§ MR. B. POTTERasked the Under Secretary of State for India, Whether his attention has been drawn to a statement in the "Times" of the 15th instant, said to be based mainly on official data, to the effect that the mortality caused by the recent famine in the Madras and Bombay Presidencies and Mysore is not far short of six millions; and, whether the Government is in possession of any information tending to confirm or disprove said statement?
§ MR. E. STANHOPEYes, Sir, my attention has been called to the statement alluded to. The Returns which we have at present received from India are very imperfect, and by quoting them I might run the risk of misleading the House; but as soon as we are in possession of fuller information it shall be laid on the Table of the House. The Returns disclose, I regret to say, a very lamentable loss of life; but, so far as they go, they do not lead us to suppose that the mortality at all approached to that stated by the Correspondent of The Times. I would point out that the diminution of population, whatever it may be, is due not only to mortality, but to a very large emigration of people who have left the distressed districts in search of work or sustenance.