Apropos of this whole problem of recurring crop failure and famine distress, it is interesting to note what an opportunity Honan he the very present tine of grappling with the question of prevention. ganized on lines approved Peking Commission. It has eng ed permanent executive secretaries, both Chinese and foreign, and is pitiful to hear concurrent reports iMiculties connoted in the words Famine prevention."
The present opportunity arixex from the willingness of the Commission to fully ce-operate with the local torves both in the allocation of expert men and the appropria: tion of money to carry through an adequate survey of the Yellow River and to project plans for a comprehensive conservancy" scheme From the reports one gets of the Association work, rather of their proposals for work, the public ean-not but approve "their schemes, which are wholly calculated to in sure crops and to lessen oF prevent the ehaneex of future famines their consequent distress. [Lis very pitiful to hear concurrent reports The Yellow River.
When Mr. 0, J. Todd was min: Honan he made a report to the Ai ing. some moat teresting features, ITs proposal was that the Yellow River control is at present the most important engineering problem in. Honan, Properly to recommend any schemes, for the solution of this problem, most careful studies should be made extending over a period of several months. - Undoubtedly. the schemes that would be approved on the basis of this field work would call for improvement along the river for istanee of about 250 miles, from the Joes hills northwest of Loyang tw the Chihli boundary. If these schemes could be carried through they would add approximately $50, 000,000 to the wealth of the province in newly reclaimed farm lands besides preparing the way for ox-tensive irrigation and refertilization works along the river.
In some parts that came under the chief engineer's notice the river is from five to 10 li wide, and in these parts the stream is but from one to two feet deep. It could be narrowed down to one and a half and the stream deepened to 30 Foot. If this wore done there would be a million mow of land reclaimed undoubtedly, and the river banks under stich a scheme w built that there would not be the constant the ent of overflow of the river waters in the time of vuinfall,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.