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  THEOBALD 
  : 
  GEOLOGY 
  01 
  PEGU. 
  

  

  The 
  steatite, 
  at 
  all 
  these 
  localities, 
  is 
  essentially 
  the 
  same, 
  though 
  it 
  

   varies 
  in 
  color 
  from 
  a 
  pale 
  gray 
  to 
  nearly 
  black, 
  the 
  paler 
  varieties 
  having 
  

   often 
  a 
  marked 
  tinge 
  of 
  green. 
  The 
  pale 
  gray 
  variety 
  only 
  is 
  sought 
  

   after 
  and 
  selected 
  for 
  writing-purposes, 
  and 
  is 
  precisely 
  the 
  same 
  mineral 
  

   as 
  that 
  imported 
  in 
  square 
  sawn 
  sticks 
  from 
  Upper 
  Burmah, 
  where, 
  how- 
  

   ever, 
  the 
  mines 
  must 
  yield 
  a 
  more 
  massive 
  variety, 
  and 
  in 
  larger 
  pieces 
  

   than 
  that 
  yielded 
  by 
  the 
  veins 
  of 
  the 
  mineral 
  in 
  Pegu. 
  

  

  XV. 
  — 
  Economic 
  Geology. 
  

  

  The 
  list 
  of 
  economic 
  products 
  connected 
  with 
  geology 
  in 
  Pegu 
  is 
  

   extremely 
  limited, 
  and 
  some 
  items 
  are 
  included 
  therein 
  more 
  for 
  the 
  sake 
  

   of 
  completeness 
  than 
  because 
  they 
  are 
  themselves 
  of 
  economic 
  import- 
  

   ance. 
  Among 
  articles 
  which 
  may 
  be 
  noticed 
  are 
  the 
  following: 
  — 
  - 
  

   Building-materials, 
  Clay, 
  Coal, 
  Gold, 
  Iron, 
  Lime, 
  Marble, 
  Petroleum, 
  

   Road-materials, 
  Salt, 
  Steatite. 
  

  

  Building-materials. 
  — 
  Good 
  building-stone 
  is 
  by 
  no 
  means 
  common 
  

   in 
  Pegu, 
  either 
  such 
  as 
  would 
  be 
  suitable 
  for 
  ordinary 
  edifices, 
  or 
  for 
  such 
  

   heavier 
  works 
  as 
  quays, 
  light-houses, 
  &c. 
  Some 
  of 
  the 
  sandstones 
  of 
  the 
  

   Arakan 
  range 
  might 
  be 
  found 
  of 
  useful 
  quality, 
  if 
  not 
  situated 
  at 
  such 
  

   a 
  distance 
  from 
  the 
  centres 
  of 
  demand 
  and 
  so 
  far 
  from 
  regular 
  water 
  

   carriage. 
  The 
  stones 
  of 
  both 
  the 
  Arakan 
  and 
  Pegu 
  ranges 
  are 
  not, 
  as 
  a 
  

   rule, 
  sufficiently 
  excellent, 
  to 
  counterbalance 
  the 
  great 
  disadvantage 
  of 
  

   their 
  position 
  as 
  regards 
  transportation, 
  or 
  to 
  promise 
  to 
  supply 
  any 
  large 
  

   demand 
  for 
  works 
  of 
  magnitude. 
  There 
  is, 
  however, 
  one 
  spot 
  on 
  the 
  

   Arakan 
  coast 
  which 
  has 
  always 
  seemed 
  to 
  me 
  worthy 
  of 
  consideration 
  

   and 
  trial, 
  if 
  a 
  useful 
  stone 
  for 
  building-purposes, 
  something 
  of 
  the 
  

   quality 
  of 
  the 
  Porebunder 
  stone, 
  so 
  well 
  known 
  in 
  Bombay, 
  should 
  ever 
  

   be 
  required 
  extensively 
  in 
  Burmah. 
  The 
  spot 
  in 
  question 
  is 
  Koranji 
  

   island, 
  where, 
  and 
  on 
  the 
  adjoining 
  mainland 
  near 
  the 
  village 
  of 
  Nga-tha- 
  

   mu, 
  a 
  soft 
  calcareous 
  sandstone 
  or 
  earthy 
  limestone 
  occurs, 
  easy 
  to 
  work 
  

   and 
  unusually 
  well 
  situated 
  for 
  shipment 
  into 
  lighters 
  or 
  small 
  coasting 
  

  

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