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people who got disorganised during the initiation of the relief measures, and whose case is not perfectly met by the system of gratuitous relief, boundless though that seems. The relief agency, being of necessity all native, is next to useless for the emergency without constant and vigorous European control; and the European officers are so trammelled with the details of their ordinary routine, that they can spare very little time to see that daily village inspection, and the prompt relief of distressed persons, are vigilantly carried out.'

The death returns for the months of April and May are thus summarised:

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CHAPTER V.

WAITING FOR THE SOUTH-WEST MONSOON.

A VERY short time sufficed to show the cyclonic rains in the latter part of May to be of comparatively small extent, and beyond providing fodder for cattle, and averting a water famine in some districts, very little had been done towards alleviating the distress. Except a decrease of 15,937 persons on the East Coast Canal in Nellore, there was little difference in the weekly lists. These people were not in Government employ, simply because the storm had submerged the works and no employment was to be had; they had, however, to be ported on gratuitous relief. As the period of distress continued, suffering became greatly intensified. In Bellary especially the long-continued state of scarcity told with terrible effect upon the much-tried people. Official reports of deaths from starvation were received. Forty-three deaths occurred from privation at the Civil Dispensary and relief camps in the town in fourteen days. New districts were brought into the area of distress, and week by week larger numbers came on the hands of Government.

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The south-west monsoon is due in Madras early in June. It strikes the western coast of Ceylon about May 24, and proceeds slowly northward, reaching Malabar a few days after. In the first week of June the authorities were buoyed up with the hope that the seasonal rains would fall, eight inches having been reported to have fallen at Trevandrum in Travancore in

eight days from May 28. Reports came soon after of heavy plumps' of rain in Bellary, Kurnool, and Cuddapah, but nothing like what was needed. A characteristic of the rain at this time was the partial manner in which it fell. Very heavy showers would fall with a dash from blackened skies over a small area, whilst all around the skies continued as iron. An examination of the meteorological returns furnished to the Press by Mr. N. R. Pogson, C.I.E., Government Astronomer, showed that the solar heat in vacuo was ten degrees above the average, and from this circumstance it was inferred that moisture was absorbed, even condensation over a large extent of country was impossible, hence the dashes' of rainfall which alone. were reported. The Madras Government adopted this conclusion, but expressed it in very popular language when they remarked, 'All hopes of a general good monsoon are futile, and in some districts serious deficiencies must be anticipated. The clouds have been apparently entirely dispersed and hurried away by a strong and parching west wind, which has prevailed for some time, and in some cases the sprouting crops have been reported as withering under its influence.'

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Minor causes of suffering had been provided by the cyclone which visited the city of Madras and its neighbourhood in May. Five hundred houses belonging to the poor population, Mahomedan chiefly, were destroyed, and an appeal for help in rebuilding these having been made to Government, his Grace the Governor suggested a charitable subscription, heading the list himself with a donation, and suggesting that the municipality should take up the task. This was the first step in a new departure,' which, shortly, was to have important consequences. The cattle, too, suffered very much during the cyclone. They had become

FOOD SUPPLY AND FOOD PRICES.

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greatly enfeebled for want of proper food and nourishment generally, and when the cold winds blew and the heavy rain fell, they perished like flies in an English winter. They died in herds. In the small district of Chingleput, 11,600 are reported to have succumbed.

The chief subjects of concern to the local Government were the question of food-supply and the prices of food-stuffs. As regards supply, merchants were active, but only moderately so, considering, as they did, that the fall of rain would at once lower prices, and leave them in a precarious situation, with large stores in stock. To June 15 320,000 tons had been imported, and proof was given that the food stocks of the people were gradually exhausted by this vast quantity being consumed without delay, leaving the country stores much in the position of the widow's barrel of meal during the scarcity at Zarepta: the bottom was often scraped, but there was always a replenished store. Having no hopes of a miracle being worked in their favour, the authorities were apprehensive that a time. would come when there would be no replenishing, and the disaster would of necessity be appalling. Apart from this, a source of disquiet existed in the fact that prices were abnormally high. Famines in India have not hitherto been fought on any uniform plan. In Behar in 1874, when prices had reached 10 seers for a rupee, Government grain was poured into the market: in Madras prices had got down to 6 and 7 seers per rupee, but no intervention was permitted, and bitter complaints were made by those in places of responsibility in consequence. Before the end of July, moreover, the small Government reserves were trenched upon in some directions. Appreciating the gravity of the situation, and feeling their responsibility very

heavily, the Madras Government addressed the supreme authorities, and pointed out that for some weeks there had been a gradual and continuous rise in prices in the districts of the Presidency generally. This rise had left the prices, which were now generally stationary, at very high rates. The collectors' reports, however, showed that, while in April all markets were supplied with raggi, cholum, or cumboo, as well as rice, at the end of May, in Tanjore, no cholum, raggi, or no cholum or cumboo in two others were obtainable, while rice was 7.5 seers to the rupee in three markets. In Trichinopoly out of five markets no grain, except rice, was obtainable, and rice was 6.5 seers the rupee in Udyapollum. In Coimbatore, rice was 4.9 seers the rupee in Collegal taluk and raggi 6·9, while prices were high generally in Pollachi taluk. In Salem, prices at Tripatore were, rice 6.42 seers the rupee, raggi 8.12, and cumboo 7.44, while in Salem itself rice was 7.68. In Bellary, though prices were stationary, in Kudlighi and Hurpanhully rice was 5.25 seers the Hadgully, while cholum was 6 to 6 In South Arcot, of eight markets quoted in four, nor cumboo in two. six markets, cholum and cumboo were not quoted in each of five markets. In South Canara cholum and cumboo were not quoted. In Tinnevelly cholum and cumboo were not quoted in four and three markets out of five. In Malabar cholum and cumboo were not quoted at all. In Madura cholum was not quoted in one out of six markets. In Kistna, out of four markets cumboo was not quoted in two. On the Nilgiris, of four markets cholum was not quoted in one, cumboo in two. In Godavery, of six markets cumboo was not quoted in four. In Kurnool the price at Ramalcottah was quoted for rice at 6.0, while cholum was 7·1, and

rupee, and 5.5 in seers the rupee. cholum was not In Chingleput, of

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