The Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

are prepared to occupy posts in the Civil Service , in the Postal and Telegraph Departments , and in the higher walks of commercial life . The whole school is examined every year by the Cambridge Syndicate , and as regards the results attained the school is in a high state of efficiency , and the efficiency is not that of a few , but throughout . For boys

who display signs of real talent there is a liberal provision in the form of scholarships and grants towards a higher education , and boys have proceeded to the Royal School of Mines , the various schools of medicine , & c , and have been assisted in their career at one or other of the universities .

It may not be generally known that after election the friends of successful candidates have the option of determining whether or not they shall be maintained in or out of the school , in the latter case by a grant in aid , and that in no case has the latter alternative been chosen .

An interesting event in the centenary year was the formation of an Old Masonians' Lodge , No . 2700 , membership of which is composed of former pupils of the school and those connected with its administration . The first Worshipful Master was Bro . C . E . Keyser , P . G . D . As indicating the manner in which appreciation of the

school has grown , it may be well to notice the way in which the cost of a perpetual presentation has increased . In 1870 it was £ 1050 , in 18 94 , £ 1260 , and now it is _ £ . 1625 . The cost of a life presentation has gone up in the same manner , being at successful periods , 350 guineas 500

, guineas , and 900 guineas . In conclusion we strongly advise our readers who are interested to go to Bushey and inspect the school buildings for themselves .

At The Sign Of The Perfect Ashlar

At the Sign of the Perfect Ashlar

The Grand Secretary , at a recent lodge meeting , delivered himself of some opinions in relation to the burning question of providing sufficient accommodation at the quarterly communications and other meetings of Grand Lodge for those brethren who , in accordance with the existing Constitutions

of Grand Lodge , are entitled to attend . < S > "i & In referring to the question of the election of Grand Treasurer , he said , Bro . Railing had referred to the old

minutes of his lodge , and the reference there made to the question of voting in Grand Lodge . This was a very important matter and would come before Grand Lodge very very soon to settle whether the voting should be as now or by proxy . There was a still more important matter which the Craft would have to decide , and that was how the Craft should in the future be represented in Grand Lodge . They

were all aware that Grand Lodge was a judicial and legislative body , and if the important questions which come before it are to be properly discussed , the speakers would not be heard in a building larger than the present one . At the present moment upwards of 30 , 000 members were entitled to attend

Grand Lodge . Then came the question , What proportion could be accommodated ? The M . W . the Grand Master would , he felt sure , be delighted to preside , but he could not advise His Royal Highness to attend , because the feeling of loyalty and affection of the brethren was such that if the

M . W . G . M . announced his intention of attending many would be unable to get even into Great Queen Street . The lodges were increasing , and a large number of brethren were year by year qualified to attend , but sooner or later they must have some better system of representation . Whether lodges should elect representatives , or whether it should be limited

to W . Masters or Past Masters , was a matter for consideration . It was a matter that should be ventilated , and he hoped alt would give it their consideration , for it was impossible to go on indefinitely as now . The } - might have a large building capable of holding many thousands , but the difficulty was how to admit so large a number ,-each member having to go

before the Scrutineers , give his name and the number of his lodge , sign the attendance book , and receive a card . It would take many hours to go through that process . He had taken this opportunity of ventilating the matter , for it was one the Craft should consider .

<& ® ® After a rule extending over forty-live years—a term of office only exceeded for length by Lord Leigh and the Duke of Devonshire—as Provincial Grand Master of Kent , Earl Amherst has announced his retirement . He is to be

succeeded by R . W . Bro . Fiennes Stanley Cornwallis , M . P ., Past Grand Warden . It is a source of much satisfaction lo the Craft , that Lord Amherst will retain his position as Pro Grand Master , the onerous duties of which office he has so ably performed since the lamented death of the Earl of Latham in 18 9 8 .

«_ > > s > <& Lord Amherst is a veteran of the Crimea , and still carries the scars of his wounds received at Inkerman . He i £ the third Earl and fourth Baron Amherst , the first Baron haying been the famous soldier Field-Marshal Sir Jeffrey Amherst , who was

Commander-in-Chief in North America from 1758 to 1764 . The present Earl is one of the few peers who have been called to the House of Lords during their fathers' lifetime . The late Earl died in 1886 . Six years prior to that , the present Earl was summoned to the Upper House by writ as Baron Amherst of Montreal .

< $ > i 5 > < S > The quarterly meeting of the Grand Lodge of Scottish Freemasonry was held in Edinburgh on Thursday , May 4 th , and was presided over by the Grand Master Mason , Hon Charles Maule Ramsay . On the recommendation of Grand

Committee , it was agreed to appoint a special committee to meet the Grand Lodges of England and Ireland in order that joint action might be taken respecting the recognition in the respective jurisdictions , of decrees of suspension , exclusion , and expulsion ; as to the status and rights of Masters and

Past Masters in the several jurisdictions ; and as to the recognition of new Grand Lodges in the colonies or territories where the three Grand Lodges exercise concurrent jurisdiction . During the past quarter grants amounting to £ 392 were made from the Benevolent Fund . The Annuity Board reported

ten deaths during the year , the number on the roll in October being 198 , and the value of the annuities £ 211 ^ . At last months meeting 41 applications were considered , and there were voted one annuity of £ 20 , six of £ 15 each , and twentyseven of £ 10 each .

<» ® © The 117 th Festival of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls took place at Freemasons' Hall , on Wednesday , May iotli , under the presidency of Colonel Mark Lockwood , M . P ., Provincial Grand Master for Essex . He was supported

by the Earl of Warwick , Past Provincial Grand Master and other distinguished Grand Officers . The list of subscriptions amounted to £ " 24 , 297 , and the chairman's province of Essex contributed to this sum no less than £ 5 , 250 . The lodges in the London district sent up lists to the amount of £ r 1 , 308 ,

with 333 stewards . The provinces , with 391 stewards , including Essex , the stewards of which numbered 162 , made a total sum of £ 12 , 9 89 .

We understand that the wedding present about to be offered to Her Royal Highness Princess Margaret of Connaught by the Grand Lodge of England , will consist of a diamond and sapphire pendant in the form of a brooch , and that it will be on view at Messrs . Wellby ' s , Garrick Street , Covent Garden , from May 22 nd to the 27 th .