Analysis Of The Returns.

ANALYSIS OF THE RETURNS .

Having given , as usual , a full and comprehensive account of the proceedings at the Festival itself , our next duty is to analyse carefully and as minutely as possible the returns , so that the reader may more clearly understand the magnificent result achieved on Wednesday . So brilliant a triumph deserves that it should be carefully studied , and the more so , that , as happened , if we remember rightly , last year , it almost immeasurably surpasses

even the most sanguine expectations that could have been entertained . There is no doubt that , having regard to the depression in trade and the anxieties which are so conspicuous just now in the political world , it would have caused no particular surprise had the large amount of over £ 14 , 665 , which was contributed in February , 1 S 84 , still continued to represent the highest total subscribed at any of the Benevolent Festivals .

Bro . terry himself—and he is no mean judge of such mattersseems to have anticipated a falling off of something like £ 2000 , and had his apprehensions being verified , wc should now have been considering a return of less than £ 13 , 000 . Dame Fortune , however , has once again shown herself inclined to assist his efforts , and the anticipated diminution to the extent of £ 2000 , has to our intense satisfaction been transformed into an

unanticipated increase of something like £ 3000 over above what was subscribed in 1 SS 4 . To put the matter as simply as possible . —The Festival of 1884 yielded £ 14 , 665 ; Bro . Terry seems to have had an idea that the Anniversary this year would yield about £ 12 , 600 , As a matter of fact it has yielded , as the lists we publish testify , the grand total of £ 17 , 500 , the sum actually announced being £ 17 , 636 6 s . Sd .

It is needless to say—and yet if we left it unsaid we should feel we had omitted an important as well as a most agreeable dutythat for such a result we are indebted to the eloquence of the Chairman , the successful canvassing of his Board of Stewards , and the untiring exertions of Bro . Terry and his staff . Sir M . E . Hicks-Beach , Bart , M . P ., well deserves and is to be congratulated upon so brilliant a success ; he must indeed be

gratified that on the occasion of his second Chairmanship he has received so large a measure of support , not only from his province , which backed him up , as every one expected it would , right loyally , but likewise from the other provinces , and in an especial manner from the London portion of the Craft . All , in fact , who lent a helping hand in producing so immense a result are to be congratulated , while the Institution itself and its strong

array of aged and indigent applicants are fortunate indeed in being able to show that they have obtained so sure a hold on the respect and support of the Craft . Even the very critical state of affairs seems to have had no effect in diminishing the ardour of of this support . It may even be that the present serious commercial depression and its attendant evils have exercised a powerful influence

for good on behalf of this Institution , it being recognised as a matter of course that in bad times there must be a larger amount of suffering among the aged and infirm , a greater likelihood of failures in business , and a still greater difficulty on the part of those who fail to recover from their losses . This view may have helped to open wider the purses of the brethren and their friends , or there may have been other

causes operating in the same direction . It matters not , however , what explanation may be forthcoming , there stands facing us the splendid work that was done on Wednesday . The special circumstances described not long since in these columns—the fewness of the vacancies and the multitude of the applicants—rendered an exceptionally strong appeal to the Craft imperative , and the answer is before us—an exchequer so generously

replenished that we may anticipate the Committee of Management will recommend at the proper time a further increase in the number of annuitants , so that as many as possible of the poor old candidates , both men and women , may be made comfortable for the brief remainder of their days . Masons , like other men , have their faults , but the neglect of their worthy brethren in distress the families of brethren is not one of them .

The total announced was , as already has been stated , £ 17 , 6 36 6 s . 8 d . the London portion amounting to £ 9810 16 s ., and the Provincial to £ 7825 10 s . 8 d . The receipt of a few additional items and a clerical error , which m the haste of the moment escaped detection , necessitate the amendment of these figures , the London lists totalling up to £ 9675 7 s ., and as the frovincial remain unaltered , the grand total must be stated as £ 17500

, 17 s . Sd . This return has been accomplished by the united efforts of a Board of Stewards numbering in all 350 , those representing London being 164 , and those the different provinces 186 . This is undoubtedly a strong Board , but any numerical excess here is at once explained by the large muster of Gloucestershire brethren , who were anxious to exhibit both their

loyalty to their P . G . M ., and their interest in this important institution . More than this by way of general introduction , is , we think , unnecessary . At all events , we betake ourselves without further ado to the task of considering in detail the lists which , when taken together , have produced so admirable a result , our attention being in the first instance directed to

