702 Report on the discovery [Aua. 



quantity, quality and locality, I refrain from entering into details of 

 A, B and C, which probably will never be worked, and are only 

 interesting in a scientific point of view. 



3. This extensive coal held distant from A, B, C more than 300 

 miles belongs to quite a different system. It is situated on a high level 

 table-land, only diversified by an isolated range of mountains, from which 

 the river issues which passes through the coal fields, and which ridge 

 may be considered as the eastern boundary of the British possessions 

 towards Siam. The gulf of Siam in a direct line seems only to be 

 45 miles distant. The Lazchin islands lie almost opposite. 



4. The river originating in the neighbouring mountains is at the 

 coal field only 15-25 yards broad, part of the year nearly dry, but 

 during five months from June to November (both inclusive) according 

 to native reports it is uninterruptedly navigable for rafts. I ascended 

 it in the month of April on rafts, before the commencement of the 

 monsoon, as far as within three hours distance from the coal fields. 



5. The river after having passed through the last table-land enters 

 a hilly country, winding through the mountains chiefly in a northwest 

 direction until it reaches another river coming from the south. Here 

 the influence of the tides begins to be perceptible ; it runs in the same 

 direction about 40 miles having attained a breadth of from 50 to 80 

 yards at low water and enters at the village of Tenasserim. The large 

 Tenasserim river is accessible there to vessels of 100 tons burthen, from 

 whence the final distance to Mergui is about 50 miles*. 



6. The coal itself is of superior quality being that species known in 

 England under the name of pitch coal, much higher in price than 

 common coal, and, on account of the greater quantity of bitumen which 

 it contains, used for the generation of gas. 



7. The quantity seems to be unlimited, taking into consideration 

 only the upper stratum of six feet thickness as far as I was able to 

 trace it on the surface. Allowing annually to be required 30,000 tons, 

 this upper stratum alone would supply that large quantity for the 

 period of 120 years with good coal. 



8. But it is certain that other strata lie below, and that probably 

 the quantity still improves in the ratio as the depth increases, according 

 to analogyf . 



* N. B. The natives from Mergui and different parts of Siam, go annually into 

 the mountains above the coal fields to cut an aromatic wood called callame which 

 is an article of commerce for the markets of Rangoon and Bankok. 



f N. B. The specimens which accompany this memorandum must, though very 

 good coal, not be considered the best in quality ; they are taken from the surface and 

 had been exposed for a lapse of ages to the constant action of water and incessant 

 influence of the atmosphere. 



