dale, in 1885. He was also permanent Master of the
Prince of Wales Lodge, to which he initiated the Duke of Connaught in
1874. When the Marquess of Ripon retired from the Grand Mastership of
English Freemasons in 1875 the Prince of Wales accepted the post and was
installed on April 28th at the Royal Albert Hall. The function was
perhaps the most memorable and imposing in the British history of the
Order. In the vast Hall there were more than ten thousand members of the
craft, of all ranks and degrees, and in costume suited to their Masonic
conditions. Many distinguished visitors and deputations from foreign
lodges were present in the reserved inclosure. The Earl of Carnarvon
performed the initial ceremonies and in the address to His Royal
Highness referred to the gathering around them: "I may truly say that
never in the whole history of Freemasonry has such a Grand Lodge been
convened as that on which my eye rests at this moment and there is,
further, an inner view to be taken, that so far as my eyes can carry me
over these serried ranks of white and blue, and gold and purple, I
recognize in them men who have solemnly taken obligations of worth and
morality--men who have undertaken the duties of citizens and the loyalty
of subjects."

THE PRINCE'S ADDRESS AS MASONIC GRAND MASTER

In his reply the Prince expressed an "ardent and sincere wish" to follow
in the footsteps of his predecessors and the belief that, so long as
Freemasons did not mix themselves up in politics, "this high and noble
Order will flourish and will maintain the integrity of our great
Empire." After deputations had been received from the Grand Lodges of
Scotland, Ireland, Sweden and Denmark the new Grand Master appointed
Lord Carnarvon to be Pro-Grand-Master, Lord Skelmersdale to be Deputy
Grand Master and the Marquess of Hamilton and the Lord Mayor of London
to two other chief offices. In the evening a grand banquet was held at
which he presided and made several tactful speeches. The Duke of
Connaught, the Duke of Manchester, the late Earl of Rosslyn and the
representatives of various Grand Lodges also spoke. On July 1st, 1886,
His Royal Highness was installed as Grand Master of the Mark Master
Masons in the presence of more than one thousand Grand, Past and
Provincial Officers from India and the Colonies as well as from the
United Kingdom. The Earl of Kintore presided in the early stages of the
function and was afterwards appointed Pro-Grand Maste