Palestine Exploration Fund.

N . B . —The scarped rock was only visible to a depth of 12 ft ., but there was no indication of any termination . SOUTERRAIN N . 2 , COXVEJTT OF SISTERS OI ? SION . An important discovery has been made lately

at the Convent ofthe Sisters of Sion . In extending the buildings to the east a second souterrain was found . Through the kindness of M . Ganneau , the French Vice-Consul , and with the permission and aid of M . TAbbe , I have made apian of it . It is to the north-east , and parallel to that Avhich has already been described in Captain Wilson's notes .

We entered from an opening in the crown of the arch , aud descending 12 ft . found ourselves on the top of a mound of rubbish Avhich had fallen iu from above . At the end , to the north-ivest , the vault is 20 ft . Avide , and is filled up Avith rubbish nearly to the

springing ; the end is blocked up with a masonry wall of a later date than the arch itself . The arch appears to be semicircular , and has about thirty-one voussoirs ; at lift , down on western side is a communication Avith Souterrain N . 1 , 7 ft . wide , and the pier or Avail between the

two is 5 ft . 9 in . thick . On the eastern side of Souterrain N . 2 , at this end , the arch appears to spring from the rock . This arch in Souterrain N . 2 contains 45 ft . to south-east , and the vault then widens , and the succeeding arch is 24 ft . span , and the line of springing has a slope to south-east of about one iu six ;

the crown of the arch apparently remaining hori . zontal as the arch increases in span throughout its length of 36 iCt . The vault is now continued by another arch whose crown is about 4 ft . Gin . lower , and Avhose length is 46 ft . These two latter arches appear to be very slightly pointed ; they are very

nearly semicircular . The Souterrain N . 2 is thus 127 ft . long , and from 20 ft . to 26 ft . across . The south-eastern end is cut off by the same line of scarped rock as closes N . 1 . Also , I believe that the springing of the arch to east throughout its length is on the rock . For about 75 ft . the

souterrain is a pool of Avater about 6 ft . deep with a bottom of soft mud , the Avater coming up to about 2 ft . below tho springing . We had to construct a raft , floated with goatskins inflated , to enable us to examine this portion of the vault ; and I do not feel confidence in some cross measurements taken at the farther end which I have not

given on plan . I purpose going down again and examining the place more minutely . M . FAbbe has offered every facility for onr thoroughly exploring the place . It is desirable to examine the arch to north-west to see if it is continued .

I also visited , Avith M . Ganneau , the Souterrain N . 1 , and found that the passage explored last year , 28 th October , was comparatively dry , and we could get to the end on planks , but there Avas

Palestine Exploration Fund.

nothing new there to be seen . The staircase close to this passage has been blocked up ; it was in some Avay connected with the latrines of the Serai , and consequently the amount of sewage nowoozing into the place is very inconsiderable .

A great portion ofthe side of the Souterrain N . 1 to west is rock , and I hope to be able to ascertain what it is throughout the length . At present it appears that the place is a deep fosse cut in the rock about 50 ft . Avide and 165 ft . long .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .

¦ SLhXTsllTJlXTS XSV MEXICO . It was stated at a late lodge meeting by a Mexican brother that the late Emperor Maximilian was a Mason , aud that the few native Mexican Masons made great efforts to save his life . —C . A .

GNOSTICS . It is the opinion of many Masons , and some are now engaged in the investigation , that many emblems of Masonry are derived from Gnostic symbols . —E . D .. THE p ursrcE OF WALES A FREEMASON . However much we do respect and love Her

Majesty and the Royal Family , it is not likely that the Freemasonry of the first country in the world is to be put aside for the Freemasonry of a third-rate power , because the King of Sweden has given thebadges to our Prince of Wales of a Swedish Bite . — A BRITISH MASOJT .

THE OUDEItS 03 ? THE ItEB CK . OSS OF EO ^ IE ATSD THE- ' IIOIY SEPULCHRE . Appreciating thoroughly the courteous tone of " Lupus's " article on the above Orders in last Aveek ' s-Maga ? ine , aud believing that the fair discussion of the subject within proper limits Avill interest many of

your readers , I am inclined to offer a few remarks in reply to his comments . With reference to the " assignment , " or " sale , " of the Grand Mastership of the Order to the Duke of Parma in 1699 , the fact is not disputed in "A Sketch , & c . " ( page 27 ) , but the riht of tho last of the Comneni iu his attempt

g to deprive the Grand Crosses of their authority to perpetuate the Order by the creation of knights is questioned by implication . The Abbe Giuistiniani alluded to iu the " Sketch , " was one of the Knights Grand Cross when the government of the Order was thusas we contendillegalltransferred to the ducal

, , y house of Farnese ; and a reference to the Abbe ' s " Memoirs" will prove how energetically he , and other distinguished Italian members , protested against a transaction which tended to denude them of privileges inherited from time immemorial . The regulctiou of the Order was entrusted to 50 senators , who

were Grand Crosses , aud it was customary for these dignitaries to confer the cross of a " Noviciate , " or " Ivnight-iu-waiting , " upon men of honour and distinction . A " Noviciate " was not admitted to the second grade , called " Professed Knights aud Barristers , " until he had performed his bounden duty as a