The Express.
London, England, 1861-03-23 00:00:00

THE BOMBAY MAIL.

THE FAMINE.
We have received Bombay advice to Feb. 27.

The faminel and the philanthropic measures
taken to alleviate its terrible consequences, are the
chief subject of conversation in India. The area
afflicted by the famine appears to comprise most
parts of the country, and we gather from a letter
in the Delhi Gazette that it even reaches to CabooL
The following terrible account of misery around
Nusseerabad reaches us in a correspondent's letter :
" The accounts that I have heard of the distress
round about here are truly most awful. Those who
have the means of migrating are all doing so from
their famine-cursed country ; and my military in-
formants told me that on the line of march they
had passed many camps of these unfortunate
refugees from hunger hurrying on in search of a new
Canaan. Everywhere was exhibited the tragedy of the
deserted village. The aged and the infirm could be
hardly said to be tenants where the jackal and the
dog had undisputed sway. Human beings were seen
grubbing up the ant-hills and robbing the occu-
pants of their tiny hoards of precious grains of
corn. This, I assure you, is no fancied picture—it
is a fearful tragedy of real life." Not a drop of
rain has fallen eastward of the Ganges from Cawn-
pore to Saharanpore this season, and the spring crop
is wholly lost except where irrigation exists. As
far south as Patna has the drought been felt, and a
short opium crop will be the result there.
Meetings in all parts of the country are being
held to raise subscriptions. The supreme govern-
ment has also contributed largely to the Famine
Relief Fund. In Bombay alone nearly a lac and
a quarter of rupees (12,5001.) are expected to be
raised by the voluntary contributions of its in-
habitants, and the sum of 85,000 rupees has
been already paid in relief of suffering huma-
nity. Government and private enterprise are
sending vast supplies of grain into the famine-
stricken districts ; and every possible facility is
afforded by them for the transport of provisions.

The Calcutta Committee of the Famine Relief
Fund have addressed a letter to the Lord Mayor of
London, begging his kind co-operation in obtain-
ing assistance for the starving people of the North-
west.

Mr. Zing's speech in Council on the 16th ult.
upon presenting the report of the select committee
on "The Bill for providing a Government Paper
Currency," is printed in the Bombay papers. Mr.
Laing shows much anxiety to do justice to the
character of his predecessor, and to find an apology
for the abandonment of his scheme in the change
of principle already made therein by the Secretary
of State. We gather from the report that the
notes first issued are to be legal tender only within
the presidency towns; and the general nature of
his plan seems to be as follows :
The issues of the presidency beaks to be called in, in
favour of government notes made legal tender. The banks
will manage the circulation of the presidencies, and it is
proposed that they shall establish branches for the same
purpose in the MotursiL The notes will be legal
tender in each presidency town. Twenty rupees will
be the lowest denominatim of note issued. The
banks will issue notes to any amount against
bullion, ono fourth of which may be gold, which will
be receivable at a fixed price, liable to alteration only upon
six mooths notice. The banks will be allowed beyond this
to issue four crores of notes against novernment Securities
in their bands. In return for this privilege, the banks will
utulertake the duties now devolving upon the presidency
treasuries—lamely, the custody of the cash balance and the
payment of all accounts, dividends, kc. The measure to
come into operation as soon as the sanction of the Secretary
of State is received.

The Commander-in-Chief of the Indian forces is
expected shortly to leave Bimla for Calcutta. His
Excellency Sir William Thomas Denison, K.C.8.,
arrived at Madras by the steamer Arracan, on the
18th ult., and was received with the usual honours.