Laying The Foundation Stone Of The Sheriff Court-House And New Hall At Forfar.

longer , except to utter a most fervent prayer that m the conduct of this building no accident may occur to life or limb , and that all may be finished as satisfactorily in the conclusion as the commencement has been satisfactorily this day . This concluded the ceremony at the Court-Honses .

LAYING- OP THE FOUNDATIOH-STOUE OP THE NEW HALL . Bro . Eeid's Hall is being erected at the north end of the town , not far from the new court-house , and is to be somewhat similar in style . The windows and door openings , however , are to have pointed arches . Circular turrets are to be placed at the upper angles of the front gable , and along the side walls bold projecting buttresses . An ornamental oriel window is to be

corbelled out from the upper part of the west gable , and on the front towards the street the arms of the town are to be boldly carved . Tho hall is to bo seated for 1 , 200 persons , and measures about 100 ft . by 55 ft , and from the floor to the ceiling , which is arched , 35 ft . It is to be lighted by windows at the sides and end , and also from the roof . At one end of the hall there is to be a gallery , and at the other a raised platform and rocoss for an organ . Boyand fclio Hall aro retiring ] or cloak roomsover which

, is a large supper room , with pantry and other accommodation . Several doors of exit have been provided for all , being made to slide , and of largo dimensions . Tho apartments aro to bo warmed by means of hot water pipes , and artificial lighting is to be effected by star-light pendants . ' No expense seems to spared by the liberal donor to make tho building comfortable as well as ornamental , and wo understand the cost will bo nearly

£ 4000 . When the various officials had arrived on the platform , Bro . Reid presented Lord Dalhousie with a handsome silver trowel . It bore the following inscription : — "Presented to the Honourable the Earl of Dalhousie , K . T ., G . C . B ., Most AVorshipful Grand Master Mason of Scotland , on the occasion of his services of laying the foundation-stone of the Public Hall in Forfar , 5 th August , 1869 . Presented by Peter Reid , iun , confectioner , donor of the ball . "

It was furnished by Mr . Marshall , Princes-street , Edinburgh . Bro . Reid in making the presentation , said—Most Worshipful Grand Master , —I have the honour of presenting you with this trowel , to be used by you at the interesting and solemn ceremony of laying the foundation-stone of a public hall for the benefit of the population of the Royal Burgh of Forfar . You have been invited by our worthy Provost to come and do this work , and in

the most worthy and courteous manner yon have responded to bis call by appearing among us to honour us with your presence and services , which , I know , will be duly and gratefully acknowledged . On my own account , I venture to ask your acceptance of the trowel as a small token of my regard aud gratitude . May I hope it will occasionally turn up to view among your other cabinet stores , to remind you of a happy day spent in a good work in your own county town .

Lord Dalhousie , in thanking Bro . Reid , said—I accept with great gratitude this very handsome trowel which you have presented to me , in order to complete a work which does honour to yourself and reflects credit upon the town in which you have been born and brought up . I can say no more at present than that I shall endeavour to use this in the manner in which you wish , and lay the foundation of the building , which I trust will redound to your credit , and be most useful in this ancient burgh .

The ceremony of laying the foundation-stone was commenced by Dr . Taylor offering up another prayer , and the usual formula was gone through . In the cavity of the stono were placed two glass globes , containing in addition to copies of tho different newspapers printed in tho county , various documents , and a certified copy of Bro . Reid's letter to tho Provost , dated Ilth Feb ., 1169 , gifting the hall , and copy of minute of the council ^ and articles and conditions of roup by the Magistrates and Council of the

piece of ground at a penny of feu-duty on which tho hall is built , with copy of the minute of enactment of Mr . Roid as purchaser for tho purpose of building the hall—the foundation of the hall up to tho level of the street being built by the magistrates and council ; also a list of tho contractors , the current coin of the realm , a tin case containing a packet of the celebrated rock mado b y the donor , Mr . Reid , and a song composed by Mr . Colin Sievwright , Forfar ,-in honour of tho occasion of laying the foundation-stone of tho hall , and sung for tho first * time at tho banquet at the close of the ceremony . There was likewise

the following inscription on parchment narrating the cere-1 mony : — AT FOREAIS , In the Thirty-third Year of the Reign of Queen Victoria , aud On the Fifth Day of the Month of August , of the Christian Era , Eight Hundred and Sixty-nine ,

