1839] 



in periods of Famine. 



217 



in general, and from them also to prove the inability of the dealers 

 to meet the extraordinarily large demand of famine. But on these 

 points I must refer to the remarks made in the former part of 

 these notes ;* and I would ground my second and further objec- 

 tion lo the application of Dr. Smith's doctrine to this country, upon the 

 facts just adduced. They appear to me to establish this important 

 point.— That how great soever may be the incentive of self-interest, and 

 the intelligence of the mercantile body of this Presidency, there is not 

 now practically, that intercommunication between our provinces or dis- 

 tant markets, which would enable the private dealer (as Dr. Smith as- 

 sumes) readily to meet the wants of a district suffering from bad seasons ; 

 and that if left to private exertion, the country must experience all the 

 horrors of f^imine every season of general drought. And such accord- 

 ingly was the case in 1824, when hundreds and thousands perished at 

 Madras and its neighbourhood, although it was then confidently pre- 

 dicted by the first authorities, that if left to himself, the private merchant 

 would bring in ample supplies. 



Though I do not think any thing further is required to establish the 

 inadequacy of private effort to meet the exigency of famine, there is a 

 consideration, applicable chiefly to the rural districts of the Presidency? 

 which it may be well to bring under review. In such districts, a 

 difficulty, wholly unknown in Europe, to the timely and adequate 

 supply of food in seasons of famine, arises it is probable from the 

 peculiar condition at this date of South Indian society. Nine-tenths 

 and more of the population of those districts are agricultural, or 

 subsist directly from the land; and a large proportion depends for 

 entire support on the out-turn of the year. The agricultural labourers, 

 the great bulk of the population, do not, as in Europe, receive their 

 wages in money, and obtain their supplies of food from the baker, who 

 has capital embarked in the grain trade, and who procures his corn from 

 a distance or near, as may best suit his interest ; but they are paid their 

 wages in kind, when the harvest is gathered in, and on that they must 

 subsist through the year. If the harvest fails, whence are their wants 

 to be supplied ? It is not, I conceive, in the nature of things, that the 

 petty village grain merchant, whose ordinary traffic is confined to the 

 supply of a few families, by purchases made on the spot, should have a 

 stock in hand to meet the large extra demand of the labouring class, 

 which he could give to them on credit. And even the substantial ryot, 

 when he has no store left from the crops of former years, cannot I should 

 suppose venture to give any aid at such a crisis — so that it may be 

 doubted, unless supplies of grain are introduced by foreign agency, and 



* No. XXII. p. 74. 



