[Illustration: _Photo by J. & H._ 12, Dalhousie Square, East, showing
West End Watch Co.'s premises]

[Illustration: _Photo by Johnston & Hoffmann._ Smith, Stanistreet &
Co's premises, Dalhousie Square, East.]

Later in the sixties, I recollect, it was for a time utlised amongst
other things as investment rooms where some of the ladies of Calcutta
congregated about noon and met their gentlemen friends engaged in
business in the city. It was also the room in which the Government
held the public sales of opium of which Mackenzie Lyall & Co. had at
one time the sole monopoly. There is a story told, and a perfectly
true one, to the effect that one chest of opium was once bid up to the
enormous sum of Rs. 1,30,955. The circumstances that brought this
about originated in the China steamer being overdue and hourly
expected; consequently the buyers were in total ignorance of the state
of the market on the other side, so in order to prolong the sale as
far as possible they went on bidding against each other until they ran
the price up to the figure above mentioned, which, however, never
materialized. Mackenzie Lyall & Co. continued to occupy the place
until the year 1888 when they removed to their present building in
Lyons Range, from which they contemplate a further change in the early
part of next year to premises now in course of erection at Mission
Row.


THE UNITED SERVICE CLUB

Was formerly styled the Bengal Military Club, the members of which