PREFACE 



THE writer of this book having read about Indian 

 famines and statements as to the generally half- 

 starved condition of a large part of the Indian 

 population, decided to visit that country in order to 

 get some idea of its actual condition. He travelled 

 from north to south and east to west. Furnished 

 with introductions to the Governor-General and the 

 three Presidency Governors, he had access to Indian 

 Civil Servants and Indian gentlemen from whom he 

 got information. Also he conversed with labouring 

 agriculturalists and inspected some of their dwellings. 

 He found a great mass of statistics in the publications 

 of the Indian Government, and reports and books 

 by men of eminence and of scientific attainments, and 

 by Engineers, Agriculturalists, Economists, Medical 

 Men, Professors and Teachers of great Indian ex- 

 perience. The India Office in Westminster and in 

 Calcutta, and the Indian Trade Commissioner in 

 the City and Indian gentlemen resident in London 

 gave valuable information. 



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