of Wales as Grand
Master was that of Colonel Shadwell Clerke, to the Secretaryship of the
Grand Lodge of England, an office the duties of which he performs with
great efficiency and courtesy.

ROYAL AGRICULTURAL BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION.

_June 5th, 1875._

The object of this Institution is to provide pensions for Farmers, their
wives, widows, and unmarried orphan daughters. The Queen is patron, the
Duke of Richmond is President, and the Earl of Northbrook, Chairman of
the Executive Council. At the present time (1888), 647 persons are
maintained at an annual cost of nearly L14,000. The Prince of Wales has
always been a generous friend and supporter of the charity. At the Royal
Agricultural Show at Sandringham, in July, 1886, he called special
attention to it, and pleaded for increased support, as is necessary from
the continued and increasing depression of agriculture. At the present
moment above 400 persons, who have cultivated holdings varying from 2000
to 100 acres, are candidates for pensions, having been ruined through
the various causes of agricultural failure. During the past twenty-eight
years, about 1300 persons have been granted annuities, at a total
expenditure of L165,821.

At the fifteenth anniversary festival of the Institution, at Willis's
Rooms, on the 5th of June, 1875, the Prince of Wales presided. After
"The Queen," the patron of the charity, "The health of the Prince with
that of the Princess of Wales and the Royal Family," was proposed by the
Earl of Hardwicke, who said that the Prince of Wales had done them great
honour in presiding that evening. "It was only another testimony of that
interest which he takes in the welfare of every portion of the
community. The position of the Prince of Wales was not one of the
easiest. He has no definite duties, but the duty he has laid down for
himself is of a very definite nature. It is to benefit to the best of
his power all his fellow-creatures. He himself was not going to pass any
eulogiums on the Prince of Wales, although he had intimate knowledge of
his character and the privilege of his friendship. He would only say
that the Prince does credit to the very high position in which he is
placed, and that so long as he lays himself out to associate with
English people of all classes, and to faithfully discharge duties which,
if not in themselves very agreeable, are beneficial to the English race,
he will be a popular and able Prince. A duty more wrapt