The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-02-25
lNDIA'S GREAT FAMINE
TWENTY MILLION ACRES OF IRRI-
GATED LANDS NOT ENOUGH.
Thousands of Natives VIII Starve for
Lack OF Water-BOer War a
Disadvantage.
speeIal 70 TIE InaIanapoIis journal.

will have 70 stretch forth a strong arm to
help the suffering millions of her far East
ern peninsula Over 100000 souls are now
reported 10 be affected by the famine. and
with the famine area rapidly expanding.
A London dispatch states that the sum
OF $4,000 will be expended on "relief
works. and that already over 100000 per-
sous are receiving relief. Water, or rather
its lack, is the cause OF the affiiction. This
year both the monsoons and the winter
rains failed and left the earth parched and
dry for months.
Yet the English by their public works in
India and their great irrigation projects
have vastly added to the producing capac-
ity OF the country and have greatly
ameliorated the natural condition of the
natives. The products from irrigation for
last year, according 10 the Indian official
figures. amounted TO 100000 rupees.
India Includes within her borders the
highest mountains in the world and some
of the mightiest rivers and greatest plains
The great Himalayan range, 1,500 miles
long. lying across the northern border.
shuts out the rest OF Asia. Mount Ever
est, the highest peak In the world, pierces
the sky 29.o02 feet above the tides, while
peaks over 5000 feet elevation abound in
all parts of the range. There are numer-
Gus well-worn trails leading from India
across the Himalayas through Kashmeer
and Nepal into Thibet and China, and the
passes on these are from 1900 TO 1900 feet
high In making such journey the trav-
eler for several days remains above $1,000
feet altitude. Only one pass is as low as
16,400 feet.
The historic Ganges, the Indus and the
Brahmaputra are the three great rivers
CT India These, with their affiuents, drain
an area of nearly 10000 square miles. Their
waters are largely used for irrigation. con-
stituting in reality the life blood of much
CT the country. The flood discharges of
these great streams are enormous. The
Ganses alone in food may discharge 1885,
600 cubic feet per second midas rainfall.
which is accountable for this immense vol
ume OF water, comes exclusively from
evaporation from the Indian ocean and the
bays on either side Of the peninsula. The
distribution Of this rainfall Is extremely
varied, ranging from couple Of inches
q year or In some sections practically
nothing 10 over eco inches, which falls in a
limited area in Assam At Chara Pungi,
Assam, the maximum rainfall Of the world
g reached in an average annual precipita-
ton OF s63 inches, while at this place in
.ssl thirty inches fell in twenty-four hours
and sos inches fell during that year. These
figures can be appreciated when II is re-
.nembered that the annual rainfall In the
Atlantic States on the American seaboard
Is from thirty-five to forty-five inckes. ani
hat in "a 10 tod
without irrigation On as low an annual
rainfall as fifteen or eighteen inches.
STUPENDOUS IRRIGATION WORKS.
The irrigation works of India are the
vastest in the world. watering over 20,0OO,-
900 acres OF very fertile SOIL The govern
ment has entire control over all sources of
water supply and so exercises IL as to
make IL the greatest benefit to the COM
nunity at large. Each province has a
separate department known as the irriga-
ton branch, at the head of which is a
chief engineer, while over all the chief en-
gineers Is an inspector-general Of irriga-
ton The Indian government is greatly in
favor OF the extension Of irrigation works.
Tt fosters the OF irrigation waters by
placing the water rates very low or by
even giving the water away In years of
scarcity. The Indian irrigation works have
indestructible character, OF solid masonry
and great strength. In some instances ca
nails OF immense volumes OF water are car
ried clear over other rivers.
There are In India two classes of irriga-
ton works which may be termed produc-
tive and protective works. In general, pro-
tective works have been constructed as a
protection against famine, such as now
stares India in the face, and they act in
the amelloration of such disasters In two
ways. First, they are constructed during
famine times to give employment to the
people and furnish them money and food
for theiT sustenance; and second. after
their construction. they are expected to
furnish protection against future famines
IN those districts. Most OF these protective
works consist OF storage reservoirs hut
they have been constructed in regions
semi-erid. and they have generally proven
financial failures while the so-called "pro-
ductive" works have earned good interest
on the investment. From all OF which we
car learn lesson applicable to America s
arid West. The productive works have
bcCA tOuotkd(tCa III IcelOuS 80 DdEfeD
and devoid OF water that nobody could live
there TO produce crops OF any sort without
irrigation: therefore, those who immigrated
to the country were compelled to use the
water and make the works do full duty. On
the other hand. the protective works have
Been built In semi-arid regions where crops
can often be raised under the natural
rainfall, so that the works have been in
entire disuse through some seasons.
Anywhere in our arid West, where irriga-
ton works can be constructed. IL is reason.
able to suppose. therefore. judging from
analogy, that when a sufficient population
settle below them. the works will be called
upon to supply their full capacity, and II
they have been carefully planned and esti
mated for. and economically constructed
and administered under a proper system
they should return fair interest on the
original outlay.
IL has been In our semi humid regior
OF the United States where there are natu.
rally good crops once in several years thai
hard times have fallen the hardest, but Il
Is also here. Judging from Indian expert
least, because they would not be continu
ously used
SUBURBAN SOCIETY NEWS.
Brightwood.
Frank Pratt, of Terre Haute is visitinS