Mr. Smith to Mr. Blaine.
St. Petersburg, October 30, 1891. (Received November 12.)
Sir: The Messager Officiei, the official organ of the Russian Government, publishes a communiqué which gives additional information respecting the existing famine and the measures adopted for its alleviation. This authorized publication states that through the local authorities the Government has had timely information of the extent of the disaster and has been enabled to come to the aid of the sufferers. The failure of this year’s crop not only involved present famine, but menaced the sowing of the next year’s. The Messager announces, however, that by reason of the measures taken the winter sowing has been made under favorable conditions and without any sensible restriction of the cultivated territory. In some of the provinces, besides, the spring sowing has been assured and the seeds purchased through funds loaned by the treasury. Special care has been taken to retain in the country the available supply of grain and to provide the means of existence for those most in distress.
It has been recognized as necessary to create bodies of relief within the famine-stricken districts, and the following measures have been taken: (1) Special conferences of representatives of the Imperial Government and of the zemstvos, which are provincial councils under the presidency of the governors; (2) the other organs of local administration, and especially the chiefs of canton, have been asked to take an active part in the work of distributing food; (3) the creation by the zemstvos of depots of grain and Hour for the sale of bread at cost price or below; (4) detailed regulations for furnishing assistance; (5) arrangements for the [Page 748] cheap transportation of cereals and forage; (6) permission for the pasturage of the cattle in the Crown forests and authority for the people to gather the brushwood in these forests; (7) the furnishing of employment on public works to the distressed.
To meet these requirements it will be necessary to draw largely on the general resources of the State. The amount of credit demanded is known at present only approximately. Up to this time the allowance for the twelve provinces named has been as follows:
| Provinces. | Seeding. | Food. | Total. |
| Rubles. | Rubles. | Rubles. | |
| Simbeersk | 1,300,000 | 3,700,000 | 5,000.000 |
| Samara | 1,368,604 | 2,031.396 | 4,400.000 |
| Kazan | 1,700,000 | 2,300,000 | 4,000,000 |
| Penza | 1,400,000 | 1,000.000 | 3.000,000 |
| Nizhnee-Novgorod | 1,378,000 | 1,422.000 | 2,800,000 |
| Saratov | 1,500,000 | 1,000.000 | 2,500.000 |
| Tambov | 1,130,000 | 1,170,000 | 2,300,000 |
| Tobolsk | 1,711,500 | 1,711,500 | |
| Oofa | 1,300,000 | 3,300,000 | |
| Perm | 350,000 | 650,000 | 1,000,000 |
| Orenboorg | 1,000,000 | 1,000,000 | |
| Riazan | 900,000 | 900,000 | |
| Total. | 29,911,500 |
Besides this, an expenditure of 1,994,000 rubles has been allowed for the provinces of Koorsk, Taurida, Olonets, Orel, Viatka, and Toola, making for the eighteen provinces a total outlay up to the present time of 31,905,000 rubles, or about $16,271,805. In addition 1,125,000 rubies have been assigned for public works, without counting those of constructions in wood and on railroads.
I have, etc.,