Masonic And General Tidings.

MASONIC AND GENERAL TIDINGS .

The Cape riflemen who are coming over to England to take part in the approaching annual meeting of the National Rifle Association at Bisley left Cape Town on Wednesday on board the Dunottar Castle . The sudden death took place on Wednesday night of Bro . R . P . Thomas , of Tallyhont Farm , Bangor , a prominent Freemason . Deceased , who was 50 years of age , was W . M . of St . David ' s Lodge , No . 3 S 4 .

Mr . C . E . Woollard , of Bolton , announces his intention of conducting the business of stock and share broker at 21 , Maudsley-street . His connection in Bolton and Manchester will no doubt ensure him a large measure of support . Bro . Sir Edward Clarke , Q . C , M . P ., presided at the J ubilee Festival , which was held in aid of the Infant Orphan Asylum , Watford , in the Grocers' Hall , on Wednesday , when the subscriptions exceeded X 2000 .

It is said that the announcement of her Majesty's birthday honours will be made not on the 24 th instant , which is the anniversary of the day itself , but on Saturday , the 3 rd prox ., when the auspicious event will be officially celebrated in London .

The State Concert , which was to have been held at Buckingham Palace on Thursday , has been postponed in consequence of the death of the Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont , father of the Duchess of Albany , to Monday , the 5 th prox .

The Old Gowers' Annual Dinner was held at the Holborn Restaurant on Wednesday evening , when , in the unavoidable absence of Bro . Sir Edward Lawson , the chair was taken by Mr . Alfred Pucton , there being a large attendance of former pupils of University College School .

At the Quarterly Communication of the Grand Lodge of Scotland , held at Edinburgh , it was resolved to cordially thank Bro . Villiers for his long and faithful service in the Provincial Grand Mastership of Dumfriesshire , and to appoint Bro . A . H . Johnstone-Douglas as his successor .

The . Duke and Duchess of Teck , the Duke of York , and the Princess May visited the Queen at Windsor Castle on Wedresday , and stayed to lunch , returning to town , accompanied by the Prince and Princess Henry of Battenberg , about 4 p . m . The party were very cordially greeted by the crowds assembled near the railway station .

The 37 th Anniversary Festival in aid of the Royal Hospital for Incurables was held at the Albion Tavern , Alders ? ate-street . on Wednesday , under the presidency of Bro . William D . Freshfield . The Prince of Wales is patron of the institution , which is located at West Hill , Putney Heath , and last year made provision for 224 inmates and 621 pensioners . The subscriptions amounted to £ 2000 .

An address of congratulation to the Duke of York and the Princess May was unanimously voted by the Kent County Council at its recent meeting under the presidency of Earl Stanhope , who announced that a movement had been started by Lady Stanhope with a view to presenting a suitable wedding gift . Similir resolutions have been passed by other public bodies .

The Marquis and Marchioness of Salisbury will visit Ireland next week , and during their sojourn will be the guests of the Marquess and Marchioness of Londonderry , at Mount Stuart , County Down . The house party will include Bro . the Duke and Duchess of Abercorn , Lord de Ros , Bro . Lord Ashbourne , Col . Saunderson , M . P ., Bro . Macartney , M . P ., and a few others .

Bro . George Reynolds , who has from the first filled the office of Secretary of the Anglo-American Lodge , No . 21 9 1 , has been unanimously elected W . M . for the ensuing year , a well deserved compliment to a brother to whose energy and fostering care the success of the lodge is mainly due . The roll of Masters of this cosmopolitan lodge would have been sadly incomplete without the name of Bro . George Reynolds .

The Library Committee of the Corporation of London held a reception in their Art Galleries at the Guildhall on Wednesday evening for the purpose mainly of affording their guests the opportunity of inspecting the pictures in oils and water-colours which Sir John Gilbert , R . A ., has

recently presented to them . There was a numerous gathering , including the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress , the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress of Dublin , many members of the Corporation , and a large number of artists . The band of the Coldstream Guards played an excellent selection of music during the evening .

