Ireland.

After tbe churchwardens had deposited the records , the D ' Prov . G . M ., applying the golden square and level to the stone , said , " My Lord Bishop , the stone has been proved and found to bo ' fair work and square work , ' and fit to be laid as the foundation stone of this holy temple . " The Earl of Bandon , as chairman of the Building Committee , then handed to the Bishop the beautiful silver trowel manufactured for the occasion at the establishment of Mr . John

Hawkesworth , silversmith and jeweller , Grand Parade . It is richly engraved , and lias a carved ivory handle . It bears on it the arms of the see of Cork and the following inscription : — Presented to TnE RIGHT REV . JOHN GBEGG , D . D ., Lord Bishop of Cork , Cloyne , and Ross , On his laying the Foundation Stone of the New Cathedral Church of St . Finn BarreCork

, , January 12 th , A . D . 1865 . The Bishop , the Dean , the Earl of Bandon , and several other speakers addressed the assembly , and the Doxology being sung , terminated the ceremony . The contributions amounted to £ 3 , 700 , to which many of the brethren contributed handsomely , Mr . and Mrs . Anthony Perrier , of Lota , alone giving £ 50 . During the latter part of the ceremonial the D . Prov . G . M .

wore pendant to a blue riband the invaluable Masonic relic , the jewel belonging to Sister the Hon . Mrs . Aldworth . This highly curious and antique Masonic treasure was presented by Bro . Thomas Hewitt to the Masonic body of the Province of Munster as an heirloom in the Craft for ever . The D . Prov . G . M . also bore a beautiful and tastefully wrought mallet , in ebony and ivory , the gift of Bro . Sir John Arnott , MP ., aud Mayor of ' Cork , on the occasion of laying the foundation stone of St Patrick ' s Bridge in November , 1859 . —Abridged from the Cork Constitution .

India.

INDIA .

( From the Indian Freemasons' Friend . ) BOMBAY . SIJILA . — Lodge Himalayan Brotherhood . — Another large gathering of the brethren at Simla took place on AVednesday , the 12 th October . The principal object of the meeting was to witness the presentation of an address to Bro . Wood , the Master of the lodge . The original intention had been to present the address in lodge ; butfor good reasonsit was afterwards

re-, , solved that the ceremony should take place at the banquet table . The first toast , "The Queen and Craft , " was followed by the National Anthem , in which all joined . In proposing the toast of the Provincial Grand Masters of India , the Worshipful Master made special allusion to the Provincial Grand Master of Bengal , and associated with the toast the name of Bro . AV . H . Hoff , as an officer of the District Grand Lodge of Bengal . Bro . Hoff

, after briefly acknowledging the compliment which had been paid to him , spoke of the pleasure he had in being one of the ministerial officers of such an active and zealous Provincial Grand Master as Bro . Sandeman , who had a great love of the Craft , and a great desire to promote its interests . Then , being on his legs , Bro . Hoff stated tlut it was a suitable opportunity for him to proceed with the business of the evening , which was to read the

following address : — "To AA oiisniri-uL BBO . THOIIAS WOOD , " Worshipful Master of Lodge Himalayan Brotherhood , Simla . "Worshipful Master , —The time having arrived when wo must all be shortly scattered , it has appeared to us to be right that you should possess some tangible token of our sense of your services to Lodge Himalayan Brotherhood , and of your admirable

management of its affairs . ' * It has been the ancient practice of our Order to symbolise abstractions , and it is only in accordance with that practice that we desire to offer you a symbol of our feelings towards you ; so that , in addition to the higher degree of satisfaction you must feel in having done your duty , you may also have the satisfaction of preserving in famil mark of the

your y a recognition of your Masonic w orth by your brethren in Masonry , and a souvenir of the happy evenings we have passed together within these walls . Moreover , it is due to ourselves that we should not ailow you to lay down your Hiram in silence . _ " AVe are certain , AVorshipful Master , that you will not consider it the language of flattery if we allude to a few of tbe

