The Friend of India and Statesman Friday January 31st 1879

THE distress of the people all over India is extreme owing to the famine prices of food which again are largely the result of the low value of the rupee. [...] The head of the Survey Deparment was olosetted with the Viceroy on the subject some time ago and the only approach to a straightforward course now left to us fa to settle with ourselves what the change is to be and notify it to the Link with good temper and courtesy. [...] Gladstone called the attention of the house to this very passage in the despatch and demanded in vain of the Ministers who were sitting opposite to him the grounds on which the statement was made as there was not one word in the papers to corroborate it. [...] Finally the Viceroy hew reason to believe that the hearing of the Anne's officials is increasingly unfriendly towards the British Agency at the Court of Lis Highness ; that Intercommunications between the Agency and the people of Cabal has been publicly prohibited by the Mayor of the City of Cabul ; that the British Agent is apprehensive as to his personal safety. [...] The lapse may be avoided by a re-allotment of the unexpended balance to some other work in sufficient time to admit of its being expended before the end of the official year: The power of thus re-allotting funds rests according to the magnitude and cost of the work with the Government of India Chief Engineers and Superintending Engineers.