2 NOVEMBER 1912, Page 19

A letter from Lord Curzon in last Saturday's Times draws

attention to the approaching sale by the Government of India of Hastings House at Alipore, which has been used as an official " guest house " for the last few years. It was acquired for this purpose by Lord Curzon in 1901, and since then has served to accommodate most of the ruling princes of India, as well as the Amir and the Dalai Lama. But its true interest is, as Lord Curzon points out, that it was built by Hastings in or about the year 1776. Calcutta is not rich in historic buildings, and it would be truly lamentable if this house, with all its memories, were to be lost once again to the nation. To sell the building when once in the hands of the Government for a few thousand pounds is sheer barbarism.