The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-12-18

OF the famine and are OF infreduent in
torvals. The reports indicate. however.
such "A pitiful condition Of the want and
distress OF the natives that means are
already being devised for the relief OF the
starved and dying people.
The field OF mission work OF the Pres
byterian and Methodist boards Is scat
tered through the afflicted territory. \
PRESBYTERIAN missionary OF the Punjab
district. writing from Lahore on Novem-
Der 18th. says:
I'VE are on the eve Of fearful famine.
For some years the crops have not been
good. The last harvest has been fail
IRE I'm most parts. The coming harvest.
too. will be more than a partial failure.
owing TO the continued drought. The
distress is widespread and help from oth-
or parts OF the world than lnnia VIII DC
welcome. Food is now three times as
dear az IL was this time last year. Inc
poor people are suffering already, ana as
the season advances the distress VIII De-
come greater. our mission may take
some action in this matter. we nave
had no such famine i'm India for the iast
twenty years. The people OF Lahore nave
collected or subscribed something like
10000 rupees as a relief fund. but this IL
only drop in the ocean. We are stiit
hoping for rain. which. II it falls soon.
will somewhat relieve the severity OF the
famine
Two roports from the scene Of the dis
tress have been received by the Methodist
Board. one missionary writes from Lus-
know as follows
"Our missionaries are well. but we are
I'm great trouble on account of the famine.
Think of a man and wife with two chill
dren receiving four rupees a month ana
a .H.a .a..Ha NH.aH
sells for twelve pounds TO the rupee
Another writing from Naini Tai says:
I'm the opinion of many. India is upon
the eve of one of the greatest famines
It has known. The railways have pro-
NOTED the expectation OF grain and where
there was q surplus it has been exported.
while many sections have had condition
of scarcity for one or two years past.
Consequently there is not a surplus OF
grain I'm the country. The rainfall ha-
been very deficient this year in nearly
every section of the country and now
when the summer crops have been bar
vested they have been witherod by the
drought. except where irrgating canals
exist Worse than this. tho ground is
too dry 10 plough. and the winter crops
cannot be sown and would not gcrmi-
nate. If they were. Pasturage will soon
be deficient and cattle will die. The uric.
Of grain mas been rising for some time.
and the poor people who generally live
from hand to mouth will soon spend
their resources. and then. If not help
ed. must starve."
The Rev. Dir. \. y. Leonard correspond.
ing secretary of the Methodist Board OF
Foreign Missions. in speaking OF the Ia
mine. said:
Letters received al this Office give an
appalling account OF the famine now pre-
valling I'm parts Of India. particularly ir
the north and northwest. Hundreds 81
children are to he seen I'm the bazaars
picking up grain or anything that can hs
used as food. Some of them stagger a'
they walk The cries of hungry poopl.
for food in the darkness az railroad STA.
tions is often heartrending. Parent.
take their children 70 the missionaries
Offering 10 give them away for food
In some of tho more remote and widei.
scattered districts. where the native
have to depend solely upon their CROP
the distress is believed TO be most severe
New York Herald.