166 NOETLING ; PETROLEUM IN BURMA. 



Wages paid to the miners — There seems to have been a 

 traditional scale of depth, in force since the last century, according 

 to which the miners were paid, although the amount paid seems 

 to have varied, and certainly has considerably increased since 

 the annexation. The scale runs as follows : — 



(i) there is a fixed rate for the first 80 cubits (147 feet) of 

 R105 to R120 ; 



(2) the next 10 cubits (18 feet) cost R35 to R45 ; 



(3) the next 10 cubits (18 feet) cost R55 to R60 ; 



(4) after the well has reached a depth of more than ioo 



cubits (183 feet) further digging is paid per cubit ; the 

 general arrangement being that for 4 cubits of depth 

 a fixed progressive price is allowed, ranging from 

 R6 8-0 to R12 ; 



(5) after the well has reached the depth of 132 cubits (242 feet) 



another special arrangement comes into force of which 

 I cannot say how far it is in general use; each miner 

 receives Rio a month till the well is finished, whether 

 he is engaged in actual digging or prevented from 

 doing so by circumstances outside his power ; but 

 when digging every man has to go down the well 

 20 times every day. 

 These data can be arranged in the following progressive scale : — 



Amount paid per cubit of 19 inches. 





R 



a. 



A 





R 



a. 



p. 





From to 80 cubits 



1 



5 







to 



1 



8 









,, 80 to 90 ,, 



3 



8 







to 



4 



8 









„ 90 to 100 „ 



5 



8 







to 



6 













„ 100 to no „ 



6 



8 







to 



7 



8 



°) 



i 



„ no to 120 ,, . 



7 



8 







to 



10 











• Approximately. 



„ 120 to 132 „ 



12 















... 



J 



1 



afterwards by special arrangements. 



As after repeated inquiries I always received the same figures, I 

 believe that the above scale of progressive wages fairly repre- 

 sents the actual amount paid to the diggers in 1890. The statements 

 seem to be the more reliable as they are the same as given to me 



in 1888. 



( 212 ) 



