Tux droughts of China during the present century have been beyond all example destructive of human life and exceptionally demand the consideration of the foreign and native philanthropist. General Wilson in his late book has called attention to the death by famine of eleven auillions in the years 1877, 1878. Fortunately we are able to judge fairly well in this case that this total number of those who perished is not an exaggeration, because many Protestant and Catholicinissionaries wereeyewituesses, and a copious collection of facts is printed in the published report of the amine Comnhittee, which brought to a conclusion its admirable labours in Sep tember 1879.
The first protective measure is the introduction of railways to cheapen the conveyance of food. There is always enough grain in South China to supply the needs of the provinces where famine prevails, and the lines ought as far as possible to run North and South so that the distribution of food may be facilitated in that direction. "The railway. system ought to be from North to South in order to supply the deficiencies of the river system which is from West to East. 'I'he Grand Canal conveys grain to Shantung and Chibli, The railways ought to convey grain and other commodities from the trade centres of the Yangtve by a trunk line pass ing the centre of each of the Northern provinces. Kiangsu and Chekiang should supply Shantung and Chihli. Southern Auhuei, Kiangsi and Hunan, should supply Northern Auhuei, Shansi, and Honan, while Hunan and Szechuen should be the granaries of Shensi_ and Kansu. Each of the prefectures of the northern provinces should have a branch line from the province trunk line, Nothing is more important than grain as a commodity in commerce, so that there can be no doubt that the future alway system of China must be based ible with suitable modifications. The tea and silk trade must be of less total value and ought to have less influence on the programme of the railway system than the grain trade. The second preventive measure is an extension of the irrigation system of canals, especially by the use of the water of the Yellow River. All along the banks of the upper course where the river flows between Shansi and Shensi, in the Ordos country beyond the Great Wall, and in Kansu along the line of the Great Wall, at ey availablespot, irrigation reservoirs ought to be_ constructed, These should be numerous
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.