Colonial.

Douglas B . Stevens , Prov . S . G . AV . Edwin J . Wetmore , Prov . J . G . AV . Rev . Charles P . Bliss , Prov . G . Chap . Robert T . Clinch , Prov . G . Treas . William F . Bunting , Prov . G . Sec . James Rosborough , Prov . S . G . D . AVilliam C . Leonard , Prov . J . G . D .

Thomas A . D . Forster , Prov . G . Dir . of Cers . Henry F . Perley , Prov . G . S . B . Edwin J . Everett , Prov . G . Purst . John Bowyer , G . Tyler . John McAlister , ~ ) Alexander Rankin , | William S . Berton , { . ^ stewards , John USmith I

. , John V . Ellis , Leonard P . Creai-, J The R . AV . Prov . Grand Master thanked the brethren for their large and punctual attendance , and transient brethren for their friendly visit , after which , there being no further business before the Grand Lodge , it was closed in due form ancl with solemn prayer .

Obituary.

Obituary .

BRO . THE HON . ADMIRAL JONES . Bro . the Hon . Alexander Jones , Admiral on the Reserved List , died at Chlttenham on the Sth ult ., in the 84 th year of his age . This distinguished officer was a Mason , and was admitted into the Order , we believe , when abroad , towards the close of the last century , and was therefore one of the oldest brethren living . We regret that we are not now able to give any Masonic particulars relating to himbut can by a record of his

, services , & c , pay a gratifying tribute to his memory . The Hon . Alexander Jones was born March 9 , 1778 , and was the tenth of the eleven sons of the Right Hon . Charles , 4 th Viscount Ranelagh , whose marriage with Sarah , daughter of Thomas Montgomery , Esq ., on the 6 th Jan ., 1761 , therefore occurred more than a century before the death of one of the issue of that marriage , a circumstance of which it would be difficult to find a parallel . Of these eleven sons , six only lived

to manhood , viz ., Charles and Thomas , successively Sth and 6 th Lords Ranelagh ; Richard , Benjamin , and John , who all successively attained Field Rank in the Army , and Alexander , the subject of our notice , who , with his eldest brother , entered the naval service . Charles , 5 th Viscount , died unmarried in 1800 , and was succeeded by his next brother , Thomas , who , by a second marrirge , left at his decease in 1820 an only son , the present and 7 th Viscount Ranelagh , whose name in connection

with the Volunteer movement and other matters has , of late years , been so constantly and conspicuously before the public , and who is himself a member of our Craft and the first Master of the Middlesex Lodgo . As the intermediate brothers all

died without issue , the late Admiral Jones was heir-presumptive to the jieerage of his nephew , who is unmarried , and should he also have no son , the dignity will be enjoyed by the only surviving son of the Admiral , hereafter named . Seventy-two years since the Hon . Alexander Jones entered the Navy as a First-class Volunteer , on board the Echo , commanded by his brother , Capt . the Hon . Charles Jones , afterwards Sth Viscount . His services on various stations are recorded by

O'Byrne between that period and 1794 , when he sailed in the Providence on a voyage of discovery . In this vessel he was ¦ wrecked , after he had served in her three years ( 16 th May , 1797 ) , among the Japan Islands , upon which he made his way homewards , but , at the Cape , altered his mind , and volunteered to serve with the Commander-in-Chief , Admiral Thomas Pringle . While thus engaged a mutiny broke out on board Admiral Pringle ' s flag-shipthe Tremendous 74 and Mr .

, , , Jones was made instrumental in carrying out the Admiral ' s views for its supxiression . Por this service he was appointed ( 14 th Dec , 1797 ) acting-Lieutenant of the Sceptre , 64 , in which he continued until she was wrecked . This melancholy occurrence took place Sth Nov ., 1799 , while she was lying in 'Table Bay , and the circumstances of Mr . Jones ' escape from the consequences , used , with some humour , and great truth , to bo ascribed by him , when narrating them ,

to a fortunate aet of disobedience to which he was induced or seduced to indulge in a casual " love affair . " A young lady had begged him to attend a ball which was to be given on shore ; he promised her he would , but failed in obtaining the captain ' s

Obituary.

