264 THE INTERRUPTION OF INDUSTRY 



the depopulation may be found in the Settlement 

 Reports. 



The sole object of quoting these painful records is 

 to show the acuteness of unavoidable suffering in days 

 when facilities of transport were defective. Public 

 and private charity were never wanting, but they were 

 unable to do more than touch the fringe of the distress. 

 Mr. Rose 'doubted whether it was not beyond the 

 power of Government, as it certainly was of the local 

 authority, to give adequate relief; and as for private 

 charity, though the inclination to contribute was 

 general, the amount subscribed was as a drop in the 

 ocean compared with the general distress.' The 

 Government at headquarters seconded to the best of 

 its ability the efforts of the local officers ; in Farukh- 

 abad ' permission was accorded to the magistrate to 

 make disbursements from the public treasury to any 

 amount without limit for the employment of the desti- 

 tute on works of public utility'; roads were built and 

 tanks excavated. Private individuals fed at their own 

 cost a limited number of persons a day. Mr. Hamilton, 

 the Commissioner of the Agra Division, gives a some- 

 what grudging recognition of the work done in the 

 Feudatory States. ' In a season of such unprecedented 

 calamity it is a noble sight to view the thousands who 

 are saved from death by the generosity of the British 

 Government. In this respect we have set an example 

 to surrounding States, of which but little advantage 

 has been taken. Yet they have done something, 

 though trifling. In Bhurtpore baked cakes are dis- 

 tributed at each of the gates daily to as many as apply, 

 as far as the amount (5 maunds each gate, I believe) 

 will go. In Dholepore and at Baru one day's food is 

 given to every traveller, but he must pass on, and 

 food is distributed to the poor of the territory as in 

 Bhurtpore, though I know not the limit. In Gualior I 

 am not aware that any sort of assistance is afforded by 

 the State, but the inhabitants of that country have the 



