20 6 
JOURNAL OF AN EMBASSY 
to import from foreign countries than to produce 
on the spot. 
Mines of amber, called Ambong by the Bur¬ 
mese, are worked at Parentwang, a place near 
B’hamo. In what geognostic situation it is found 
I could not learn. It seems to be abundant, for 
the cost of the unwrought material at Ava does 
not exceed seven ticals per viss, or is under four 
shillings per pound.—Traces of coal, as mention¬ 
ed in the Journal, have been found in the Bur¬ 
mese territory ; and it is indeed highly probable, 
from the geological formation of a great portion 
of it, that this mineral is very extensively dif¬ 
fused. During our visit, the King had expressed 
much desire to be possessed of a steam-vessel, 
and it was suggested to him that, coal being the 
most convenient fuel, some inconvenience might 
arise from the want of it, especially as wood w r as 
comparatively scarce and high-priced in the neigh¬ 
bourhood of the capital. Specimens of Bengal 
coal were shown to him ; and he and his courtiers 
immediately observed, that there was abundance 
of the mineral in the country. 
The Petroleum wells of Re-nan-gyaong have 
been already described in the Journal. From the 
more accurate information which I obtained at 
Ava, it appears that the produce of these may be 
estimated at the highest, in round numbers, at 
about twenty-two millions of viss, each of 3im¬ 
pounds, avoirdupois. This estimate is formed 
