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THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 30TH MARCH, 1861.
room for difference of opinion as to the destination of the sum that may be collected in Calcutta. The first want of the famine- struck districts is, for the present at least, simply MONEY. There is every reason to believe that food is available for purchase, at high rates indeed, but in sufficient quantities. Private enterprise is playing its usual natural and healthy part in snel emergencies, and to interfere with it in any way, so long as it is plainly adequate to all needful aids, would be pure fatuity, Leaving therefore the supply of grain in the hands of the merchants now stimulated to extraordinary exertions and justly re- warded for them by famine prices, what the Committee have to do is to make their money reach the sufferers either as payment for labor or as food, through the channels that will make it go farthest and do most. There is some danger that localities having European residents ready and willing to make their wants widely known, may absorb much too large a share of such aid as is available, to the exclusion of the remote but not less suffering village communities. Now whoever else may forget these villages it is absolutely certain that the Revenue Officers from the Lieutenant-Governors to the Deputy Collectors, never will do so, for the sufficient reason that on the villages the land Revenue depends, and with it all the personal interests and pro- fessional instincts of these gentlemen are intimately allied. It is probable therefore that, taking a large view of the matter, every one will agree that it is safest and best for those at a distance and wholly unacquainted with the distribution of suffer- ing in detail throughout the different districts, to work through Local Authorities of known reputation and capacity. Hence the decision of the Executive Committee to make their first remittances for the North West to Mr. Edmonstone, and for the Punjab to Sir Robert Montgomery, will be generally accepted as the soundest they could have arrived at under present cir-
cumstances.
Let ail who have subscribed to the Relief Fund, or who mean to subscribe, bear in mind that Promptitude in payment is literally Life to the Dying.-Friend of India January 31st, 1861.
FAMINE RELIEF FUND.
Pursuant to the Advertisement issued by the Bengal Chamber of Commerce, a large and influential Meeting was held at the Rooms of the Chamber, at 4 P.M., yesterday, for the purpose of concerting measures towards alleviating the distress from Famine prevailing in the North-Western Provinces :---
The following Resolutions were unanimously adopted :-
1st Resolution.-Proposed by J. N. Bullen, Esq., seconded by W. S. Fitzwilliam, Esq.-
That Colonel R. Baird Smith, be requested to take the Chair.
2nd Resolution.--Proposed by E. D. Kilburn, Esq., seconded by Baboo Prosonocoomar Tagore→
That this Meeting, sympathising with the distress which prevails over a large portion of the North-Western Provin- ces, in consequence of the failure of the crops during the last season, and desirous of alleviating that distress so far as may be in its power, resolves that a Public Subscription be raised in Calcutta and its vicinity; and that the active co-operation of the sister Presidencies in this good work be invited.
3rd Resolution.-Proposed by II. B. Harington, Esq., seconded by Raja Kalikrishna Bahadoor--
requested to form a General Committee,
That the following Gentlemen be The Hon'ble Sir Bartle Frere, K. C. B. The Hon'ble J. P. Grant.
The Hon'ble Sir Barnes Peacock, wr. The Right Rev. the Lord Bishop of Cal-
cutta.
The Hon'ble C. Bendon.
The Hon'ble S. Laing.
H. B. Harington, Esq.
A. Sconce, Esq.
C. J. Erskine, Esq.
H. Forbes, Esq.
The Hon'ble Sir C. R. M. Jackson, KT.
The Hon'ble Sir M. L. Wells, KT.
The Ven'ble Archdeacon J. H. Pratt,
The Rev. A. Duff, D. D.
The Rev. II. IIutton.
The Rev. J. Richards.
The Rev. J. C. Herdinan.
The Rev. J. Sale.
The Rev. E. Storrow.
The Most Rev. the Vicar Apostolic H.
Goiran, p. D.
The Rev. Ter Tohannes Catchick.
The Rev. G. Jonnides.
W. Ritchie, Esq.
T. H. Cowie, Esq.
W. Theobald, Esq.
A. T. T. Peterson, Esq.
Macleod Wylie, Esq.
R. Molloy, Esq.
R. M. Thomas, Esq.
The Hon'ble E. Drummond.
C. H. Lushington, Esq.
A. Grote, Esq.
W. Seton-Karr, Esq.
C. Chapman, Esq.
W. Grey, Esq., C. S. H. V. Bayley, Esq., c. s. George Loch, Esq., c. s.
C. B. Trevor, Esq., c. s.
S. Wauchope, Esq., C. B.
R. Temple, Esq., C. s.
Genl. Sir John Hearsey, K. C. B.
Col. J. C. Hannyngton.
Col W. B. Thomson, c. B.
Col. E. W. S. Scott.
Col. C. B. Young,
with power to add to their number:
The Consul for Spain.
Col. R. Baird Smith, c. B. and. a D. C.
to the Queen.
Col. Balfour.
Major F. D. Atkinson.
Major C. V. Bowie. Major H. L. Thuillier. Copt. J. Rennie, C. D. Capt. J. G. Reddie. Dr. J. Forsyth.
Dr A. Macrae.
Dr. J. Macpherson.
Dr. N. Chevers.
Ditto for Sweden and Norway. J. O'B. Saunders, Esq. W. Brett, Esq. A. Forbes, Esq. George Smith, Esq.
J. N. Bullen, Esq. E. D. Kilburn, Esq.
W. S. Fitzwilliam, Esq.
P. T. Ralli, Esq.
J. P. Sagrandi, Esq. David Cowie, Esq. George Dickenson, Esq. Seth Apear, Esq.
W. McAdam Stewart, Esq. George Brown, Esq. W. F. Fergusson, Esq. J. P. McKilligian, Est. Edward Palmer, Esq. George Turnbull, Esq. J. C. Batchelor, Esq. G. F. Remfry, Esq. C. Lazarus, Esq.
The Consul for the United States of F. Jennings, Esq.
America.
Ditto for France.
Ditto for Bremen.
Ditto for Denmark.
Ditto for Belgium. Ditto for Greece. Ditto for Hamburg. Ditto for Hanover. Ditto for Netherlands. Ditto for Portugal.
Ditto for Prussia. Ditto for Sardinia.
C. J. Pittar, Esq.
Rajah Pertanbchunder Sing Bahadoor.
Raja Radakant Bahadoor.
Raja Kalikrishna Bahadoor.
Baboo Prosonocoomar Tagore.
Baboo Ramanauth Tagore.
Baboo Ramapersaud Roy. Coomar Suttyanund Ghosal. Manockjee Rustomjer, Esq. Moonshee Amir Alli. Moulve Abdool Luteef.
4th Resolution.--Proposed by Baboo Ramapersed Roy, seconded by David Cowie, Esq.--
That an Executive Committee, consisting of the following Gentlemen, be appointed from the General Committee to carry out the details of the proposed measures:
Col. R. Baird Smith.
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H. B. Harington, Esq.
W. Grey, Esq..
E. D. Kilburn, Esq.
A. T. T. Peterson, Esq.
Raja Pertaubchunder Sing Bahadoor.
The Ven'ble Archdeacon J. H. Pratt. R. Temple, Esq.
(with power to add to their number) and Mr. H. W. I. Wood, Honorary Secretary.
The Proceedings of the Meeting terminated with a vote of thanks to the Chair, proposed by the Hon'ble Sir Bartle Frere and carried by acclamation.
H. W. I. WOOD, Honorary Secretary.
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