LETTER VIII. REFORMED LEGISLATIVE 

 COUNCIL, 1910 



CALCUTTA, January 2$th, 1910. 



ON this eventful day the " elected of the people " 

 (not a large crowd), the " selected of the Viceroy," 

 and the " guilded of the Civil Service," in other 

 words the Reformed Legislative Council, met for 

 the first time in the transmogrified council 

 chamber in Calcutta. Lazarus and Co., the up- 

 holsterers, have made an excellent job of the 

 room. Two galleries, one for the Press and one 

 for the public, add to the accommodation but 

 detract from the ventilation. The Viceroy's chair 

 has been raised some 18 inches, and the old long 

 table has been replaced by a new short one. 

 Warren Hastings retains his place (and his cold, 

 cynical smile), but is rather more skyed, and the 

 other portraits remain as they were Lords Corn- 

 wallis and Minto (1807) on one side and Lords 

 Teignmouth and Wellesley on the other. 



The members were almost all present, and the 

 coup d'&il, thanks to the different dresses and 

 colours, was picturesque. The swearing in was 

 interesting, as so many religions were represented, 

 and the form of taking the oath was varied and 

 in some cases peculiar. The public, mainly 

 " sassiety " ladies, clapped timidly when His 



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