The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1874-03-25

in INDIA - SIXTY FIVE MILLIpN PEG.
PIE THREATENED WITH SriKyA.
TtoN-ToTAL FAILURE OF THE RICE
cRop-FonMEn BENGAL FAnIINEs -
TWELVE MILLION HUMAN BEINGS
PERISH by HUNGER.
Six times since Great Britain
permantly established her sway. lin
the East Indies has the Presidency Of
Sengal bccn devastated by famine.
Christian humanity and enlightened
craftsmanship have rendered modern
statesmen, as we'll as others, ignorant
of the meaning of the words, "pesti.
lenco" and 'famipo" in their Asistic
sense. They arc pregnant with pio-
lures OF indcscribable horrors, as
will 90 learned by reading furth, r
on, description Of whit took place
In the Northwest Provinces in l77O]
and in Orissa in 1866. 1t is per.
haps, little surprising that the
civilized world is not ut the present
moment more exercised in reference
to calamity that for fiyo months
. pact has weighed down upon the
same people aud tho same region and
threatens disastrous results. The ex-
ttenslve territory now afflicted with
scarcity was visited, as stated, by a
similar calamity in l770, which con.
tlnucd nine motubs and carried off $40
o0O,ooo of the inhabitants; n local in
undation destroyed tue harvest ia
Sylllct in 1852, and onethird of the
people died the same thing occurred
10 1854, when two-thirds Of the cat
tie perishcd in 1887 and 1861 the
northwestern provinces were visited
by season of tcrrible drought, did
In 1866 in Orissa, in the southwcs.
tern part of the Presidency, l,ooO,-
900 human beings died FROM hunger,
Famine in India is caused by natural
scarcity resulting from the deGcienc,
OF the crops, and Is or less severe in
proportion as the crops have been
more or less destroyed.
AS far back us October last it was
well known that the drought that
had for somo time prevailed in Bchar
threatened vast deficiency in the
grain supply. In January it be-.
came evident that some definite sys.
tenn for tho distribution Of. relief
should be established, so that, as soon
as actual necessity for it appeared
everything should be found in WORK
ing order.
LESS than two months ago the
Ficcroy telegraphcd that tho gov.
ernment had on hand an ample Sup
ply of grain, from beyond the sea,
to meet all demands from the dis
trcsscd districts, and he had already
lnaugurated relief works on O large
scale, besides encouraging .emigra.
.tion from Bengal to Burmah. For
Tho latter purpose S25O,0O0 was ap.
prcnr'"tel. But as weeks passed
matters began to assume q most
unpromiSing aspect. Distress spread
over large tract Of country, aud the
horrors of famine, appeared immi.
'ncnt. Lord Northbrovk stated that
1t would be only nccs sssury to support
5000. 900 people for three months-
statement terribly at Variance with
facts-and that he had established
one pound of rice. daily for each
estimated amount Of food required
is l90,00 tons, and the authorities
announce that they have Oh hand
234, 900 tons--most deceptive figures,
indeed. The transportation, which
is most difficult, is to be performed
by 10000 carts and l40,OO0 bul.
locks.
The fault with these estimates is
that they fall almost immcasurably
below what arc necessary to prevent
widespread suffering and mortality.
In the first place, the ration of, one
pound Of rice is totally ,inadequate
to properly sustain life. Two pounds
arc tfe least that can bo considered
sufficient. The London, Times of
February 25 says 1--WE firmly be
licve that the danger was never
greater than it is now, and at the
same time that official excrtions new
cr before were so earnest or directed
with so clear q purpose. All the
calcnlatiops yet made: havo been
made promising 25,000,oO0 of pco.
pie, including onc-tcnth only abe-
Douieu, iCI"lIcu 'oou. We muSt
not forget, however, that the def.
cheney is stated at one-half the entire
rice crop Of Bengal, and, without 90
ing out Of those provinces, we have
sIXTY-givE MILLIONS OF PEOPLE
more or less affe ected by The scarcity.
In addition to this we have posi-.
bic large demand from the northwest
provinces, Dude and Madras.' Tho
fact is that at least 25,0O0,O00 ma.
tives will require food for nearly
one year from this date, rs it is we'll |
established there can be no considera.
bic supply of rice until tn Q openlpg
Of 1878. The rain that has recently |
fallen has not affected tho; prospects,
and the reports show virtually m
Ion l.,ko r