The Sun.
London, England, 1868-12-05 00:00:00

THE PROPOSED PUBLIC OFFICES.

The most important of the plans deposited at the Private
Bill Office of the House of Commons up to Monday last,
the last day for receiving plans in connection with bills to
he dealt with in the next session of Parliament, was pro-
bably that which embraces the property in Westminster
to be appropriated by Government for the new public
offices. There may have been notices given of bills involving
more important engineering works, but no other coming bill
gives promise of equally imposing architectural results ; and,
although some of the other proposed bills may affect more
or less a large number of valuable properties, no other
comes with such a fell swoop upon a large and definite
area proposed to he entirely cleared away. The plan re-
ferred to embraces the three blocks of.buildings which have
the common boundaries of Charles-street and Great George-
street, and the outer boundaries of Parliament-street and
St. James's Park, with King-street, Duke-street,
and Delahay-street intersecting. The appropriation of
this property seems to indicate that the public offices
are designed to occupy two immense quadrangular
blocks extending from Parliament-street to the Park in one
direction, and from Downing-street and the end of White-
hall to Great George-street in the other ; Charles-street,
running between Parliament-street and the Park, will be
the inner boundary of each of the two quadrangles,
and will exhibit the splendour of their side fronts.
The partial breaking up of the headquarters of the
engineering profession in Great George-street, and the
dispersion of the parliamentary agents in Parliament-
street may cause regret, but the clearance of such
other buildings as occupy the ground, and the substitution
of the palatial structures destined to rise upon the site, can
only be cause for public satisfaction. The fragmentary
portion of the northern quadrangle, now in progress, will
include the Home and the Colonial Offices, in addition to
the India and the Foreign Offices, already occupied. The new
quadrangle to the south will be required for the War Office,
the Admiralty, and various other departments. It may
be mentioned that the bill authorising these great works
is of a hybrid character ; in so far as private property has
to be appropriated, the bill has to be dealt with as other
private bills ; but inasmuch as this bill is for State works,
at the public cost, the Public Offices Concentration Bill
will be dealt with as a public bill.—Builder.

THE DEFENCE LODGE OF FREEMASONS.

The consecration of the Defence Lodge of Freemasons
took place at the headquarters of the Leeds Engineer
Volunteers, Grove House, the other day. On this, one of
the most important and interesting occasions in the annals
of Freemasonry in Yorkshire, the Deputy Grand Master
of all England and Provincial Grand Master of West
Yorkshire, the Right Honourable the Earl De Grey and
Ripon, was the consecrating officer, and was assisted by
his deputy, Mr. Bentley Shaw, and a brilliant Grand
Lodge. The following are some of the peculiarities of con.
secration

The lodge is opened in the Three Degrees, and the
brethren arrange themselves in order, and the P.G. Chap-
lain offers up a short prayer. The W.D.G.M. directs the
Provincial Grand Superintendent of Works to examine
the appointments of the lodge, to ascertain that all is
correct, and to see that the elements of conse-
cration (corn, wine, and oil) are duly prepared and
properly placed. The Provincial Grand Supt. of Works
reports that all is correct. The P. G. Chaplain delivers an
oration. The anthem will be sung. Anthem (Psalm
cxxxiii.) " Behold ! how pleasant and how good," The
P. G. C. offers Dedication Prayer (first portion). Musical
Response, "So mote it be," and grand honours. Sanctus,
" Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, heaven and earth
are full of the Majesty of Thy G lory. Glory to Thee, 0 Lord."
Invocation : All the brethren turning to the east. Musical
Response : "So mote it be," and grand honours. The
lodge board is then uncovered, and three P.M.'s carry the
corn, wine, and oil round the lodge (solemn music accom-
panying), then halt in the east, and corn is scattered.
The D.G.M. then dedicates the Lodge to Masonr.
Ode

"Hail masonry ! thou craft divine,
Glory of earth from heaven revealed !
Which dost with jewels precious shine,
From all but Masons' eyes concealed."
Grand honours. Second Procession of P.M.'s (music
accompanying), then halt in the east, and wine is poured
out. Dedication to Virtue.
"Come, holy Virtue, by whose aid,
In heavenward steps we long to tread,
Bring Love, bring truth, bring Friendship here,
Bring Peace and Unity sincere."
;rand honours. Third procession of P.M.'s (music
accompanying), then halt in the east, and oil is poured
out. Dedication to Universal Benevolence:—
Come, Charity, with goodness crowned ;
Encircled in thy heavenly robe,
Diffuse thy blessings all around,
To every corner of the globe."
.rand honours. The P.G.O. then takes the censer three
times round the lodge (during solemn silence), and halts in
the east. Dedication Prayer by P.G.C. (second portion).
Musical Response, "So mote it be," and grand honours.
The D.G.M. then " dedicates" and " constitutes " the
lodge. Musical Response, "So mote it be," and grand
honours, The brethren now perambulate the lodge and
salute the D.G.M. Concluding anthem, " Hail! Masonry
livine 1"

The estates of Colonel Amcotts, lying at Keadby,
Belton, Amcotts, and Garthorpe, North Lincolnshire, were
sold by auction at Doncaster on Wednesday in 62 lots, and
realised £144,620.

DEATH OF MR. GEORGE PRYME. —Mr. Georg•
Prome, barrister•at-law, of Wistow, in Huntingdonshire,
expired there on Tuesday last, at an advanced age. Mr.
Pryme, who was a native of Hull, graduated at Trinity
College, Cambridge, as sixth wrangler, in 1803, in the
year when the late Professor Starkie (Downing Professor
of Laws) was senior, and the late Lord Wensleydale was
fifth in the tripos. His subsequent academical career
was brilliant, and he represented the borough of Cam-
bridge from 1832 to 1837.

IGNATIUS.—On Friday the Rev. J. L. Lyne,
Dater known as " Father Ignatius," resumed his Friday
lectures at the church of St. Edmund the King, Lombard-
street, and no opposition of any kind was offered to him.
The organised disturbance was the act of some church
association opposed to Mr. Lyne's views. Mr. Lyne,
founding his remarks on a-passag,e in St. Paul's Epistle to
the Hebrews, preached on the final judgment, and in the
course of his address acknowledged very kindly some
munificent gifts lie had received frpm City merchants and
bankers in aid of his work. He did not know their
names, and he could only thus publicly thank them from
the pulpit. After the service Mr. Lyne was allowed
quietly to depart, without any of those disgraceful scenes
which have followed some of his previous labours in the
City.

RESTORATION OF GLOUCESTER, CATHEDRAL. —At
the meeting of the Dean and Chapter of Gloucester Cathe-
dral this week, Mr. G. Gilbert Scott, the architect to the
cathedral, exhibited his designs for the restoration of the
choir, which have been long under anxicui consideration.
The plans obtained the cordial and unanimous approval
of the dean and chapter, and Mr. Scott received instruc-
tions to begin the work without delay. The nave will be
immediately prepared for the celebration of Divine service
during the time occupied by the performance of this work.
The choir when thus restored will be one of the most
beautiful specimens of architecture in the cauntry. The
estimatefor the work now to bebegun is about £15,000. The
amount of the estimate-for the whole contemplated restora-
tion is about £40,000. The exterior restoration of the south
transept of the Cathedral is now completed, and the beau-
tiful work has been admirably executed. The total cost
of this part of the restoration was £793 Bs. 6d. ; the
cost was borne by Lord Eldon, Lord Dynevor, and
the late Viscountess Downe. Tho reskAy.una of the
south porch has also now been begun. Towards this wog:.
Mr. Price, ono of the Liberal niembera for the city, has
riven 000.