Mogok, Burma

What is interesting is the way the Burmese King wanted to do business with the outside world . In my view, today's rulers aren't any different.

The government were provisionally continuing the old system which existed under the King of Burma. The rubies were dug by the natives who were licensed. They were bound to bring the rubies to a government officer, and record was made of all the stones. The person who dug the ruby estimated its value. If the government were satisfied with that valuation the digger had to pay one third of the estimated value to the government. If there was a dispute the government officer had a right to put a price upon it, and if that were not accepted the ruby was sent down to Mandalay and sold by auction.

The King theoretically had the right to purchase at market value all the stones above four carats in weight, but as a matter of fact very few of those stones ever got to him, as he could never give the fair value. A great many found their way to the dealers, and those that reached the concessionnaire, came to the markets of Europe. Ruby mines before the annexation of Upper Burma, had always been a sealed tract to European adventure and enterprise. No European was ever allowed to enter the forbidden region. There were no actual prohibitory orders, but there was a well-known disinclination on the part of the government, and that man’s perceptions would indeed have been dull who attempted to explore the country and expected to return. It was the policy of the Burmese government to conceal as far as possible from European eyes all appearances which would lead to a belief the Upper Burma was rich country which would well repay foreign conquest. Some years ago he said to the King who was then in want of money, that if he made concessions to trade with regard to overland route between Burma and China, money would flow into his country in equal volume with the waters of the great Irrawadi; but the King replied: ‘The money would come sure enough, but with it we should have a swarm of hungry European merchants and quarrelsome Indian natives, who would get into trouble with the people, and bring on complications which would eventually lead to the loss of the country. We would rather do without money, and keep our country.’ As soon as the disorganization set in, consequent on misrule, French intrigue took root at Mandalay, to the utter exclusion of British interests. A French consulate was established, and the government was asked to make certain concessions to French syndicates which if granted, would have imposed ruinous losses and conditions on the English commercial status in Lower Burma. One of those conditions involved a monopoly by France of the Ruby Mines district. The concession of the mines was actually contemplated at that time, but the contract was not approved and ratified by the King, and consequently was null and void.

As early as the 15th century, this country was known to produce rubies. Tavernier, a jeweler, who visited India in the middle of the 17th century, refers to Burma as yielding stones worth more than 100000 crowns a year, and that it is difficult to meet with one good quality weighing more than three or four carats, as the King kept all the larger. The largest stone of which any record seems to exist was 22 carats, and such stones are usually flawed.

Source: Anonymous