Canada.

DISTRICT DEPUTY GEAND MASTERS . R . W . Br . George Masson , London District . „ „ „ David Curtis , AVilson „ „ „ „ John Dutton , Huron „ _ . » _> Wm . Bellhouse , Hamilton „ „ „ „ A . D- Grassi , Toronto „ „ „ „ Isaac Brock , Ontario „

„ „ „ L . H . Henderson , Prince Edward „ „ „ „ A . G . Macdonell , Central „ „ „ „ A . A . Stevenson , Montreal „ „ „ „ David BroAvne , Eastern Township „ „ „ „ JRicliard Pope , Quebec „ On Saturday , the 17 th , before closing the business on Grand

Lodge , the Grand Master , on behalf of the Grand Lodge , and a large number of contributing lodges and brethren , presented to P . G . Master AVilson , a valuable testimonial as a mark of esteem for the many services rendered by him to the Canadian Craft during the fire years he occupied the distinguished position of Grand Master . It was decided that the Grand Lodge should assemble for the next Annual Commnnication at tbe city of Hamilton , in July , 1864 . The Grand Lodge closed its Session on Saturday .

Obituary.

Obituary .

BRO . CAPT . AA'ILLIAM EDMUND ADAMS . This brother , who but a brief period since , was apparently in the full enjoyment of health and vigour , succumbed to an attack of typhoid fever of the most virulent type , on the 3 rd May , at Shanghai , and was conveyed to his long home amid the pomp and panoplies of war , with the bands of the different corps in garrison wailing forth the solemn strains of the " Dead March in Saul" on the following day .

Bro . Adams had just entered upon his 36 th year , when bis career was terminated so distressingly , and tbe circumstance of his regiment ( the 31 st ) , being in daily expectation of embarking for England , must tinge ivith peculiar bitterness the regrets of those from whom be had been so long parted . Bro . Adams was appointed paymaster of the 31 st Regiment , on the 10 th March , 1857 , and AA'as gazetted honorary captain on

the 10 th March , 1862 . He served ivith the 31 st in the campaign of 1860 , in the North of China , under Sir Hope Grant , for which he received a medal , and was present also at most of the operations against the Taepings , under Brigadier General Staveley , in 1862 ; including the bombardment and capture by escalade of the walled cities of Kan-ding , Tsingpoo ancl Cno-lin , the fortified village of Nan-jao ( scene of Rear Admiral Prolet's death ) , ancl affair of Nan-zearg . A protracted service in India and China had severely taxed his strength , and when struck by the fell disease , which eventually carried him off , he was unable

to rally . The policy , indeed , of retaining so large a proportion of European troops at Shanghai , ivhen the natives of India are . so much better fitted to withstand the climate influences , may be fairly questioned , the graves of nearly one hundred and fifty non-commissioned officers and soldiers of the 31 st Regiment alone , so far back as the termination of the last hot season , bearing mute , but terrible witness , to tbe fearful insalubrity of the climate as regards its effects upon the European

constitution ; the regiment having then been but five months at the station ivhilst the men from a two years previous servicein China mighthavebeen considered acclimatized . Bro . Adamsreceived the Craft degrees in a metropolitan lodge , ive believe , the Lodge of Harmony ( No . 317 ) , Richmond , about 1851 , and served the office of Master in the Meridian Lodge ( No . 10-1-5 ) , held in the 31 st Regimenton two distinct occasions 1860-61 and 1862-63

, , , having only vacated the chair in January last . He was received into Capitular Masonry , at Poona , early in . 1860 , in Chapter St . Andrew ' s in the East ( No . 68 , S . C . ) , being also , shortly afterwards , installed a Knight Templar in the Ascalon Encampment , meeting at the same station . In the autumn of the past year he was one of tho petitioners for a new encampment to be held at Shanghai , named the Celestial , at whose

inaugural meeting he was subsequently present . Bro . Adams fully came up to the Craft standard of a just and upright man and a Mason , and by his lamented decease tho service has lost a valuable officer , and the 31 st Regiment amuch loved comrade .

Royal Arch.

ROYAL ARCH .

GRAND CHAPTER . The following is tbe Report of tbe Committee of General Purposes to be presented to Grand Chapter on Wednesday next . To the Supreme Grand Chapter of lloyal Arch Masons of England . The Committee of General Purposes beg to report that they have examined the accounts from the 15 th April to the 14 th July 1863 which they find to be as follows : —

, , Balance , loth April , 1863 - - - £ 297 ( 5 6 Subsequent Receipts - - - - 297 5 S £ 594 12 2 Disbursements ----- 98 70 Leaving a balance of - - £ 496 5 2

which balance is in the bauds of Messrs . "Willis , Percival and Co ., Bankers of the Grand Treasurer . The committee beg also to report that , in pursuance of a resolution passed at the last Convocation of the Grand Chaptei " , they have made inquiries as to the existence of any official relations with the Grand Chapter of Scotland , and finding that no such relations do exist between the Supreme Grand Chapter of England and tbe Supreme Grand Royal Arch Chapter of

Scotland , seeing that the Grand Lodge of Scotland does not acknowledge the Grand Chapter of that country , and does not appear to have taken any steps ivith regard to the position , as Craft Freemasons , of the companions said to have been excluded from their privileges as Royal Arch JIasons , —but who claim to have themselves seceded from the Supreme Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Scotland , —this committee , while deeply regretting that any

differences should arise betAveen members of any constituted body of Freemasons , are of opinion that tbe Grand Chapter of England are not in a position to take any steps ivith regard to the dispute . The committee have received a petition from Companions Frederick Charles Stanclisb as Z , Horatio St . John Clarke asH , Thomas Henry Lempriore as Jand eleven othersfor a chapter

, , to be attached to the South Yarra Lodge ( No . 930 ) , South Yarra , near Melbourne , Alctoria , to be called " the South Yarra Chapter , " to meet at the New Bridge Inn , South Yarra , on the fourth Thursday in the months of February , April , June , August , October , and December in each year . This petition is regular in form , in so far at least as the requirements set forth in the regulations are complied withand

, the committee therefore recommend that the prayer of the petitioners be granted ; but they notice that it is not accompanied with any formal resolution of the lodge to which it is . .. trmricorl l-r . l . a nf . fo / . ! . od Ljxvywi ¦ .. __

... .... . _ . _ .. __ .. _ .. The committee have also received a memorial from the Chapter of Beauty ( No . 344 ) , Radeliffe Bridge , praying the Grand Chapter will reconsider an opinion expressed by this committee to the effect that meetings of chapters on Sundays are illegal . The memorialists pray that , for the convenience of their members , they may be allowed to hold their meetings on the Sabbath having recently altered the day of meeting to a AVednesday , but

without advantage . The committee cannot support the prayer of the memorial being of opinion that it is not desirable that the meetings should be held on Sundays . The committee beg also to report that they hare received a return , accompanied ivith the fees due to the Grand Chapter , from the late St . John ' s Chapter ( No . 628 ) , Secunderabad ,

which chapter was erased by order of Grand Chapter , on the 7 th August , 1861 , for having neglected for several years to make any returns . In a letter accompanying the return it is stated that an application was made to the Provincial Grand Master and Provincial Grand Secretary for information as to the steps that should be taken for re-opening the Chapter , which had been closed for

several years in consequence of the removal of most of the then members from the station , and that they were informed that they could re-open ivithout a dispensation . There being no evidence to show that the letters calling for returns had ever been received by the officers of the Chapter , the committee recommend that the same leniency be shown as ivas done iu the case of the Chapter of the Rock at Trichinopoly , and that the St . John's Chapter be re-instated and restored to its former position .