Royal Arch.

ROYAL ARCH .

LANCASHIRE ( WEST . ) PEESTON . —Chapter of Health , Peace , and Goodwill ( No . 393 ) . —A meeting of this chapter was held at the Stanley Arms Hotel , Preston , on the 17 th inst ., when Comp . N . H . Beazley was installed as First Principal Z . ; Comp . H . Armstrong , Second Principal H . ; and Comp . Q . McGlinchy , Third Principal J . ; Comp . G . Altham , P . S . Bros . R . Townley

Parker , of Cuerden Hall , Major J . Birchall , R . Robinson , R . Hurst , and G . Thompson were exalted to the sublime degree . Comps . Wylie , Hanier , Pepper , May , Baxendale , and Langley , Provincial Grand Officers , of West Lancashire and Cheshire , officiated on the occasion , and , in addition to the Installations and Exaltations , gave the five lectures in a most impressive manner . The chapter was then closed in ample form , when the Companions retired to a banquet , where every delicacy of the season awaited them , provided in Mr . Howarth's usual recherche style .

Mark Masonry.

MARK MASONRY .

NORTHUMBERLAND . NEWCASTLE . —Newcastle and Berwich-on-Tioeed Lodge . — This lodge was opened at the Freemasons' Hall , Newgate-street , on the 19 th inst ., by Bro . C . J . Banister , P . M ., G . S . O . of the Grand Mark Lodge of England , & c , assisted by P . M . ' s Hotham , Ludwig , Gillespie , Bros . Loades , Hume , Road , & c . Bros . R . W . II . GiddyF . S . Fairbridgeand llusholm being unanimously elected

, , , were properly prepared and presented to the acting W . M ., who in a very careful manner advanced each to tho degree of Mark Masons , explaining working tools , lecture , & c . Business concluded , the lodge was closed in solemn form . The brethren , who are about to return to the Cape of Good Hope , purpose establishing a Mark Lodge there .

Knights Templar.

KNIGHTS TEMPLAR .

NORTHUMBERLAND . NEWCASTLE . —Soyal Kent Encampment . —This encampment was opened on the 19 th inst . by the JB . C . Sir Knt . Rev . Samuel Atkinson , assisted by his officers . . This being an emergency to ballot for , and if elected , install Comps . Francis Seymour Fairbridge , of the British Chapter ( No . 419 ) , Cape of Good Hope , and R , W . H . Giddy , of St . George ' s Chapter ( No . 486 ) , both being unanimous , they were properly prepared , and each

severally installed by P . E . C . Sir Knt . C _ J . Banister , P . 1 st G . A . of England , & c _ , Knights of the Ancient and Illustrious Order , in his usual earnest and impressive manner . Business over , the encampment was closed . At refreshment , tho usual loyal and Masonic toasts were given and responded to ; and a very happy hour was spent by the Sir Knights , under the presidency of the E . C . It is the intention of Sir Knt . Hume , and the two ne , vlyniade Sir Knights , to endeavour to open an encampment at the Cape when they return ; this will be another offshoot from this ancient encampment .

Ancient And Accepted Rite.

ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED RITE .

NORTHUMBERLAND . NEWCASTLE . —Poi / al Kent Chapter of Pose Croix . —This chapter was opened on August 20 th hy P . M . W . Sov . C . J . Banister , 30 ° , assisted by P . M . W . S . W . Punchon , Prelate ; P . M . W . S . Hotham , 1 st General ; H . G . Ludwig , 2 nd General ; A . Gillespie , M . W . S ., as Grand Marshal ; Sbotten , Recorder ; Hume , etc . The ballot was taken and found to he unanimous in favour of Bros . R . AV . H . Giddand Francis Seymour

Fairy bridge , eacli of the Cape of Good Hope . They wore , therefore , perfected Knights of this illustrious Order , by P . M . W . C . J . Banister , with great care ; each was severally proclaimed aud saluted . The chapter was closed in solemn form . At refreshment an instructive and social hour was spent . Bro . AVilliam Punchon , the father ofthe higher degrees in this neighbourhood , explained several degrees not now practised in England , hut

still in force in many foreign countries , to the three princes who are returning to the Cape ; and we doubt not , from the zeal they have shown in Masonry , that a Rose Croix Chapter will soon raise its head under their guidance .

The Week.

THE WEEK .

THE COUET . —The return of Her Majesty and the Royal Family from the continent is fixed for the 5 th of September . The visit to Rosenau seems to be of a most quiet and unostentatious character , and , with the exception of a short journey to Potsdam , to visit the Crown Princess of Prussia ( Princess Royal ) , the Queen appears to have confined her excursions to the

immediate neighbourhood of her late Consort ' s birthplace . The Crown Prince and Princess of Prussia have also visited Her Majesty . The Prince and Princess of AVales continue in Scotland , his Royal Highness enjoying himself with shooting and fishing , being joined in the latter sport by the Princess . GENEEAL IIOUE NEWS . —The mortality of the metropolis has

at last subsided to nearly its normal condition . The deaths last week were 1337 , which is only 15 above the ten years ' average , thus showing that the health of the inhabitants is not affected by any specially prevalent disease . The births were 1788 , which is 23 below the average . Lord Clyde was buried on Saturday in Westminster Abbey , within a few feet of tho

spot where the remains of Sir James Outram rest . Earl de Grey and Eipon and a large number of officers and soldiers were present at tbe funeral . The Gazette contains a notice from the Board of Trade that a reduction of duties on tha importation of certain articles from France into Belgium will , be also made on the same articles sent from England to Belgium , under

the operation of "the most favoured nation clause" of the treaty we also have concluded with that country . The Peace Society has presented an address to Earl Russell on Japanese affairs . After saying that the first appearance of Englishmen among heathen nations , instead of being the harbinger of peace and a higher civilisation , is frequently but the . prelude to a course of aggression and violence , they proceed to state the

wrongs of Japan . They tell the Foreign Secretary that our right of intercourse with Japan was in the first instance obtained from that country under the coercion of fear , and that itwould be useless to attempt to force an acquaintance at the cannon ' s mouth . It is not likely that commerce cz \\ ha successfully prosecuted with a reluctant and angry people ; " and . even

if it could , it would be more honourable for a Christian nation to make some sacrifice of commercial advantage rather than inaugurate among another people what may prove to be a long course of disorder and blood . " At the weekly meeting of the Lancashire Central Executive Relief Committee , Mr . Farnali's report again showed a slight increase in the number of recipients

of parish relief in the cotton manufacturing districts . On the 15 th inst . the number of persons receiving relief was 146 , 231 , at a cost of £ 7023 , and in the previous week the number was 382 less . Compared with the 6 th of December , there was a decrease ' of nearly 126 , 000 persons . The balance in the bank was little short of £ 310 , 600 . An observation from Mr . Kay , of

Bury , about the gloomy condition of trade in the town he represented , led to a discussion on the prospects of cotton supply . Mr . E . Ash worth said that there would not be more than 22 , 000 bales—equivalent to three days' working—per week for consumption till the close of the year , leaving the stock in Liverpool at that time the same as in tho present month . Judging

from the correspondence of the Cotton Supply Association , based upon the reports of the crops now growing , he calculated that in 1861 there would be employment equal to four and a half days per week . Mr . T . Ashton said he had no doubt the whole of Lancashire might be in full work in IS 65 or 1866 , without a bale of cotton being received from America . After some further discussion the subject dropped . Mr . Rawlinson has presented a highly favourable report to the Poor-law Board