The Sun.
London, England, 1867-08-03 00:00:00

allow things to -proceed quietly, encouraged to look
for the happiest, result, because on many occasions
during this sesision direful prognostications have
been uttered %concerning the fall of the Govern-
ment scheme, and in the end the spirit and
patriotism of bt4h Houses of Parliament have sur-
mounted the difficulties and escaped the danger.
So it will be again, we feel assured, and it is useless
to expect that controversy will cease or doubts be
set at rest until all risk of chance and change is
past and over. We are now approaching the de-
sired end with rapid strides, and a very little more
patience and perseverance will complete the
necessary work and make the Reform Bill of 1867
a fact, and not a il!tion.

The terrible story of the famine in Orissa was last
night rehearsed in the House of Commons, and
created a most pair.ful impression. No doubt many
difficulties exited iu dealing with the calamity, and
certainly it is by no means the first time that famine
has desolated parts of Ilindostan, but when every
allowance has been made, and every mitigation of
the evil taken into account, the words of Sir STAF-
FORD N6RTHCOTE are still painfully true. "It

must always," said the right hon. baronet, " in con-
clusion, remain a monument of our failure, and the
evidence of a great humiliation to the people of this
country and to the Government of the country, and
to those of our officials in India, of whom we have

been perhaps a little too proud." The debate of last
evening will be read with the deepest interest, not
only from the general desire to obtain adequate

information on this melancholy subject, but from

the ability and position of the members who took

part in it. The discussion was opened by Mr. H.
SEYMOUR and continued by Mr. STANSFELD, Lord

Cr ANBORNE, and Sir S. NORTIICOTE7 and it is well

worth while to examine the conclusions at which

such varying authorities arrive.
Mr. SEYMOUR attributed the blame to Sir CECIL
BEADON and the other officials immediately con-
cerned. Mr. &mourn blamed Sir JOHN LAW-
RENCE. Lord CRANBORNE blamed the Council at

Calcutta. Sir S. IN ORTHCOTE blamed the system.
But the public will probably, after reading the
ample details of the calamity, and the almost incon-
ceivable prejudice, apathy, and indifference which
characterised the whole of the responsible persons
connected with it, that there is blame enough for all.
It is a lasting disgrace, a standing reproach in the
history of our nation, not only that a famine should
have stricken down the population—not that the
floods should have destroyed all the hopes of the
suffering multitudes, for these were evils above
human control, but that 750,000 human beings
hbould have perished of actual want while Christian
men were considering political economy, and re-
fusing to examine into the truth of the fear-
ful reports which reached them. The con-
duct of the Commissioner at Orissa, Dlr.
RavENsnAm, was most inexcusable. He acted
upon a foregone conclusion that the alarming re-
ports of the coming famine were owing to a com-
bination among the rice dealers, and that the peti-
tions from the zemindars were framed with the
' object of getting the Government to remit a portion
of their revenue. Supposing he entertained such
notions, he should have instituted a searching in-

quirt' into the whole case. It would not hare
been difficult to have arrived at the truth.

Nothing can possibly excuse his reporting
his own preconceived notions as actual
facts, and opposing the making of inquiries. To
complete his culpability, on the 20th of November,
he went away to the hills, reporting that there was
nothing to warrant apprehension. It is uo excuse
for Mr. RAVENSIIAM, if his conduct has been cor-
rectly represented, to say that he was new to the
ditrict ; but it is still less an excuse for those who
accepted his opinion. The Government of Bengal
directed the Board of Revenue to report fully.
They did report, but very superficially. The
consequence was that, on December 11th, the Go-
vernment of Bengal said that they could do
nothing. But there were not wanting warnings
which should have commanded instant attention.
The officers of thelrrigation Company at Orissa gave
them. Messrs. GISBORNE, eminent merchants in the
district, who exerted themselves greatly in the famine,
gave them warning, while the plain fact that the
people were in the last months of the year living on
roots, and not on rice, spoke for itself. The story
goes on quickly ; its details are, harrowing
to read, though last night the outline was
given in the House. When the dread-
ful calamity that had overtaken the people
made itself known, the conduct of the Lieutenant-
Governor and his associates was incredibly supine.
An attempt was made to get up public works—the
people to be paid half in money and half in rice,
but an order came from the Lieutenant• Governor to
pay in money, and not in grain. The great fear of
the Bengal Government seems to have been inter-
ference with trade. If ever a sound principle
was carried to a point of folly, which might
be called by a harsher name, it was surely when
people were dying at the rate of 10,000 a day, and
the rights of trade were talked about ! It is needless
to dwell upon the awful particulars of the tragedy,
the people falling in heaps, the survivors, maddened
by suffering, devouring dead bodies, the stench from
the corpses in ono part reaching four miles. Yet
all this was possible, while those responsible
for the government of the people were calcu-
lating not how much to do, but bow little
could be done; not how many lives they could save,
but how little money they could spend. The story
goes far to confirm Lord CRANBOP,NE'S fiar, that
our officials in India do not regard the lives of the
native population with much interest, neither may
we suppose do they care for the estimation in
which they arc held by their fellow-countrymen at
home. In spite of all duo allowances for mis-
takes and misapprehensions, in spite of all
kindly forbearing towards individuals, and acknow-
ledgment of the defects of the whole system, the
story stands out with an appalling moral. Why
did not the high officials inquire for themselves ?
Such a catastrophe should surely have brought the
Governor-General from Calcutta, the Council from
one post, the Commissioners from another. If
flocks and herds had been dying at such a rate
more exertion should have been used, more
efforts made to feed them. If the fault lay with the
system it must be remodelled without delay ; if
with the men in office, they are unworthy or un-
fitting their positions as agents of a civilised
people.

NAVY EXPENDITURE.—Yesterday morning tie
annual blue book on the navy (dockyard stock valuation,
and expenditure on ships, &c.) was issued. The controller
of the ❑avy's report for 1865-6 G states that the dockyard
expense accounts for the year show a total net direct
charge amounting to £1,727,292, and a❑ eseablishrnent and
incidental charge amounting to £855,216 total, £2,683,508.
FATAL CULVERT ACCIDENT IN NOTTINGHAM.—
Yesterday morning a very shocking accident, resulting in
the death of a man and very serious injuries to two others,
occurred in Chaucer-street, Nottingham. A number of
men were engaged in constructing a culvert, and about
half-past 10 the earth gave way on both sides, burying
three of the workmen. Assistance was promptly at hand,
and in about a quarter of an hour the bodies were dug out.
Ono of them named Heaps was taken out quite dead, and
the other two named Brookes and Wagstaffe wore insen-
sible.. The latter were at once conveied to the General
Hospital, where they at present remain in a most critical
condition. The deceased was about 1,4 years of age, and
unmarried.