Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-02-27
INDIA.
Famine i'm Rapid Stride Over a
Large Portion of the Ter
ritOry of HindOstan.

bO<ting Of the Future.
From the New York Herald.
LONDON. Feb. %, 1S74.-The absorb
ing interest which attaches to the re-
ports which have already reached Eu-
rope of the prevalence and progress of
famine in British India induced the
dispatch, some time since, to that coun-
try of well known member of the
staff of the Daily Nes1s, Mr.. Archibald
Forbes, the gentleman who had dis
played his professional energy and
power of description to such a remark
able degree as correspondent during
the period of the Franco Prussian war,
In 1870.
A FIRST REPORT AFTER PERSONAL
INSPECTION.
Mr.. Forbes first letter from India,
dated In Calcutta, Jan. Is, has been
received here by this evenings mail.
Thinking that the Calcutta press and
people were given overmuch to theor1z-
ing ON the subject of the causes Of the
visitation, and being, for this reason,
unwilling to tabulate their local reports
for universal use, he determined to visit
the distressed districts in person, and
to use his own eyes and ears in survey
ing the scene of mysery and hearing
the statements of the inhabitants. He
did so, and now ventures to offer a Sc
ries of cabinet popular pictures, which
are truthfully painted and of living,
heartfelt import.
A PAINFUL DUTY FEELINGLY PER-
FORMED.
at is impossible" he says, "to i'm
part the official statistics and the de-
auctions 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 fight
ing during a war campaign; for ''in
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 a military campaign,
apart from the inspiration which seizes
the correspondent during the progress
of the actual combat, is a duty much
less narrowing to thefeelings than that
In which am now engaged" and he
the hope that he Will eventu-
ally be enabled to record, notwithstand-
ing the aspect and facts of the present
the story of famine averted
by wise and timelyprecaution. In that
event he cannot imagine ''the attain
ment of a greater or more glorious
earthly victory"
AREA OF THE FAMINE DISTRICT.
1.-The scarcity Of food" says Mr..
Forbes, extends and is spreading
among the population of wide tract
of country running along the foot Of
the Himalaya boundaries of Nepaul, on
the southern slope, and stretching from
Oude to near Darjeeling, in the Sikkim
territory. These remote districts, re-
moved from railroads and other sources
Of easy communication, are difficult of
IN THE FACE OF sTARV-
ING MILLIONS.
His Excellency Lord Northbrook in
formed me that the existence of this
terrible distress threatens the govern
ment most seriously. The Governor
General recognizes fifteen districts, in
to provincial territories, COM
prising a total population of 26.000,000
Of people, which are afflicted either
by actual famine or n scarcity OF food.
This is not all. Twelve other districts,
100000 of people, are
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
a total absence of work in the rice
fields.
1.-THE government contemplated, prior
10 the outbreak of the distress, the
of public works-the
of certain sources for the
the rice fields from q canal,
.he building of the Northern Bengal
and, lastly, the embankment
If the Gunduck river, a tributary of
he Ganges, which it joins opposite to
Patna. Thirty-two thousand laborers
we're employed ON the first named
work. Their wages were paid in money,
Fhich was exchanged for food at gov
,rnment stores adjacent.
POLITICAL ECONOMISTS HALT TO REA-
SON.
''The government standpoint in India
S to maintain, as long as may be pos |
ible, that it is called upon 10 find food |
My for persons earning wages. AN |
hat has been hitherto done has been |
lone undecisively and PRECAUTIONARY, |
md l don't know whether there will be |
famine at all, were Sir George Camp
,ell's words to me on the 11th inst. |
All that is known he continued, is |
hat we have the same preludes with
which former famines have come upon |
he people
Lord NorthbroOk does not intend |
o recede from his hitherto expressed |
ystem of policy. 1t is curious to read |
wO consecutive sentences in the ad. |
lress of the Governor General to the
Jouncil. The exports of food from
Bengal exceed, since the lst of Novem-
,er, 1878, 10000 tons; while the gov
imported, till Jan, %, 1874.
more than 10000 tons of rice beyond |
he seas. Rice is not so high in price
IS was anticipated"
Lord Northbrook says that the Ex-
,cutive. Department has arranged for a
of food to last till MAY
lext, and the storing of a large re-
erve TO meet contingencies. The Off
:ial calculations of quantity are based
N the knowledge of the demands
which were made on the government
Iepots during the prevalence of famine
n former times; but it seems doubtful
whether the supply viii be ADEQUATE
ust at present, owing to the facts that
Turing the periods of the previous af-
Lotions large numbers of persons
led without asking for relief. and
hat the districts which are Just now
are more remote, the means
f transportation growing difficult.
nd, also, that there exists a want of
bod for cattle as well as for the human
eings."
LooAY FoREBoDINGS OF A CHASTITY
CALAMITY.
Mr.. Forbes concludes his report
hus:-"From what have seen since
ny arrival in India / have become CON
mced-hrst, that neither the govern
lent nor the people can precisely des-
rlbe the actual position or prognosti-
i.