There was a grand gathering at the Imperial Institute on Wednesday , when the Prince of Wales , who is a President ot the Institute , received some 2500 ladies and gentlemen , who had gathered from all parts of the Empire in honour of the occasion . The Prince , who was accompanied by the Duke of York , first dined privately with Bro . Lord Herschel , Chairman of the governing body , the

Indian Princes , and other distinguished personages being present . The reception began about 10 p . m ., when the Prince , with his sister , Princess Christian , led the way through the galleries , where those present had arranged themselves , the Royal party including the Duke of Connaught and the Princess Henry of Battenberg , the Prince Henry of Battenberg and the Duchess of Connaught , the Duchess of Teck and Prince Christian , and the DuUc of York and the Princess

May , who was received with the greatest enthusiasm , Princess Victoria of Schleswig-llolstein and Prince Alexander of Teck , and the Duke of Teck and the Grand Duchessof Mecklenberg-Strtlitz . There were also present among other notabilities , the Indian Princes , the ( Juke of Cambridge , Bro . the Duke of Fife , Uro . Sir Frederick Leighton , Bro . Lord Brassey , Mr . Goschen , Earl Spencer , Bro . Lord Carrington , Bro . Sir F . Abt I , and Mr . Gladstone .

Twelfth Annual Edition of Explanatory Book , sent gratis and post free , gives reliable information how to make money quickly by Stocks and Shares . Highest and lowest prices for past years . —Address , G . Evans and Co ., Stockbrokers , 11 , Poultry , London , E . C .

Masonic And General Tidings.

The Princess of Wales , with the Princesses Victoria and Maud , arrived on Thursday at Paris from Lucerne . Mr . and Mrs . Gladstone , accompanied by Mr . and Mrs . Henry Gladstone , arrived at Chester on Thursday from town . A small crowd collected on the platform and cheered as the train steamed out . The party drove to Hawarden Castle from Sandycroft .

At the meeting the other day of the members of the University of London , it was decided , on the proposition of Bro . W . J . Spratling , to give a mark of distinction for speaking a foreign language in the examination for the M . A . degree in modern languages .

The Duke of Connaught dined with Lord Vernon and her Majesty's Royal Body Guard of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms at their mess room in St . James ' s Palace on Tuesday evening , the Due d'Orleans and Bro . Lieut .-Gen . Sir R . Gipps being among the other guests .

The Earl of Aberdeen , who has been appointed to succeed Bro . the Earl of Derby as Governor-General of the Dominion of Canada , will leave Chicago to-morrow ( Saturday ) for England , in order that he may go through the necessary State formalities before entering upon his office .

It has been arranged that atanlearly date the Grand Master Mason , the Earl of Haddington , accompanied by a deputation from the Grand Lodge of Scotland , will make grand visitations to the Provincial Grand Lodges of Inverness , Ross and Cromarty , and Caithness , Orkney , and Zetland , at Inverness , Dingwall , and Kirkwall respectively .

The Provincial Grand Chapter of North and East Yorkshire was held at the West Cliff Saloon , Whitby , on the 1 ith inst ., on the invitation of the Britannia Chapter , No . 312 , the Marquis of Zetland presiding . After the investiture of the Provincial Grand Officers , Lord Zetland addressed the assembly , expressing the pleasure he felt at being with his companions again after four years' absence on his official duties . We shall report the proceedings fully in our next .

Last week the remains of one of the oldest Masons in the Belfast district—Bro . Michael Cunningham—were interred in St . Patrick's Churchyard . The deceased was nearly 40 years manager of the late firm of Messrs . Sinclair and Son , of Newry , and was 40 years a member of St . Patrick's Lodge , No . 77 . At a meeting of the lodge on Monday night , the Sth inst ., a resolution of sympathy was passed and forwarded to his relatives .

By the Queen s command , a Drawing Room was held at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday , when the attendance was very much smaller than at that of the previous week . Among the members of the Royal Family present were the Prince of Wales and the Duke of York , the Duke and Duchess of Connaught , Prince and Princess Christian , and the Duke and Duchess of Teck . Presentations were made

to the Princess Christian on behalf of her Majesty , and will be deemed equivalent to presentations to the Queen . The Diplomatic and General Circles were well attended . The Duke of Teck , who was accompanied by the Duchess , in presiding over the 42 nd annual gathering of subscribers to the Royal Cambridge Asylum for Soldiers' Widows , did well to emphasise the necessity of regiments subscribing to

its funds in a more generous way than had hitherto been the case . 1 he ordinary expenditure of the asylum amounts to some £ 3000 , but last year a very large additional cost was incurred in renewing the drainage of the buildings . To meet this , only £ 900 is derived from funded income , the remaining source of revenue consisting of donations and subscriptions , either private or regimental , and it is to be

regretted that nearly 70 corps pay nothing . . The Duke of Teck urged strongly the claims of the Charity . We regret to announce the death of Bro . E . B . Cox , P . M ., at 73 , VVigmore-street , W ., on Friday , the 12 th inst ., after a painful illness of about four months . He was initiated in No . 1563 , and became P . M ., and was also P . P . G . S . B . Bucks . The funeral took place on Tuesday , a service having been held previously at St . Thomas's Church ,

