Multum In Parbo, Or Masonic Notes And Queries.

As a corollary to your admirable article on " War , " the following remarks of the Daily Telegraph on the " Association for the Relief of Wounded Soldiers " will probably be read with interest by your numerous readers , whose hearts , I am certain , throb equally with yours in the sacred cause of peace and humanity .

HERMANN KAUNITZ . " Sixteen years ago , the field of battle was invaded , and the savage scenes of war were astonished and softened by her whose dear and noble name is still like a benediction—Florence Nightingale . Her example was taken up by the noble women of the

Sanitary Commission , who attended the Northern Army during the American Civil War , and whose deeds of silent heroism and perfect womanhood , if truly told , would make all other ' glory' coarse and common . Danish and Prussian dames took up the task of help in the Schleswig-Holstein campaign ;

and , throughout 1866 , the ladies of Brescia followed the beautiful example towards the soldiers of Italy . More recently , this new and beautiful compassionate idea of succour given by Peace to War—by the weak to the strong—by non-combatants to armieshas produced an organised system of help , and has

set on foot a perfectly novel department of belligerency—that of ' The International Association for the Relief of Wounded Soldiers . ' The society has its banner and its ranks , its well-defined rights of war and its programme of duties . Thc Great Powers of Europe have recognised its existence

and have agreed to protect its agents upon the field . The white badge with the red cross—its ensign—is , by common consent , to come and go , free and unharmed , upon the errand of indiscriminate compassion ; for this society , the direct result of the initiative taken by our noble countrywoman , knows

and will know no difference of race or side . Its quarrel is with the cruel consequences of war ; it follows armies to the field , the enemy of nothing but the horrible misery which they inflict upon each other—the friend of each victim as he falls ; and , consisting largely of feminine volunteers , it is at

this moment marshalling its regiments of Christian love , and planning its merciful campaign , with alleviating comforts and hospital appliances for its weapons , and no armour of defence but the red cross flag . We shall see how the savage spirit of war can tolerate such a presence ; but if toleration

is impossible—if this most gentle and gallant company becomes a constant adjunct to the art of war—we repeat , that it gives us no slight hope for the race . There is in the human breast , after all , a sense of right , a spark of reason , which can better resist the preached maxims of Christianity than its

visible practice . Hitherto , when the day of battle has ended , it has been the task of thc victor to take up his wounded , leaving to the vanquished the care of theirs . But if it should become the practice that , after thc horrible encounter , an unarmed band occupies the ground—true victors of

the soil , because its members conquer fear and danger for the love of God and man ; if , whatever banner waves triumphant , the little red cross ( lag shines more brightly and more proudly in proportion as charity is greater than hate nnd humanity is more than dynasties—will not that spectacle

teach mankind something ? Can populations bc so persistently blind and so incorrigibly brutal , that a ray of reason will not break across their minds , when they see these women compassionately repairing thc cruelties of fight , binding up the bloody wounds , assuaging the thirst of thc dying , and

healing , so far as tenderness and toil can , the after curse of ' Glory' ? We differ from our correspondent when he declares that such work is not for women . It is their work ! The weaker and the more helpless such helpers are , the stronger and more eloquent is their protest . It is their work !

The nag of this new and courageous crusade will bc best respected when nothing but its holiness ancl loving-kindness protect it . None can reprove so well as these gentle camp-followers thc horrible monstrosity which makes two nations decimate each other for a frontier or a crown . Their

presence will be a silent condemnation of those who have entailed the warfare . They will hold up the standard of Christian courage and soldiershi p against the stern and cruel badges of military renown : and , seeing with clear eyes the sham . ' . ; nd thc mi ... ry of ' victory , ' they will spread among us ,

on returning , a truer idea of that frightful barbarism called war , and will tell the world , with lips that cannot bc disbelieved , what a battle-field is really like . Thc time is over now to plead for peace ; but let the voice of civilisation plead for those wbo

represent Peace in the thick of w ; , r ; and let the combatants be judged , among other tilings , by the perfect homage which they shall pay to these Red Cross battalions , who fight against pain , against death , and misery , for the common brotherhood of man . "

