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

Wales , " "The Navy , Army , and Volunteers , " coupled with the name of , and replied to , by Mr . Crawford , editor of the Volunteer News . The Provost next proposed " The Lord Lieutenant of the County , " and in doing so said : In Sir Michael's presence I cannot say what I would like to say , or give expression to what I feelbut this I will saythatapart

; , , from the adventitious aids of birth and rank and wealth—¦ and these , when rightly used , are amongst the best gifts of earth—Sir Michael has far higher claims on our respect , esteem , and love , for ho he has shown himself to be one of Nature's noblemen , and that is the highest title that earth can bestow .

"A king can mak' a belted knight , A marquis , duke , an' a' that ; But an honest mans' aboon his might—Gude faith he maunna fa' that . " One word more in reference to the Lord Lieutenancy . No appointment that has been made in the county during the present generation has been more popular

than the appointment of Sir Michael to that distinguished office . For once , " Whig an' Tory a' agreed , " and men of all shades of politics expressed themselves as hig hly pleased that Government had done the right thing and a graceful act , and put the right man in the right place . The Lord Lieutenant expressed hid thanks for the compliment the company had just paid him , aed said that

if anything more external could induce him to do his duty it would be the kind expressions which had been made to him both in public and . private since his appointment to the Lord Lieutenancy of the county . He resumed his seat by returning thanks for their kindness , and said he assured them it was heartily appreciated . The Chairman , in proposing " Success to the new Town

Hall , " in an eloquent address , gave a brief account of the history of Port Glasgow . Bailie Duncan then proposed "Her Majesty ' s Ministers . "

The Rev . Mr . Bell then proposed " The Provincial Grand Lodge and Assisting Brethren . " He said all the ministers of the town wished hearty success to the building of which tho foundation-stone had been that day laid . In absence of a Town Hall , lectures and meetings were often held in a church , which was hardly the place for such gatherings ; and the ministers were

obliged to Provost Lang for helping them out of that dilemna . They should now have no difficulty in saying to any one who wanted either of the churches for the purpose of delivering a lecture , " Go to the Town Hall . " He believed the Provost of the town , like tho clergy , had the good of the public at heart . As to the Masonic bodies , their good deeds spoke for themselves ; and he

begged to couple with the toast the name of Sir Michael Shaw Stewart , who had that day placed themselves under deep obligations to him . Bro . Sir Michael replied . The other toasts were— "The Clergy ; " "The Provost , Magistrates , and Town Council of Greenock ;" " The SubscribersTrades , and others assisting ; " . ' •The

, Provost , Magistrates , and Town Council of Port-Glasgow ; " "The Press ; " "The Ladies ; " " Tho Chairman ; " " Croupier , " & c . Some appropriate music was discoursed at intervals by a quadrille band .

Freemasonry In Japan.

FREEMASONRY IN JAPAN .

( From a Correspondent . ) For some time past , there had been growing up in the minds of many of the leading brethren a feeling that the craft in Yokohama bad attained such numbers as to render it desirable to extend its means of working , and increase the channels through which its energies might be directed . In the early part of this year , this feeling

Freemasonry In Japan.

took definite shape ; and a meeting being held for the purpose , a petition to the M . AY . G . M ., the Earl of Zetland , was prepared in due form , and transmitted by the second mail in February . The prayer of the petition being granted , a warrant from the G . M . was received on the 21 st ult ., empowering the petitioning brethren to meet under the title of the 0 Tentosama Lodge No . 1 , 263 , on

the registry of the Grand Lodge of England , and appointing Bros . C . H . Dallas , P . M . of the Yokohama Lodge No . 1 , 092 , as first W . M ., A Mitchell , S . AV ., J . D . Carroll J . AV . On the 28 th ult ., the new lodge held its inaugural meeting , when after being opened in due form , the officers for the ensuing year were appointed , and invested with the insignia of their respective offices—a very handsome

set of paraphernalia having been received from London . The officers are : Bros . W . Bourne , S . AV . of No . 1092 , Treas . E . F . Ansell , AV . M . of No . 1 , 092 , Sec . E . Rothmund , S . D ., Alex . Marks , J-D . J . L . Lieberman , I . G-, J . R . Anglin , Tyler . Bro . Ansell then presented the new Lodge with a handsomely bound volume of the sacred law , for which

the thanks of the lodge were immediately voted . The AV . M . then addressed the lodge congratulating the petitioning brethren on this , the successful result of their petition , and thanking the visiting brethren for coming

forward m such numbers to testify their interest and sympathy for the new lodge . In the course of his speech , the AV . M . stated that certain . brethren had been apprehensive lest tho establishment of a new lodge should be productive of schism in so small a community ; but he thought that they would dismiss all apprehension when they learnt that the AA . M ., the S . AV ., the Secretary , and

the Treasurer of the Yokohama Lodge were to be found in the persons of the Secretary , the Treasurer , the S . W ., and the AV . M . of tbe 0 Tentosama Lodge . No better guarantee could be given for a perfect unanimity prevailing between the two lodges , and by two lodges , thus working had in hand , more power would be gained for the craft , and its efficiency would be greatly augmented .

After the conclusion of ceremonies , the brethren withdrew for refreshments , when after the usual toasts of obligation , "The prosperity of the 0 Tentosama Lodge " was proposed in a most eloquent speech by Bro . Ansell , as AV . M . of the senior lodge . After afew more personal toasts , not forgetting absent friends , interspersed with some vocal melody , the

brethren separated at half-past eleven . Before the closing of the lodge , two brethren were proposed as joining members , and six , gentlemen as candidates for initiation .

List Of Lodge, &C., Meetings For Week Ending 6th November, 1869.

LIST OF LODGE , & c ., MEETINGS FOR WEEK ENDING 6 TH NOVEMBER , 1869 .

( Abbreviations . —P . JI . H ., Freemasons' Hull ; 7 il . IL , Masonic Hall ; M . T ., Masonic Temple ; Tav ., Tavern ; Ho ., Hotel ; E ., Eoonis : L ., Lodge ; St ., Street ; Sq ., Square ) . METROPOLITAN- EODG-ES AXD CHAPTERS . MOIKIO . !/ , Nov . 1 st . LODGES . —Robert Burns , F . Af . H . ; Royal Jubilee , Anderton's Ho ., Pleot-st . ; United Lodge of Prudence , Albion Tavern , '

Aldersgsite-sr ,. j St . John ' s , Hartley ' s Ho ., Brhlge-sfc ., Blacfcfriars ; St . Luke's , Pier Ho ., Cheync-walk , Chelsea ; Amity , Albion Tav ., Aldersgate-st . ; Joppu , Albion Tav .. Aldersgatest . ; Unions , F . AI . H . Tuesday , Nov . 2 » cZ . Colonial Board , . it 3 . LODGES . —Albion , F . ALH . ; Old Dundee , London Tuv ., Bishop-gate-st , ; Temple , Ship and Turtle .

L » i « lenhall-st .: Old Concord , P . M . H . ; St . James ' s , Leather Market Tuv ., Bermondsey . CHAPTERS . — Temperance , AVhite Swan Tav ., Deptfoid ; United Pilgrims , Horns Tav ., Kennington . Wednesday , Nov- 3 rd . Grand Chapter , at 8 . LODGES . —Stability , George Ho ., Aldermanbnry ; Zetland , Anderton ' s Ho ., Fluet-st . ; Mac Donald , Head Qrs . 1 st Surrey Vol . Corps , Biunswiek-rd ., Camberwell .