China.

Air— " Good news from Home . " Bro . TARRANT having returned thanks , briefly , in consequence of indisposition , Bro . JAMIESON said , —Worshipful Master and Brethren , I feel very grateful for the kind manner in which the toast of the press has been proposed and received by you . Yet that toast is one which is peculiarly suited to a Masonic banquet , since the Craft and the press make their proudest boast of that liberty

which is the distinguishing peculiarity of each . And in Shanghai , where each and every member of the press is united to the Craft by the indissoluble ties of membership , that suitability is even more marked . Doubtless , the press has occasionally been led away into blind opposition to the spread of our Order , but f for the most part , the Craft has found a friend and ally in the press . I must explain to you that up to the moment at which I was called on to speakI fully expected our Bro . Tarrant to

, take from off my shoulders the onerous duty of addressing you , and he has left so little to be desired in his speech that I am somewhat at a loss to know what remains for me to say . I am much pleased , however , to have the opportunity of bearing my testimony to the regret with which the announcement of Bro . Thome ' s departure has been received by all classes of the community . I , for one , am glad to point out Bro . Thome as the representative of that class of foreign merchants who make it

a practice to support tho press not only by subscription but also by contributions . I have to thank many of the brethren here Xiresent for valuable suggestions in various departments of my duty , but to Bro . Thome I am especially indebted . In him , therefore , myself and my talented brethren of the pen

in Shanghai lose not only a kind friend and an enthusiastic brother , but also one whose suggestions were always valuable , and whose judgment was seldom at fault . If we consider simply the loss which Masonry at this port will sustain , I may safely assert that those who care nothing for the Craft , will not miss Bro . Thome , while those whose interests are deeply engaged on the side of Masonry will feel his loss irreparable . In a wordwe shall each miss him exactlin proportion to the

, y fidelity with which we are are accustomed to act up to the tenets and observe the rules of our order . The W . MASTER , in introducing the toast of " The Officers of the Sister English Lodge , " brought to notice the admirable working of the Royal Sussex Lodge , and said he had no doubt but that those who , like himself , had been present at the last meeting were highly pleased at the ability with which the

Worshipful Master conducted the proceedings and gratified at witnessing the assistance rendered by the Junior AVarden , Bro . Dent , evidencing , as it did , a desire to qualify him for more important duties , which there was little doubt he would conduet with the same ability as he did those at present entrusted to him . Bro . DENT having made a humourous reply , " The Ladies , " " The Entered Apprentice , " and " The Stewards

of the Evening" were given in quick succession , and ably responded to . The pleasure of tho evening was much enhanced hy the excellent singing of Bros . Nutt , Birdseye , Dent , Gilflllan , and others ; and the Tyler's toast having been duly honoured , labour was resumed , and the lodge closed in due and ancient form . EOYAL ARCH . SHANGHAI . —Zion Chapiter ( No . 570 ) . —The regular meeting

of this chapter took place on Friday , the 5 th March . Present—Comps . C . Thorne , P . Z ., acting M . E . Z . ; I . J . Birdseye , H . ; R . F . Gould , J . ; I . Nutt , Scribe E . ; A . R . Tilly , Scribe N . ; L . E . Parker , P . S . ; Ewitig , Org . ; Rawson , P . G . S . aud P . Z . ; Gibb , Kroos , Jordan , Marston , Cobb , Bennett ; visitor , Comp . Donaldson . Bros . Alex . J . Johnston , II . II . Mercer , II . R . Sidford , and H . A . Overweg , of the Northern Lodge of China ( No . 570 ) were admitted and exalted . The following Officers were

, elected for the ensuing year : —Comps . L . G . Dunlop , M . E . Z . ; I . J . Birdseye , H . ; L . E . Parker , J . ; 0 . K . Gordon , Scribe E . ; A . R . Tilly , Scribe N . ; I . Nutt , P . S . ; R . F . Gould , Treas . Comp . Ewing being about to leave Shanghai , a vote of thanks was passed for the kind way in which he has at all times presided at the organ . Comp . Rawson said the Treasurer held 1 , 800 taels in hand to the credit of the chapter , and he proposed

that the sum of £ 52 10 s . be given to the following Masonic institutions , which was carried unanimously : —Royal Freemasons' School for Boys , Royal Freemasons' School for Girls , Royal Benevolent Society for Aged Freemasons aud their

China.