permission to leave the ship . Deliberating which would be the greater offence , the breaking of his promise to the lad y or the violation of orders , his young blood and his passion soon outweighed in effect his scruples on the other head , and he went to the ball . From this scene of pleasure and gaiety he ^ was summoned by the news of the total wreck of his ship , and he hurried to the shore in his pumps to render what aid he could , and was there ied during the rest of the niht in assisting

occup g at the burial in the sands of 291 of his shipmates , who , though so recently left by him in health and apparent safety , were washed ashore lifeless by the tide . On his official promotion , 15 th May , 1800 , he was appointed to the Ajax , 74 , commanded by the Hon . A . Cochrane , and served in her in the expeditions to Belleisle and Ferrol . At Ferrol Lieut . Jones was the means of saving H . M . S . Tartarus

during a heavy gale , after that valuable vessel had been entirely abandoned by her officers and crew . Por the judgment and intrepidity he thereby evinced , he was at once ordered to report himself as the officer who had achieved the performance , to Sir John Borlase AVarren , the Commander-in-Chief . Further on ( 2 nd Sept ., 1801 ) , we find him present , in the Minerve , at the capture of the Svcces and Pravoure , each 42 . When , in

the-Livel-y , also , he assisted in taking three Spanish frigates aud the destruction of a fourth , off Cape St . Mary , Sth Oct ., 1804 ; in the same vessel he joined ia her self-sought and single-handedskirmish ( 29 th May , 1805 ) with the Spanish ship Glorioso , 74 , as well as in several encounters with the enemy ' s gunboats inthe Gut of Gibraltar , and in her subsequent service on the coast of Italy . In such employments , in this and other vessels , on various stations , Lieut . Jones served till advanced to the rank of Commander , 22 nd Jan ., 1806 . On the 6 th Oct ., 1807 , Captain

Jones assumed the command of the Talbot , in which he continued till gazetted to Post Rank , 1 st Aug ., 1811 . In the interval he had assisted in the blockade of Oporto , had to fight his way constantly , passed the batteries on the coast of Portugal , Spain , and Norway , and had captured three privateers , besides a large number of other vessels . For his conduct at Oporto , he was , at the Convention of Cintra , placed , by Sir Charles Cotton , in charge of a Portuguese frigate . He was at Oporto , alsofor

, some time officially employed on shore . His last command wasthat of the Levant , to which he was appointed in 1814 . On the final settlement of the peace of Europe , and the reduction of the navy , the Hon . Captain Jones , after more than 25 years' constant , active , and important service , virtually retired from his profession , ever desirous , however , for further employment . On the 3 rd January , 1848 , he was gazetted to flag-rank ,

and was subsequently , against his wish and despite his remonstrances , placed as a Rear-Admiral on the Reserved List . He in due course became Vice-Admiral , and finally ( Nov . 1860 ) , Admiral on the Reserved List , on the death of Admiral the Earl ofDundonald . This gallant old sailor , and amiable and very entertaining companion , passed the latter years of his life at Cheltenham , in

the full enjoyment of health , faculty , and vigour , and the pursuit of his taste for drawing and painting , in which he was a fair amateur . He married August 2 , 1807 , Caroline , daughter of Thomas Palmer , Esq ., of Hambledon , Hants , and niece of General Sir AVilliam Myers , Bart . By this lady ( who died . Nov . 1858 ) , he had issue 12 children , of whom three only survive , viz ., Alexander Montgomery Jones , Esq ., born 1812 , now heirpresumptive to the Ranelagh Peerage , and two daughters—Caroline Sarah , Countess de Alsmes , and Mary , wife of the Rev ^ John AVilliams , Rector of Grigley , Notts .

The Oxford Music Hall.

THE OXFORD MUSIC HALL .

The Music Halls have now taken then- rank amongst the amusements of the metropolis , and none is doing more for the promotion of good music than the Oxford . The two selections , which are made alternately from the operas of " Simon Boccanegra , " "Ernaui , " "Lucrezia Borgia , " "La Traviata , " and "La Civcassienne , " appear to he highly-relished by the audience , ancl are certainly the greatest features in the nightly programme , owing to the artistic vocalisation of Madame Endershon , Misshmans

Russell , Mr . Greene , M . Albert , Mr . Morley , and M . Jong , who sing the principal solo parts , and the excellent blending of voices of the other members of the company , who are assisted by a full band , led hy Mr . J . M . Jolly , while the whole is conducted by M . Jonghmans . Some new songs are introduced by the two leading lady vocalists each evening , and numerous ballads and duets are also sung by the Misses Stuart , Miss Ernst , and Messrs . Morley , Greene , finish , Kimberley , Bervon , and