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Commons, between Free Traders and Protectionists, 

 I have no doubt they would prefer adopting the 

 customs of their own country, and would consider 

 the neighbouring Rajas wise rulers, and their own 

 Government, either, very imbecile, or very cruel and 

 oppressive. Nor do I cite altogether a suppositi- 

 tious case. Something very similar actually did 

 occur in this district last year ; and such cases 

 are almost daily occuring ia some part of this vast 

 Empire. As I write ' the Famine in the Deccan 

 seems to have become most severe, specially in the 

 district of Ahmednuggnr. The coarsest grain sells 

 in British territory at 8 seers for the rupee, but 

 it is affirmed that our own police obtain it at the 

 rate of 16 seers. On the Nizam's side of the Goda- 

 very the usual coercion of the grain dealers has 

 been resorted to, and the rate of 18 seers prevails. 

 But a cordon of the Nizam's police all along the 

 frontier prevents all intercourse from our side. The 

 people of Ahmednuggur let their cattle go wild, and 

 themselves flock in hundreds to the Railway works. 

 The wells are dried up, no rain having fallen since 

 June. We fear this will affect seriously the cotton 

 crop, July being the sowing season'* 



Such visitations, human foresight cannot avert, 

 but it may be worthy of consideration, whether, for 

 the maintenance of an abstract principle, or a 



* 'Friend of India,' newspaper 25th September 1862. 