And of the Masonic Epoch Five Thousand Eight Hundred and Sixty-nine , THE FOUNDATION STOKE OP THE NEW PUBLIC HALL , Situated in the Brechin Road , Presented to the Burgh of Forfar BY PETER REIDConfectioner

, , Was laid witli Masonic Honours BY The Right Honourable the Earl of DALHOUSIE , K . T , K . C . B ., & c , Most AVorshipful Grand Master Mason of Scotland , Assisted by the Grand Lodge of Scotland , the Provincial Lodge of Forfarshire , and by Deputations from numerous Daughter Lodges of this and other Provinces , In presence of the ProvostMagistratesand Town Council

, , , Clergy , Trades ? . nd other Societies , Forfar Volunteer Rifle Corps , the AVorkers in the Linen Factories of the Burgh , & c , and a large assembly of the Inhabitants of the Town and County . In the top of the cavity was placed a plate bearing the following inscription : —

" Ihe foundation-stone of this hall was laid on the 5 th day of August , 1869 , by the Eight Hon . the Earl of Dalhousie , K . T .,. G . C . B , Most Worshipful Grand Master Mason of Scotland . John AVhyte , Esq , Provost . Brown and Wardrop , architects , Edinburgh . " At the conclusion of the ceremony , Lord Dalhousie spoke as follows : —Provost Whyte , MagistratesCounciland inhabitants of Forfar—It is usualupon au

, , , occasion of this kind , for the Master Mason who lays a foundation stone to address you upon the purposes for which the building is intended to be erected ; but in the present state of the weather , and seeing that we shall have another opportunity of speaking upon this subject shortly , I intend to be very brief . I cannot , however , avoid addressing those who may not have the privilege of attending the banquet to be given by the

magistrates—I cannot , I say , avoid addressing a few words to them in congratulation on the event which has taken place today in this ancient burgh . It is pleasing , my friends , at all times to see erected for the benefit of the middle classes , and of the operative classes , institutions such as these ; but when we see these institutions the gift of an individual whose fortune has been made amongst you , who has been brought up and reared in your own locality , and who generously applies the gifts which God has given him for the benefit of his fellow citizens , it is indeed a proud scene to witness—a proud ceremony to assist at .

In an humble profession our friend Mr . Peter Reid commenced bis career in this town , and he has realized a fortune , which has not only given him very great satisfaction in rearing , but has distributed the sweets of life in which he has dealt ; and we may say that no foundation could be . more secure than that which is founded on a rock . It is the rock of Forfar . And so , my friends , let us be grateful to our friend Mr . Reid for this splendid donation . I have just been engaged in another

ceremony—laying the corner-stone of that which is hereafter to be a place where justice is to be administered . Let me hope that this institution , of which we have now laid the foundation stone , may from time to time diminish the work in the place above , by spreading amongst the community such intellectual cultivation ,, such a knowledge of morals , and , coupled with the exertions of our clergy , such a general knowledge of those principles as shall rear the inhabitants of Forfar in virtue and all good principles ,

and rob that place up there of a great many of its inhabitants .. Ladies and gentlemen , I will now close the operations in which I have just been engaged , thanking Mr . Reid for having given me , as Grand Master Mason for Scotland , the opportunity of bearing my hand in so important and so benevolent a labour y and I will dismiss the brethren all now , to meet again in the Grand Lodge , in the Sheriff Court Buildings , where I will then close the lodge witli all due ceremonies . Brethren , before wo go , I beg to ask you to join me in three cheers for the Queen . Three cheers wore then given in a ringing manner .