Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1889-07-17
DRoUTHs AND IRRIGATION.

d.. @#N-=#r EfEEgf- fFFtffHr a. 10y ~ 3 f.. -rf
The present drouth in parts OF Mon.
tana and the Northwest is y strong plea
for irrigation. Indeed there are few Sec
lions OF the country that would not, at
one time or another, find it advantageous
to ave up the excessive rain falls Of one
period for use during periods Of local
drouth. This outstanding Of the resour-
COS of nature for use in time Of need Is
simply q bit Of wisdom taught by dear
experience.
In connection with the subject Of irri-
cation it Is interesting te read Of the
dreadful consequences Of drouths in some
countries-results which might have
been partially or entirely obyiated by q
practicable system Of irrigation.
Mr.. II. C. Danvers has summarized the
histories of fifty-two famines in India,
extending over a period of 900 or 24OO
years, of which thirty occurred in the
historical period, and twenty-five within
the present century. The earliest was
between sos and 443 &c. Then q period
of 1900 years follows without q record,
though not, doubtless, without famines.
The year A. D. 1888 was remarkable for
very extensive drouth and famine, sue
ceeded by q pestilence. The earliest fam
inc in the Deccan occurred in the year
1900, and lasted twelve years. The dis
tress of 1345 was caused, in part, by ex-
cessive taxation, by reason Of which the
poor became beggars, the rich became
rebels, and the farmers were forced to fly
to the woods, and to maintain themselves
by rapine. The lands were left unculti-
waited, and grain consequently became
scarce, famine began to desolate whole
provinces, and the sufferings of the peo-
pie obliterated from their minds every
idea of government and subsection to
authority" ="
The great Doorga Decree famine Of
1896 arose from a total want Of season
able rain, and lasted twelve years. Il
In the famine of 1911, the government
sanctioned disbursements on account of
ceremonies for rain to be performed in
the principal psgodas in Cuddapah. In
Kattywar, men sold their children for
food, and many respectable and well-to-
do persons poisoned themselves to secure
release from the pangs Of hunger; and
others died from want Of that grain
which their riches could not purchase.
The great famine in Southern India Of
1868, was the worst which has been ex-
perienced since the beginning Of the
century. 1t is estimated that 100000
more, out Of 100000 people. persisted
than would have died had the seasons
been ordinarily healthy.
MI. Danvers anticipates great results
in mitigating the evils Of famine from
the extension of the railroads, by means
of which provisions can be speedily taken
into regions of scarcity, and prices kept
down. .to3 * sd 4
In the discussion in the Society Of
Arts upon MIR. Danvers' paper, General
Rundal laid great stress on the economi-
cal advantages Of systems Of irrigation.
The total sum expended on irrigation
works throughout India was 2,5OO.O00l
while the total loss which the
government had sustained in successive
was given as 23,5O0,OO0 pounds.
The irrigation works returned more than
5 per cent. net, but the sum hopelessly
spentin trying to mitigate the famine re-
turned nothing, and 100000 lives had
been lost during the century. .gasa
The Godavery works, after thirty-dve
years, had Melted 100000 pounds. or
the whole capital outlay; the
Kistna works, after twenty-five years,
had Melted $4,000 pounds. which was,
perhaps. half what they had actually
cost. These two works irrigated $50, 100
acres and 10000 acres respectively. The
Tanjore works were still more remunera-
tive. Other works had not given so large
returns; but they could not be
jailed failures, because they provided &C.
,urity against future famines, and were
economically beneficial.