The Grand Lodge Property.

THE GRAND LODGE PROPERTY .

LONDON , SATURDAY , APRIL 5 , 1 SG 2 .

If we are to believe rumour , with her hundred tongues , the Board of General Purposes are at length busying themselves with the consideration of the disposition of the Grand Lodge Property , and are likely to be able to present a report on the subject at the Quarterly Communication of Grand Lodge in June .

If so presented we trust it will be referred to . a sjaall committee of Grand Lodge to consider and report upon at a special meeting , to be held between that and the communication in September , as we believe it to be impossible that all the various details which will

be necessarily involved , can , in the first instance be properly discussed in Grand Lodge ; and , until it has been so discussed , the report , whatever it may be , should never be again referred to the Board of General Purposes , the constitution of which will

necessarily be much altered by the annual election in June , and by the introduction of some of the new Grand Officers appointed in April .

Seeing that a large section of the members of Grand Lodge are of opinion that it would be impossible properly to provide accommodation for the brethren , both of the metropolis and the country , without some kind of tavern , we believe we may fairly anticipate that the report from the Board of

General Purposes will adopt that view , and if so , the question only remains to be considered how it can be best provided , so as to ensure to the Craft the exclusive possession of a large portion of the property to their own purposes , make the accommodation to be given

to and by the tavern the most efficient in every point of view , and at the same time preserve the Grand Lodge funds from waste or deterioration . The brethren are aware that could we see the way to the profitable occupation of the whole of the Grand Lodge Property

by the Craft , altogether irrespective of tenants , we should be found amongst the most foremost advocates of the scheme . But we confess we do not see our

way to any such consummation , nor are we convinced that we could become our own caterers at an expense Avhich the Craft is in a position at present to meet , nor at a price so economical as may be obtained through the medium of a properly conducted tavern , which will not be dependent for its support solely on

the patronage of the Craft , though that patronage must ever remain an important element in its success . Whatever the arrangement may be , however , we trust the brethren will , throughout the discussions which must arise as to the arrangement of the

property , never lose sight of the one great necessity of the Craft—that of obtaining a building for its ceremonies and meetings , with all the appliances of library , reading and writing rooms , coffee and refreshment rooms ,

the whole of which shall be solely devoted to the use Masons , irrespective of the tavern , though the proprietors of the latter should have the option of supplying the refreshments , if they desire to do so . It was to carry out this view that we suggested some time since the leasing the whole of the present

property , west of the Hall , much of which now lies in ruins , for the pin-poses of a tavern at a ground rent , binding the lessees to the erection of a suitable building and a hall larger than we now possess , with such a communication as would enable the brethren

to pass from their own building to the tavern , whilst , however , the general public could not pass to that portion of the property dedicated to the purposes of Freemasonry ; and to remodel for our own purposes the whole of the present tavern premises and those now used for the Grand Secretary ' s offices , believing that

such a scheme would not only provide us every proper accommodation , but be the one most likely to be carried out at the smallest cost to the Craft , whilst it would give us the means hereafter of extending our premises to the east and south , should we desire to do so , on the falling in of the leases which have yet some six or seven years to run .

If our plan were carried out we believe that we could provide all the necessary accomodation for the efficient carrying on of the . business ofthe Institution , which has enormously increased of late years ; for the Charities , should they desire to avail themselves of it ; for the proper working of our ceremonies ; a library and

museum open to all the Craft , in which only light refreshments should be served ; and subscription coffee , reading , and writing rooms for such members of the brotherhood who wish to avail themselves of

them , leaving the dining-rooms to be provided in the tavern , though we believe , with proper arrangements , room might be found for them in our own portion of the property , the great fault in the present arrangement of the tavern being that the rooms are too large and too small , there being no such thing as a

medium room for the accommodation of a party of ten or a dozen throughout the building . Having made these various arrangements , we are of opinion that some six sets of lodge and chapter rooms might be provided ( there is now a very large space

lost in immediate contiguity to the best lodge room in the house , being used only as a receptacle for lumber ) four of which might be furnished at the expense of Grand Lodge for lodges and two for chapters ( the whole being so arranged as to be made applicable to

the purposes of lodges only , should necessity require so many at one time ) , and let according to the style of furniture , at 10 s ., 15 s ., or 20 s . per night . At the same time we would give to lodges wishing to use special articles of their own furnitere , liberty to do so , though they should still be charged the same