Correspondence.

this will raise a sum of nearly £ 3000 in three years , and it would not be felt by the brethren or the Lodges respectively . In the hope that something like a scheme for the augmenting the Royal Benevolent Institution mav suggest itself from this hint , is the sincere desire of Plymouth , April " 17 . AN OLD PAST-MASTER . [ We insert the above , because we have evinced , from our earliest number , how anxious we are to increase the efficiency of the Royal Benevolent Institution , and we

helive that something like the scheme indicated hy our worthy brother , might be advantageously carried out . Ho is , however , altogether wrong regarding the fund from which the vote to the Patriotic Fund has been paid . It was made from the Fund of General Purposes , arising from the fees payable upon initiation , registration , & c . and which is altogether distinct , even from the Benevolent Fund of the Grand Lodge , arising from the quarterage of the members of the different Lodges in connection with it . The Royal Benevolent Institution is still much more distinct , not being

even under the control of the Grand Lodge , though it lias been often liberally supported from the very fund out of which the grant to the Patriotic Fund was made . Indeed , Grand Lodge grants £ 400 a year in its aid , arid last year presented the Asylum , in common with the other charities , with a donation of £ 350 . It is in fact a private charity of the Craft , supported by the donations of the brethren , these donations'being so srmdl ( os . per annum for the Male Annuity Fund , and a like sum for the Widows Fun 1 ) that we are indeed astonished the Institution is not more

liberally supported ; and wc can only ascribe its not being so to the fact that the nature of its constitution is not generally understood . And here we may be allowed to add , that one reason why the "Mirror" was established , was the knowledge that the charities were not understood as they ought to be , and there being no convenient channel , of a sufficiently popular nature , through which information on the subject might be readily obtained , a want which we hope tho " Masonic Mirror " now efficiently answers . Our brother is wrong in supposing that there are 800 Lodges from whom contributions might be expected . If he deducts the Colonial and Foreign Lodges , he will find that 600 is something nearer the mark . —En . M . M . ]

TESTIMONIAL TO BR . LORD DUDLEY STUART , P . G . M . To the Editor of the Masonic Mirror . A monument , or testimonial , is intended to be raised to the memory of our late lamented Brother , Lord Dudley Coutts Stuart . By the good , his loss is deeply deplored—by the Craft , who know how well he discharged his Masonic duties , especially that virtue which may justly be denominated the distinguishing characteristic of a

Freemason ' s heart . May I suggest , through your columns , the propriety of laying the foundation stone of that testimonial with Masonic honours . I think it would be a hi gh honour to the Loclges to contribute to the fund . I am , Sir , yours respectfully , Si . John ' s Wood , April 16 , 1855 . A . —P . M .

Summary Of News For April.

SUMMARY OF NEWS FOR APRIL .

THE COURT . The great event of tho month has been the visit of the Emperor and Empress of the French , to the Queen at Windsor . On the night of Sunday the 15 th H . R . H . Prince Albert proceeded to Dover to be in readin . ss to receive their Imperial Majesties , who were to leave Calais on the following morning . Their Imperial Majesties left Calais shortly after eleven o ' clockbut owing to a dense fog nothing was heard of

, them until past one , when they were close in port At half-past one the illustrious visitors landed , and were received b y H . R . H . Prince Albert and the Corporation of Dover , by whom they were conducted to the Lord Warden Hotel . After partaking of some slight refreshment their Majesties descended to the saloon , when the Corporation presented the Emperor with an address of congratulation , to which he made a