This afternoon [Feb. 25] H.E. the Governor opened the new building of Calcutta Royal Exchange. Sir Hugh Bray, President, Bengal Chamber of Commerce, in asking the Governor to open the building, said: A good many of us hoped that we should witness the opening ceremony in times of peace. However that was not to be and though disappointed we might perhaps find a certain amount of consolation in reflecting that though the end of the war is not yet, the commerce of Bengal survives and may be almost said to be flourishing in spite of it. But that, we may take, not as a sign of our detachment but rather of strength of our position, a strength which we owe to the wonderful performance of land, sea and air forces of this empire. As it stands that building is a monument of the achievements of British traders in this city and an emblem of their strength and an indication of their intention to remain. Individually we pass on or pass out, but the Bengal Chamber of Commerce remains and its members are in the truest sense of the word of the “people” as truly interested as deeply concerned, as abidingly confident in the welfare of the future of India and as determined to do their duty by the land of adoption as any of her son.
