The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-04-17

vember. and in central and upper India
by early abundant winter rains. The nor
NAL time for winter rains has now passed
by. On the east coast the usual rains In
November and December, which are ter
med the northeast monsoons. but in real
ity attend the withdrawal OF the monsoon
current from the Bay OF Bengal, failed TO
very large extent. Elsewhere through
out India abnormally high day tempera-
lures were unaccompanied by the usual
ueWS at night. while the cold weather has
been extraordinarily rainless. in so much
that only during the last few days have
there been any signs of the winter show
ers. These conditions have still further
injured the autumn crops and diminished
the prospects Of a spring harvest, thereby
greatly charging the affected area and
intensifying the distress.
The rice crop OF Burma and Bengal
has fully realized expectations, and con-
stitutes a great reserve of food for the
rest OF India. The northwestern provinces
and Oudh have successfully sown their
winter crops, which have been greatly
benefited by rain in the past week. In
Madras and Mysore the abrupt disappear
ance Of the monsoon was a great disap-
pointment The harvest viii be Indifferent
over large areas. but. except in few
places no distress requiring relief Is an
ucipated here. In the irrigated or tnun-
dated tracts Of Sind and the southwest
Punjab the crops VIII be somewhat short
owing to the contracted area of inunda-
tion by the Indus and its tributaries. due
TO diminished vo.ume of water i'm the ca
nails, but the shortness will be compare
lively small These tracts will, as in for
mer years. yield food in excess OF local
. requirements and will profit from the mis-
fortunes OF their neighbors.
Famine-Anected District.
THE famine district embraces the great
er part of Bombay presidency, most of
the Nyzam's dominions of Hyderabad the
western half OF the Central provinces, the
western states of central India. the entire
part OF Rajputana the southeast Pun
n Of 10.
states of Clutch and Gujarat The true
famine area in British India and the ma
tive states VIII thus be about 3ooo1o square
miles, with a population OF 10000 600 There
Is further area Of about $4,000 square
miles. with population of 81 poO0 in
which more or less scarcity and distress
prevail. where relief is already given in
tentative form. or will probably have
to be given before the advent of the next
monsoon. Thus. the area and population
anected by the drouth is larger both in
British territory and the native states tnan
was anticipated In October las As a whole
the autumn harvest Of 1899 was the worst
on record for many years, while the pres
ent spring harvest on unirrigated land oc-
cupies little more than half the area sowu
In either of the last two years.
The liheraity OF the local and general
government of India is most mark ed but
there is limit even to state charity
Notnlng seems TO stem the flow of the
people to tho relief works. and the mum
Der In receipt Of state aid advanced an
other 5000 during the week bringing the
total up to the appalling figure of 3 800. 200
The most trying period of the famine Is
sttll two months ahead. and even now 1t
Is questionable whether the financial re-
sources Of the government and the power
10 provide useful employment for such
vast numbers will be equal to the strain,
II present standards are to be maintained
Agricultural prospects are growing
gloomy. and the water famine increases in
Intensity. Lord Curzon. the viceroy CT
India In an address TO the imperial 'eg-
islative council on the 10th instant called
attention to another feature OF the pres
ent distress. During the famine years OF
1867, the whole external world seemed
to share midas sorrow and contributed
70 alleviate It's distress. The attention Of
England was then turned upon suffering
India. and hundreds Of thousands OF
pounds were contributed by generous
hearts Now, the thoughts Of almost every
Englishman throughout the empire are
hxed upon the war I'm South Africa. II
would be too much to expect that En-
gland can again come to the rescue as
spleudidly as she did in 1897 and il seems
clear that India must fight the plague and
famine with her own means"