OCR Text |
Show The eminent French statist, LKVAS-EtJB, LKVAS-EtJB, publishes from official data the only reliable estimate of tho Russian famine which has yet been given to tho public. It is starl ling in the terrible facts which it reveals and shows tho vastness of tho proportions which the distress among tho peasants has assumed. as-sumed. To cover the deliciency of food in thirtoon afflicted provinces would require the Importation from abroad of 1116,000,000 hectoliters, or BS8,. 188,000 bushels, of grain, at a cost of 1,500,000,000 francs, or 800,000,000, M. Levasski h declare.-, that it is impossible impos-sible to cope, with the t'aiii'ine, as it would need !i;it)(l ships to carry this amount of I'hui; and I'ven it' it could be obtained, il could not be distributed over tlc surface of 1,000,000 square kil-omeittrs kil-omeittrs 1,000 square utiles), to the 5,400.0(111 homes which are iu Immediate noed of food to preserve life. M. I.i;y asseuk's calculations, moreover, leave out ol consideration one of the worst and most prominent factors of tho famine, fam-ine, ike official corruption and plundering, plunder-ing, which are worse now than ever. |