Chapter 253: The Bubonic Plague Can Break Out

“But then again, has Gandhi’s hunger strike ended yet.” Sir Barron spoke vaguely, the veal in his mouth clearly having some negative effect at this point in time, the gravy leaving between his teeth and hindering the clarity of his vocabulary.

“A week of hunger strike, plus a month of daily meals, is probably over.” Alan Wilson’s face flashed with a trace of thought, took a sip of whiskey and continued, “The good news now is that we probably already know the extent of the drought, it’s already the middle of July, the drought shouldn’t be expanding, this drought has mainly affected the upper reaches of the Ganges River, the Central Province of the United Provinces are the hardest-hit, the precipitation elsewhere is also reduced compared to the previous years, and the Deccan Plateau has been affected as well , but the losses are still acceptable compared to the north.”

“It’s all inland ah, that’s good news, it’s good for us to control the situation.” Sir Baron nodded his head and said with a relieved expression, “Like the Bengal Famine, in the important coastal industrial areas, can’t even cover it up, that’s a big deal, as of now the situation is fine, the Deccan Plateau is not a big problem, it’s mainly the upper Ganges River.”

What Sir Barron meant by not too big was in comparison to the drought in the upper Ganges, not that the situation in the Deccan Plateau was not serious.

In the Indian Famine of 1876, the main place that was affected was South India, and the Deccan Plateau was the first of them, and a lot of photographic material of the Indian Famine in later times was left over from that famine.

In the eyes of some people, although the Deccan Plateau is a plateau, but because it is in the low latitude tropical region, water and heat conditions are very good. Produce abundantly; just like the Brahmaputra Plateau in Laos, although it is a plateau, it is the granary of the country with the highest rice production. Keum, the breadbasket of the country

The main thing about granaries is not production but stability, otherwise Punjab would not have been the granary of British India. Much of British India cannot be said to have a stable climate, which brings us to the role of the roof of the world.

For the subcontinent, the Himalayas is a ladder, just look at the straight-line distance of the snowy plateau since ancient times should be India, but in fact it is the same as Siberia in the significance of China, all belong to the unattainable, look not far but never reach the place.

Overall, the Viceroy’s Office is still optimistic about the current drought, as well as the famine, with a loss on the books of just 200,000 people, most of whom have yet to die, not from famine, but from the hot temperatures that have led to dehydration, heatstroke, and many other ailments.

“The figures for tuberculosis and cholera are also too conspicuous on the statistics.” Sir Barron, who was holding the statistics, shook his head, knowing all about the inner workings of it, but it was the deaths due to famine that were placed above the diseases, and said heavily, “Has there been no outbreak of bubonic plague this year?”

Alan Wilson tapped his head and took the proffered statement with an apologetic expression, solemnly assuring, “It will break out soon.”

Negligence, is not there still the statistics of the bubonic plague, even in the twenty-first century, the Indian subcontinent also exists almost all the diseases in the world, including the diseases that have long been eliminated by the countries, the bubonic plague is just a small point.

Even in the twenty-first century, the Indian subcontinent has almost all the diseases of the world, including those that have long been eradicated, and the plague is just a small thing.

The hospital in the Indian industrial city of Surat received thirty patients with similar conditions. Their symptoms were: high fever, coughing, sneezing and vomiting of blood, soon followed by fainting.

Within half a month more than a thousand people are hospitalized with these symptoms, and news of the plague outbreak spreads. In order to escape the scourge, the inhabitants fled the plague-stricken city in a hurry, taking all available means of transportation with them, old and young.

What followed was that, not surprisingly, the plague was brought to the whole of India.

Even India in the nineties was like this, it is still the period of British India, it is quite normal to have a plague, not to mention how Sir Barron is a commissioner.

Alan Wilson was heartened and quickly stated that the disaster was an order and that it was too late if the plague didn’t break out.

“That’s good. It’s heartbreaking to see how many backward areas are still very primitive in their fight against the disease.” Sir Baron said with a blistering look on his face, “We also want to develop the colonies, but the people in the colonies are generally antagonistic, and it’s not easy to help the backward peoples ah ……”

“So it seems that the next phase of the Governor’s Office’s work is aimed at. Is to work out a comprehensive health bill.” Allen Wilson, still holding the statement, nodded at Sir Barron before leaving the Commissioner’s office.

The house was falling apart, and at a time when British India was united under the leadership of the Viceroy’s Office, and both the Congress Party and the PMLN had given up their differences and were as quiet as chickens, a plague struck, adding insult to injury to British India, which was already chomping at the bit.

The plague came so suddenly and violently that even the elderly in the areas where the outbreak was documented decades later had no recollection of the plague, only the hunger of that year.

