From this table it will be seen that nearly all the samples of coal, except sample No. 1, have a remarkable conformity of composition. As regards the percentage of fixed carbon; sample No. 4 gives the highest percentage with 38.58, sample No. 10 the lowest with 3169 the difference being not more than '6.89, the percentage of ash varying little more. Unfortunately nothing can be said about the percentage of volatile matter, because the Rangoon assays include moisture. Now, as all the samples came from seams exposed in river-beds, it would not be quite correct to draw conclusions from these figures. They show, however, also a great conformity, and, if we assume a percentage of moisture of 20 to 21 per cent. as proved by the Calcutta analysis, we find also a great conformity amongst the samples as regards the volatile matter, and we further see that the percentage of fixed carbon and volatile matter is nearly the same.

Sample No. 1 seems to have an exceptional composition which rather differs from that of the rest. The high percentage of volatile and the low percentage of fixed carbon is remarkable. As this sample has been taken from the 30-feet seam, a few words must be said about its composition, as in my opinion it does not represent the normal composition of the seam. This had been under water for a long time, and when I visited the outcrops, it had just got dry. This would account for the high percentage of water. I should therefore think that samples obtained from a better outcrop, or, further away from the river, would show a smaller percentage of moisture and therefore a higher percentage of fixed carbon, and thus agree in general composition with the other samples. If we take the average of the II analyses from Nos. 2 to 12, the Shan coal will show the following composition:55'40 {Volatile 34'40 ( Moisture 21

Volatile matter (including moisture)
Fixed carbon

Ash

34'94
9.67

The coal is therefore, comparatively speaking, of poor quality, and can hardly be called "coal." The term "lignite" or "brown coal" would better express its composition.

As regards its physical qualities, the Shan coal has rather a low specific gravity, when not mixed with iron pyrites. If it is not disintegrated by the water, it is hard, and has a bright, dark brown, nearly black colour (in several samples the colour is black), the fracture is glistening, and it breaks in big lumps. If, however exposed for some time to water and air, the colour gets dull, earthy looking, and owing to its lamellar structure and to the cleavage the coal readily disintegrates into small, prismatic fragments.

It may therefore be said that the Shan coal, when fresh, would make a very good fuel, and that, being rather hard, it would stand a long transport. The coal of those seams, which owing to their friability could not be well transported, should make an excellent material for patent fuel.

The following table of analyses gives the composition of coal from Raniganj, Karharbari, Assam, Upper Chindwin, Namkongchaung above Mogaung, Thigyit near Nyaungwe (Southern Shan States), and the average composition of Shan coal:

From this table it will be seen that the coal of the fields in the Northern Shan States is very much poorer than that of the fields in the Southern Shan States; while in the latter the percentages of fixed carbon are 65.81 and 70°43 respectively, it is in the former not more than 34'94, the percentage of volatile matter and moisture being also much smaller. The coal of the Southern Shan States would therefore be much preferable to that of the Northern Shan States, pro

vided there were a sufficient quantity of it. The late Mr. Jones says, however, in his report on the Palaung coal-field (Records of the Geological Survey of India, Volume XX, Part IV, 1887, page 185), "I did not see a single seam which held out any real prospect of being workable. The seams are exceedingly irregular, that is to say, they are not to be depended upon to extend to any distance. A large proportion of the coal consists of mere pockets." This is by no means an assuring prognostic. The coal seams in the Northern Shan States are more favourably deposited, and, being found in workable quantities, they could be depended upon for the supply of fuel to any railway through the Shan States, although they are of inferior quality.

The Indian coal, as far as regards the three localities above mentioned, is certainly superior to the Shan coal, but the average Chindwin coal does not differ so much, volatile matter and ash being nearly the same, and fixed carbon 15.01 more than in the Shan coal.

If we only take the percentage of fixed carbon for comparison, the equality of the Mogaung, Mantha, and Lashio-Namma coal is most startling, the figures being 35'98, 34'08, 34'94 respectively. The Mantha and Lashio-Namma coal differ, however, considerably as regards the percentage of ash and moisture, while the percentage of volatile matter again agrees. If the whole composition is taken into consideration, the similarity of the Mogaung coal and the coal from the Northern Shan States is really surprising, as will be seen from the following table :—

Can this similarity of composition be an indication that coal-fields of nearly the same age as those of the Northern Shan States are developed west of the Irrawaddi in the Mogaung district; and, if so, do these strata extend across the Irrawaddi, and are there coal-seams of any larger extension in the country to the north of the coalfield here described. These are questions of no small importance which, however, can easily be settled by actual examination in the field. The last analysis is that of lignite, Thigyit. It will be seen that, although it is poorer in the percentage of fixed carbon, it certainly belongs to the same group as the Lashio and Mogaung coal.

6. Alluvial deposits.-The alluvial deposits are found everywhere where there is a favourable place for their deposit. The river deposits, such as conglomerates, gravels, and sands, are of course limited to the valleys, while the clays may be found in the valleys, as well as on the top and slopes of the hills. According to their origin, we may distinguish two kinds of alluvial deposits :

(a) deposits resulting from the superficial disintegration of the rocks; hill clay;

(6) deposits resulting from the débris of rivers, conglomerates, sand, river clay, and silt.

