Grand Lodge.

S . REPOET or COMMITTEE ON GEAND LOUGE PEOPEETY . The Committee beg to report that they have continued their labours with unremitting attention . They have the pleasure to inform the Grand Lodge that in reply to their advertisements offering [ premiums for designs , forty applications for plans have been made and twenty distinct designs illustrated by nearly 200

drawings have been sent in . The Committee desire to express their admiration of the skill and ability which is exhibited iu many of these drawing . The nature of the site , the position and level of tho present great Hall , the means of lighting , and the peculiar requirements for the Masonic body and for carrying on a large tavern business

ministering to , but totally separate and distinct from the Masonic portion of the buildings , offer difficulties of no ordinary magnitude , and the Committee believe that Grand Lodge will unite with them in the expression of their feelings that the manner in which those difficulties have been surmounted merits their warmest commendation .

The Committee have gone carefully into all the designs , and have spared no pains in examining into their praetibility , and into their compliance with the requirements laid down . They have formed their own judgment upon the designs , but , acting under the power granted to them by Grand Lodge , they have called to their assistance to well-known professional architects ,

Bro . J . T . Knowles , and Mr . P . C . Hardwick . The Committee desire to keep the strictest faith with competing architects , and they feel that the Grand Lodge will go with them in the endeavour to ensure as far as riossible that the designs to be selected and premiated , and that which is to be ultimately adopted by Grand Lodge , shall be selected upon their merits alone , and with no reference to the name or influence of their authors . In order to carry out this object the

Committee at their meeting on the 2 nd of May ( the plans having been rceived up to 12 o'clock of the preceding night ) caused all the letters which contained in sealed envelopes the names of the authors , to be placed in one packet , to be sealed up in their presence , and committed to the charge of the Grand Secretary , and not to be opened until the seals are broken in

the presence of Grand Lodge , after the mottoes or symbols of the successful competitors shall have been been publicly declared . The Committee are most desirous to give the brethren the fullest opportunity possible of seeing and examining the designs . They regret to find that it will be impossible to exhibit them in

the Freemasons' Hall , or in any part of our own buildings . The great hall can only be obtained after the 22 nd instant on four consecutive days previous to the meeting of Grand Lodge , Avhich would be a manifestly insufficient time , whilst the lighting of the Temple is so bad that it would be unjust alike to the brethren and to the merits of the designs to ehibit them there .

The Committee have therefore made arrangements to exhibit them in St . Martin's Hall , which they have been able to obtain on moderate terms . The designs were required by the Committee for their own examination until the 19 th instant on Avhich day they were placed at the disposal of the advising architects , and the Committee fully trust tiiat they will be

returned in sufficient time to enable them to be open to the Craft on and after Monday the 25 th instant . Of this an early intimation will be given in the Times , the FEEEMASOXS' MAGAZINE , and in the Builder and Building Hews . The Committee have given directions that there si all be provided at the place of exhibition a sufficient number of copies of the " Instructions to

Architects " to enable those who desire carefully to examine the designs to ascertain how far the requirements have been fulfilled-Architects , members of the'Craft , and their friends will have free

admission upon entering their names and number of their lodges , or address , in the book provided at St . Martin ' s Hall for that purpose . The committee are well aware of the responsibility which they incur in proposing to ask Grand Lodge at its meeting in June to decide upon a design which has not been previously

particularly specified . They feel this responsibility in its fullest force , but they have , after the most deliberate and anxious consideration , come to the conclusion that the course they suggest is the only proper and right one , and that if they were now to declare the mottoes or symbols of the premiated designs , the very object they have in view , viz ., that of having the designs ,

judged upon their merits only would in all probability be defeated . The Committee are perfectly ready to acquiesce in the wishes of Grand Lodge , and will submit with due reference to its decision whatever it may be , but they at the same time respectfully submit that a popular body composed as tho Grand Lodge is , cannot be expected of itself to be able to decide upon the merits of the designs , that all the plans' being exhibited for a

sufficient time beforethe meeting of Grand Lodge , every brother will have the opportunity of forming his opinion upon their respective merits , and the Committee further entertain a strong impression that those brethren who are accustomed to study plans , and are capable of forming a just opinion as to how a design upon paper will work in reality , will iu all probability

come to rhe same conclusion as themselves . The Committee would not for themselves have desired to takea further opinion on the merits of the respective plans , but taking that course which they-belivo the Grand Lodge would itself adopt , and for the purpose of preventing any future question arising , they have , as already stated , submitted all the plans

together with their judgment upon them to the architects named , and they will place the opinion of those gentlemen before Grand Lodge . Conscientious in offering their own opinion , and submitted , as that opinion will be , to the approbation of the advising architects , and having thus taking every means iu their power to ensure a correct judgment being arrived at , the

Committee have no hesitation in believing that they will follow a right course in asking Grand Lodge to accept and adopt the design to which they have felt it their duty to award the first prize .

For the purpose of avoiding anything Avhich may savour of partiality , the Committee beg respectfully to suggest that the discussion upon the plans and the motion for the adoption of any particular design shall take precedence of the declaration of the names of the authors . The Committee are themselves in ignorance of the names of the authors of the various designs ,

and they desire to remain so ; they have made their selection on merit only , and they respectfully invite the Grand Lodge to take the same course , because they believe it will be the most honourable and the most conducive to a correct result .

Tho Committee beg also to report that the 3 have obtained the sanction of the Board of Works , and the order of the magistrates for closing Queen ' s Place , and for building over a part of Middle Yard . The Committee now have to direct the attention of Grand . Lodge to an equally important part of their work , viz ., the

cost of the proposed works , and the means of providing for it . Having by careful examination satisfied themselves as to the approximate cost of covering the ground with buildings requisite to provide the necessary accommodation , they did not think it desirable to state to competing architects what sum they would be prepared to recommend , and in this they are satisfied that they exercised a wise discretion , as , although the estimates