Knights Templar.

The Grand Chancellor , Sir P . Colquhoun , wont from Loudon to perform the ceremony , in which he was assisted by tho Grand Vice Chancellor , Sir Knt . W . Tinkler . The Salamanca Encampment was opened by Sir Knt . E . M . Wavell , E . G ., and Sir Knt . W . Roberts , of Rochdale , arranged the processions on the entry and departure of the Provincial Grand and other officers .

The Provincial Grand Conclave being opened by the Grand Chancellor in charge of the Province , Sir Knt . John Fisher was duly installed into the important office of Provincial Grand Commander . The Grand Chancellor in bis address , referred to the high social and Masonic position occupied by Sir Knt . Fisher , and to his peculiar fitness for the office to which , on the representation of the Knihts of the Provincehe had been appointed by the

g , Grand Master , expressed a confident hope that the Province under his rule would be united and prosperous . Sir Knt . S . Fisher , in reply , assured the Knights that nothing should be wanting on his part to carry out efficiently tho duties of the office which he had assumed , and be cordially thanked the Knights present for their attendance on his installation , and for the reception that has been accorded to him . Sir Knt . J . Wordsworth , Past Grand Standard Bearer , was

then elected Provincial Grand Treasurer , and Sir Knt . J . Greenwood , Provincial Grand Equerry . The appointment of Provincial Grand Officers was deferred for the present . The Provincial Grand Conclave was then closed , and the newly-installed Provincial Grand Commander , the Grand Chancellor , and the other officers . Besides those Knights already mentioned , there were present : —Sir Knts . W . H .

Prince , T . Perkinton , J . Armitage , H . Smith , Capt . Thomas Learoyd , A . Lnpton , | F . Whitaker , G . Normanton , B . W . Jackson , I . Booth , W . Stott , Jas . Menzies , W . Tasker , F . Crosslcy I . Gankrozer , W . J . Laidler , J . Lord , J . Dunning Ray , A . Horsfall , W . H . Porritt , W . G . Beck , and G . Larrie , of Constantinople . Tho Knights adjourned to aii excellent banquet , at tho White Swan Hotel , after which the usual toasts were given and responded to .

How The National Society For Aid To The Sick And Wounded In War Was Founded.

HOW THE NATIONAL SOCIETY FOR AID TO THE SICK AND WOUNDED IN WAR WAS FOUNDED .

From " Berrow ' s Worcester Journal , " Sept . 9 , 1871 . At the great entertainments recently given to some of those who were engaged in the labours of this society , speeches have been made , toasts drunk , and praise bestowed on many who have taken an active part iu a great and grand charitable work ; but in the public reports of these meetings wo look in vain for any

acknowledgment of the fortunate means by which the foundation of the society was happily in existence in this country , and ready to start at once when the emergency arose into a large organisation of usefulness and charity . Tho honour of initiating this gi-eat and bezieficial association is due to the Order of St . John of Jerusalem , as testified by the printed report of its proceedings for the year

1868 , when the project of establishing an English branch of the Societe de Secours aux blesses et Malades Militaires was under the consideration of the Councils of the Order . As the result of these deliberations , the assistant secretary of the Order , Captain C . J . Burgess , wrote to M . Moynier , president of the society , at Geneva , proposing the establishment of a branch in this countryand

, received from that gentlemen a reply dated 3 rd December , expressing his great satisfaction with the proposal . In January , 1869 , Captain Burgess , after consultation with other members of the Order of St . John , wrote to the War Office and the Admiralty . Correspondence

with these and other Government departments followed , but it was soon manifest that little assistance would be given in this quarter to a seheni 6 propounded outside the magic circle of red tape . Ultimately , on the 6 th of April , 1869 , a meeting was held at the Chancery of the Order ( then at No . 8 , St . Martin ' s Place , Trafalgar Square ) , for tbe purpose of initiating the necessary

steps to formally found a branch of the society in this country . At this meeting the following members of the Order were present : —Major General Sir John St . George , K . C . B . ; Lord Elliot , Sir B . A . H . Lechmere , Bart ., the Rev . W . B . Hawkins , the Rev . T . Hugo , Julias A . Pearson , LL . D . ( since decased ) , and Captain Burgess . Subsequent meetings were held , further official correspondence ensued with the president , M . Moynier , and in the "Bulletin International" of the society , published in October , 1869 , the following report appeared : —

" GEE AT BEIT AIM " . " Formation of a Provincial Committee in London . — A piece of good news is the formation of ' Societe de Secours" in England , the country of Miss Nightingale , and the only one of the great European powers ' which has , as yet , not formed an active link in the chain of associations organised for the relief of wounded soldiers . The iniative was taken by Messrs . Charles John Burgess

, Captain , Adjutant . of Volunteers , and John Furle Captain of Volunteers in Kent , who , having first consulted the International Committee , joined to themselves several gentlemen well fitted to form a provisional committee . Their names are as follows : — Sir John St . George , K . C . B . ; Major General of Royal Artlillery ; Sir Edmund A . H . LechmereBart ; tne Bight Hon . Rev

, Eliot ; the Rev . W . Bentick-Hawkins , M . A . ; the Rev . Thomas Hugo , M . A . ; Mr . Julias Alexandra Pearson , LL . D . The office of the committee is , for the preseent , at No . 8 , St . Martins Place , Trafalgar Square , London . " On the 8 th December , 1869 , a meeting a convened at the Chancery ( where all the early meetings of the society were held ) when Dr . Marston attended by direction of

, the Army Medical Department ; bnt it did not appear that the organisation which had been founded by the Order of St . John , and was so soon to spring into " bene ficenfc activity , was likely to meet with such favour from the Government departments . Subsequently , and most opportunely , appeared the translation , by Messrs Furley

and Burgess , of M . M . Moynier and A ppia ' s " La Guerre at la Cliarite , " under the title " Help for the Sick and AVounded . " The first positive sounds of war were heard in July , 1870 , immediately upon which ( loth and 18 th Jul } ' ) Captain Burgess , as honorary sccretay of tbe Pre liminary Committee of Help for tbe Sick and Wounded in War , addressed letters to " Times" inviting a meeting for the purpose of practically developing the nuclues

which he represented . A meeting at Willis's Rooms , on the 5 th August , 1870 , at which the Prior of the Order of St . John , His Grace the Duke of Manchester , presided , and the committee of the society which had been so fortunately founded by the Order speedily enlarged into a powerful organisation with H . R . H . the Prince of Wales for its presidentand Col . Lloyd LindsayV . C

, , , as chairman of its executive . Mr . Furley at once proceeded to the seat of war , Capt . Burgess undertook the post of Secretary of the Society , many other members o the Order assumed active and laborious duties in furtherance of its humane objects , and at once the aid and sympathy of all classes was enlisted to an extent which does honour to the princiles of humanity and credit to

p the country . It has been now decided that the society shall be continued as a permanent national institution , retaining such organisation in time of peace as may ensure its efficiency in ease of war . In the official report of the soeiety , recently published , its origin is simply referred to in a note to the " Memorandum on practical points regarding the distribution of stores , " & c ., which is a