Laying The Foundation-Stone Of The New Town Hall, Port-Glasgow, Scotland.

Glasgow ; 73 , Thistle and Rose , Glasgow ; 116 , Royal Arch , Rttcherglen ; 129 , St . Mirren , Paisley ; 153 , Royal Arch , Pollokshaws-, 156 , St . Bavchan , Kilbarchan ; 175 , St . John , Greenock ; 2 l 9 , Star , Glasgow ; 333 , St . George , Glasgow ; 335 , Argyll , Dunoon ; 362 , St . Clair , Glasgow ; 370 , Renfrew County Kilwinning , Paisley ; 426 , Prince of Wales , Renfrew ; 441 , Glasgow , Glasgow . Among

these lodges were distributed the Greenock Artillery , the Kilbarchan , and the Greenock Rifle bands , as also two pipers . The vast procession , which numbered nearly 2 , 000 persons , and extended fully half a mile , was brought up in the rear by a body of police . Arrived at the hall , the trades wheeled to the left , and up Chapel-lanethe istrates & cwheeling into and

, mag , , taking position on the platform . Upon the arrival of the head of the Masonic body at the hall , the remainder of the procession halted and opened up on each side , allowing the Provincial Grand Lodge to pass down the centre to the foundation stone . The ceremony which followed was witnessed by numerous crowds of ladies and gentlemen , the temporary platforms which were erected

being completely filled . The proceedings were begun by the presentation of a beautiful silver trowel to Sir Michael , which bore the following inscription : — " Presented to Sir M . R . S . Stewart , Bart , of Greenock and Blackball , Lord Lieutenant of the County of Renfrew , and Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master of the Provincial Grand Lodof Freemasons of Renfrewshire ( AVest ) b

ge , y the Provost , Magistrates , and Town Council of Port-Glasgow , on the occasion of his laying the Foundation stone of the New Town Hall of that town . 12 th October , 1869 . "

The Greenock Rifle band , who were on the platform , played " God Save the Queen " and the Masons' anthem . An appropriate prayer having been delivered by tho Rev . T . B . Walpole , Acting Prov . G . Chaplain , Bro . Andrew Boag , the secretary of tbe lodge , read tho _ document , which was deposited , along with the various articles contained in the sealed vasein the cavity

, of the stone . The band then struck up the " Old Hundred / ' and the stone was laid by Bro . Sir Michael with full Masonic honours , the spectators cheering vociferously when the task was completed , and the band playing " Great Litrht lo Shine . "

Bro . Sir Michael Shaw Stewart then said : Provost Lang , ladies , and gentlemen , —I have pleasure now- to inform you tho foundation stone of the new Town Hall has been duly laid with Masonic honours . I , as Prov . Grand Master , assisted by the Prov , Grand Lodge of tho district , and supported by a great number of brethren of the craft , have discharged the task which you , sir , reto

quested me perform . We have upon this occasion been supported and encouraged by a great number— -I should say tho whole number—of ' onr population ; and so far from having been in any way hindered by the multitude that surrounded us , wo hare been , I must say , encouraged . In these busy days , which have had their effect on Port-Glasgow , it has been found a great inconvenience

to have no place of public interest in the town , and your enterprising men have bestirred themselves and have taken steps which have resulted in tbe laying of the fonndatitn stone of the large and handsome building which is to bo erected . I boliove ' that I should not bewrong in saying that 15 years ago there was only one shipbuilding yard in the town , and now there at least a half dozen

a , employing several thousand workmen ; and within the last ten years , I believe , the population has been nearl y doubled . This , and the increasing number of highly respectable workmen and mechanics in this town , has led to trade soirees being held , social meetings and gatherings , attended by employers and employed ; and , for the convenience of these meetings , it has been found , as I understand , very difficult to obtain suitable accommodation , and I believe that this fact , as much as anything else , has led to the steps being taken for the

erection of a public hall , under the auspices , I believe , in the first instance , of your ever-popular , ever-general ex-Chief Magistrate , John Reid . When saying this I cannot , and lam sure you Port-Glasgowegiaiis cannot , forget the energetic steps he took a number of years ago to extricate your various trusts from the difficulties in which they for some time found themselves . He has

been aided by many gentlemen , and by no one , I am sure , more heartily than by our present worthy Chief Magistrate , Provost Lang . Provost Lang , it has been a very great pleasure to me , I assure you , on this occasion ,, to be present ; and allow me to congratulate you and your colleagues on this important work which is being carried out during your tenure of office of the chief magistracy

of this town . In the name of all the Masons here present , and in my own name , we wish to this building every success . Ma } r it stand for ages as a memorial of the old fame of Port-Glasgow , as a token of its present prosperity , and as an emblem of its future and increasing welfare . Provost Lang remarked that one of the most

distinguishing characteristics of the progress of a people is the character of its public buildings . If these be inean and inappropriate it shows that the people of the town , or the district , or the country are selfish , spiritless , and unpatriotic . The inhabitants of Port-Glasgow , in erecting this building , are doing honour to themselves ,

wipingout a scam from their character , and supplying a want that has been long and keenly felt . He thanked Sir Michael personally for the many acts of kindness he had shown to Port-Glasgow , and , upon this occasion , for the promptitude with which he responded to the request of the corporation to lay the foundation stone of the newhall in his capacity as Prov . Grand Master specially , and

to tho brethren of the Masonic Craft ; to tbe Foresters , to tho trades generally , and all who had taken a part in the day ' s proceedings , he returned the heartfelt thanks of the corporation and of all who take an interest in it , and last , what ought to have been first , to those ladies who have honoured us with their company , whose presence has imparted grace and beauty to these interesting

proceedings . There was a time when the balance hung even as to whether the hall would proceed or not . There was a doubt in many minds as to their power to carry it through . On a late occasion a lady said to him emphatically that it would be a disgrace to tho men of Port-Glasgow if they could not erect such a building as this , and that she herself would ive £ 100 towards the object

g . That imparted galvanism to tbe whole undertaking , and the result was that on that day they laid tho foundation stone with a ceremony that will be remembered by old and young for many long years . Bro . Brycc , Tyler of the Grand Lodge of Scotland , called for three cheers for Bro , Sir Michael , which were enthusiastically given , tho band playing "Rule

Brit-. The ceremony being completed , the Volunteer and Masonic bodies , headed by the Grand Lodge , mai-ched to the front of the Town Buildings , where they dispersed . The trades hud , while the ceremony was going on , marched to their respective places of meeting , and throughout the afternoon several of them paraded the streets to the music

of their bands , and followed by crowds . At half-past five in tho evening a public dinner was given in commemoration of the event in the old Town Hall , King-street , which was tastefully decorated with evergreens for the occasion . Provost Lang occupied the chair , and was supported by a numerous and distinguished company .

The Rev . Mr . Homo having asked a blessing , an excellent dinner , provided by Mr . M'Kay , of Greenock , was partaken of ) after which ' the Rev . Mr . Bell returned thanks . The Chairman , who road a note of apology from . Provost Macfarlanc , Paisley , who was unable to bo present , then proposed "The Queen , " "The Prince and Princess of