The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-10-29
THE REASON OF THE RECENT
RISE IN WHEAT Is MADE
VERY PLAIN.
GRAIN FAMINE PREVAILS IN india
While Other Countries Show Short
Crops-People Are Starving in Some
Parts of India-Autumn Crop
Almost an Entire Failure.

London, Oct. 26.-(Copyrighted, 1896,
by the Associated Press)-The wheat
market and prospects of famine in In
dia is still attracting 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
says:
The prospects are as bad as possible,
both for grain and cotton. \ leading
exporter has informed his clients in Eng
land that the crop of cotton will not eX-
coed 90 or GO per cent on an average.
In southern India the outlook is more
hopeful. The supply of fodder Is ample,
and if the worst comes there Is no fear
of recurrence of the horrors of 1876,
owing to the improved railway commu-
nications.
Native astrologers, basing their theo-
ries on the traditional observations of
the heavens, state that if it rains within
five days a famine will be averted but
that the later rains will not avail.
The Englishman of Calcutta of Sep
not the same as famine, says:
While Il number of deaths have oc-
CURED in Bundelkla, it can not be
stated that famine is actually prevail
ing, as the stocks are not exhausted the
| difficulty being to compel dealers to sell.
But pathetic convoy of starving chill
dren which the bishop of Nagpur has
brought from Jubbulpur proves that the
crops of that district are perilously near
exhaustion. For a month past wheat
and tuor have been selling in the bazars
ana howrah! of Calcutta at i ennas per
| seer, and rice at 81 to J-S rupees per
maund, Il price not dreamed of since the
last famine. The Lucknow Mindustian
| says: The question now is whether the
famine will last only four months or Il
| 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 Novem-
| Der I.
The Mark Lane Express says that the
rise in the price of wheat is warranted
by the situation, adding:
| 1t Is not speculative; on the contrary,
English crop, which certainly does not
exceed 1,25O,OO quarters, is stated tC
be 9,OOO,OOO quarters. and there are
other signs that outside influences is di.
rected to accomplish reaction.
| Continuing. the Mark Lane Express
urges English farmers not to rush the
wheat to market, but to send it between
now and Christmas in the same quaint
ties as sent during November and De.
cember. 1879, stating that the American
and Russian farmers are strong holders
The same paper expresses the belief
that the advance in prices is due to the
shortage in America and Russia, anC
adds: The advance from the Lowest
point in August to the best point during
the past week in English wheat is IS
| Argentine IS to SIS Cd, while California
is perhaps the strongest in point of hold
ing, for, with a million quarters on pass
age, it fetches 36s, an advance of los.
| In conclusion the Mark Lane Express
| says: The condition generally is healthy
| \ rise was bound to come, only we have
obtained in October what we could
scarcely have anticipated before May.
Flour is from rs to is dcarer. Ameri-
can is very firmly held, and is not ship
ped in large quantities, despite the i'm
portant advance.
At the Baltic today wheat opened
quiet and was offered at Sd to cd decline.
Later it was a shade steadier, but mac
tive. No sales were reported. The bust
ness in wheat in Mark Lane was very
quiet, and it was quoted mainly att rs
lower on the week.
At the Baltic business in wheat closed
dull today at generally Cd below Satur-
days prices. Two cargOes of California
wheat were sold for the United Kingdom