The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-01-28
GKEAT F4iHINES.
The Most Serious with Which the World Has
Been Visited.

.can rduchcO uloulrlel
with famines in Russia. in India, in Bur-
nah. and here and there in China, the world
is for the moment sufficiently afflicted. tap
pears t. be in the scheme of divine prOvi-
deuce that the human race shall always have
its tull quota of misery. and If It Is not war
some other plague is unclaimed that the
weak creature. man, may not be lifted up by
pride aud vanity. With the prlmeVal man
the food supply was always intermittent.
With this unhappy individual IL was always
either O feast or u famine. Living by the
chase alone. he gorged himself with his prey
when he caught 10, like the anaconda and
after dormant period starved TIL chance
supplied him with the next meal. When the
notuadc life gradually merged into a mere
stable existence when the fields egau 10 be
cultivated. and the pastoral life led % the
collection of large fOcks and herds. the food
supply became moro regular. but owing 20
WARS, pestiience. drought. Hoods or other
causes tamines re appeared rom time To time,
causing widespread desOlatlOn. IL Is probable
they will never entirely disappear. though,
owing % the greater variety OF crops cultl-
waited and tie speedier means OF cOmnunica-
tun. it Is gratifying 10 observe that they are
becoming nue. less frequent IA the civilized
parts of the globe and tar less disastrous.
The statistlcjaus record nearly 800 lamiueS
in the history of the world that have been ~
considerable importance. bat tie last i- only
relatively correct. those OF MINOR conss-
quences not beng mentioned. In India.
owing directly 10 drought, and I'D China. for
variety OF reasons. these periods OF scarcity
have been endemic from time lmmemoral.
and there is no means Df knowing how many
have occurred. In China local Iamlne5
would he OF annual occurrence Ok
cept for tie lOretnOught Of the
Government IN suppyn. nee. Wniie
those that succeed the requent lnundeton5
Of the ! al Ow river are appalling. And there
WAS "A famine in the land Is the scripture.
manner OF denoting one ~ these scourses. I'm
Palestine the Canaan OF the iAraeates, the
land flowing with mix and honey, the p0Du-
iatiOn existed ln q state OF constant suffering
Tor want OK food. Ia patriarchal times all tho
Hebrews migrated % fsFpt - avoid perish
ing Dy pure starvation.
f.oi appears have been abundant IN the
valley o. the NIe { this ep ch. though be-
fore the people had learned b " 90 divert the
water Ot the llyer int their fee. DIS and use II
Ill the M 30 eclnom cal manner lamnes had
been 49, common ln tlls region a' elsewhere.
We are not aware that the ancient Greeks
81 cred severely ~ nt OBJ food. LOT " their
own seas. forests and fields did produce
Oh ugh. they cou.d draw supplies II grain
II III the countries about the Mediterranean.
The Pnunlc.ans, who mad e .OnILei the uth
II France and Spain. drew their supplies from
the granarles OF Africa but ali the tribes -n-
ha.Iting the northern rests ei Europe.
am NJ whom may DO numbered our
AnllO-~ axOn nnce-tOrs, sulsisting As they
did in u great measure by tie chase were
drclmated ty femme al least one year I'D three
FAMINE was unkn wn am NJ the ancient
Romans in the early period of tlclr nl7tOl y.
that Is. as long a. their manners continued
sim lie and pure Luxury came anon them
with foreign c0nque-t. The rcn became
very rich. the poor very poor. he former
bought great estates IN the country. AMI
great part of the arabic land was
turned into parks and gardens, driving
the peasants to Rome, where they aug
mented the destitute classes and had
u he fed by tie Government. WAS
curious state Of things IN the imperial city
caused ~ this necessity % feeding al leas
hall the population % prevent rebe Ion 10
re 1lirrd 4 wuU.e feet of gram ships 20 tIng
suppies from Africa or syria. AMI II they
were accidentiV delayed br u storm tho M
peror fairly trenuled on his throne rom Tear
of the people The mot notable mine IN
Roman annals " Is IN the reign OF Titus. ssy-
enty-nlne years after CHRIST, when tie starry
inc cohorts rebelled and pillRged the conveys
Of provisions on the way to Rome 70 feed the
famished populace.
During the dark and middle ages the
population OF Northern Europe. and 4 rance
especlally lived IN an atmosphere OF war,
famine and pestence. In the year 3lt not
q drop Of rain ie.l IN Europe and scarcely
more in Asia aud the natural re nit was
three years famine. aud during II the wants
Of part Of the people of urope were sup
Piled by the ships o. tho little itallan FepuO-
lies lust beginning 20 have prec8nous ex-
istence. which brought grain from Africa:
Not lone afterwards France was 20 desc ated
by A failure the crops that the public treas
ure was exhausted to feed the people. aud
King CLOVIS was obliged TO strip tie silver
from the royal toAbs IN the Cathedral OF 81.
EMS here We're two reinarAa 10 mines
eishth century. and several IN tho ensuing
century 80 severe that the iam.she pelsantry
made bread Of earth. During the two r
three succeeding centuries they o Cured with
distressing regularity. having a. their princ',,
pal causes wars among the feudal lords and
the rusales