In the fight against drought, but also at the same time to fight the plague, so an additional anti-epidemic appropriation is very normal, now British India and to supply the needs of the mainland, but also to fight against disasters and epidemics, the finances then appeared a hint of tension.

A few days later has ordered not a few health officials to develop health bill Allen Wilson, to go and come back back to Sir Barron’s office, said in the delivery of benefits to the mainland at the same time, in the anti-epidemic work, if the financial will come out a little difficult.

“The bubonic plague does not exist at all, with the appropriation?” Sir Barron laughed darkly, but it is just a matter of a statistical statement, Alan Wilson is still serious, “What health bill? Let Nehru and the others formulate it after independence.”

“This is also for the sake of the legacy of the British Empire, honorable Sir.” Alan Wilson whispered with his head down, “Everyone is actually not afraid of having a job, they are afraid of not having things happen.”

“Well!” Hearing the strings, Sir Barron leaned back with a tactical nod and signaled to continue.

“Sir, in fact, regarding the matter of financial allocation, it is not without a solution.” Alan Wilson organized his language, thinking about how to start the persuasion work.

“Issue public debt? This is a colony, not the mainland.” Sir Barron frowned, he understood the motivation of civil servants wanting to work, but this matter? It really wasn’t a good idea.

Issuing public bonds in British India requires London’s approval, and even if London approves, as a group of colonizers, the current independence of British India has become a consensus, only to be forced by the drought to have to unite with the Viceroy’s Office, whether there are any people to subscribe to the public bonds is still an unknown.

“Actually, we can print some!” Alan Wilson said the top boss you think too much, the production line of the money printing machine on the outskirts of the city is still open, but he has been to all of them, and even the recent spending in Delhi is the last time the banknotes were brought out.

Precious metals appear upward trend? In fact, there is also Alan Wilson himself part of the credit, but he has never been a greedy person, but also gave Hyderabad’s subordinates some banknotes, used to carry out market experiments.

“Printing banknotes? Do you realize that unlimited money printing will eventually lead to economic collapse?” Sir Barron was taken aback and shook his head, “Once something big happens, London will definitely pursue the responsibility.”

“Sir, you’re talking about unlimited money printing. We’re just trying to get through the current difficulties, it’s limited money printing. Just level the books with the appropriations from the sanitation bill. With the huge size and population of British India, an appropriation of but thirty million rupees won’t worsen the situation much, and isn’t there still famine cover?”

“Now that the flow of money in the private sector is close to curdling because of the drought, this is also done to increase the economic vitality of British India. It’s not just printing money, it’s more appropriately called quantitative easing.”

Alan Wilson, who was categorically rejected by Sir Barron, tirelessly launched a persuasive effort to explain what quantitative easing means. The name was Keum

Calculated in rupees, British India’s annual tax revenue has been close to two billion, a mere 30 million health allocations, will not be noticed by anyone, at least the Indians can not be noticed!

Quantitative easing to increase the supply of base money, the intervention method of injecting a large amount of liquid funds into the market, quantitative easing to encourage spending and borrowing, quantitative refers to the expansion of a certain amount of money issued, loose that is, to reduce the pressure on the bank’s funds.

Quantitative easing When the marketable securities of banks and financial institutions were acquired, the newly issued money was successfully put into the private banking system.

Alan Wilson but a restrained gentleman, will not do everything possible to fish, the last time to their own use is only seven million rupees, this time used to serve the whole of British India’s health bill, the request is only thirty million health allocations.

“Alan, this is a great thing.” Sir Barron wanted to veto it, but when it occurred to him that the aide-de-camp was quite capable, chiefly on account of General Mountbatten’s daughter, the words of veto escaped his lips, and merely indicated the seriousness of the matter.

“Of course, Sir. We Imperial civil servants have never been known to take charge when it comes to defending the national interest.” Alan Wilson did not mention quantitative easing, but still opened his mouth to give reassurance.

“There must be restraint.” Sir Barron thought for a long time and eventually nodded, telling Alan Wilson to pay attention to the scale to do his job.

Allen Wilson nodded and then left the Governor’s residence, it was not the first time he went to De La Rue’s banknote printing plant in New Delhi, he had already been familiar with the door.

The second time he came here, Allen Wilson is still excited, breathing harder, as if the air is filled with the smell of money, anyway, after India’s independence, will take back the right to print money, now not used in the future can not be used.

This time the printing of money is considered to be for the future officially started quantitative easing to test the waters, Allen Wilson will naturally be as guaranteed, absolute restraint in the use of this method, all the money is used in the health bill above.

As long as nothing goes wrong this time, there will be much less opposition when this weapon is used in the future.