoker named Joyce was engaged in tending the fires there was a large escape of steam . Joyce , making for the wrong stairway , was severely scalded . Another stoker was severely injured . Joyce's condition is serious .

BRO . THE DUKE OF DEVONSHIRE , who is President of Ihe British Empire League , has accepted the invitation of the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce to deliver a lecture before that body on Saturday , the 12 th June , and at his Grace ' s request the several Colonial Premiers who happen to be in England on that day will be invited to attend . THE MASONIC GLEE CLUB OF IRELAND . —His Grace the Duke of Abercorn , K . G ., M . W . Grand Master ( Patron ) , has been pleased to intimate to the Committee his intention of being present at the next dinner meeting of this club , which is announced to take place on Wednesday , the 28 th inst ., at Freemasons' Hall .

THE DUKE OF YoRK-has placed at the disposal of the Committee of the London Philatelic Exhibition one gold and one silver medal , to be awarded to the two best collections of stamps in Class 4 , formed and owned by ladies . Thc exhibition will be held at the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours , 191 , Piccadilly , and will open on the 22 nd July .

ABOUT £ 15 , 000—including £ 1000 from the Freemasons of Kent—has already been subscribed towards Dean Farrar's Thirteenth Centenary Fund for the restoration of Canterbury Cathedral , but a further sum of £ 5000 is urgently needed . Bro . Sir Henry Irving has promised a reading at Canterbury from Lord Tennyson ' s " Becket " some time during thc month of May .

THE DUCHESS OF YORK visited Ramsgate on Wednesday for the purpose of opening a bazaar held in a tent in the park at Southwood , the residence of Lady Rose Weigall , on behalf of the East Kent Industrial Home . Her Royal Highness was presented with an illuminated address of welcome , and afterwards presented the certificates and medallions in connection with local competitions organised by the St . John Ambulance Society . In the evening the LJuchess returned to White Lodge .

THE QUEEN , with the Piincess Henry of Battenberg and Princess Victoria of Schleswig-lTolstein , attended divine service on Easter Sunday , the sermon being preached by the Rev . Heibert Moxon , while Bro . Sir Arthur Sullivan presided at the organ . On Saturday evening last Princess Victoria and suite were present at a dinner at Beaulieu in honour of the betrothal of Princess Dorothea of Saxe-Coburg to Duke Giinther of Schleswig-Holstein .

MR . EDWARD RIDLEY , Q . C , Official Referee of the High Court of Judicature , and brother of Bro . Sir M . White-Ridley , Bart ., M . P ., thc Home Secretary , has been appointed to succeed Mr . Justice Charles , who has resigned his seat on thc judicial bench in consequence of ill-health . The new judge was born in 1843 , called to the Bar at the Inner Temple in 1 S 6 S , and having gained a high reputation as lawyer and pleader on the Noith-Eastern Circuit , took silk in 1 S 02 .

H . R . H . THE PRINCE ( v WALES , with the Duke and Duchess of York , and the Duke of Cambridge , attended divine seivice in thc parish church of Sandringham , on Easter Sunday . The Princess of Wales , with the Princess Victoria ot Wales and the Princess Louise , Duchess of Fife , who have been on a visit to the King and Queen of Denmark , are expected at Sandiingham towards the end of the present week , and will remain there till the visit of the Prince and Princess of Wales to the Duke of Westminster at Eaton Hall , and Mr , Gladstone at Hawardcn .

THEIR ROYAL HIGHNESSES the Prince of Wales , the Duke of York , and , the Duke of Cambridge , accompanied by Major-General Ellis , Captain Walsh , Sir John Willoughby , Bro . Admiral Sir Henry Keppel . General Sir D . Probyn , and Mr . H . Chaplin , M . P ., drove over from Sandiingham , on Monday , to East Winch , for the purpose of attending the-West Norfolk Hunt Steeplechases , Bro . Lord Suffield , Lord and Lady Hastings , Colonel Rough and the officers of the 7 th Dragoon Guards being also present . The Royal party drove back to Sandringham in the evening .

THE CRYSTAL PALACE IS certain to prove a centre of attraction to-morrow ( Satur day ) , when Mr . Auguste Manns will take his annual benefit , and an excellent pro gramme will be provided for his patrons . The services of Madame Albani and Mr , Andrew Black have been secured as vocalists , while the instrumental music will include selections from Schumann , Bectkoven , Brahms , the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto , with solo part by Miss Maud MacCarthy , Liszt ' s Fantasia on Hungarian Melodies , with Madame Burmeister-Petersen as pianist , and a new dramatic overture— " Mistral " — composed by Mr . Heibert Bunning .

THE HON . J HAY , the newly-appointed Ambassador frcm the United States of North America to the Court of St . James's , arrived at Southampton on board the American liner St . Paul , shortly after 12 noon or some half-dozen hours earlier than had been expected . The American residents in London who had intended to journey to Southampton in order tu ji in in welcoming the representative of their country , were disappointed , but the Charge d'affairs ( Mr . White ) , the second Secretary of the Embassy ( Mr . J . N . Coates ) , and other ollicial personages were present , and so were the American Consul at Southampton ( Mr . Kinkeaid ) , and the Mayor , Sheriff , Town

Clerk , and sundry Aldeimen of that town , together with the Piesident of the Southampton Chamber of Commerce , and olhcrs . 'J hc Corporation of the borough having bearded St . Paul was received byyMr . J . Hay in the drawing room of thc steamship , and at once the Mayor read an address of welcome , which was followed by a second addicss fiom the President of the Chamber of Ccmmeice . ihe Ambassador having gratefully acknowledged the in , a move was made for I he tiain . Mr . and Mrs . Hay and Miss Hay , seme two hours later reached Waterloo Station , while a second and equal cordial welcome awaited them ,