The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1808-09-22 00:00:00

GRAND MASONIC PRO'CESSION.

Agreeably to the resolutions of the Lord Pro-
vost, Magistrate*, and Council, on Thursday the
fomulation-stone of the New Gaol of Edinburgh
was laid by the Honourable William Motile, M.P.
Grand Master-Mason-Elect of Scotland, who was
attended, Num this occasion, by a number of re-
spectable brethren, with the Lodges of Edinburgh,
and the Representatives of the other Lodges of
Scotland:

The grand masonic procession, consisting of
nearly it thousand of the brethren, walked from the
College of Edinlihrgh to the Highland Society
'lint% where they were joined by the Lord Provost,
Ala„,isirates, and Canned, ill their robes, preceded
he the High Constables, and attended by several
Nobkiarn and Preittlemen, the Trustees appointed
by the Act of Parliament for the venous improve.
meats connected with the new Courts of Law ,
The streets were lined' by the military. The
proFession was connected with the greatest regu-
larity ; and this masonic ceremony was performed
by tile Most Worshipfal Grand Master, with great
propriett and solemnity.
Mr. the architect, much to hi. credit, ae-
coiututidated the brethren, by the cn ction of a
tempuntry amphitheatre ; and, notwithstanding the
vast concourse of people present, not the smallest
accident took place. During the ceremony, se-
veral Masonic anthems were song by a baud of
singers, placed on the Grand Master's platform for
the purpose.
The various current coins of the kingdom, with
copies of the present newspapers, and a plan of the
building, inclosed in crystal bottles, were depo-
sited in the stone, with two plates. 'Upon one of
the plates was an appmpriatetuscription, slid upon
the other plate w....rt the names of all the present
Grand (?Risen, with the following inscription :--
, fu tke demote of the Actiag Greed Master,
TIIP. GHAtiU MASTER- ELECT,
Amulet the occlaumnoo. of a mammas assemblage of
the tiretbres„

LAID
THE rouNDAtioN STONE
sr Till

NEW GAOL OF THE 6TIf OP EDINBURGH;
AW 11111/IC,

Flamed with t►e benevolent purpose of remedying the crib;
of tlia former promo, by a soitalile regard to the
health, and comfort, and morals, of those
whom tit toot on the law requires ;
That t►e misfortunate debtor,
se loner coodootood to soiree with criminals,
Slay sot, to loan the blearing of liberty,
Is espy: dto lose also the ionoreoce sad religion w►ich
are the consolation of his dreary hours ;
1 hat teen the criminal,
Emir the severest seutenee of the law,

Nay Laic un unnecessary addition to the punishment
laic!' that &WM astatence and hie oviu
CUU*Ciellet ;
Aud that the ;rest end uf public secu:ity
May the. be obtained,
At the least possible reponse uf individual suffering.

After the whole was concluded, the Grand
Master addressed tile Lord Provost in a short con-
gratulatory Meth ; to which his lordship made a
reply. expressive of the troisriety of the undertak-
ing, and his thanks forte attention of the Grand
Master, and of the Masons of Scotland.

Upon the return of the procession, the junior,
lodge walked first, and the other lodges followed in
their order ; then the Lord Provost, Magistrates,
and Council, I,:e. and the Grand Lodge imme-
diately after; the Lord Provost, Le. leaving the
procession at the highland Society 11.11, and the
Grand Lodge returning to the College, through
the numerous assemblage of the brethren, who were
drawn up on each side, within the military, receiv-
' ing, uncovered, the Grand Ledge, as they passed,
with evert dernorstration of respect anti attach-
' merit, and following them into the College Square.
.aerording to their seniority, where the brethren
were reoularly dismissed.
.Among the noblemen and gentlemen present
noon the occasion, were Earl Morton, Lord Vis-
count Catheart, Lord Sempill, Sir Patrick Murray,
member for the city, lee. Ice.
-An immense concourse of spectators were as-
sembled in the streets, at he windows, on the
house-tops, even -the exieutiooer's platform not
excepted. The day being remarkably tine, added
much to the beauty of the scene, amid the regula-
rity. precision, and decorum with which the whole
was conducted, reflects much honour ou those con-
.
cerned in that department.
The gaol, nowliegun to be erected, has long
been much wanted in Edinburgh, and will be found
eminently useful. The plan proposed for its con-
struction is admirably adapted for the comfort and
security of the prisoners, awl the preservations of
their health and murals. The other public build-
ings about to be erected in the vicinity of the gaol
are en a grand scale. Tose containing the new li-
brary, &c. for the faculty of Advocates, and other
accoiniundations for the courts of justice, which are
already begun, form a continuation of the new Ex-
chequer. building in the Parliament-square; it
runs errs wand from the Parliament House, and
will form a most magnificent pile of Grecian ar-
chitecture.
The whole is to be completed from the designs
of Mr. Robert Reid, architect, and, when finished,
will be highly ornamental to the city.
• - --- •

Tnes4ay minding, about three k, some
thieves. attemettel to rob &silversmith's shop in tl.e
Borough. They had succeeded so fair us to cut n
square hole, about eight iudies aide. in the shut-
ters. But fortunati-ly an apprentice, who lay in a
room adjoining the shop, beard them, and ilium-
4.4tvly gave an alarm, on which the villains ik-
eatiyed.