LONDON , Which , as we have said , is responsible for £ 9 675 7 s . out of the total . Thepro-Portion which this part of the Returns bears to the provincial aggregate is Pretty much the same as at the Benevolent Festival last year , nor is there any a Ppreciable difference in the numbers of brethren who undertook the

responsibilities of Stewards on the two occasions . In 1884 the Metropolitan stewards mustered 159 , of whom 24 were unattached , and 135 represented among them 129 lodges and six chapters . This year the figures are—unattached 22 , and 141 representatives of 131 lodges and eight chapters , together with one lady , Mrs . Cama ; so that including her—and it would lot be the

first time a lady has figured among the Stewards at a Masonic t ! esUva l—we have an aggregate of 164 . As regards the lists contributed by inl " * ! '" k ° not'ced that there are no such exceptionally heavy ones as were cludedat the Boys'Festivalin June last—wearealludingparticularly to those ^ tiros . Scurrah ( Lodge No . 1744 ) and Skudder ( No . 169 ) , who figured for iv 30 and £ 540 resoeclivelv . Even the J ^ 10 s . of Bro . Chas . Tavlnr . nf

mf 1 ' ! Lodge , is not reached by any individual Steward , though as we ust conjoin the amounts accredited to the Earl of Carnarvon Lodge , No . \\ e i J *" '* - Nina ' s £ 262 10 s ., and Bro . Fred . C . Frye ' s £ 154 7 s ., hn . n tlne handsome aggregate of £ 416 17 s . In any circumstances ,

^ wcver , we are justified—and we need hardl y dilate on the pleasure we and lion nee ' semustcxpctience on this account—in assigning the place of WithT lady we have J named . If the Earl of Carnarvon Lodge /' inn iu aSSISlance may be said t 0 head the London list with a total of over ff wp " , ma llas five-eighths of the Earl of Carnarvon list all to herself , to thp ° ' - lodge from our consideration , the lady still remains entitled aux f ) Posltl ° P ' . ° 'hat , in this instance at ail events , the direction "Place uames is no mere empty compliment or set figure of speech . As

Analysis Of The Returns.

regards other considerable lists , we find that Bro . G . Ward Verry , acting as the representative of two lodges ( the Yarborough , No . 554 , and the Langthorne , No . 1421 ) , has succeeded in raising £ 224 us . 6 d ., of which £ 16 9 is . represents the Langthorne share of the contribution , and J 6 S 5 . . 6 d . that of the Yarborough . Bro . C . J . Rich , however , as representing the Prosperity Lodge , No . ' 65 , has had the good fortune to obtain

and place to his audits credit the even larger total of £ 232 is . ; and Bro . G . Norrington , Steward of the Royal Leopold , No . 1669 , is close at his heels with £ 220 ; while Bro . George E . Fairchild . acting on behalf of the Urban , No . 1196 , figures for £ 213 is . ; and Bro . VV . M . Stiles , of the Royal Savoy Lodge , No . 1 744 , with £ 206 6 s . Next come Bro . Chas . Sims , with £ 175 7 s . ; Bro . Jas . Terry , with £ 175 ; the Highgate Lodge , No . 1366 , with a like amount

per the hands of two Stewards , Bros . Underwood ( £ 75 ) , and R . VV . Galer ( £ 100 ); Bro . F . A . Pullen , Crystal Palace Lodge , No . 742 , with £ i 6 S ; Bro . Edgar Bowyer , unattached , £ 160 10 s . ; and then , so close that they may almost be returned as level , Bro . VV . N . Phillips , of the Richmond Lodge , No . 2032 , with £ 152 15 s ., and Bro . George Powell , Lewis Lodge , No . 11 S 5 , with £ 150 3 s . Bro . A . McDowall ,

Steward for that young but zealous lodge , the London Rifle Brigade , No . 1962 , makes a goodly show with £ 141 15 s . ; and Bro . Herbert Jaines Cant , of the Victoria Park Lodge , No . 1816 , figures with £ 131 5 s . Next in order is Bro . F . J . Hunt , Steward of Bro . Terry ' s mother lodge—the United . Strength , No . 228—which would not feel happy if it were not to the fore on the occasion of the Benevolent Festival ; the total of this list being £ 127 us .,

while Bro . E . Stimson , of Kent Lodge , No . 15 , and Bro . H . McClelland , of the City of London Lodge , No . 901 , seem to have run a neck and neck race , the former with £ 120 4 s . 6 d ., just managing , in sporting phraseology , to breast the lape first , his competitor ' s total being £ 12035 . 6 d . Bro . F . C . Mouflet , St . Marylebone Lodge , No . 1305 , follows with £ 118 13 s ., and then Bro . G . S . Recknell , the recently-installed VV . M . of the Temple Bar Lodge , No . 1728 ,

who signalises his first appearance as a Steward at one of these gatherings by handing in the handsome sum of £ 115 10 s . 6 d ., a sum which we need hardly say is most creditable to himself and his lod ge . We take the opportunity of offering Bro . Recknell our congratulations on his having made so successful a debut , and we are satisfied there are many occasions awaiting us in future years , when it will be a source of pleasure to us , as it will be our duly ,

to renew our greetings in recognition of similar successful Ubours . A like measure of praise is due to Bro . Hy . Roberts , of the Pythagorean , No . 79 , and Bro . H . Von Joel , of the Leigh Lodge , No . 957 , who figure in the returns for precbely the same total , namely , £ 115 10 s . ; and then , in the order as given , follow Bro . T . Gaisford , of the Merchant Navy Lodge , No . 781 , £ 111 5 s . 6 d . ; Bro . Geo . Gardner , Chiswick Lodge , No . 2012 , £ 106 10 s . 6 d . ;

