Grand Masonic Banquet At Gravesend To The Brethren On Board The American Ships Of War Recently In The Thames.

GRAND MASONIC BANQUET AT GRAVESEND TO THE BRETHREN ON BOARD THE AMERICAN SHIPS OF WAR RECENTLY IN THE THAMES .

On Friday evening , the 4 th ult ., the officers of the Franklin , the flag-ship of Admiral Farragut of the American navy , and of the Frolic gunboat , lying off the town , were invited by the members of the Gravesend Lodges 77 and 4 S 3 to attend __ lodge of emergency and banquet . The lodge was opened at the Clarendon Hotel , at five o'clock-, Bro . T . Nettleingham , P . Prov . S . G . W . of Kent , occupying the chair . For the entertainment of the American brethren , the five sections of

the second degree were admirably worked , under the superintendence ol Bro . Nettleingham , by Bros . Hollingum , Harvey , Sheen , Relpb , and Hildev ( P . Prov . S . G . AV . of Kent ) . Several of the American brethren having been present at an ordinary meeting of the Lodge of Freedom a few evenings before , when the usual ceremonies in connection with the initiation and further progress of candidates for JIasonie honours had been performed , much to thoir gratification—drawing from thorn , as

they informed us , expressions of the profoundest respect and esteem for English workers and the system of working followed : —the Gravesend brethren thought that the working of the five sections of tbe second degree by expert brethren would prove of greater interest to their guests , and otherwise be more convenient and suitable to the occasion . AA emust do the brethren ivho took part in those lectures the justice to state that they never wore better , more accurately , or effectively given by the best of our JIasonie preceptors in tbe best lodge of instruction , and our American friends were highly gratified .

The proceedings within the lodge room of the Clarendon Hotel having been concluded about 6 . 45 p . m ., tho brethren were invited to adjourn to the New Falcon Hotel close by , in consequence of Bro . Chaplin , of the Clarendon , not having another room at disposal large enough to accommodate the members and their guests . The banquet was held at the New Falcon Hotel . The chair

was taken at seven o ' clock by R . AA . Bro . AV , F . Dobson , D . Prov . G-M . of Kent . At the upper table were ten of the American officers , Captain Drake , R . E ., Captain A \ hitloek , Lieutenant Nicholson , and other officers of the garrison ; Bros . AA m . Smith , C . E ., Past Grand Steward ; Southgate , P . Prov . S . G . AV . ; Hilder , "P . Prov . J . G . AV . ; T . Nettleingham , P . Prov , J . G . AA . ; JI . A . Troughton , Prov . J . G . AV . ; J . Johnson , P . Prov . Assist . G . S . ;

F . B . Nettleingham , P . Prov . Assist . G . S . ; AV . Hills , P . Prov . J . G . D . ; Hart , P . Prov . S . G . D . ; G . Wood , Sheen , S . AV . ; Bennett , J . AA . ; Hollinghum , J . D .: Taylor , I . G . ; Brandt , Pottinger , Moflht , Russell , Limbert , Solomon , & c . The attendance of members of the lodges to honour their visitors ivas great , upwards of eighty being present . The Lodge of Freedom ( No . 77 ) and the Lodge of Sympathy

( No . 483 ) have combined together on other occasions than the one we now record for the advancement of Jlasonry and for the honour and advantages of their own members . They appear to unite for all good purposes , and are , therefore , able to exercise a due share of influence in the province of Kent . Their hospitality is extensively known , and their support of the great JIasonie Charities is progressive ; and we are assured it will be second to none during the coming season of JIasonie charitable festivals .

