The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-07-29
The Russian Frontier Rigidly Guarded
by Quarantine Officials.
NO Means Of Transportation from
the Coast-Au the Cattle and
Horses Eaten Up.
The Most Appalling Famine in
Modern Annals.
TELEGRAM TO THE NEW YORK HERALD.

We have received the following highly in
teresting despatch, giving further particulars
concerning the terrible Persian famine, from
our correspondent at London
LONDON, July %, 1871.
The reports we are receiving here give new
and, if possible, even more horrible and
appalling details of the Persian famine.
The dearth is very
MUCH MORE WIDESPREAD
chan at first reported. In place of being con-
fined to the province of Khorassan it extends
over the entire land. Already the loss of life
has been fearful. Persia is said, on reliable
authority, to have lost fifty per cent of her
population. Thousands of people, half-fam-
ashed, have dragged themselves
ACROSS THE FRONTIER
into Turkish Arabia and Cabool, while those
who have not had the energy to emigrate, or
have been prevented from doing so by the
strong arm of the government, are daily dying
by thousands of starvation. A Persian subject
cannot leave his native country, even to 60
upon pilgrimage to Meshed Hosein or to
Mecca without
SPECIAL PERMISSION
from the authorities, and this permission is
even now, in spite of the present appalling
condition of the country, still insisted upon.
The people in desperation, however, use every
means to elude the vigilance of the govern
ment and escape into happier lands.
It appears that there was
TERRIBLE DROUGHT
last year, which was followed as natural
consequence by partial failure of the crops.
There was great suffering and privation, but
comparatively little mortality.
THE AMERICAN WAR CAUSE OF THE FAMINE.
II is curious fact that this famine is, to
certain extent, one result, though Of course an
indirect one, of the American civil war.
There is belt Of country in Persia which is
eminently we'll calculated for the production
of cotton, and the high price of that article
seven or eight years ago induced many
of the smaller cutivators to abandon
raising other crops and embark in its produc-
ton. This opening for commerce rapidly de-
veloped into large trade, and a couple of
lines of steamers haverbeen started from Bonn
bay to Bushire, q port on the Persian Gull,
which is the only one of Importance on Per-
sia's limited sea coast. The money gained by
the sale of the cotton was employed to buy pro-
visions from Ears, or Farsistan, and the other
southern provinces, which are better adapted
to the growth of wheat and rice. The high
price of opium, owing to the tax imposed upon
Its export by the British Indian government,
has also stimulated the production of peoples
in place of grain. Last year there were two
thousand chests of this drug exported from
Bushire. The silk trade has also largely in
creased. These causes have all operated to
diminish the area of land employed in the rails
ing OF provisions, and have doubtless tended
to aggravate the consequences of the present
bad season.
NHUMANITY OF THE GOVERNMENT.
Inc partial famine last year exhausted such
small accumulated stocks of provisions as were
In the country. The people, however, man
aged to linger through the winter, sustained
BY the hope that the spring crop dhere are