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25.
and gradual process, but I am encouraged to believe that with tact and knowledge of Chinese customs we may accomplish it.
Concerning such objects as we might acquire by purchase or excavation, they could remain the property of the museum with the sole condition that they must never leave China or pass into private hands without the consent of the Chinese Government. Needless to say, this consent would never be desired by us except in possible case of the sale of duplicates or undesirable objects.
In this connection, I formally recommend to the committee that a museum be constructed only in case of the School becoming possessed of valuable objects in sufficiently large numbers to warrant the expense; or of a promise on the part of a large number of Chinese native collectors that they will loan their collections for reasonably long periods, or both.
I further recommend that in case such a museum be constructed it be placed within the Legation quarter of Peking and be under the charge of a Curator who is also a member of the foreign staff of the American School.
Before the enterprise is undertaken I recommend that the Chinese Government be approached with a view to seeing whether they would deposit such treasures and objects of archaeological and artistic value as might be considered of public interest or ownership. In addition, I suggest that the President of the Chinese Republic and the officials of the Government be asked to set the example to other collectors by depositing their own collections in the museum on loan or as gifts.