Their Majesties, the Emperor and the Empress and their Highnesses, the Crown Prince and Princess have always been greatly interested in our relief work. Especially the Empress has graciously encouraged the members in various ways, giving, for instance, money to the Association and visiting it to look at the members making bandages. When she summoned Count Matsugata, the President, to the palace on the 3d of September of last year, the following was graciously spoken to him:—
“It is gratifying that the Red Cross Society of Japan has dispatched a great number of Relief detachments, by whom both Japanese and Russian sick and wounded have been attended. We hope you will encourage these detachments in their work and that the relief work, true to the principle of philanthropy, will be thoroughly accomplished by them.”
Again, on the 4th of March of this year when Baron Ozawa, Vice-President, paid an homage to the Empress previous to his departure from Japan for the front to visit the sufferers officially and to inspect all the Relief detachments there, she spoke to him as follows:—
“Over one year has now passed away since the Red Cross Society has started its relief work. We can imagine how hard it must be for the members of the Relief detachments at the front especially at this coldest season of the year. Still, the care of the sick and wounded concerns my heart evermore. We wish you would convey to the Relief detachments my earnest hope that they will endure all the difficulties and work hard in alleviating the suffering of the patients.”
Indeed, it is not little that the Japanese ladies have done for the prestige of the nation as well as for humanity during the Russo-Japanese war.
Our sister-societies have earnestly and practically extended their sympathy and kindness to us by offering gifts in various forms, which we have gratefully accepted. The following are the details of gifts we have received since last October up to this date. (Gifts from other institutions or individuals are omitted here).
| The Central Office of the International Red Cross Society | Franc 1,000 |
| The Red Cross Society of Germany | Medical materials, &c. |
| The Red Cross Society of Germany | Woolen caps, &c. |
| The Relief Society for Wounded Soldiers of France | Medicines, bandages and other materials. |
| The Ladies’ Association of France | Franc 5,000 |
| The British Red Cross Society | Yen 10,000 |
| or £ 1,000 | |
| The Red Cross Society of Austria | Krone 50,000 |
| The Red Cross Society of Hungary | Krone 10,000 |
| Golniezbanya Branch of the Red Cross Society of Hungary | Krone 50,000 |