The Grand Lodge Life-Boats.

weslcrlcy gales . Those two places were Yealmpton , at the mouth of the Yare , and Hope Cove , near Salcombe ; and of the two thev fixed upon Hope Cove , because it had the advantage that while it commanded the storm-beaten coast of the west it would be in easy communication with the Salcombe life-boat which had done good service . Those were the

two localities which the Committee had decided upon . There was one other point he wished to mention—that was as to the names to be given to the two life-boats . He thought when he made the announcement to Grand Lodge he might assume that it would be received with unmitigated satisfaction . It seemed to the Committee that the fittest titles of these boats

should be something to remind not only the present Freemasons , but their successors , of the expression of satisfaction which the whole Craft poured forth at the preservation of the Grand Master ; but the Committee felt also that it should remind them of the illustrious lady whose name was inseparably

connected with that of the Grand Master , and which was engraven on all their hearts—the Princess of Wales . The Most Worshipful the Pro Grand Master wrote therefore to His Roval Highness to ask his permission to make use of his own name and that of the Princess for the purpose , and he ( Lord Donoughmore ) was happy to state that His Roval

Highness had given his sanction to the life-boats being named " The Albert Edward , " and " The Alexandra . " That was the announcement he had to make ; but before he sat down he would like to sav one word more . Ever

since this scheme had been started , one in which he had taken the greatest personal interest , the Committee thought thev might safel y say , without transgressing the bounds of that modesty which always accompanied true benevolence , that in establishing this memorial they had established one worth } - of their Craft , worthy of loval Englishmen , and that

it was thoroughly approved of and appreciated ( for he had it from his own lips ) by the Most Worshipful Grand Master himself , and one which would be of the greatest service to the sea-faring population of this country . " At the end of the business of a meeting of the Grand

Lodge on the 6 th March , r 878 , the Grand Secretary read the following letter , which he had received that afternoon : — " 14 , John Street , Adelphi , " "London , W . C ., " 6 th March , 1878 .

" DKAR SIR AXD BROTHER , " I have the honour , by directions of the Committee , to ask the acceptance by Grand Lodge of a model of the

life-boats and transporting carriages , accompanied by watercolour drawings of the two life-boat houses at Clacton-on-Sea and Hope Cove , which the Freemasons of England have generously presented to the National Life-boat Institution as a token of the thankfulness of the Craft for the safe return from India of the Grand Master , H . R . H .

the Prince of Wales . I am to add that the Committee and Officers of the Institution will spare no effort to maintain the efficiency of the two Masonic Life-boat Establishments , which will ever be monuments of the sympath y of the Craft for the ship-wrecked sailor .

" I am , yours truly and fraternally , " R . LEWIS . " "This letter was ordered to be entered on the minutes . " The drawings above-mentioned are here reproduced , and the beautiful little model , with its masts , sails , oars ,

lifebuoys , & c , all complete , with an appropriate inscription , can be seen at all times in the lobby of the new building at Freemasons' Hall . Early in 1878 , the life-boats were reported read } ' for service , and were placed on their respective stations , but it

was deemed advisable to defer their public dedication and launching until a later period of the year . Accordingly , on the 13 th June , a grand assembly of the Freemasons of Devon took place at Kingsbridge , where a special Provincial Grand Lodge was held , presided over by the Rev . J . Huyshe , P . G . M ., who was supported by a large bod y of Prov . Grand Officers .

THK CLAtTOX LIFH-HOAT IX FAIH WKATHKR .

In the presence of between 3 , 000 and 4 , 000 spectators the new life-boat was formally dedicated , named "The Alexandra , " and launched amid every demonstration of pleasure and gratification . A similar ceremony , on even a larger scale , was performed

at Clacton on the 10 th July , by the Deputy Grand Master , Lord Skelmersdale , who was supported by many of the Grand Officers and other brethren from the metropolis . Meanwhile the " Albert Edward" had already evinced her fitness for the work expected of her , and ample proof had been given of the wisdom of the Committee in selecting Clacton as her future home .

Early on the morning of the 23 rd May , only a few weeks after the boat had been stationed , the brig " Garland " from Shields to London was observed to be ashore on the Gun fleet Sands , some miles S . S . W . of Clacton Pier . The "Albert Edward" was launched about 10 a . m ., and reached the ship some three hours later , when it was found that she

was fast filling with water and breaking up . About 3 p . m . the crew of six men and three boys abandoned her , and were safely landed at Clacton at 5 p . m . To properly record the services of these excellent lifeboats , and the heroic self-denial of their crews would require

a special volume of considerable magnitude , we must therefore content ourselves by drawing attention to a few only of their more hazardous performances . The Grand Lodge report of 5 th March , 188 4 , contains

the following , which , to a certain extent , speaks for itself : — "The R . W . DEPUTY GRAND MASTER — Brethren , by command of the Most Worshipful Grand Master , I rise to propose the following resolution : — " That the sum of fifty guineas be granted to the famil y

of the late James Cross , and a similar sum of fifty guineas to the family of the late Thomas Cattermole , two of the crew of the "Albert Edward" Life-boat at Clacton-on-Sea , which boat was presented to the National Life-boat Institution b y Grand Lodge in the year 1877 ; these two men , after having

assisted , the first in saving 116 , and the second 33 lives , having lost their own in the discharge of their duty on the night of the 23 rd January last , whilst in their boat endeavouring to rescue the crew of a vessel in distress , leaving their families , consisting respectively of a widow and six children , and a widow and three children , entirely destitute . '"

" I may add that a small local subscription has been set on foot at Clacton-on-Sea , to which the Most Worshipful Grand Master has subscribed personally , and the National Life-boat Institution has given . £ 450 to the two families . The Grand Master yesterday presented medals to the crew of the boat , and I have no doubt that you , brethren , will agree with

His Royal Highness that these sums have been worthil y bestowed . " Bro . RAVXHAM W . STEWART , P . G . D ., seconded the motion , which was put and carried .