Orchardstreet , W ., where many Freemasons and friends assembled , amongst whom we not c-d Bros . Beach ( brother-in-law ) , 1563 , mourner ; Artow , bclierby , Martell , Dairey , Amelut , Walter Dennis Higgins , Sec 1563 ; Brander , Treas . 1563 ; W . H . Bolt , W . M . 15 G 3 ; and J . E . Shand . The coffin was covered with floral decorations , and after the service the cortege moved off to Hanwell Cemetery , where the interment took place . We desire to offer his widow and family circle our sympathy .

Her Majesty the Queen has granted permission to the editor of " The Gentlewoman " to photograph the choicest specimens of her private gold plate at Windsor Castle , which will be produced in that journal , accompanied b y a series of special descriptive articles . The first , which appears this week , includes some magnificent centrepieces , part of the State dinner service , the largest of which weighs

2700 ounces , some William III , and George IV . sconces , exquisitely moulded candelabra , Royal flagons , and the Jubilee gift made " by her children and grandchildren to our beloved mother and grandmother . " Other portions of the gold plate of special interest are the giant centre table fountain , designed by Prince Albert , which shoots up a perfumed jet , the chief figures of which are modelled from

the Queen's favourite Arab horses . Then there is the " anointing spoon " used at the cornonation of the Kings , the gold font at which the Royal children and grandchildren have . been baptized , statuettes descriptive of Highland games , and one with Mr . John Brown standing beside her Majesty ' s favourite pony , " Flora , " and the collie , " Sharp . " The series includes the breakfast service used

by the Queen at Windsor , and the hot water urn standing in her morning room . All the most interesting contents of the Royal Treasure House will be shown and explained in what may be said to be qu . te as unique a series of articles as any for which a Royal privilege has been needed and graciously granted .

HOLLOWLY a PILLS . —Weakness and Debility . —Unless the blood be kept in a pure state , the constitution must be weakened and disease supervene . These wonderful Pills possess the power of neutralising and removing all contaminations of the blood and system generally . The quietly but certainly overcome all obstructions tending to produce ih . health , and institute regular actions in organs that are faulty from derangement or

debility . The dyspeptic , weak and nervous n-ay rely on these Pills as their best trien ts and comforters . They improve the appcti . e anJ thoroughly invigorate the digestive apparatus . Holioway ' s Pills have long been known to be the surest preventives of liver comp ' aints , dreadful dropsies , spasms , colic , constipation , and many other dineases always hovering round the feeble and infirm .

Masonic And General Tidings.

BRO . GEORGE HAND AND THE SHRIEVALTY . —The principal feature of this civic electoral campaign during the last week has undoubtedly been the signal accession of strength to Mr . George Hand ' s already very large and highly influential committee . Mr . Leonard B . Wrightson ( the hon . election agent ) informs us that it is not proposed for the present to issue a formal list of Mr . Hand ' s

Committee . The committee , he assures us , is , however , of formidable dimensions , and is comprised entirely and solely of liverymen—and therefore voters . We are asked to state that all liverymen desirous of supporting Mr . ' Hand should kindly forward their names to Mr . Wrightson at the Central Committee Rooms , 17 , Laurence-lane . —City Press . Some excellent photographs of Mr . George Hand , who

is one ot the candidates for the office of Sheriff , are now being exhibited by the London Stereoscopic Company at their Cheapside premises . —City Press . THE FISHMONGERS' COMPANY . —Mr . George Hand , who is a candidate for the Shrievalty , has , on the nomination of Mr . R . B . Martin , M . P ., been elected by the Court of the Fishmongers' Company on the Freedom and Livery . —City Press .

The annual parade of London cart horses will take place , as usual , in the Inner Circle of the Regent's Park on Whit Monday , when the Duke and Duchess of Teck , the Duke of York , and the Princess May have notified their intention of being present . The prizes will be distributed in the aft : rnoon by her Royal Highness the Duchess of Teck .

