Knights Templar.

presented Prater Lyon with a silver drinking flask , of chaste design and beautiful workmanship , bearing the following inscrip tion : — " A parting token of esteem to Sir Knight D . Murray Lyon , from Sir Knight Major Thornton , C . E ., Past Prior , for the assiduity and ability he displayed as Secretary of Ayr Priory ( No . 4 ) , March 3 , 1862 .

Mark Masonry.

MARK MASONRY .

" S OUTITWAEK LODGE , ( NO . 11 . S . C ) . —This select and flourishin" lodge of Mark-masters held their usual monthly meeting at the Royal Oak Tavern , High-street , Deptford , Kent , ( Bro . Stevens ' s ) on Monday , April 7 th . The lodge was opened by Bro . R . Slade , R . AV . M . assisted by his officers , Bros . John Thomas , S . AV . ; F . Walters , J . W . ; C . H . Murr , S . O . ; H . A . Collington , J . O . ; J . H . Pembroke , Com , ; C . Stahr , J . D . ; M . Spier , T . K . Immediately after the opening of the lodge the

R . W . M . was compelled to return home through indisposition . The Chair was then taken by Bro . E . A . Levy , the immediate P . R . AV . M . who in a very able manner , assisted by the two P . Masters , Bro . Dr . Dixon , who actetA as Deputy Master , and Bro . J . AV . AA'eir , who so ably filled the Junior AA arden's chair , advanced Bro . J . C . Gooddy to the honourable degree of a Mark Master in a superior manner . The business being ended the lodge was closed . The brethren then sat down to an excellent

banquet replete with every comfort . After spending an agreeable evening together , the brethren separated well pleased ¦ with their luvopy reunion . Visitor Bro . C . A . Cottebru . n . e , W M .. No . 8 .

The Week.

THE WEEK .

THE COURT . —The Queen still remains in comparative retirement . Amongst the royal arrivals in England are tho Prince Royal of Prussia , Prince Oscar of Sweden , and Christina ex-Queen of Spain . An unusual number of garters have been vacant of late , and the Queen has at last filled them up . Two are awarded to Cabinet Ministers , the Duke of Somerset and Earl Russell ; and the others to the Earl Fitzwiliiam ; and Earl Canning .

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT . —The House of Lords reassembled on Tuesday , and after a short sitting adjourned till Friday . In the House of Commons on Monday , in reply to Mr . Bentinck , Sir G . Lewis said it was intended to construct a fort at Spithead behind the breakwater , and in accordance with tho recommendation of the Defence Commission . Sir Stafford Northcote announced , in answer to the Chancellor of the

Exchequer , that Mr . Disraeli intented , on the second reading of the Customs and Inladd Eevenne Bill , to deliver another speech on our financial position , and that he ( Sir Stafford Northcote ) himself intended to " make some observations " partly having reference to the Chancellor of the Exchequer ' s speech at Manchester . There was , however , no intention to impede the

passage of the bill through the House . On the motion for going into committee of supply , General Peel asked whether any decision had been come to in regard to the Army Reserve Fund , so which the attention of Parliament was specially called in the report of the committee on military organization ? Sir G . Lewis , in reply , said that last session an account was for the

first time laid on the table of the House , showing how the fund had been appropriated , and a similar account up to the 1 st of May would be shortly produced . He should be readyto assent to any mode of auditing the fund which might meet with the approval of the House . After some observations from Sir de Lacy Evans and Lord Hotham the matter dropped .

The House went into committee of supply on the civil service estimates , and were occupied tor some hours in the discussion of several votes . Tho vote of £ 150 , 000 for harbours of refuge

The Week.

was postponed . On Tuesday , in reply to Mr . Kinnaird , Mr . Layard said the Government had received information that owing to the interference of the Spanish authorities at Seville the English consul there had been compelled to suspend the celebration of Protestant worship in the consular premises . Our ambassador at Madrid had expostulated with the Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs , who at once said he would cause

inquiries to be made . A despatch had been sent by the British Government to their representative at Madrid , directing Mm to obtain full information on the subject . Mr . Baillie Cochrane moved for the issue of a commission to inquire into the state of the public buildings erected by Parliamentary grants within the last twenty years , with a view to greater economy and

and unity of design in their construction . Since 1821 , independently of the Houses of Parliament , 500 , 000 Z . had been spent on public buildings . More would have to be spent , and his object was to obtain that , by its expenditure , public buildings should he produced which , would be worthy of the country aud an ornament to the metropolis . Mr . Cowper sympathised with

the motion , but objected that the commission proposed would , if appointed , supersede the responsibility of the executive Government in regard to such matters , which was the real security for economy . After a discussion , in which Lord J . Manners , Sir M . Peto , the Chancellor of the Exchequer , and Sir J . Shelley took part , the motion was negatived on a division

by 116 to 49 . -Mr . Horsfall moved for a select committee to inquire into the practicability of consolidating the Inland Revenue and Customs Departments . He urged the necessity of such a committee in order to reduce the expense of management . The Chancellor of the Exchequer assented to the appointment of the committee , and the motion was therefore agreed to . Mr . Moffatt moved for a select committee to

inquire into the bearing of the taxes on bills of lading and other petty charges on commerce . The Chancellor of the Exchequer , in acceding to the appointment of the committee , said he had previously stated his opinion that the charges on the entry of goods inwards were not in principle defensive . But some of them were useful for statistical information . AVhether such

information should he collected at the expense of the mercantile community was a question to be considered by the committee . -On the motion of Mr . Crawford , a select committee was appointed to inquire into the operation of the present scale of sugar dutier . The select committee on the Clergy Relief Bill was nominated . On the bringing up of the report of the votes

agreed to in supply on the previous evening , a long discussion ensued on the vote of 350 , 0002 . for convict establishments , objection being taken to the item of 5502 . for Roman Catholic chaplains . On a division , however , the vote was agreed to . The other votes were passed . On AVednesday the Industrial and Provident Societies Bill , a measure described by Mr . Sotheron Estcourt as intended to meet some defects in the law

relating to co-operative societies , was read a second time . The House then went into committee on the Metropolis Local Management Acts Amendment Bill , and was occupied with the consideration of its clauses until a quarter to six o ' clock , when , in accordance with the standing orders , the discussion was abruptly terminated . GENERAL Hour . NEWS . —There has been a steady advance

in the mortality of London for the last three weeks , contrary to what might have been expected from the genial state of the weather . Three weeks ago the mortality was 1252 , a fortnight ago it was 1331 , and last week it rose to 1394 , which last amount is 148 in excess of the average of that week ( corrected according to the population ) during the last ten years . The principal increase appears to to be in diseases of the chest and lungs ; scarlatina is also prevalent and fatal .