Evening star., 1904-03-22

Il IL
onstrated that both countries depend upon
the same conditions for their rainfall ex-
cept that human beings suffer in India.
while only sheep die of hunger in the Aus
tralian colonies.
India's Worst Famine.
The worst famine ever known in India
occurred in ITO, when Governor General
Warren Hastings reported that one-third
of the inhabitants of Bengal perished from
hunger-ten millions out of thirty millions.
The streets of Calcutta and other towns
were actually blocked up with the bodies
of the dead, which were thrown out of
doors and windows because there was no
means or opportunity to bury them. The
empire has been stricken almost as hard
during the last ten years. The develop
ment of civilization seems to make little
difference, for the famine of 1900-19O1 was
perhaps second In severity to that of ITO.
This, however, was largely due to the fact
that the population had not had time to re-
cover from the famine of 1S98-97, which
was almost as severe. And although every
thing possible was done to relieve distress
and prevent the spread Of plaques and pes
thence that are the natural and unavoid-
able consequences of insufficient nourish-
ment even now people are dying by thou
sands every week
No precautions that sanitary science can
reports are loaded with enormous fatalities.
Last week there were q 103 deaths from
the bubonic plague alone. The officials say
that that isn't so high rate as inexperi-
enced people infer, considering that the
population is nearly three hundred million,
and they declare that 1t is miracle that 1t
Is not larger because the Hindu portion of
the population are packed so densely into
insanitary dwellings, because only a small
portion of them have sufficient food to meet
the demands of nature and they are con-
stantly exposed to influences that produce
and spread disease.
The death rate is always very high in
India for these reasons. But it seems very
small when compared with the awful NOR
tality caused by the frequent famines. The
mind almost refuses to accept the figures
that are presented; it does not seem pos
sible in the present age. with all our meth
DDS of alleviating suffering. that millions
of people can actually die of hunger in a
land of railroads and steamships and other
facilities for the transportation of food It
seems beyond comprehension, yet the Of
fetal returns justify the acceptance of the
maximum figures reported.
The loss of human life from starvation
in British India alone during the famine
of 1900-1901 is estimated at ,235, $50, and
this is declared to be the minimum. In
country of the area of India, inhabited by
superstitious secretive and ignorant pop
ulation, 1t is impossible to compel the ma
tives to report accidents and deaths par
ticularly among the Brahmins, who burn
know best assert that at least Is per cent
of the deaths is not reported in times of
famine and eDdemics. And the enormous
> estimates | have given does not include any
of the native states, which have one-third
of the area and one-fourth of the popuia-
ton of the empire. In some of them san
itary regulations are observed and statiS
ties are accurately reported. In others no
attempt is made to keep registry of
deaths, and there are no means of ascer-
tanning the mortality, particularly in times
of excitement. In these little principalities
the peasants have comparatively speaking,
no medical attendance; they are dependent
upon ignorant medicine men and sorcerers.
and they die off like flies, without even
having record of their disappearance
Therefore the only way of ascertaining the
mortality of those sections is to make the
deductions from the returns of the census,
which is taken with more or less accuracy
every ten years.
A Terrible Tale
The census of 1901 tells a terrible tale of
human suffering and deaths during the pre-
vious decade, which was marked by two
famines and several epidemcs of cholera,
smallpox and other contagious diseases.
Taking the whole of India together, the
returns show that during the ten years
from 1892 to 1901 inclusive there was an
increase of less than 6,O00 900 instead of
the normal increase of 100000, which
was to be expected, judging by the records
of the previous decades of the country.
More than 10000 600 people disappeared
in the native states alone without leaving
a trace behind them.
The official report of the home secretary
shows that Baroda state lost 1000 or
1923 per cent of its population.
The Rajputana states lost 2,175OOO, or
1S.1 per cent of their population.
The central states lost 1,S17,O 900, or 17.5
per cent
Bombay province lost ,16S 900 or 145
per cent.
The central provinces lost $50 900, or s71
per cent.
These are the provinces that suffered
most from the famine, and therefore show
the largest decrease in population.
Lord Curzon, in his annual report to the
secretary of state for India, confirms these
figures, which are taken from the official
records, and adds:
Il do not speak of the mortality in the
native states, which in many cases has
been shocking. because the government of
India cannot be held responsible for dis
tricts which it does not control"
THE famine of 1900-1901, >" said Lord Cur
zon. speaking on this subject the other day.
'struck many who had never before known
what calamity was, and who were crushed
by the suddenness and directness of the
blow. 1t attacked native states which had
previously never known the obligation of
famine relief. 1t laid its hand upon the
primitive inhabitants of the hills unused to
discipline restraint, impulsive, IMPROVE
dent, lazy. living in an almost barbarous
state, in wild and Inaccessible jungles. 1t
sharpened the lurking nomadic instin Aeks*-
wandering tribes and sent them drift AAo
about the country. terror to the relief Of
ficers. For a year it never left hold of it's
victims, and six months had not elapsed be-
fore famine had brought its familiar attend
ant furies in it's train, and cholera dysen-
terry and fever fell upon an already ex-
haused and enfeebled population. A fam
Inc such as we have lately experienced can
not be met with a sigh nor dismissed with a
ab g abiding pdma rlx in ho
history of the Indian people.
CABBY SENTENCED TEN YEARS.