INDIAN FAMINES - Institute for Social and Economic Change

52 RECENT FAMINES.
and is only of nse to those whose object or
duty it is to be cognisant of it.
In studying these details, one of the first
points which strikes the attention is tIle unusual
early note of alarm that was sounded by
the Government. This was no doubt the result
of experience, because in many previous
famines it was known that indifferent years had
preceded that of absolute famine; and having
this warning, together with a present great
deficiency of rain to add to the alarm, it
was of course natural to predict the worst.
In the North -Western Province - in fact,
throughout Upper India generally-" the rains"
are looked for at any time within ten days
of the middle of June. The 15th of June is
looked upon as the normal day for their" setting
in ;" and should they hold off' till the 25th,
they are considered" late." There is no wonder,
then, when up to the 13th July "scarcely a
drop ofrain had fallen in the Doab," * that the
prospects should have been considered alarming.
The Lieutenant-Governor, therefore, on the 18th
July, wrote a long memorandum to all Com-
• See Dote, page 11.