Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1877-09-19
The Famine in India.

uc hHciicdn peoPic w hoo yto oecHi W
realize that the English government is en-
gagged in more deadly campaign than that
of the Russian against the Turk. There is
far more sorrow, suffering and horrible
death in Madras alone than will result from
the entire Eastern war, so called, let it prove
as extensive and disastrous as it may. OF
five hundred thousand deaths in Madras,
three hundred thousand are attributed di-
rectly to hunger or the terrible diseases
which are produced by hunger and unwhole-
some food The utter restitution must con-
tinue at least until January, and should the
rainfall again be deficient, will be prolonged
another year. The Indian government is
doing its utmost to relieve the distress, but
such is the magnitude of the calamity that
the most arduous efforts at relief can hardly
make any impression. The Indian railroads
are unable to transport the grain supplied
by the government as rapidly as it is re-
quired, and after reaching the famine dis
trict the work of distribution is one of
uncomfortable difficulty. To relieve this
embarrassment the government has been
compelled, against its desire, to form vast
camps of the starving people. This adds a
new and terrible danger. Great encamp-
ments, unless of able-bodied men under the
strict sanitary regulations of military camps,
are always full of danger from contagious
diseases, and especially so in warm eli
d. "a I. Al. IL
vast masses are of all ages and of both
sexes, all weakened by famine, and many
already afflicted with disease, some idea
may be had of the awful scourge of pesti
lence which threatens the unhappy and
helpless population.
The Indian government has already ex-
pended forty million dollars in supplying the
destitute with food, or with money to buy
food at famine prices, and it is still spend
ing two and one-half million dollars each
month. But the people are rapidly dying,
and the reports are continually growing
more gloomy, although the work of the pes
thence, which is sure to follow, has not yet
begun. Up to this time the English home
government has allowed the vast expense of
the attempted relief to fall upon the Indian
government, thus heavily taxing certain dis
tricts to remove the necessities of other dis
tricts which are far remote. The districts
most heavily taxed have no more connection
with or knowledge of the real sufferers than
Canada has with Australia. The work of
relief is one which belongs with more justice
to the whole government. But the vastness
of the calamity makes it one which rises
superior to national limits and appeals to
the humanity of the civilized world. The
English government has taken no step yet
toward taxing the English people, but noble
hearted Englishmen are raising large amounts
by private subscription.
The United States should not remain silent
and inactive in such an emergency. w,
are rejoicing in the largest harvests evel
reaped. We sent ship-loads of provisions u
starving Ireland, where the number of thu
afflicted was very small in comparison with
the present case. Can we not of our abund
ance spare few ship-loads of grain for tn,
starving millions of Madras