( xxiii. ) he undertook to defray the entire expenses of the Coronation Banquet. Few who saw the vast concourse of the submerged hundreds of Calcutta at the "Refuge' came away unimpressed by the significance of the gathering. There were all classes of the poor of the city represented at the "Refuge.' Had it not been for the banquet, the Coronation Day would have meant nothing to them. As it was, the presence of some of the leading men in Bengal, the Hon Mr. Maddox, Mr. E. D. Collins, the Maharaja of Mourbhanj and others brought home to the poor of Calcutta gathered at the "Refuge' the fact that King George was King of the poor just as much as he was the King of the rich. Vihari Lala Mitra has earned the gratitude of the public by organising the Banquet at the "Refuge' on Coronation day. This was, however, what was expected of him. So closely intenwoven is the history of the rise of Calcutta with the fortunes of the Mitra family of Baghbazar that we expect a scion of the House of Mitra to be public-spirited, generous and mindful of the claims of the poor of the city. The records of the Mitra family are teeming with Imperial interest. Vihari Lala Mitra has added to the lustre of the great name he bears, both by charm of personality and by his catholic charity, Vihari Lala Mitra has only recently given a princely donation of seventyfive thousand of rupees to the Refuge.” This do nation has placed the future of an
