Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-05-11

but it Is seldom sounded these days, for the
place is practicallys a bandoned.
The Ruby Mines.
Another interesting spot on the river, in
the midst of beautiful hills and dense tropie
vegetation, is an island called Phihadau,
! covered with ruins of monasteries, which
| were formerly occupied by hundreds of Bud
dhist monks. The village of Thabeigyin is
the landing for people who wish to visit the
celebrated ruby mines OF Burma, which are
about sixty miles distant near a town
called Mogok. 1t is said to be an interest
ing journey. The mines are situated in the
mountains. at an elevation of 1900 feet
above the sea level, and. are leased to an
English syndicate which has monopoly of
the business.
Burma formerly furnished the principal
part of the worlds supply of rubies, and
they were O monopoly of the king. After
the British occupation in 1889 concession
was granted to an English syndicate to
work them for an annual rental of $133 333.
paid to the government There was consid-
cradle friction with the natives at first, and
several times they came very near actual
rebellion, because they had always been al
lowed to hunt for rubies whenever they
| pleased, and did not relish the rule that
prohibited them from doing so. Finally bet
| ter relations were established, and now the
Englishmen permit anybody who pleases to
mine for rubies, provided every jewel found
L.
Hundreds of natives are doing more or less
| work in the mines. They go in for while
and dig away in the gravel, changing the
course of streams and washing out the soil
| that Is displaced. Sometimes they bring
water through bamboo pipes and wash out
| the sides of granite cliffs, but as soon as
they find ruby they usually knock off
work and have good time until the pro-
ceeds of its sale are exhausted.
The results of the operations of the COM
pany are not known to the public, except
| through the returns made to the treasury
department All the gems found are shipped
| at once to London. In 1903, according to
| the official returns, the company produced
| 23O,S11 carats of gems, including 21O7S4
| carats of rubies. 9,1S6 carats of sapphires
| and 1924 carats of spinels the total yalue
| being given at $500.520 Rubes are seldom
purchased in Burma now. The company
| does no. permit their sale in this province.
but occasionally a choice stone can be
| picked UP through some Spectator who has
| illicit relations with the miners. No stones
| of great value nave been officially reported
| Of late years, although the newspapers re-
| Gently published the discovery this winter
OF ruby seven.y-seven carats worth $780,
| 600. The find is denied by the officials of the
company, who do not care to advertise such
good fortune, for fear other people NAV he
tempted to secure the concession they hold
Inc largest ruoy ever found in Burma so
| far as known was picked up accidentally
Dy native about fifty years ago II was
or rhomEoidal shape, two and a half inches
IN diameter and nearly three inches long.
but was practically worthless because Of
cracks ma naws. 1t was never offered for
sale and no price was ever put upon II King
Mindon took possession Of 1t and n fs nov,
supposed to be among the treasures of ex
King Thebaw
The Ancient Capital.
Ta-gaung, the ancient capital Of the Bur.
| mese kingdom, may be visited during the
voyage down the river, and it is place of
great archaeological interest 1t was found
ed somewhere aboutgthe beginning of the
Christian era ands was DESTROYED in the
sixth century by GhiHese invasion. THE
ruins are spread for nearly eight miles,
along the sbanks of the Irrawaddv and
,, stretch for two or three miles back into
the country, so that 1t must have been an
enormous city, and doubtless the piles of
rubbish conceal many interesting remains
| but they have never been investigated.
There is another collection of wonderf,,,
ruins at Pagan, which, was the capital of
| the empire from the sixth to the thirteenth
centuries, and during, that time it was tba
| center of poyer, influence, commerce. re-
ligion, education for all this part of Asia
Ihere were thousand pagodas, and some
| OF them still stand In AFFAIR state of presar
walton. The most imposing is known a. the
| Amanda, which was built in 1858 Near hy
| are the ruins of gigantic statue of Eudd
! ha ninety feet high, which was erected In
| the year 1920. And there are many other
| similar ruins.
| Taking everything into consideration
| do not think there is river trip In All the
world to compare with that offered on the
| Irrawaddy In Burma.