I36 AN AtcbVKT OF THE PETROLEUM WELLS. 



vifs, the value being enhanced three-eighths by the ex- 

 pence and rifle of portage, therefore the grofs value or 

 profit to the country of the whole, deducting five per 

 cent for waftage, may be ftated at i,oSi,86o tecals, 

 or 1,362,325 ficca rupees per annum, yielding a direct 

 revenue to the king of 136,-232 ficca rupees per 

 annum, and perhaps thrice as much more before it 

 reaches the confumer ; befides the benefit the whole 

 country muft derive from the produ6tive induftry called 

 into action by the conftant employment of fo large a 

 capital on fo gruff an article. There were between 

 feventy and eighty boats, average burthen fixty tons 

 each, loading oil at the feveral wharfs, and others 

 conftantly coming and going while I was there. A 

 num.ber of boats and men alfo find conftant employ- 

 ment in providing the pots, Szc. for the oil, and the 

 extent of this fingle branch of internal commerce (for 

 almolt the whole' is confumed in the country) will 

 ferve to give fome infight into the internal commercq 

 and refources of the country. 



At the wells the price of the oil is feven annas 

 feven pies per iiilbs. avoirdupois j at the port of 

 Ranghong it is fold at the average rate of three ficca 

 rupees three annas and fix pies per cwt. or per hogf- 

 heads of fixty-three gallons, weighing 504 lbs. fourteen 

 rupees feven annas nine pies, exclulive of the caflc, or 

 per Bengal buzar maund two rupees five annas eight 

 pies, vxliereas the muflard feed, and other vegetable 

 oils, fell at Fanghong at eleven rupees per buzar maund* 



To conclude, this oil is a genuine petroleum, pof- 

 fcfling all the properties of coal tar, being in fa£t the 

 fcif fame thing, the only difference is, that nature 

 elaborates in the bowels of the earth that for the 

 Burmlias, for which European nations are obliged to 

 the ingeuuity of Lord Dundonald. 



VU. 



