The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-01-11
I'm One Districs Alone 10000 Natives
Have Perished. and Others Are
Dying of Starvation.
BOMBAY ALMOST DESERTED
SCENES AND INCIDENTS IN THE
PLAGUE-sTRICkEN CITY.
Methodists i'm Americas Trying to
Raise Funds for Sending n Ship
load Of Corn to the Starving.

LONDON. Jan. iO.-Despite the favorable
reports received frcm few districts i'm In
dia. where rain has fallen and benefited the
crops. there is great suffering in the East
Indian portion OF her Majesty's empire
caused by famine and plague. The district
OF Jabalpur. which has population OF g.
WO,OO0 5000 persons have died of starva-
ton. Thousands of others will perish, de-
spite efforts that will be made to succor
them, the stricken people are so weak
that they cannot assimilate food. The sit
uation is little better in other parts of In
dia- The area of famine covers a country
as large as the British isles and France to-
gether. with population of 93.50O.0o0 the
distress being very acute in two-thirds OF
this area
Private letters depict pitiable scenes. Cul-
tivators and laborers OF high and low caste
are crowdng to the relief works. At
first the India office red-tapeism stifled the
flow of British charity. while Russia and
America were sending grain TO the starving
Indians. but the gravity OF the situation to-
day has compelled the government urgently
to appeal for money and food. Relief COM
mittees are being formed throughout Eng
land and Scotland. and a generous response
is certain. In addition TO the famine, the
bubonic plague, n native disease. has made
its appearance i'm Bombay and other Indian
cities. In Bombay the weekly mortality
has increased from two hundred TO a thou
sand which means that since the beginning
OF the plague nearly 100000 persons have
died.
Large as the existing Indian relief system
is ii is entirely unable TO meet "A famine
period, which. it Is estimated. will extend
over the whole OF 1897 Cablegrams from
here. telling cheerfully of rains that have
fallen in several parts of the country. but
| rains OF benefit to a people with
starvation staring them i'm the face. They
cannot sit down and wait for crops TO
grow ripen and be harvested. But il ap-
pears that the Indian government. with in
comprehensive fatuity, has acted on the
belief that rain, and not food, was needed
OF course. rains will prevent a recurrence
of the famine, but what is wanted now is
food TO save thousands upon thousands OF
men. women and children from a torturing
death
/ The Indian authorities here acting on the
entirely unfounded presumption that no aid
was required aside from that which would
| be given by the Indian government. checked
the lord mayor of London from starting a
| famine fund. but as the advices now at
| hand show that the arrangements for fight
| ing the famine are entirely inadequate the
lord mayor, at the request OF Lord George
Hamilton. secretary of state for India has
| opened a fund that promises to reach
large figure. The Indifference hitherto dis
played by the British people to the suffer-
ings of their fellow-subjects i'm India has
been due to the attitude of the authorities.
The appeals that are now being made 10
| them are being met with response. and
large contributions already have been re-
! ceived at the Mansion House. the Official
| residence of the lord mayor. Tie question
of national relief grant Will be raised In
| Parliament. The Queen has donated ESQ
| TO the Lord Mayors Fund.
The business aspect of the famine is al
| together depressing. A bad budget declin-
| ing trades and dear money embarrass and
will embarrass the Indian government The
official value Of money called for two
months at 10 per cent. has been fictitious
value. The Bank of Bombay has refused To
| lend at even ~ per cent.