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

The Editor is not responsible for the opinions expressed by Correspondents . AN " IMPERIAL HIGHNESS . " ( To the Editor of The Freemason . )

DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —As you have referred to me certain correspondence respecting the alleged claims of a gentleman named Rhodocanakis to the title of " Imperial Highness , " and desired my opinion thereon , I have no hesitation in stating that in view of the publicity lately given to Mr .

Rhodocanakis' pretensions in various public prints , the discussion of his claims is now a subject in which the utmost freedom of opinion can be exercised . I consider , therefore , that the enquiry of " J . A . H . " at page 358 of your columns is a perfectly justifiable one , and that " Sp . " is not

warranted in imputing personal malice to " J . ., " or in applying the term " libel" to his letter . The communication of" Philalethes , " which you have shown me in type , is undoubtedly a scandalous libel , not only as regards " J . A . H ., " but also with reference to Sir Bernard Burke , whose professional impartiality is seriously impugned .

Upon the abstract question , it may be observed that the title of " Imperial Highness" legally appertains only to the cadets of existing Imperial Houses , and that the assumption of such a designation by an alleged descendant of the Byzantine

Emperors is unquestionably open to objection , inasmuch as no Byzantine empire has existed for nearly 400 years ; and , moreover , the governments of every nation have long since recognised the Sultans of Turkey as the legitimate successors of the Constantinian race in their territorial

character . I am yours fraternally , A BARRISTER .

THE "PRINCE" RHODOCANAKIS . { To the Editor of The Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I admire the tone of injured innocence assumed by " Sp . " respecting the doubts thrown by " J . A . H . " upon the pretensions of " Sp . ' s " phantom prince , whose empire is

in the clouds , and whose possessions are in dreamland . When " Sp . " talks of " libel , " he should remember that his " Imperial Highness" (*?) , under the initials of R . 33 ° , has been libelling a brother to his heart ' s content for some weeks past in the congenial columns of a contemporary . At first it

was suggested by a witty friend of mine that R . XXXIII . meant the stalwart policeman who wears those hieroglyphics on his collar , and who had suddenly gone mad in the dog-days ; but the appearance of ° at the end of the English letter ancl the

Roman numerals , proclaimed thc presence of a Greek O , which signifies nothing . Fortunately , the reputation of no respectable man or Mason is likely to be affected by these coyotes , whose bark is worse than their bite .

The sooner his " Highness" dethrones King George and becomes Pacha of thc Hellenes the better , or perhaps he might as well "go in " at once for thc " Sublime Porte . " Yours fraternally , COMMON SENSE .

( To the Editor of The Freemason . ) SIR , —I shall not condescend to notice the personalities of " Sp ., " which are beneath contempt . Sir Ucrnard Burke is a public man , occupying an official position as Ulster King-at-Arms , and is therefore accessible to all persons whose studies

connect them with geneological and heraldic pursuits . He is moreover thc editor of a standard work on " Orders of Knighthood , " in which he gives the insignia and names of all the authorised heads of public orders . Sir Bernard is also editor of a " Peerage , " which contains a list of properly

accredited foreign titles , whose owners reside in the United Kingdom . Some years ago thc Times published an account of proceedings in which the baron De Hilars was concerned , ancl demanded to know who the liaron De Hilars was ? The Baron wrote to the Times and referred to " Burke ' s Peerage , " a reference which satisfied everybody .

Without bandying words , it is sufficient to say that tlie name of the Manchester merchant , who calls himself " Prince" Rhodocanakis , is not in either of Sir Bernard Burke ' s works . Your readers can therefore judge for themselves what claim he has to bc a " prince , " or thc head of a distinguished order of public knighthood .

