R.W. B Ro. Vice-Admiral Albert Hastings Markham, R.N ., Past District Grand Master Malta.

R . W . Bro . Vice-Admiral Albert Hastings Markham , R . N ., Past District Grand Master Malta .

TT 7 E found Bro . Admiral Markham ensconced in a cosy flat \/ y not a hundred miles from Victoria Street , where he is at present staying for a few weeks , previous to his departure for Sheerness , to take up the post , on November ist , of Commander-in-Chief at the Nore . He is still a wiry , alert man , and although sixty years of age , looks much younger .

Of medium height and build , dark complexioned , resonant voiced , courteous and direct in manner , such are the chief outer characteristics of one who is no less atypical representative of the Naval service than a distinguished ornament of the Craft .

ISHO . ADMIRAL MARKHAM . Although somewhat diffident as to the ? possibility of his Masonic career being of interest to the readers of this journal , Bro . Admiral Markham was good enough to detail

the principal achievements of a 15 years' acquaintance with Masonry . " I was initiated , " he said , " on the 28 th of April , 1886 , in the same lodge as was the subject of your previous sketch , Bro . Conan Doyle , namely , the Phoenix , No . 257 , Portsmouth , and was privileged to do what I think few Masons

have the chance of doing to-day , that is to fill the Master ' s chair in less than two years after taking the Third Degree . In 1888 I joined the Royal Naval College Lodge , No . 1593 , at Greenwich , where I also had the pleasure of acting as

Worshipful Master . As representing the Navy , and having some literary recommendations , although not in connection with Masonry , I was , in 1891 , elected a member of the Inner Circle of the Quatuor Coronati Lodge , No . 2076 , where 1 now have the honour to be the Junior Warden . " When I went out to the Mediterranean , in 1892 , I

was Master of a Craft lodge , Principal of a Royal Arch chapter , Master of a Mark lodge , an Eminent Preceptor , a Most Wise Sovereign , and a Prior of the Order of St . John and Jerusalem . I was appointed District Grand Master and Grand Superintendent of the Royal Arch for Malta and Prov .

Grand Master of Mark Masonry in the Mediterranean in 18 93 , and I was the first Deputy Master of the Navy Lodge , No 2612 , London , of which H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , then M . W . Grand Master , was the Worshipful Master . " Admiral Markham ' s naval career is better known ,

but a sketch of our distinguished brother would not be complete without some brief details of it . Entering the Royal Navy in 1856 , he took an active-part in the operations

leading to the fall of Pekin and the suppression of the Taiping rebellion of that time . As lieutenant , he served on the Mediterranean and Australian stations , receiving an expression of approval from the Lords of the Admiralty for his activity in suppressing the so-called labour traffic in the South Sea Islands . A Commander in 1872 , he succeeded

in going farther North ( 83 ° 23 " 26 ') in his Arctic expedition of 1875 than had previously been attempted , for which exploit he was promoted to the rank of Captain , and was presented with a gold watch from the Royal Geographical Society . He became Flag Captain in the Pacific in 1879 and

Captain of the Naval Torpedo School at Portsmouth in 188 3 . Created a Commodore in 1886 , he became A . D . C . to the Queen , and in 1892 was appointed Rear-Admiral and second in command of the Mediterranean Squadron . In addition to these Naval employments , he has made explorations in

Davis Strait , Lancaster Sound , Novaya Zemla , and Hudson's Bav , in this connection receiving the thanks of the Canadian Government for his valuable services .

In order to gain experience in ice navigation , Admiral Markham did not at one time hesitate to ship as a mate on board a whaler . Most of his unique experiences are to be found in his delightfully readable works , chief of which are " The Cruise of the Rosario , " published in 18 73 , " A Whaling Cruise to Baffin ' s Bay , " " The Great Frozen Sea , "

" Northward Ho , " "Polar Reconaissance , " "Life of John Davis , " and " Life of Sir John Franklin . " It may , we think , be seen from the rapid glance we have been permitted to take at our worthy brother ' s career , that in the future Commander-in-Chief at the Nore we have one who is as zealous a supporter of the Craft as he is a distinguished upholder of the traditions of the British Navy .

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