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40.
[[underline]] IMPORTANCE OF INDIA-CHINA TRADE ROUTES. [[/underline]]
The importance of the India-China trade routes could be demonstrated at great length. I will content myself at present with pointing out that the most numerous and important finds of Chinese archaeological material have been made along these early arteries of trade and culture, and that on them were several great centres (e. g. Khotan, Yarkand, Kashgar, Lop Nor, etc.) of early and medieval Chinese civilization which contain to-day better evidences of former conditions than can be found within the limits of modern China.

MM. Chavannes, Pelliot, Maitre, Finot, and the explorers Price dy Oukhtomsky and Dr. Sven Hedin, as well as many other scholars and Orientalists, have expressed themselves personally to me on the importance of studying the remains in Turkestan and Mongolia. Drs. Stein, Grünwedel, von le Coq, and Kozloff, all eminent in this branch of research, have reported their belief that the collections made by them represent a very small percent of the material which is to be found on the spot. They continually urge further examination of the countries west and north of China.
I therefore recommend that, within a short period after the organization of the American School, and when the Library at headquarters has received first attention, the Director take advantage of certain privileges already offered us by European scientists in connection with work on the ancient highways to India.