INDIAN FAMINES - Institute for Social and Economic Change

A FEW GENERAL CRITICISMS. 125
The number of miles of open railway in England
and Wales at the end of 1872 is given at
11,366 ; if. we may now take it at 11,682 miles,
or, say, in round numbers, double the length of
that open in India. Our figures are:-
England, .
India,
Area, eq. m.
58,311
1,556,836
27 times greater.
Population.
22,712,266
200,500,000
10 times the number.
Mlles'of railway.
England, 11,682; 1 in 5 sq. m.
India, 6000; 1 in 256 "
I.e., over 60 times the
accommooation for traffic.
Beaboard(mlIea).
2000; 1 in 29 sq. m.
3500; 1 in 445 "
I.e., 16 times the
accommodation.
That is, the population being ten times less than
India, England has therefore 500 times the
power, in this respect alone, and 160 times by
sea, to accommodate the wants of her people,
that India has. Or, in other words, England
could distribute about 660 loaves to every indio
vidual of her population with the same ease
that India could distribute only om. Nor
must it be forgotten that these figures by no
means represent the full power of distribution
• See Statesman'8 Handbook (or 1874.