us
distinction, of course I cannot say, but at a later period,
recognising possibly the injustice of their action, they rescinded
their prohibition, and now the pilots sit in the seats of the mighty
amongst the members of the other services. The club house, as many
people will recollect, originally stood on the site of Chowringhee
Mansions. It was quite an ordinary looking dwelling enclosed by a
brick-wall skirting Chowringhee Road, and the building extended for
some little distance down Kyd Street. In addition to the club house
itself, there were several other houses in Park Street attached to it,
and I think where the Masonic Lodge has now its habitation was once
their property. Before the war the members in the cold weather used to
give an "At Home" once a week which was looked upon as one of the
society functions of Calcutta. It took the form of a garden party on
the lawn from about 5 o'clock to 7 o'clock, and a band was always in
attendance to brighten and enliven the proceedings.

[Illustration: _Photo by Johnston & Hoffmann_ McLeod & Co.'s new
premises, Dalhousie Square, West]

[Illustration: Alliance Bank of Simla.]

THE SAILORS' HOME

When I first came to Calcutta was situated in Bow Bazar Street on the
site of the Police Office at the corner of Chitpore Road which has
been recently vacated. The place became in the course of time a
crying scandal, as it was infested all about with native grogshops in
which they sold to the sailors most villainous, poisonous decoctions
under various designations; also by a very low class of boarding
houses run by a thieving set of low-caste American crimps who used to
fleece and swindle poor Jack out of all his hard-earned money. They
would give him board and lodging of a sort, with bad liquor, and when
he had secured a ship they would often ply him with drink the day
before he sailed after having first secured his advance note and have
him conveyed on board in a more or less helpless condition. The next
day when he came to his senses he would find himself in the forecastle
of some strange ship in unfamiliar surroundings half-way down the
river without a rupee in his pocket and very often with little more
than the clothes he stood up in. The Government at last stepped in and
ordered the home to be transferred to its present position, but for
some reason or other it took four years to accomplish. Jack is now
very comfortably off and well taken care of, and away from the
t