ABSTRACT
The examiner chimed in remarking on the similarity between decisions made about the Irish Famine and those made about the famine in Orissa. Imperial Government having taken the duty of prevision and provision for the future, has proved itself incapable of foresight and incompetent to provide. When taxes are laid upon the purchase or sale of food, and laws are maintained regulating the terms of labour and the tenure of land. In 1867 the self-same things occurred in Orissa. By official confession myriads of lives paid the forfeit of these shortcomings; and had it not been for the importunate and imperative interposition of the press, a like melancholy result would five years ago have occurred in Lancashire. But the unhappy people weakened by hunger were in numberless cases physically unequal to labour efficiently; and when they did earn adequate wages, they were unable to find the food in store within reasonable distance of their homes.
