The official telegrams this week about the Bengal Famine do
not seem to us so optimist as the nmes says. They contain the usual nonsense about 21 deaths, while the "chief magistrate of Tirhoot," in a letter accidentally published, mentions " many deaths" before relief began, but they contain also grave admis- sions. The Viceroy, for instance, says he has ordered a report in Burdwan, where "distress has appeared," which means that famine is appearing south of the Ganges. We have pointed for months to that district as the one sure to go first, from the wretched condition of the people, who are permanently stricken down with fever. Then on 18th April Lord Northbrook telegraphs that in Tirhoot it is impossible to prepare the land for rice—i.e., that a second year's famine is inevitable among 4,000,000 of people—and that in parts of Rajshahye the exhaustion of private stocks is expected shortly. This is con- -firmed also by Sir R. Temple, who states on 20th inst. that in 'Chumparun and Seetamoree " distress is increasing everywhere, but is being met." All this is not reassuring, even if we omit the non-official statements that more than three millions of people are now on the hands of Government, and that a great disaster has happened at Goruckpore. We remain convinced that the number on Government hands will be seven millions yet, but we weary of playing Cassandra and being abused for it. Everything is being done that can be done except providing transport for the storm in the Burdwan Division, in which no official as yet fully believes.
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