The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-07-06
HORRORS or TBE FAMINE ~ CHINA.
Over Five Milton. Of Human Beings Dying
or Starvation.

TnDl ne Lnfpn Tfrnet
SHANGHAI. April 27--The famine seems
now to be Mt is worst. The Impoverished coun-
try consists in the greater part OF the PROVINCES
OF Shansi. parts Of southwestern Chilli, w.st-
crn Shantung md the northern districts Of Hoo
nan. comprising an area variously estimated ut
10000 to 100000 square miles. The greatest
distress Is in the southern half ~ Svans' IN,
population Of which. unless rain comes ut once.
bids fair 70 become absolutely, extinct. In. its
cign and nntivc official and missionary. II is
the direst calamity that this orany country has
do not calmly fold their hnnds aud die like our
poor fellow subjects. the Mndrnsseps, last year:
they eat the dend and wher there are noie to
tnke they kill the living for the same purpose.
This Is no Oriental cXnggeraton. but the actual
state Of things in a district not 700 miles from
The following memorial was. issued by ii
Ho-Nien. Governor OF Honnn, and Ynnn Special
High CoTmissioner for Famine am, w. Relief: I'm.
been visited for several years In succession has
resulted in q famine Of an intensity and extent
winter the number ot those in need Of relief
increased daily until r et last they conld be-
2e 10y be me and they soon "fsI
cd or dispersed in search of uhsistence else
where. Now the famine has attacked the wolf
duced to creator misery rs each day goes 10y.
and they. in their turn. are dying on Or follow
tb bS snpnS who nSve b np aa
upon the bodies Of the dead; next. the strong
deyourcd tho weak: and. now. the general desti-
deyOur those Of their own flesh mud blood"
, nhs dreadlg picture Ia iHy 2 frnn b 1u 1y
eisn missionaries in Shansi
In tho Prefecture in which the capital OF
Shansi is situated the popnlcntion has dimlnish-
nese newspapers hero give the number OF
people who hnve died OF stnrvation, or net the
awful fntc just recorded, ut over 5.O0O000.
. The Government has not done much TO relleve
its famine -stricken subjects. The Bonrd Of
Revenue has sanctioned loans to- Shansl OF
100000 taels and 100000 piculs Of rice. A fur.
thcr grant Of 200 900 tncls and 10000 piculs Of
rice was mndo 10y tho imperial Government, on
the 22i Of Mnrch In an edict IN wlcn me I'm
OF misgovcrnmcnt.
Contributions to q considerable extent hnve
nents. and nm amount Of money has been sub
scribed 10y individual Cinnamon which shows
that the sufferings Of their fellow-countrymen
have deeply moved tho whole people. IL is
noteworthy that by far the largest subscriptions
come from the Chinese residents in British col
onies or in the foreign settlements az the yari;
Qua treaty ports. The Foreign Relief Fund
amounts now TO about 800, 900.
The one great in 'ulty In the way OF famine
relief liz the want oi adequate means OF trans
port: roads. vehicles. and beasts OF burden
being alike unequal TO the task. Shansi IS con,
tguOus To Chilli, and tho most ready way 81
approach ing the famine area is by way OF the
port OF Tientsin. Up ~ that point there is OF
course, no difficulty From Shanghai TO TENT
sin there are steamers almost daily. and by
these grain to any quantity can be poured into
rientsin. From that port to Tai Yuen the dis
lance cannot be more than 300 miles. hut tho
journey "a very rough travelling over hills be-
tween 1000 and g. 900 feet high. and the means
mules. men. and donkoys. As ono camel can
only take three piculs that is about cwt., AMI
the supply OF beasts OF burden OF Oil kinds IS
limited. however much grnin may be shipped
10 Ti"ntsin 1t can only be sent forward in
driblets.
Improved communi cation between Tients in
and the interior by the repair OF the Grand
Canal. and the construction of one or two main
lines Of railway, hus again and agaln been im-
pressed on Ii Hung-chang. and othor promi-
ncnt Chinese statesmen. by British engineers
and capitalists. They have one and ali turned
n deaf ear to such proposals.. and give their
superiiuous energy and supcr0uous money to
the construction OF expensive ars"nals. the pur-
chase OF hrupp guns, and the vigorous prose-
cution Of the war In Caniral Asia.