FAMINES.
Qahat, . . . ARAB. rambre , SP Hunger-snoth, . GER. Achlik, . . . TURK.
Carestia, IT Famines have repeatedly occurred in S. Asia and in India, owing to tbe failure of rain, but occasionally aggravated by wars, necessitating an interruption to agricultural operations, and ren dered longer distressing by succeeding swarms of insects and rats.
The Rev. Robert Everest seems to have been the first who adduced facts to show that unfavour able seasons in India are periodical. In the report on the Bengal famine of 1860-61, Colonel Baird Smith recommended irrigation, and remarked on the rough periodicity of famines, and it may be said that local famines recur in one part of the country or other every 5, 10, or 15 years, and greater famines occur in successive centuries, at intervals of 50, 100, and 150 years. Dr. W. W. Hunter, about the year 1877, mentioned that the years of famine in the Madras Presidency had been 1811, 1824, 1833, 1854, 1866, and 1877, there being deficient rainfall in preceding years. The years 1810 and 1823 were years of minimum sun spots ; 1832 was a year preceding minimum sun spots; 1853 was the third, and 1865 and 1876 were the second, years preceding minimum sun spots. The average rainfall in Madras from 1813 to 1876 was 48'51 inches, and in all the famine years the rainfall was far below the average. And, from the occurrence of sun spots and of rainfall, between the years 1813 and 1876, he arrived at the-conclusion that the minimum period in the cycle of sun spots has been a period of regularly recurring and strongly-markeddrought in S. India.
In the past 109 years, 21 famines and scarcities are recorded, making a proportion of two bad seasons to seven good. Of the greater famines there have been eight at intervals which have reached 12 years. Five have afflicted the 19th century, and have affected 202 millions of people. The practical result is that the Indian Government must be prepared for a drought followed by severe distress every twelve years, though an extreme famine may not ravage any one province oftener than once in fifty years. There seems some tend
ency for a bad year in the north to follow immedi ately a bad year in the south.
Great famines devastated the N.W. Provinces in 1770, 1783, 1803, 1819, 1837, 1861; and 1877. Droughts of less importance visited the same regions in 1733, 1744, 1752, 1790, 1813, 1826, 1833, and 1873. The less serious drougas occurred at intervals of 6 or 8 years ; but at intervals ranguag from 13 to 24 yeara the failures of rainfall have been sufficient to involve a bad famine. Each of the great famines was preluded by years of climatic irregularity, especially noticeable in the case of the famines of 1803, 1837, and 1861 ; the same phenomenon announced the advent of the dearth in 1877 in the N.W. Provinces.
Famines have been recurring in Asia from the most ancient times. That one mentioned as of the time of Abraham, was about B.C. 2247 ; that in Genesis xlii., which led to the sojourn of the Israelites in Egypt, was about 500 years later.
503-443 B.C. ? In India, during the reign of the emperor Jye-chand, there was great pestilence and famine. 331 A.D. Antioch, a bushel of wheat was sold for 400 pieces of silver.
336. Syria, famine and plague.
381. Antioch, famine and plague during reign of em peror Theodosius the Great.
1022. India, during the reign of Musaood 1., great drought followed by famine ; whole countries de populated.
1052-1060. Seven years' drought inGhor ; the earth was burned up, and many men and animals perished. 1215. Famine of a severe kind is said to have lasted from Samvat 1204 (A.D. 1148) to Samvat 1215. 1291. A terrible famine about Dehli, from drought. 1299. Persia ravaged by pestilence and farnine. 1337. China, a famine and pestilence.
1342. Famine in Debit, very severe.
1344-45. Famine over all Hindustan ; very severe in the Dekhan ; the emperor /ffuhammad was unable to obtain the necessaries for his household.