The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-02-24
The Imperial Government Face to Face
with a GhaStly Calamity.
The Lives of Many Millions Of
People in Danger.
PUBLIC WORKS FOR RELIEF
What the Governor General Thinks..-Political
Economy and BED Tape.
GLOOMY foREBooINc OF the FUTURE.
KILOGRAMS TO THE new YORK HERALD.

TriEGRAMS TO THE NEW YORK HERALD.
The following special despatch to the
HERALD has been received from our CORE
spondent in the British metropolis:
LONDON Feb. 20, 1874.
The absorbing interest which attaches to
the reports which have already reached
Europe Of the prevalence and progress of
famine in British India induced the despatch,
some time since, to that country of well
known member of the staff of the Daily Neps,
MI. Archibald Forbes, the gentleman who had
displayed his professional energy and power
of description to such remarkable degree
as a correspondent during the period of the
Frsnco-P russian war, in 1870.
A FIRST REPORT AFTER PERSONAL INSPECTION.
Mr.. Forbes first letter from India, dated in
Calcutta January 49, has been received here
by this evenings mail. Thinking that the
Calcutta press and people were given over
much to theorizing on the subject of the
causes of the visitation, and being, for this rea-
son. unwilling to tabulate their local reports for
universal use, he determined to visit the dis
tressed districts in person, and to use his own
eyes and ears in surveying the scene of
misery and hearing the statements of the
inhabitants. He did so, and now ventures to
offer a series Of cabinet popular pictures,
which are tuthfully painted and of living,
heartfelt import Is
PAINFUL RUTz yEELINa1Y PERFORMED.
ut IS impossible" he says, 'to impart the
official statistics and the deductions which
have been founded on them by the Indian
government" He expresses the wish that
his work had been that of writing the story of
lighting during q war campaign; for 'fn that
he must needs tell of bloodshed and suffering,
but not of women and children stricken down
to death. The ardor of battle and the glow
of victory furnish under such circumstances
. sort of relief to the sad record of pain and
woe. Describing military campaign,
spart from the inspiration which
seizes the correspondent during the progress
Of the actual combat, is q duty much
less narrowing to the feelings than that in
which am now engaged and he expresses
the hope that he will eventually be enabled to
record, notwithstanding the aspect and facts
of the present situation, the story of famine
averted by wise and timely precaution. In
that event he cannot imagine 'the attainment
of a greater or more glorious earthly victory"
AREA OF THE FAMINE DISTRICT.
aThe scarcity of food" says Mr.. Forbes,
s'extends and is spreading among the popula-
ton of wide tract of country running along
The foot Of the Himalaya boundaries of
Nepaul on the southern slope, and stretching
from Dude to near Darjeeling, in the Sikkim
territory. These remote districts. rem owed
from railroads and other sources of easy CON-
munication, are difficult of approach.
GOVERNMENT IN THE FACE OF STARVING MILLIONS
sHis Excellency Lord Northbrook informed
me that the existence of this terrible distress
threatens the government most seriously. The
Governor General recognizes fifteen districts,
in addition to provincial territories, compris-
ing q total population of $4,000, 600 Of people,
which are afflicted either by actual famine or q
distressing scarcity of food. This is not ALL
Twelve other districts, containing 14,000,0 600
Of people, are threatened. These latter places
are described as being almost roadless and
without water. The coolies and field laborers
in the more densely populated districts feel
the pinch most, owing to total absence Of
work in the rice fields.
'The government contemplated, prior to the
outbreak Of the distress, the commencement
OF public works-the construction of certain
sources for the irrigation of the rice fields
from q canal, the building of the Northern
Bengal Railroad, and, lastly, the embank.
ment of the Gunduck River, tributary Of
the Ganges, which it joins opposite to Patna
'Thirty-two thousand laborers were employed