NO, 48. — 1897.] GEOLOGY AND MINERALOGY. 



79 



with no discovery of precious metals or stones. In conclusion he 

 would remark on the statement by Mr. Modder that the Dutch left 

 the manufacture and distribution of salt to the natives, who appar- 

 ently sold it at a much lower price than at present prevailed. This 

 would seem to upset the monopoly argument — that salt is more 

 cheaply and regularly distributed to all parts of the Island than it 

 could be if left to private enterprise. 



6. Mr. Haly remarked with reference to the railway cuttings and 

 the absence of gold, that Mr. Waring had told him that he had never 

 before, in a wide experience of rock cutting, had to do with more 

 ordinary road metal than in blasting through the many Uva railway 

 tunnels ; but he (Mr. Haly) had seen around Badulla town quartz 

 boulders marked after a fashion which reminded him very much of a 

 specimen of rich Australian gold-bearing quartz, which he had seen in 

 the British Museum. He thought the Badulla quartz well worth 

 testing. 



7. Mr. Ferguson remarked that though the Uva natives were well 

 known to have smelted iron and to be keen about metals, yet he had 

 no recollection of Sinhalese names in Uva indicating gold, as they had 

 on the Kandy side in Rangalla, Rambocla, Ruwanwella, &c. Dr. Davy, 

 too, had made his observations around Badulla and Namunukula- 

 kanda : still it would certainly be well to follow up Mr. Haly's 

 hint. 



8. Mr. Haly read the following Paper :— 