The Prince of Wales visited the Queen at Windsor Castle on Thursday afternoon , and remained to luncheon with her Majesty . On returning to the metropolis his Royal Highness was accompanied by the Earl of Rosebery . The Servian Envoy , who had had an audience with her Majesty , and Major-General Sir Christopher Teesdale , proceeded to town by the same train .

Her Majesty ' s first-class gunboat Speedy , the largest vessel ever built above London Bridge , was launched on Thursday from Messrs . Thornycroft's yard at Chiswick . She was named by Lady George Hamilton . The Speedy ' s engines are to indicate 4500 horse-power . She is fitted

with the builders' tubulous boilers , being the first English war-vessel to which they have been supplied , and by their aid it is hoped that the Speedy will attain 22 knots per hour . Her length is 230-ft ; breadth , 27-ft ; and displacement , Sio tons .

Owing to her recent bereavement the Duchess of Albany was unable to attend the meeting , held in the Whitehall Rooms , in support of the Children's Country Holidays ' Fund , and sympathetic reference was made by the Earl of Meath , the chairman , to her Royal Highness ' s absence . Adverting to the excellent objects of the society , he said many little ones had been transformed mentally and morally as well as physically through its instrumentality . The report

stated that in the 12 months 25 , 56 s youngsters were sent into rural districts for no less than a fortnight's stay , the the benefits thus conferred being incalculable . It appeared from the speeches of Lord Denbigh , Rev . Dr . Adler , Mr , C . T . Ritchie , and others , that a great feature of the work is that many parents are found who are willing to defray the small cost at which the organisation is able to introduce poor children to the joys and sunshine of the greensward .

In reference to . the Royal betrothal , the following resolution was unanimously passed by the Court of Common Council , on the motion of Mr . Alfred Brookman , the Chairman of the City Lands Committee , seconded by Sir John Whittaker Ellis , Alderman : "That in testimony of the loyalty and attachment entertained by this Court to our beloved Queen and her Royal Family , and in manifestation

of the deep interest with which this Court regards the gratifying announcement of the engagement of his Royal Highness the Duke of York , K . G ., to her Serene Highness the Princess Victoria Mary of Teck , this Court do allocate the sum of 2500 guineas to be devoted to the purchase of a suitable wedding present on the auspicious occasion . " The usual steps will now be taken to learn what form the proposed wedding gift can most acceptably take .

THE CRYSTAL PALACE . —A special effort is about to be made to advance the interest of this National Institution , and to make its claims on the community more generally known . That it has strong claims cannot be denied , and , although it was started , and has been kept up by . private enterprise , and without subsidies , one has only to imagine its being closed to realise what a calamity it would be to all classes . In connection wifh the Dresent effort the

directors have secured the services of Bro . Harris Saunders as inspector of agents . The new departure is the issue . of transferable season tickets at a cost of two guineas , which will , no doubt , be acceptable to many , but we think that a somewhat bolder experiment might have been made . There is practically no limit to the number that would be attracted to the Sydenham Hills if a scheme of " popular prices ' could be formulated .

Freemasons will watch with curiosity the development of a case which reached the termination of its first chapter , before Mr . Commissioner Kerr , in the City of London Court . Mr . Alfred Powles is not only a member of the Stock Exchange , but a Freemason , and is also—or rather was—the possessor of a very creditable umbrella , worth at least 25 s . He attended a Masonic banquet in the ui

Cannon-street Hotel , tor which , like an upright memoer the Craft , he duly paid the sum of one guinea . As a gentleman cannot dine comfortably and look after his umbrella at the same time , the article was left in the cloakroom , and a numbered ticket received for it . By the end of the feast 1 he " rain-shield , " asthe Germans call it , had di appeared , some " cowan " or other intruder upon Freemasonry then

having un-Masonically appropriated it . Mr . Powles sued the proprietors of the hotel for the value of the missing article , but Mr . Commissioner held that . he was not the guest of the hotel , but of the Masonic lodge whose dinner he attended . Next , Mr . Powles ' s legal representative argued that the hotel keeper was liable as bailee for value , the plaintiff having paid for his ticket . "No , " replied the learned Commissioner"he would not have paid any less

, than a guinea for his ticket if he had gone without an umbrella . " " But , " said Mr . Powles , " it is absolutely necessary to have a cloak-room , " " Quite so , " answered the judge , but that is not innkeeping . The plaintiff « ' therefore , non-suited , but leave was given to appeal , j " the meantime , Freemasons should trust their umbrellas to the Tyler . —Daily Telegraph .