points in your administration of the affairs of the lodge which have won our approbation . For the encouragement of your successors , and from a strict sense of justice , we beg to record our opinion that the present prosperous condition of the lodge is mainly attributable to your exertions . It was you who reopened communication between the lodge and the Provincial Grand Master , and who removed the causes of its previous languishing condition . Under your careful supervision , the lodge

has cleared itself of pecuniary liabilities , even of those which had been incurred before your assumption of the Hiram ; and we notice iu the report of the Quarterly Communication of the District Grand Lodge of Bengal , held on the 22 nd of last month , that the Provincial Grand Master has acknowledged the payment by you of all fees dues up to date . Lastly , we beg to allude to your having borne the cares and responsibilities of the office of Master of Lodge Himalayan Brotherhood for three

consecutive seasons , during which , by blending tact and courtesy with the proper observance of discipline , you havo cherished the growth of much Masonic and social feeling among the brethren , and have enabled them to have many happy reunions . " We regret that we have not the satisfaction of presenting the testimonial to at this meetingit having been out of our

you , power to procure it in time before the close of the season . Care will , however , be taken that we shall soon have the pleasure of knowing that it is in your possession . " In conclusion , we pray that we may be spared to meet again , and that the Great Architect of the Universe may keep you and yours in His fear and love , and bless you and them with His choicest blessings ' . "

Having finished reading the above , Bro . Hoff said— " Worshipful Brother Wood , we regret we have not had time to present this address to yon in the usual form ; but , to plagiarise one of your own puns , we trust that , although the address is not engrossed on vellum , it will nevertheless be engraved on Wood 1 " ( Loud and continued applause . ) After the demonstration with which the brethren received the reading of the address had subsided , Bro . Wood rose and expressed the great gratification

he experienced from the manifestation of such good feelings towards him by the brethren of Simla . He was , however , not prepared to give full expression to his own feelings on the occasion j and he therefore begged that the brethren would accept , as his reply , not the remarks to which he was at that time giving utterance , but the paper which he would send them at some future time . Meanwhile , adverting to the intention of the brethren to provide him with the equipage required for the

preparation of the cup " which cheers but not inebriates , " he thought that such of the assembly as had "better halves " not disposed to view Masonry with favour , might make skilful and strategic use of the knowledge that the faithful discharge of Masonic duties sometimes led to the possession of what no lady could despise—a silver teapot ! ( Loud cheering and

laughter . ) The W . M . then proposed the health of the San Francisco Minstrels , who had so often and so greatly contributed to the harmony of Masonic meetings at Simla . ( Loud cheers . ) Bro . Pierce acknowledged the compliment on behalf of himself and his brother miuistrels . They had always received a hearty welcome in Lodge Himalayan Brotherhood in 1862 and during the present season , and they . had been greatly aided in their professional engagements by the Master , Bro .

Wood . They had wandered , as real minstrels should do , in many lands , from Australia to the Himalayas ; and it would not be surprising if they were to find themselves in a short time in Japan or Kamschatka . But before they bid farewell to Simla , they begged the brethren would accept a small present , which would help to keep the San Francisco Minstrels in their recollection . Bro . Pierce then produced a large handsome Morocco caselined with red velvetcontaining the photographic

like-, , nesses of himself , Bro . Dave Carson , Bro . Brower , Mr . Campbell , and Mr . Palin . This was passed from hand to hand round the table . The health of the officers of the lodge was acknowledged by Bro . W . H . Wilson , the Secretary . The "Health of the non-Masonic Guests , " followed , acknowledged by Mr . Seymour . The brethren soon afterwards separated .

ROYAL ARCH . RANGOON . —On the 13 th October , after the meeting of the Lodge of Burmah , a chapter was opened by the Grand Superintendent , assisted by M . E . Comps . II . Richards and B . F . Duncan , both of the rank of P . H . ; and the petition for a