Famine

fam'in, general scarcity of food. Although it is allowable to speak of a garrison suffering from famine, the term is restricted by careful writers usually to a considerable territory and a large population. Famine is most likely to occur in case a dense population is dependent on a single product for a supply of food, and has limited means of obtaining food from outside. Under such circumstances a crop failure is followed by terrible suffering and loss of life. Some of the natural causes that bring about a loss of crops and subsequent famine are flooding, unusual frosts, drought, and insect plagues. Not infrequently, in time of war, a population has been prevented from planting. History records nearly four hundred grievous famines. We have no way of estimating the number that have occurred in prehistoric times and in remote localities. The Scriptures speak of several famines. The most noted is, of course, that during which Jacob and his sons took refuge in Egypt. The forethought of their kinsman, Joseph, had caused wheat to be stored up in granaries against the day of dire want.

The rice raisers of China and India have been particularly subject to famine. As late as 1877-8, 9,000,000 Chinese died for want of food. The Chinese suffered again in 1903. The British government has expended enormous sums in feeding the natives of India in time of want. In 1769-70 3,000,000 Hindus perished of starvation. In 1865-6 half as many more died. In 1877, the year also of the great Chinese famine, half a million starved to death. In 1901 the government distributed nearly $30,000,000 by way of relief. Contributions were sent from all parts of the world. Shiploads of flour, it may be remembered, were sent from the United States. In 1870-72 a quarter of the population of Persia, estimated by some at nearly 2,000,000, died of starvation. In 1846 the potato crop in Ireland failed. Despite the disbursement of $50,000,000 by the British Parliament and help from other countries, particularly America, it is estimated that Ireland lost 2,000,000 inhabitants. Burial was difficult, so many people died of famine. Hundreds of thousands of emigrants left the country for the United States and Canada. In 879 food was scarce throughout Europe. In 1125 half the population of Germany died for want of food.

The multiplication of railroads and canals, the greater certainty of navigation, owing to the use of steam in propelling ships, greater diversity of crops and greater intelligence in the distribution of food supplies, render it probable that famines will one day be brought under control. One of the greatest difficulties in the way at the present time is the extreme poverty of large masses of the population. In southern Russia, for instance, in 1891-2, when 27,000,000 people were short of food and entire villages were dying of starvation, wealthy merchants in nearby ports were actually selling wheat to be shipped to the London market, the peasantry having no money or credit with which to buy. In such cases it is the plain duty of the government to prevent exportation.

See Food