Widows ; also that a sum of £ 52 10 s . he presented to the Northern Lodge of China to assist in decorating the Masonic Hall . The chapter was then closed in due and ancient form . KNIGHTS TEMPLAR . SHANGHAI . — Celestial Encampment . —A meeting of this encampment took place on the 18 th March , when Fr . Parker was

duly installed E . C . by Fr . Rawson , Prov . G . Commander . The following are the Officers for the year : —Frs . Gould , P . E . C ., Prelate ; Markham , 1 st Capt . ; Nutt , 2 nd Capt . ; Hogg , Expert ; Gordon , Eeg . ; A \ ilkinson , Capt . of Lines ; Crockett , Herald .

The Week.

THE WEEK .

THE COURT . —The Queen , accompanied by their Royal Highnesses Princess Helena , Princess Louise , Prince Leopold , and Princess Beatrice , Princess Leiningen , and the Princess Alberta of Leiningen , left Balmoral on Tuesday , at half-past twelve o ' clock p . m ., and arrived at Windsor Castle on AVednesday morning at nine . His Eoyal Highness Prince Alfred arrived at the Castle on Wednesday , from Portsmouth . The Prince

and Princess Louis of Hesse , and Princess Victoria of Hesse , also arrived at the Castle . The Prince and Princess of AVales arrived at Cambridge on Thursday , the 2 nd inst ., and were welcomed with great enthusiasm . In the course of the afternoon , their Eoyal Highnesses proceeded to the Senate House where the honorary degree of LL . D . was conferred upon the

Prince of Wales , the Duke of Cambridge , and three of the Princes' household—Lord Spencer , Lord Harris , and General Knollys . On Friday , their Royal Highnesses began the day by attending divine service at King's College Chapel , and afterwards went to the Senate House , where degrees were conferred on numerous distinguished persons . Lord Palmerston

and others , on being presentad for degrees , were loudly cheered . Dean Stanley , on coming forward , was received with mingled hisses and cheering , which lasted some time . The Prince and Princess then witnessed the procession of boats on the river , and attended a fete in St . John ' s College . The crowds that met them everywhere were immense and

the warmth of welcome unbounded . In . the evening their Royal Highnesses attended a grand ball given by the members of Trinity College . The Prince and Princess returned to London on Saturday afternoon . In the morning they went to visit Lady King at Madingley Hall , where the Prince lived when at college , and where he reviewed the Duke of Manchester ' s cavalry ; afterwards lunching with the Master and Fellows of

Magdalene College . On Tuesday their Eoyal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of AVales , with the Princess Mary of Cambridge , paid a visit to Ascot , the first day of the great races . The Eoyal party arrived in time to see the first race on the card , and remained until after "the Prince of Wales' Stakes" had been run . The racing on the whole was excellent , the weather

was most propitious , and there were a greater number of people present than the oldest frequenter of the Heath remembered . The Prince and Princess returned to Frogmore , whence they again proceeded on Thursday to Ascot Heath to witness the race for the Cup . IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT . —In the HOUSE OE LORDS on

Thursday , the 2 nd inst ., Lord de Grey stated , in reply to a question from Lord Portman , that it is intended to erect forts for the defence of the Bristol Channel . —Lord Stratford de Redcliffe called attention to the flight of the Circassians from their native laud in consequence of the triumph of the overwhelming force which has been employed against them by Eussia , and asked if the Government would lay before the House any infor-