2l6 NOETLING : PETROLEUM IN BURMA. 



Chafter V.— THE PETROLEUM TRADE. 

 The subject treated of in this chapter cannot unfortunately be 

 dealt with in so exhaustive a manner, as might be desirable, owing 

 to the rather scanty information available. 



It seems that up to the time of the annexation of Lower Burma 

 in 1853, the bulk of the production of oil was consumed locally, that 

 is to say, it was used for illuminating purposes to a small extent, 

 but chiefly for preservation of the timber of boats, houses and 

 monasteries. Small quantities may have been brought over to India; 

 it is, however, quite certain, that a considerable quantity found its 

 way through the Shan States into Western China. It is very diffi- 

 cult to arrive at a correct idea about the quantity thus consumed. 

 At present the local consumption, including export to India, is some- 

 thing like a lakh of viss per mensem ; in 1879 it amounted to about 

 1 J; lakhs. If we assume that in former years the local consumption 

 amounted to double this quantity, or 3 lakhs of viss per mensem, 

 I believe we are very near a correct estimate. 



After the occupation of Lower Burma there seems to have been 

 a considerable export of crude petroleum to England. Captain Yule 

 states, page 20 : " There is now a considerable export of the article 

 from Rangoon to England and one of the Rangoon houses had a 

 European agent residing on the spot." According to the same 

 authority lbs. 6,679,140 = viss 1,830,000 passed the custom house at 

 Thayetmyo from 1st February to 1st November 1855 on their way to 

 Rangoon. This would answer to an average monthly export of 

 228,750 viss; in round figures 2j lakhs of viss per month. Assum- 

 ing that this quantity represented half the total production we arrive 

 at an estimated monthly production of 4! lakhs of viss, that is, pretty 

 close to the same amount which I supposed to be the production in 

 1855. No more data are available concerning the import of crude 

 oil into Lower Burma till 1880-81, although it is quite certain that 

 all this time considerable quantities of crude oil were exported from 

 Rangoon to Europe. 



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