Star.
London, England, 1824-06-08 00:00:00

SCARCITY AT MADRAS.

CALCUTTA, JANUARY a.
The accounts trout Madras are of a most distressing
nature,and have come upon us with a suddenness which
renders the horror mote sulking. We were prepared
to expect a scarcity of grain on the coast, but had not
the most distant idea of the extent to which the failure
of the crops had Leached. Madras and the surround-
ing country is in a state of famine. Independently of
the accounts we publish to-day from Madras Papers,
private letters all agiee too minutely in the distressing
details, for us to doubt a second that the most dreadful
effects are to be apprehended. It is stated that even
dread of the arms of the military,.who are necessarily
placed at the Oodowns where thelice is distributed, is
scarcely sufficient to prevent depredations. Parents
ere abandoning their children, and several have already
died from absolute starvation. This is but the com-
mencement of the appalling consequences of famine.
Disease is sure to follow ; and although we are cer-
tain that every possible means within the power of Go.
vernment will be employed to lessen the effects of this
dire visitation, we trust also that the aid of the Bengal
public will not be withheld.

MADRAS, DECEMBER 2S.
It is with regret that we notice the increasing distress
prevalent among the r,atives, from the scarcity of rice:
in the bazaars it is not to be procured, and only one
bankshall is now open for its sale, consequently the
rush of the people to obtain a port;on of this small
supply is dreadful, and the North Beach is covered with
hundreds, waiting with the faint hope of being at last
fortunate enough to teach its door. Many European
Gentlemen art. • seen mingled with the crowd, endea-
vouring to procure grain for their servants, which, after
having succeeded, the difficulty of carrying it away in
safety is considerable, as the right of the strongest, the
only law of necessity, seems universally acknowledged.
Some few merchants are dealing out their stock of rice
scantily and secretly during the middle of the night, to
avoid the scene of confusion and violence attendant on
a public sale of it. Gray of the worst and oldest de-
scription is bought up with avidity, and many are re-
duced to subsist on grain; this even is not to be pun.
chased except in small quantities, and at an enormous
price. Several deaths have occurred amongst the
lowest orders of the natives, which have been occa-
sioned by starvation, and so miserable is their condition,
that many children have in despair been abandoned by
their parents.
The inhabitants of Pondicherry, we regret to learn,
are also sufferers for the want of food. We can now
no longer indulge the expectation that a fall of rain
may yet save the harvest of the coming year, as we
understand, from those acquainted with the subject,
that the crops are already destroyed ; we, however, sin-
cerely hope that plentiful supplies from Bengal and the
Northwai d will soon reach this port, to obviate the dis-
tressing effects of a scarcity which presses so severely
on all classes of the native population.
DECEMBER ‘2s.—On Monday night, a vast multi-
tude assembled in the Black 'Town, and proceeded to
break open some of the ice stores belonging to native
merchants, which were plundered, and much grain car-
ried off. Guards of native troops were sent to protect
property of this description ; the mob, however, be.
hayed in the most daring and outrageous manner to-
wards the Sepoys—while the latter, we understand,,
acted with the greatest forbearance, under very trying
circumstances ; two (II the mob, however, are reported,
to be wounded, and one killed. It is imagined that not
less than 100,000 per sons were collected.

Latin' icx, MAY 13.—About two o'clock this morning
the dwelling-house of Mr. Jam= Miter, merchant, of this place,
was discovered to be on tire, and in spite of every etTort of all classes
tot the inhabitants, the whole building, which cutnposed his dwelling.
but", 'hop, and warehouses, were, with their valuable contents,
.resluctd to ashes. The loss suswiued by Mr. Octssrr on this circa.
esnr exceeds all calculation, not merely in the actual loss of his
pren.ifts, whtne household furniture, and stock in trade, bttt in the
imparable devtruction of Account books, and every important do-
eun.un of %Inch he was possessed.