The most important news with reference to the famine is
that Lord Northbrook has associated Sir Richard Temple with Sir George Campbell in the Lieutenant-Governorship of Bengal, and given him full control over the famine arrangements ; but we have discussed that elsewhere. The rest of the news consists of reports that the rivers are still sinking away, that both Govern- ments have decided that measures of active relief must be com- menced, that the rice blocks the regular traffic on the railways, and that " the water route failing, a system of cart-trains has been organised." In Burdwan prices are higher than in 1866, but the system of relief-works is still in force, and till the dis- tress is severer, pay is only given out for task-work. All this is most disastrous, more especially as we shall hear probably within the month that cholera has broken out on the works. There is no good intelligence at all, not even the quarter of an inch of rain so gratifying to some minds.
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