INDIAN FAMINES - Institute for Social and Economic Change

AND PRESS (JRITI(JISJI. 155
first been determined to purchase more than
double the quantity; but it was found that merchants,
so far from being discouraged by the State
importing, accepted it as a guarantee that the importing
grain was not likely to be attended with
loss, and had redoubled their .own exertions,
rendering it practicable and desirable for the
State to withdraw from further action."
No.5. The uncertainty that exists concerning
the probable duration of the famine, has
been indirectly noticed when discussing the
uncertainties that surround a previous question
-viz., whether there is a famine impending or
not. "The rains" are the grand fertilisers of
India; and if these fail entirely, then, as a rule,
provision may at once be made for ten or eleven
months-i. ,e., until the first of the succeeding
rainy-season crops are ready. But this again
brings us face to face with the fact,. that it ill
just possible that this succeeding rainy season
may also fail to bring its proper amount of
moisture, in which case the calculations for
the requirements of the population would be a
very easy matter indeed; there would be no
uncertainty then. It is therefore necessary to