Show FAMINE ah CONDITION OF CROPS IN PROVINCE OF INDIA new york nov 27 rev J E abbott of the american board ot foreign SUs siona for eighteen years stationed at bombay and who la now in new york makes the following summary of vicar cursons Cur zons report to tho legislative council of india on the famine the conditions are favorable in bengal madras and at least a halt of the northwest province of bind and southwest punjab in burmah there has been a bumper rice crop these regions will be able to export grain to the needy western coast mediocre conditions are anticipated n he the t south catharia Mat haria and south deacan districts of the bombay presidency a large portion of the dominions tho greater portion of abo central india agency the western halt of the northwestern provinces and tho northern districts of the punjab in this belt of country the crops leave been marked failures but it ils hoped that distress will not be excessive the seriously affected area comprises square miles inhabited by 30 I 1 people it includes about alve sixtus sixths of the central provinces nearly the whole of the beears north deacan and Gu in the bombay presidency and south and central punjab together with the territories of large and important native states in central aal western india tho largo group of the dindore indore state virtually the whole of ana and some minor states in central india are very seriously affected the area Is larger than that of the famine of 1896 7 but the population affected Is less it is expected that the cost of the famine to the government up to march 1900 will be rupees about aside from advances to agri culturists and th e loss of revenue in tho affected area notwithstanding what the government may be expected to do there will be soon large classes of the native population that may tie saved from perishing by the timely exercise of private commenting upon the situation as described by lord curzon mr abbott says the recovery of the people from the famine of 1897 has been slow A month ago persons were employed on relief works and the number now reaches cases of death by starvation in northern reported months ago if such was tie condition thus early even in part in the famine area it argues sadly for the days to come when distress will become more general the question will naturally arise as to the best avenue for sending relief until other relief committees are starred the missionary bodies aiford organizations ready for distributing the bounty of this country the american presbyterian methodist episcopal canadian presbyterian alliance mission and discipline church boards all chave missions in the famine area the time to belp Is a the very beginning of the famine |