Washington sentinel., 1900-04-21
TIE SENTINEL
TRADE HINTS FROM our
CONSULS ABROAD.


Bombay, writes;
The people OF India are now face |
to face with famine oi water, food
and cattle, which in the particular
areas affected is unprecedented in |
character and intensity.
The number OF people in receipt
OF relief has already swollen to
quite abnormal proportions, con-
sidering that the season OF acute
distress has hardly commenced.
The returns far exceed those re-
corded during the initial stage OF
the famine three years ago.
AT this period of the famine OF
ISo6-o7. only 1000, 900 persons
were receiving Government relief
IN all India; today, the official es-
innate places the number at $780,
600, and the daily expenditure at
about $4,000.
The southwest monsoons (upon
which the animal and vegetable
life OF India substantially depend),
laden with the moisture OF the
Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea,
break IN June upon the Malabar
coast and for three months Hood
India with a rainfall averaging
about 100 inches. The rains OF
the last monsoon proved from a
halt to a total failure, and famine
was then thr eatened to a large
portion OF the country. Itwas still
hoped that the autumnal crops OF
southern India might be saved by
a good northeast monsoon in No
vember, and in central and upper
India by early abundant winter
rains. The normal time for winter
rains has now passed by. On the
east coast the usual rains in No
vember and December, which are
termed the northeast mons oons.
but in reality attend the withdrawal
of the monsoon current from the
Bay Of Bengal, failed to a very
large extent. Elsewhere through
out India, abnormally high day
temperatures were unaccompanied
by the usual dews at night, while
the cold weather has been extra
ordinarily rainless, in so much that
only during the last few days have
there been any signs OF the winter
showers. These conditions have
still further injured the autumn
crops and diminished the prospects
OF a spring harvest, thereby greatly
enlarging the affected area and in
tensijYing the distress.
The rice crop OF Burma and Ben
gal has fully realized expectations
and constitutes a great reserve OF
food for the rest OF India. The
Northwestern Provinces and Oudh
have successfully sown their win
ter crops, which have been greatly
benefited by rain the past week.
In Madras and Mysore, the abrupt
disappearance Of the monsoon was
a great disappointment. The har-
vest will be indifferent over large
areas, but, except in few places,
no distress requiring relief is anti
cipated here. In the irrigated or
inundated tracts OF Sind and the
southwest Punjab, the crops will
be somewhat short, owing to the
~~.4.saStS>s 49, ~ i..e-s,aatIOn W
the Indus and its tributaries, due
to diminished volume OF water in
the canals, but the shoTtness will
be comparatively small. These
tracts will, as in former years,
yield food in excess of local re-
qulrements and will profit from the
misfortunes Of their neighb ors.
The famine district embraces the
greater part OF Bombay presidency,
most of the Nizam's dominions OF
Hyderabad, the western States Of
central India, the entire part OF
Rajputana, the southeast Punjab,
and large portion of the native
States of Clutch and Gu erat. The
true famine area OF British India
and the native States will thus be
about 800, 900 square miles, with
a population OF 40, ooo, 900. There
is a further area OF about las, 900
square miles, with a population OF
sI,ooo,o 900, in which more or less
scarcity and distress prevail, where
relief is already being given in a
tentative form, or will probably
be given before the advent Of the
next monsoon. Thus the area and
population affected by the drought
is larger both in British territory
and the native States than was
anticipated in October last. AS a
whole, the autumn harvest Of 1899
was the worst on record for many
years, while the present spring
harvest on unirrigated land occu.
pies little more than half the area
sown in either OF the last two years.
The liberality Of the local and
general Government Of India is
most marked, but there is limit
even to State charity. Nothing
seems to stem the flow Of the peo-
pie 20 the relief works, and the
number in receipt of State aid ad-
vanced another aso, 900 during the
week, bringing the total up 70 the
appalling figure Of $500, 900. The
most trying period Of the famine is
still two months ahead, and even
now it is questionable whether the
financial resources OF the Govern
ment and the power to provide use
full employment for such vast num-
bers will be equal to the strain, If
present standards are to be main
tanned.
Agricultural prospects are grow
ing gloomy, and the water famine
increases in intensity. Lord Cur
zon, the viceroy of India, in an ad-
dress to the imperial legislative
council on the 9th instant called |