Original Correspondence.

Within the last few years an ex-valet , calling himself also a " Prince , " a low-class Italian claiming to be a " Duke , " and a pseudo " Marquis , " have done a large trade in selling their miserable decorations . Surely , then , there is need forcaution

in these matters . We have plenty of " talk , talk" about "H . I . H . Prince Rhodocanakis" and plenty of "inspired " information , but , hitherto , all this grandiloquence has not been backed by an atom ot proof . Where there is so much assertion and so little argument there is apt to be a weak case . Speaking on behalf

of a large number of our foreign brethren , I know this affair has made us a laughing stock abroad . One brother in Paris told me he should have to call himself " Count" if he came to England and wanted to get on among us . Yours fraternally , London , August 1 , 1870 . J . A . H .

THE 1717 THEORY . ( To the Editor of The Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —The controversy that has been carried on for some considerable time in the columns of THE FREEMASON on the theory of 1717 , not always characterised by the kindliness

of feeling and courtesy of manner which one would like to find prevailing in all Masonic controversies , seems to me , and I believe to others , as if it were degenerating into little more than a mere personal contest , and not likely , in such case , to be very edifying to lookers-on , nor to those who care very

little as to the question in controversy , but are led to read what the " champions " on either side write , because it appears in the columns of THE FREEMASON . My Masonic erudition is far too scant to permit me to take any part in the controversy , butif I may say so without intending to give

offenceit really seems to be , in great part , but " a war of words . " I do not understand that those who maintain " the antiquity " of Freemasonry claim a great antiquity for it under precisely its present aspect or with all its present accessories ; and I do not see how it can be denied that Speculative Masonry

existed before it received its present external form and ritual , early in the iSth century . If the controversy is to proceed , it would be well and merciful to some of us , unlearned in ancient lore , if the assertors of the 1717 theory would say precisely what they contend for , and how they dispose of the statement in " Chambers' Cyclopaedia , published in

1743 , as quoted by Bro . C . Goodwyn in the last number of THE FREEMASON , that Freemasonry is " a very ancient society or body of men , " who were then ( in 1743 ) " very considerable , both for numbers ancl character , being found in every country in Europe . " To speak thus of a body that had been but 26 years in existence , would be a misuse of language hardly to bc pardoned .

WILLIAM CARPENTER .

( To the Editor of The Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I shall be glad to hear from the Provincial Grand Secretaries of the various provinces in England , relative to the byelaw referred to at page 3 62 of THE FREEMASON for July 30 th , as to the admission of candidates into

Freemasonry who are " non-residents , " and especially whether such a law is in operation in their jurisdictions , and if found to bc beneficial . I think myself thc bye-law in question is calculated to confer lasting benefits on the Fraternity wherever it is adopted . Yours fraternally ,

W . JAMES HUGHAN , Prov . G . Sec . Cornwall . Truro , Cornwall , July 30 , 1870 .

( To the Editor of Thc Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER— I notice in the Evening Standard of this day that the Freemasons ' lodge at Mentz has been given up for th e purpose of making lint for the wounded soldiers . Could none of your numerous readers suggest any means

whereby the Freemasons of England , as a body , could show their sympathy with the sufferings of their fellow-creatures , irrespective of all political or national questions , acknowledging as they do the common brotherhood of all humanity . I am ,

July 29 , 1870 . CHARITY .

( To the Editor of ' Ilie Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —! was much grieved at a letter which appeared in your last week's issue from your well-known and frequent correspondent Bro . Iiuchan , in which he threw doubtas towhether thc Bible or thc Book of Constitutions is the

proper book to place on the Masonic pedestal . I am not acquainted with the Scotch system of Freemasonry , but from thc fact of their having an officer called a " Bible Bearer , " I presume thc Sacred Writings have a place in their lodges as they have in ours ; and 1 humbly submit that if the Sacred