24 N0KTL1NG : PETROLEUM IN BURMA. 



continuous profit ; in others unsuccessful trials, which are not unfrequent, absorb 

 all the profit, and even ruin the adventurer ; one of these pits costs from 1,500 to 

 1,800 Rs. — a large sum for such men to risk. Each family or individual has 

 certain tolerably well-acknowledged limits, within which their rights of property are 

 confined, but questions of boundary are a source of constant litigation ; the open- 

 ing of a successful well close to the supposed boundary generally leading to a 

 discussion of these limits, and to long and angry disputes." 



Dr. Oldham's description is less exhaustive than that of Yule ; 

 the chief point of interest is that he arrives at two widely different 

 estimates of the annual production ; his first estimate is decidedly 

 too high, as he himself admits that the number of productive wells 

 is certainly not higher than 130 in the aggregate. The statements 

 about the twinzayo families are rather vague. 



The chief interest of both these reports lies in the fact that both 

 Yule and Oldham arrive at the conclusion that the number of pro- 

 ductive wells in 1855 was certainly not higher than 130. 



I cannot trace any notes on the oil-fields in Upper Burma be- 

 tween 1855 an d 1873, when Captain (now Colonel) Strover submitted 

 a highly interesting and valuable memorandum on the metals and 

 minerals of Burma which was published in the Gazette of India} 

 This is what Colonel Strover says about the oil-fields : 



"There are at present about 150 wells worked at Yenangyoung; the quantity 

 of oil estimated as deliverable from these wells is 15,000 viss daily, of which 10,000 

 viss is taken by the contractor who supplies British Burma and 5,000 viss by the 

 contractor who supplies Upper Burma. The yield of the wells is estimated 

 yearly by officials sent down to Yenangyoung by His Majesty, and the Royal 

 revenue is calculated at Rs. 7-8-0 per 100 viss and realizes four lakhs of rupees per 

 annum. The total yield of these wells is 6,000,000 viss per annum or 9,375 tons. 

 At Pagan there are about 50 wells : they yield daily 1,500 viss of oil, which 

 the earth-oil contractors, at present the Lay-myo-woon, and one Maung Tsanwah, 

 are allowed to purchase. The total estimated output per annum is 6,600,000 viss 

 to 10,312! tons." 



Colonel Strover's distinct statements are the more valuable as 

 they describe the condition of the oil-field just previous to a great 

 rise in the number of wells. Pagan (or the oil-field of Yenangyat) 

 is here mentioned for the first time. 



1 G. A. Strover. Memorandum on the metals and minerals of Upper Burma : Gazette of 

 India Supplement (T873) ; reprinted in Geol. Mag., 1st decade X, pp, 356 — 361 (1873). 



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