The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-09-30
FAMINE Is PROBABLE.
Every Available Bag of Rice COM
m~andeercd by the Allies.


Correspondence of the Associated Press.
TIEN-TSIN. China, Aug. 29.-General ap-
prehension was felt here of a famine when
the cold weather sets in. Foreign residents
OF Tien-Tsin do not hesitate to predict ter
rible suffering among the natives and mill
tary men who have looked into conditions
In the Pei-Ho valley are inclined to believe
that the fear of a famine is well founded.
Already there is considerable suffering, al
though fresh produce is coming in slowly,
and what the result will be when frost puts
an end to vegetation is not difficult to for
see. Rice, the great staple of China is no
longer in the market this far north. Every
sack of the white grain has been COM
Wandered or purchased by the allies, and
the natives, thus unable to buy it. must
depend on the charity of the forces. The
supply IN hand is none too plentiful. 1t is
practically impossible to even roughly esti-
mate the quantity, but 1t is stated to be
considerably less than normal. Usually at
this season the river is crowded with yes
sSS bringing the winters supply of rice
from the south, but now every available
craft is in the service of the forces. trans
porting supplies and materials, consequent
ly there is little chance that any consider
able quantity of rice can arrive between
now and the freezing of the river.
The situation is conceded to be very criti-
cal, and the outlook is for great loss of
life. AT best the military authorities. even
with a systematic distribution of food and
acting In concert, could relieve only a 1.-THE
OF the people,, and no such arrangement or
agreement is probable. Al best transporta-
ton in the winter IS a difficult matter, and
every resource will be taxed to provide for
the big army which will be scattered from
the coast at Taku up TO Picking. The army
must be fed. and fed it will be while the
natives will starve. Every nation is rush
ing in supplies, there is not an available
boat but is pressed into service, and even
now the lack of bottoms is a serious one.
BY Dec. / the Pei-Ho river will be frozen,
as well as the Gulf Of Taku, on which ice
forms for ten or twelve miles out, and SUI
perhuman efforts are being made to take
advantage of the remaining weeks of au-
tumn. There has already been some in
formal discussion as to the means Of keep
ing communication by water open after ice
forms, with the result that there is a tenta-
tive understanding that the Russian force
will bring in an ice boat. The heavy tides
prevent any great thickness of ice in the
gulf, and il is believed that with a suitable
vessel a channel can be easily kept clear
to Tong-Ku. the railway terminal. The
river is a more serious matter. and it is
not likely that any attempt will be made
to keep IL free. In this way the railway
will be taxed to its utmost capacity.
All the governments are employing native
labor freely. but the supply is so far in
excess of the demands that the percentage
of those who will thus be enabled TO live
through the winter is extremely small. The
belief is general that starvation cannot be
avoided at this late day, and even the most
conservative foreign residents at all con-
versant with conditions admit that the
coming winter will be a terrible one in the
Tien-Tsin country.