[Illustration:  New premises of Francis, Harrison, Hathaway & Co., Government Place, East]

[Illustration:  Photo. by Johnston & Hoffmann Peliti’s premises, Government Place, East.]

[Illustration:  Photo. by Johnston & Hoffmann Dalhousie Square, looking north east, showing tank.]

Before the introduction of artificial ice, Calcutta was entirely dependent for its supply on the importation of Wenham Lake ice in wooden sailing ships by the Tudor Ice Company from America.  The Ice House was situated at the west end of the Small Cause Court, the entrance facing Church Lane and approached by a steep flight of stone-steps.  There were no depots distributed about the town as there are now, and every one had to send a coolie to the Ice House for his daily supply with a blanket in which it was always wrapped up.

I think the price in ordinary times was two annas per seer, but it occasionally happened that the vessels bringing the ice, owing to contrary winds or some other cause, were delayed, and then the stock ran low and we were put on short commons; if as in some cases the delay became very protracted, the quantity allowed to each individual was gradually reduced to one seer per diem, and if any one wanted more he had to produce a doctor’s certificate because it was of course imperatively necessary that sufficient should be kept in reserve for the use of the various hospitals.  When the long-delayed vessel’s arrival was telegraphed from Saugor, great was the rejoicing of the inhabitants.  The vessels used to be moored at the ghaut at the bottom of Hare Street, as there were no jetties in those days.

The ice was landed in great blocks on the heads of coolies and slided down from the top of the steps to the vaults below.  They used at the same time to bring American apples which were greatly appreciated as there were none grown in India at that time.

ILLUMINANTS.

To the present generation it would no doubt appear strange and particularly inconvenient had they to rely solely for their lighting power on coconut oil.  It had many drawbacks, two of which, and not the least, being the great temptation it afforded Gungadeen, the Hindu farash bearer, to annex for his own individual daily requirements a certain percentage of his master’s supply, and to the delay in lighting the lamps in the cold weather owing to the congealment of the oil which had to undergo a process of thawing before it could be used.  Gas had been introduced some years previously, but it was confined to the lighting of the streets and public buildings.  Of the days that I am writing about, and for long years afterwards, coconut oil was the one and only source from which we derived our artificial lighting, and it was not until the early seventies that a change came over the spirit of the dream by the introduction of kerosine oil.

[Illustration:  Photo. by Johnston & Hoffmann Old premises of Ranken & Co.]