332 



NATURE 



[May 13, 1920 



the giant glaciers and snowfields which wall them 

 in on north, south, and west. A certain liveli- 

 hood, an ample and cheap food supply, and com- 

 plete safety have produced a contented race, 

 devoid of ambition and easily ruled. The towns- 

 folk are much the same. Kashgar and Yarkand 

 are still great trade centres. Since Marco Polo's 

 day, "from this country many merchants go forth 

 about the world on trading journeys." The old 



Pamirs, while Sir Aurel Stein crossed the plateau 

 from east to west, and penetrated to the amaz- 

 ingly interesting regions of Roshan and Darwaz. 



The chief interest of this book lies in the fact 

 that it recounts the impressions of a resident in 

 a country wjhich has so far been described only 

 by the passer-by. Even a glimpse o-f life in the 

 only city of Central Asia where the British Empire 

 retains a representative should commend it to the 



Fig. 2. — Cart used in the Osh district. From " Through Deserts and Oases of Central Asia.' 



silk route ran the length of the country. All trade 

 between China and Western Asia passed through 

 Kashgar. 



The volume ends with an account of a visit to 

 the Russian Pamirs. For a long time the "Roof 

 of the World " has been a forbidden land to the 

 English hunter, but the war proved that Russian 

 designs oii India were a bogey. The author was 

 permitted to travel and shoot in the heart of the 



reader. For years the post has been held by Sir 

 George Macartney. Far removed from the nearest 

 Englishman, cut off from India, isolated and 

 alone, he has upheld the honour of the Empire, 

 using prestige instead of Cossacks, and relying 

 on his unrivalled knowledge of the East. Sir Percy 

 Sykes had his work cut out to fill the gap satis- 

 factorily, but his life experience in Asia served him 

 well, and he has allowed us to see something of it. 



The United States National Research Council. 



By Prof. Vernon Kellogg. 



THE National Research Council is a co-opera- I Sciences, especially 

 tive organisation of men of science in 

 America for the special purpose of promoting 

 fundamental research in the physical and natural 

 sciences, the application of scientific knowledge 

 in the industries, and the training of research 

 workers, all for the sake of the general advance- 

 ment of science and the increase of the national 

 strength and well-being. It was organised in 191 6, 

 under the auspices of the National Academy of 

 NO. 2637, VOL. 105] 



to help make the scientific 

 resources of the country available to the Govern- 

 ment in the solution of pressing war-time 

 problems involving scientific investigation. As 

 now reorganised on a permanent peace-time foot- 

 ing, its membership of about 250 is largely com- 

 posed of duly appointed representatives of about 

 forty major scientific and technical societies of 

 America, with a group of administrative officert^ 

 and necessary office staffs, resident in Washing- 