(a) The hill clay.-The hill clay is found everywhere in the Shan plateau. It is evidently the results of the disintegration of the limestone in situ, and as such covers the limestone with a coat of varying thickness. It is a red, tough clay, which, by being washed down to the valleys, contributes largely to the deposit of river clay.

(b) The river deposits.-The river deposits are found everywhere in the valleys where there is a favourable place for their deposit. They are worthy of mention as being not only the matrix for precious stones, such as ruby or tourmaline, but also as concealing the coal-bearing strata in the valleys. It is only due to the thick layers of conglomerates and clays that the coal-fields have been insufficiently explored. The cap of river deposits completely hides every feature of the strata underneath, and it is only at places where the present streams have cut deep enough that the strata underneath may be examined. For this reason they will also be of importance when it comes to the exploitation of the coal-fields. We can distinguish (1) conglomerates, gravels, sand; (2) clay, not bedded; (3) well-bedded silt and clay of the Irrawaddi plains. Of these different strata, only Nos. (1) and (2) are of importance here :

(1) The conglomerates.-Consist chiefly of pebbles of white quartzite or faultrock always well rounded, in various sizes up to the size of a man's head. The Mainglôn conglomerates contain rubies and tourmaline, the conglomerates in the Namma valley quartzite porphyry. The pebbles are cemented by a clay cement containing numerous angular grains of quartzite; they thus form a compact mass which is difficult to attack by ordinary tools, but when once softened by water can readily be removed. The conglomerates locally change into gravels and sands.

(2) River clay.-The river clay is usually of brown or reddish colour; it is not bedded, and wherever conglomerate and clay occur together it covers the first. In the Lashio valley it lies directly upon the coalbearing strata, where it may however be mixed with the hill clay washed down from the hills. Thus occasionally the youngest deposits of river clay are mixed with sand and gravel, as in the Namsèk a ruby-mine. 7. Volcanic rocks. -Granite and the peculiar rock (fault-rock) piercing the crystalline limestone of the Mandalay hill have been mentioned above. A few words only are necessary regarding the curious specimens of quartz-porphyry discovered amongst the pebbles of the Namma stream near Namma village. Although only a microscopical examination can confirm the porphyritic nature of this rock, their macroscopical appearance is still that of the true quartzite-porphyry, so common in Germany. The specimens collected by me show different varieties of various composition. The source of these porphyries can be easily fixed, as the Namma stream comes from the hills to the east of that village, and the porphyry must consequently be found between Lat. 22° 30' and 22° 35'; Long, about 98°.

Hot and saline springs. In the Shan States, as in all other places, the great lines of disturbances of faults are accompanied by springs, either hot or brackish It is not very surprising that such springs are found in the Gôkteik-Kunlôn valley. For the present such springs are known near the following places :

(a) Hot springs –

(1) Tapong, near Lashio.

(2) Meungli Nampong, on the way from Lashio to Thibaw.

(3) Namhsim, near Thibaw.

(4) Mankang, west of Meungyaw.

(b) Salt springs

(5) Bawgyo, near Thibaw.

I

I have no doubt, however, that several other localities remain to be discovered. As far as I have ascertained, the wells are always found on the margin of the valley just where the faults might be expected. I have not heard of wells being situated in the centre of the valley. I have visited wells Nos. 1 and 5. Spring No. I is situated about half a mile south-east of the old Lashio post. It comes out in a horseshoe-shaped tank thickly filled with fine grey mud; the water is perfectly clear and of a beautiful blue colour; its temperature is up to boiling point; no distinct openings are visible from which the water issues, but bubbles of steam rise continually from the bottom. The percentage of solid matter is very small. Two samples sent to Rangoon were found to contain o'0588 per cent. and 0'041 per cent. respectively. The salts consist of sulphate of lime and magnesia, with traces of alkalies, principally potash. It seems that the principal part of the solids is lime. This might be expected, as the spring issues from limestone rocks. Dr. Sinclair, Inspector-General of Jails, Burma, writes about the qualities of this spring as follows: "Taken in quantity it "would act as an aperient and would beneficially affect a congested liver. Internally "and externally it would probably be highly beneficial in cases of chronic rheumatism "and gout. The salts in solution have come from dolomite in all likelihood. Much "of the subsoil water of Upper Burma is similarly charged, though not to the same "extent."

About the Bawgyo salt spring I have published a special report, and from this I need only mention here that it contains 80,771 grains of solid matter per gallon of This solid residue is composed of the following salts :

water.

Should the Bawgyo salt spring produce a sufficient quantity of brine, it could certainly be worked for salt with a great profit.

PART II.

SECTION III-SITUATION OF THE COAL-FIELDS.

The coal-fields in the Northern Shan States which I have examined extend over a tract situated between Long- 97°45′ and 98° and Lat. 22°20′ and 23°15' in the territories of Thibaw, North and South Theinni. Beginning in the north the following different localities representing probably so many separated coal-fields may be distinguished

(1) The Lashio coal-field.-Long. 97°45', Lat. 22°50', near the old Chinese fort, at present occupied as a post in the valley of the Namyaw.

(2) The Manzè-Namma coal-field.-Long. 97°45', Lat. 22°20', extends in the valley of the Namma and Nampong. The above-named coal-fields have been examined, and a detailed description will be found in Section IV. Coal must, however, be rather common in the Northern Shan States, as its occurrence is reported from the following localities, which I had not time to visit:

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