Metropolitan.

Ijodwe , " to whom they were greatly indebted , for they were always ready and willing to render any assistance that was required , of them in the lodge . They were punctual in their attendance , and were ahvays present ever since he had been a member , and were most assiduous in devoting their time to the interests of the lodge . Besides being P . M . 's , they were members of the corps to which they all belonged ; therefore , not only as officers of tbe lodge , but as soldiers they were bound to obey

them . lis bad great pleasure in proposing tbe health of the P . M . ' s , whom be knew would carry out the principles of Freemasonry in the full sincerity of their hearts . —The toast was well receive il , for which Bro . HELSHAM , I . P . M ., returned thanks . *—The AV . M ASTER said the next toast he had to propose was " The Health of Bro . Peter Matthews and Bro . Eglese , the Treasurer and Secretary of tbe Lodge . " They were P . M . ' s of the lodge , and had very important duties to perform , and the brethren

knew bow those duties had been discharged by them for many years . Bro . Matthews , their Treasurer , looked very carefully after their funds , and be said , with great sincerity , that be believed , from the , careful manner in which their Treasurer bad acted—and he ( the W . M . ) belonged to other lodges that stood very high in the Craft—that few of them had a better balance in hand than they had . They had a very worthy Treasurer , and one who was always at his post and ready to do all be could

to promote the interests of tbe'lodge . As to their brother Secretary , they all knew tbe onerous duties bo bad to perform to the lodge , and a better Secretary than Bro . Eglese could not bo found . They always got their notices in due time , and he kept the minutes in a most admirable manner ; and if ever they woro required to be produced by tbe Grand Lodge , it would be found that the minutes of no lodge were ever better kept than those of the Fitzroy Lodge . They met under very peculiar

circumstances , for there was only one night in tbe week in which they could assemble in that place , on account of its being required for other purposes ; but he might say that it was the only settled military lodge iu the world , as they ranked at the AVar Office last in the list after the regular troops . There was no other military settled lodgo in the world , and therefore they possessed a peculiar privilege in the Craft . The other regiments of the line ware drafted to different places , subject to her Majesty's

will , but theirs was a settled military lodge . In conclusion , he proposed "The Health of Bro . Peter Matthews and Bro . Eglese , and God bless them . " ( Drunk with -Alasonic honours . )—Bro . MATTHEWS thanked tho W . M . and brethren for that mark of respect which they bad been pleased to pay him , and said it was always bis desire to keep their funds in a good state , for if a lodge ever got into debt , whicli it ought never to do , it showed that there was a fault somewhere , and that chiefly rested with

tbe Treasurer ; but the lodge so well supported him that , besides their banquets , they ahvays had a small sum in band to devote to charity . Their AV . M . had made a remark as to militaiy lodges , and tbe members of them were called to go forth to different parts of the world ; but there was a little chest that Avent with them , and although the members of the lodge might be cut off by war , tho little chest always reuriined . He frequently attended the United Lodge , at Colchester , and they

wore all military men who wero made in that lodge , their term of remaining there lasting about three years ; but when they left , through them Masonry was disseminated throughout all quarters of the globe ; they went abroad and united with others iu forming lodges , and so Masonry was more widely diffused in different parts of the world . One of tho members of tbe United Lodge whom ho installed went to Ceylon , and there formed a lodgeand on his return he ( Bro . Matthews ) saw him last year

, , and ho informed him that Masonry was flourishing in Ceylon , and thus it was carried out in all parts of the world . The Fitzroy Lodge was the only military lodge meeting on ils own ground , and ho bad no doubt that it would prove worthy of the Craft as long as they bad a AV . M . like the present , who commanded the esteem of the members ; and every visitor was beard to speak of their working ns perfect , and AI in the Craft . He would do all he could to maintain the prosperity of the lodgo , and they should

have no reason to complain of the trust that was reposed in him . —Bro . EGLESE , P . M . and Sec , returned his sincere thanks for the kind manner in which the W . M . bad been pleased to mention his name , and for the very cordial manner in which the brethren had responded to it . The Secretary had a most onerous duty to perform ; for , ne . tfc to the AV . M . in the chair , tbe Secretary had the greatest amount of work to do , and more perhaps than many of the members were aware of ; but with him it was a labour of love , and he would always continue to do it as he

bad hitherto done . The 1 V . M . had made mention of the officers of the regiment who took part in the affairs of tbe lodge , some of whom were very prominent . There was Captain Field , who took so great a part in ball practice of the regiment , and all would admit that he did his duty well as an officer ; and be ( Bro . Eglese ) would do ali he could to promote the prosperity of the lodge . His Bro . Matthews had alluded to the United Lodge , at Colchester , and he trusted they would find , as regarded the

