London, Oct. 2.
The Rt. Rev. William Charles White, Bishop of Honan, writing m "The Times" with reference to the famine in Honan, says: "The total failure of the crops appears to due to drought, wherefore there are hopes that the calamity will forse the authorities to tap the Yellow River for the much-needed irrigate ion scheme, which has been mooted for years."
Bishop White declares that the sudden prevalence of famine conditions is due to the extreme poverty of the people, the great population for which provision is necessary, and the lack of waterways and adequate facilities for the convey an of food-stuffs from the more fortunate districts outside the famine area.
Commenting on the extreme horror of the situation, he declares that, while the coming winter will bring forth very severe suffering, next spring, when typhus will doubtless appear, will be the time of the greatest mortality. Bishop White points out that arrangements are being made for a relief committee 12 England, and meanwhile the Hongkong & Shanghai Bank is receiving subscriptions which will be immediately forwarded to China.-~ Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.