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The Philadelphia Museums came into existence some fifteen years ago with the avowed purpose of aiding the manufacture in taking a larger share in the world’s commerce.

They have lost no opportunity in presenting to the inquirer the trade conditions of all parts of the world.

More than four years ago the Museums undertook the work of making a graphic history of commerce from the earliest dawn of trade and barter down to the present time. The author of this translation was entrusted with the study and preparation of the exhibit, which in its early stages of development was shown at the Jamestown exposition. It was in the preparation of this exhibit that attention was directed to the Periplus, and its interest in the early history of commerce appreciated. The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea is the first record of organized trading with the nations of the East, in vessels built and commanded by subjects of the Western world. The notes add great interest, giving as they do an exhaustive survey of the international trade between the great empires of Rome, Parthia, India and China, together with a collection of facts touching the early trade of a number of other countries of much interest.

The whole trade of the world is every day coming more and more under exact laws of demand and supply. When the history of commerce from its earliest dawn to its present tremendous international proportions shall be carefully written, the Periplus will furnish a most interesting part of such early history, and the Commercial Museum will not have to apologize for rescuing this work from obscurity and presenting it to the general public.

W. P. WILSON, Sc. D. Director.

The Philadelphia Museums September, 1911