A short time ago we published some correspondence which had pasted betwen Chaloner Alabaster, Esq., H.M.'s Consul at Hankow, and Rt. Wor. Bro, C. Thorne, District Grand Master of Northern China, on the subject of the similarity between craft Masonry and the ancient religion of China. This correspondence was read at the last meeting of the District Grand Lodge in Shanghai, and an interesting discussion resulted on the antiquity of Masonry It is a somewhat singular that about the same time discoveries by Mr. Alabaster were Alezaniria proof was found showing the made public through our columns, at connection between ey tian and Masonic mysteries on the obel aa which has been presented to the city of New York. From our file of the New York Herald received by Thursday's mail, we extract the following "The World has the following despatch from Alexandria:—Immediately under the pedestal of the obelisk, and in the east angle formed by the steps, I found a block of hewn ayenite granite, 40 inches long the cube, representing a perfect Masonic altar. Under this, and immediately below, Tfound a white marble slab representing the apron, extending across the foundation of polished syenite granite, 102 inches Tong, 51 inches broad, and 254 inches thick, the upper half hewn down into a perfect square. At the same level, and touching the section of the square, and in the wear angle of the foundation, I found another block of syenite granite, markedly regular in form, the surface of which represented rough ashlar steps, "and the foundation of which was composed of white granite. Besides these four pieces, I found other less noticeable and important but equally significant emblems, H. H. Gonuer, Lieutenant-Commander, U.8.N."
"Dr, Fanton, a highly instructed Mason, Alexandria, 2th Jan., 1880, has finished a careful examination of the foundations of the obelisk, and confirms Lieutenant-Commander Gorringe's discord ery of the Masonic emblems, which eatablish the relations of many ancient Egyptian monuments. Dr. Fanton declares that the Hiram version of Masonry as having originated with the construction of Solomon's Temple is disproved by the revelations of the foundations of the obelisk. The Masonic emblems of Life and the Sun, beyond. doubt, are identical with those upon the monuments of the Bgyptian god Osiris. This proves that Masonry originated with the construction of the Pyramids, or at least with a far remoter period than the construc-
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.