Bro . H . B . Marshall , Grand Treasurer , unattached , with £ 106 is ; Bro . Bro . Wm . Blackburn , Clapton Lodge , No . 1365 , £ 105 15 s . 6 d . ; Bro . Jas . Strugnell , Farringdon Street Lodge , No . 1745 , and the Duke of Connaught Lodge , No . 1524 , per Bros . C . VV . Smyth and Dignam , each with £ 105 ; Bro . Kenneth R . Murchison , Steward of that well-found Lodge , the Friends in Council , No . 1383 , with £ 102 14 s . ; and Bro . H . M . Hobbs , representing

the Old England Lodge , No . 1790 , with £ 101 6 s . In addition to the fore-§ oing are many other goodly lists , such as those of Bro . Thos . F . Harvey , incerity Lodge , No . 174 , £ 90 10 s ., Bro . Frank Richardson , Steward for the Tuscan Lodge , No . 14 , £ 88 4 s ., & c . ; but any attempt to enumerate them would trench too severely on our space , and those who would go still further into detail will find all needful particulars in another part of our columns .

THE PROVINCES May also be said to make a goodly show , their share of the grand total being £ 7825 10 s . Sd ., which is considerably more than they succeeded in raising at the Benevolent Festival last year , when they figured as contributing just a little short of £ 6100 . As to the number of provinces which have helped to bring about so satisfactory a result we find it abuut the same as

usual , there being , if we include the Channel Islands , which has no provincial organisation , 32 represented out of the 44 , into which the country section of the English Craft is mapped out . The 12 absentees are as follow : Bedfordshire ( 5 lodges ) , which it seems almost like hoping against hope ever to expect will figure at one of these gatherings ; Derbyshire ( 20 lodges ) , whose services must be looked upon as pre-engaged for the Boys' School

Festival in June , when its Prov . Grand Master , the Marquis ol Haitington , M . P ., has kindly arranged to take the chair ; Dorsetshire ( 13 lodges ) , Herefordshire ( 4 lodges ) , a frequent absentee , but not , like Beds , an invariable one ; Leicestershire and Rutland ( 11 lodges ); Norfolk ( 16 lodges ); Norlhants and Hunts ( 10 lodges ) ; Northumberland ( 21 lodges ); South Wales , Eastern Division ( 16 lodges ) ; Sussex ( 25 lodges ) , which , however ,

as we have said of Derbyshire , must be looked upon as devoting its sole attention this year to the Girls' School , at whose Festival , in May , Sir W . W . Burrell , Bart ., M . P ., Prov . Grand Master , has consented to preside ; and the Isle of Man ( 5 lodges ) , which , as yet , is without a Prov . Grand Lodge , and , moreover , is so lar distant , that it can hardly be expected to assist in these celebrations . Most of these have played their part well on

former occasions , the Eastern Division of South Wales having figured among the contributing provinces at both the School Festivals last year , and in each case for a goodly sum , while Leicestershire and Rutland helped to swell Bro . Terry ' s list in February , 1884 , with £ 350 . Northumberland did great things at the Boys' Festival in 1883 , but has lain quiet since ; and Dorsetshire , Norfolk , and Norths and Hunts contribute from time to time , and to an extent more or less considerable .

faking the contributing provinces in alphabetical order , we come first to BERKS AND BUCKS , Which has 21 lodges , 12 in the former , and 9 in the latter county . Of these six have sent up Stewards , though only one of them hails from Buckinghamshire , and the aggregate of their lists is £ 207 is ,, Bro . Saxby , of the Abbey Lodge , No . 945 , Abingdon , figuring with £ 63 , is ., and Bro . VV . J . Withers ,

of the Union Lodge , No . 414 , Reading , with £ 51 12 s . 6 d . Last year it distributed among our Institutions £ 464 16 s . 6 d ., of which Bro . Terry was so fortunate as to secure rather more than one-half , while in 18 S 3 it raised some £ 472 , and the year previous not far short of £ 620 . In fact , it rarely happens that this province allows a Masonic Festival to pass without sending up a representative , though it must be conceded that Berks does the lion ' s share of the work . BRISTOL ,

With its eight lodges , would seem to have a decided preference for the Old People , at whose Festival in 1884 the same Bro . Purnell who figures in Wednesday ' s list with a useful £ 59 us . handed in the still more useful sum of £ 293 us . . In 18 S 3 , also , Bro . Purnell was one of the three Stewards representing as many lodges , whose contributions found their way to the Benevolent Institution . Perhaps , as the amount is smaller this year , we may look to see this province figuring at one or other of the School Festivals .