After the cloth Avas removed the chairman gave tho toast of " The Queen and the Craft , " followed by " Tho Health of the President of the United States . " In proposing this toast , the chairman s . dd it was fortunate for that country that , after the diabolical assassination of the late President , the mantle of office had fallen upon one so capable of wearing it . The President was displaying all the best qualities of an enlightened statesman and tbe magnanimity of a hero bholding out the

y hand of pardon to his vanquished opponents , and seeking to restore them to the full privileges of citizens of the great American republic- This toast was drank ivith full JIasonie honours , the President being a member of the Craft , and was responded to by one of the American officers , who said that the chairman had partly taken the wind out of his sails , for he had intended to propose the health of the Queen , and success to the

Masonic body of England , but that he would now give as a sentiment "The two nations of Great Britain and America , and may the same amity continue between the two countries as now existed between all present . " The next toasts ivere "The

Grand JIaster of England , the Earl of Zetland , " " The Deputy Grand Master of England , Earl de Grey and Ripon , " and " The Grand Offc rs . present and past , " responded to by Bro . AVm . Smith , P . G . Steward , " who highly complimented the members of tbe lodge for tbe very admirable manner in wliich their work was invariably performed in the lodge , and more particularly for the really perfect delivery of the whole of the

questions in , and answers to , the five sections in the second degree ; and "Tbe Provincial Grand JIaster , Bro . Viscount Holmesdale , flf . P . " In proposing the toast of "Our American Visitors , " the chairman said that all present , and , indeed , all intelligent Englishmen , fully endorsed the sentiment proposed that evening by the officer of the American navj " , and that whoever endeavoured to sow dissension between the two countries was no friend to either . The true

policy of both was to develope commerce , and though some turbulent scoundrels with nothing to lose might display the basest passions of rapine , plunder , and even murder , in both countries , it would be found that the true feeling of all wellwishers of their countries was that amity should continue to exist between the two nations , ivhose forefathers and whose langnaae were tbe same , and who , if united , might and ivould control all the nations of tbe world . The chairman concluded

a most impressive speech , which was greatly applauded , by tendering on behalf of the JIasonie body , one of whose guiding principles was peace and goodwill to all , a hearty welcome to the American officers present , not only individually , but as representatives of the American navy and nation . The toast , having been received with full JIasonie honours , was responded to by Bro . Jloorethe chief engineer in the

, American fleet , in a short , terse speech , in which he fully reciprocated the sentiments of the chairman . The next toast was "The Navies and Armies of the United States and Great Britain , " which was responded to by Captain Drake , R . E ., and bv the Chaplain-General of the American navy , who said that hi all tbe parts of England which the fleet had visited they had met with truly JIasonie receptions .

The next toast , proposed by Bro . Hilder , the senior member of the lodge , was . "The Health of the Chairman , " which was most enthusiastically received and replied to by him in his usual felicitous manner . JIany other toasts followed , and altogether a most pleasant evening ivus spent . The American officers expressed themselves extremely gratified by the kind feeling displayed to them by their JIasonie brethrenand hoped to be able to reciprocate this

, international demonstration of courtesy and hospitality . In conclusion , we are sorry to add that , notwithstanding our best endeavours having been exercised for that purpose , we have hitherto failed to obtain accurate particulars of the names and the professional and Masonic rank of the American brethren who were present on this occasion . AA e regret this , because such an eventso full of interestnot only to those

, , who took part therein , but to the Craft iu general , should be put upon record in as complete a state as possible . AA e may add this much , that we were informed there were ten American brethren present , but we learned the names of Bros . Jloore , Cooke , and Slivers only ; the others ivere not mentioned , so far as we know , and they have certainly not been furnished to us :

neither do we know the JIasonie rank of any one of them , and as to professional rank , they might very well , so far as we knew ( or know ) bo all admirals , for a more gentlemanly body of officers and gentlemen we never had the gratification to meet ; and Bro . Chief Engineer Jloore— -we would add that ( apart from Freemasonry ) , he would do honour to his profession as a naval engineer in the navy of this or any other country as a thoroughly-educated aud highly-trained technical officer .

As to the manner in which tho entertainments , JIasonie and festive , were arranged and conducted , nothing could be more admirable , reflecting great credit upon the officers ol Lodges Nos . 77 ( Lodge of Freedom ) and 438 ; and of liro . Charles Lockey , the proprietor of tbe New Falcon Hotel , it is but fair to state that he is deserving of every praise , not only for the prime excellence and abundance of everything provided at the banquetbut also for rapid and orderly serviceand tbe

ad-, , mirable attendance afforded , both during and after the dinner . Indeed , the Gravesend brethren may well be proud of the great success attained by them on the occasion , whilst tho visitors have every reason to feel highly gratified with the warm , cordial , and fraternal reception , and the princely entertainment .