Fitzroy Lodge , the same feeling amongst the Hon . Artillery Company to disseminate their principles , when they left the lodge , for tbe benefit of those who are not Masons . He was glad to see tho charitable feeling of tbe members in the case which be brought before the lodge at their last meeting , which was most gratifying to him , for , having laid the facts before them , they were all ready and willing to take part in relieving it ; anil , indeedit was difficult for him to restrain the brethren from at

, once putting their hands in their pockets , because be thought it was strictly lodge business . He thanked them sincerely , and be was glad to see tbe principles of benevolence stood pre-eminent in the Fitzroy Lodge . —The AV . MASTER said he had one other very important toast to propose , and it was with a great deal of pleasure that he saw the whole of tbe officers he appointed that evening but one ; and he was in deep affliction , or he was sure be would have been there . Had he been there the number

of officers would have been perfect , and that must be a great stimulus to him to do bis duty without faltering ; and when they saw the Master attentive , it must also be a stimulus to the officers themselves . Before he reached his present position , their brother S . W . had promised to support him , and he had well kept his word as a man and as a brother ; and their brother . T . AV . bad also done his duty in a very creditable manner . For himself he had served the office of Steward at the Festival

for the benefit of Aged Freemasons when the largest amount for that Institution was collected , and he was glad to say that his amount was about fourth on the list . He was about to represent the Fitzroy Lodge on the occasion of the Festival for tbe Girls' School , and be trusted he should bo supported by the brethren , and with no niggard hand . —Bro . WATSON , S . AV ., thanked the W . M . for the way in which ho had spoken of him , and said be hoped to support him in a better way than be

had done that evening ; and as time should roll on , ho trusted to do his duty more efficiently , and to support him in every possible way , for the happiest moments of his life were spent in the Fitzroy Lodge . He hoped the W . M . would be well supported as their Steward at the Festival for the Girls' School , and he should like to see what had taken place about t . velve years ago repeated— that their members should appear there in uniform . That was a proud evening to him , for then the

Fitzroy Lodge was greatly honoured , and he hoped that tbe example which was then set would be again carried out . With these few remarks he begged sincerely to thank the brethren for their kindness . —Bros . Maddick , Crostbwaite , and Huggins also returned thanks , and tbe Tyler ' s toast brought a truly happy meeting to a close . Roi'Aii OAK LODGE ( SO . 871 ) . —The fifth installation meeting of this lodwas held on WednesdayFebruary 22 ndat

young ge , , the Royal Oak Tavern , Deptford ( Bro . J . Stevens's ) . The \ A . M ., Bro . C . G . C . Stabr , opened tho lodge , supported by Bros . H . A . Collington , P . M . - , S . W . and AV . M . elect ; J . H . Pembroke , J . AV . , F . Walters , P . M ., See . ; G . S . Hodgson , S . D . ; J . S . Blomeley , J-D . ; J . Rosenstock , I . G . ; J . Hawker , W . S . ; G . Wilton , I . P . M . ; J . Stevens , P . M . ; AV . Jeffery , G . Holman , H . J . AVolls , AV . H . Triielove , G . L . Tilbrook , J . Truelove , R . West , It . Phipps , H .

Stevens , R . Mills , A . 11 . Parkinson , D . Barber , AV . Andrews , W . T . Barber , and others . Amongst an extraordinary number of A'isitors , whose numbers have never been equalled since the consecration of tbe lodge , we noticed Bros . M . A . Loewenstark , W . S . 73 ; W . R , Orchard , P . M . 79 ; F . W . Ward , S . W . 79 ; S . Vinton , J . W . 79 ; E . AV . Pook , J . D . 140 ; AV . Noak , S . D . 140 ; G . Bolton , P . M . and Treas . 147 ; G . Brown , P . M . and Treas . 1 G 9 ; J . T . Tibbals , P . M . and Sec . 1 G 9 ; J . West , I . G . 548 ; E .

Bumstead , S . W . 548 ; J . AV . Davison , J . D . 742 ; G . Leach , 742 , and very many others whose names we were unable to learn . Bro . G . Wilton , I . P . M ., took the chair , and passed Bros . AV . T . Barber , It . AVest , and G . L . Tilbrook to the F . C . degree , and raised Bro . AA . H . Truelove to the M . M . degree . Bro . C . G . C . Stabr , AV . M ., then resumed the chair , and initiated Messrs . M . Concanuen and J . W . Sampson into ancient Freemasonry . Bro . G . Wilton again took the chair , and Bro . F . Walters , P . M ., presented Bro . II . A . Collington , P . M ., S . W ., and W . M . elect , to receive the benefit of installation . A board of Installed Masters