The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-10-27
SITUATION IN INDIA.
The COuntry's Wheat Shortage APP
proximates a Famine.

pTOXl1natcs IL
LONDON, Oct 26.-The wheat mar
ket and the prospects Of a famine in In
dia still attract much attention here
and elsewhere, although some Of the
most influential newspapers do not
share in the feeling of alarm which
prevails in some quarters,
The Bombay Gazette of September 10
said: 1.-The prospects are as bad as
possible, both for grain and cotton.
leading exporter has informed MS
clients in England that the crop OF
cotton will not exceed so or 60 per cent
on an average. In Southern India. the
outlook is more hopeful The supply
Cf fodder is ample, and if the worst
comes there Is no fear of recur-
renee of the horrors of 1876, owing to
the improved railway communications.
Native astrologers, basing their
theories on the traditional observations
Of the heavens, state that If it rains
within five days famine Will he
averted. but that the latter rains will
not avail
The Englishman of Calcutta. Of Sep
TENDER 7, pointing out that scarcity
is not the same as famine, said:
while number of deaths have oc-
Cured in Bundelkhan. it cannot be
stated that a famine Is actually pre-
vailing, as the stocks are not yet ex-
hausted, the difficulty being to compel
dealers to sell. But a pathetic con-
voy of starving children, which the
bishop Of Nagpur has brought from
Nagpur, proves that the resources of
the district are perilously near eXhaus-
ton. For a month past wheat and
flour have been selling in the bazaars
and howrath Of Calcutta at annas per
SER and rice at rupees "a to 5-8 per
maund, rates not dreamed of since the
last famine"
The Lucknow Hindustani said:
1.-THE question now is whether the
famine will last only four months or a
year. The autumn crop is sure of al
most entire failure. No amount of rain
can save it, and the fate of. the spring
harvest depends upon rainfall by Oc-
tober ~
The Calcutta Englishman also pub
fishes letter referring to the wheat
shipped from California, during which
the writer said:
1.-THE import should not be left to pri-
waite enterprise, which, stimulated by
purely commercial motives, cannot be
expected to be influenced by philan-
thropy, and, therefore, is not likely to
provide the needy with cheap wheat.
Even if the importers are satisfied with
a moderate profit, it is probable that
the wheat will be purchased by few
wealthy natives, who will not scruple to
keep the price at famine rates.
The writer of the letter referred to
then proposed that the government
should undertake to provide wheat by
buying in the cheapest market, after
consulting London, Odessa, America
and Australia, and then distribute it
through European agents to the needy
provinces.
The Mark Lane Express today says
that the rise in the price of wheat is
warranted by the situation Continu-
sc
English farmers not to rush to the
wheat market, but to send, between
now and Christmas, the same quanti-
ties as sent during November and De-
cember, 1895, stating that the American
and Russian farmers are strong hold
ers, owing to both crops being smaller
than in 1895.
The Mark Lane Express also says
argentina is prevented by a heavy
fall in the gold premium from selling
at 1895 prices, even If she wished to do
so, and India and Australia do not pos
sess the corn to sell, only two farmers
having more wheat in 1895, the Eng
lishmen and the Frenchmen. The lat
ter can place all his wheat in France
at a fair price, and the Englishman
cannot feed his countrymen for six
months; but if he presses the wheat
market when foreign wheat is scarce,
it will keep prices down. California
wheat will be arriving freely in Febru-
airy, and Argentina wheat in March
and April
The Mark Lane Express further ex-
presses the belief that the advance in
the price of wheat is due entirely to
the shortage. in America and Russia,
and adds: 1.-The advance from the low
est point in August to the best point
during the past week in English wheat
is Sd; Argentine, SIS to SIS 3d. while Cali
7.T1io ic hn CTR ncf In
point Of holding, for with million quar-
tiers on passage, it fetches 36s, an ad
vance of 10s."
In conclusion, the Mark Lane Ex-
press says:
1.-THE situation generally is healthy
A rise was bound to come, only we
have obtained in October what we
could scarcely have anticipated before
May. Flour is from 5s to Is dearer
American is very firmly held, and is
not shipped in large quantity, despite
the important advance"
At the Baltic today wheat opened
quiet and was offered at Sd to Cd de-
cline. Later it was a shade steadier
but inactive. No sales were reported
The business in wheat in Mark Lane
was very quiet, and it was quoted gen
orally at rs lower on the week.
At the Baltic, business in wheat
closed dull today at generally a six
pence below Saturdays prices. Two
cargOes of California wheat were sold
for the United Kingdom