On the fourteenth day of May the Relief Committee addressed the following letter to the President of the United States, reciting the formal offer of the American National Red Cross to supplement the field and hospital service of the army and navy, and reiterating their tender of co-operation and financial support:
New York, May 20, 1898.
To the President:
Sir: In accordance with the request made by you to the special committee appointed by the American National Red Cross Relief Committee, during its recent visit to you, the undersigned members of said special committee beg leave to submit the following statements for your consideration:
The American National Red Cross Relief Committee of New York, organized with an unlimited number of co-operating and auxiliary bodies throughout the country, for the purpose of providing financial and material sustenance to the work of the American National Red Cross, Miss Clara Barton, president, begs leave to represent to the Government of the United States as follows, viz:
First.—That the American National Red Cross is the duly incorporated committee representing the work of the Red Cross in its civil capacity, and is recognized as such by the Government of the United States, the governments of other countries and the International Committee at Geneva.
Second.—That we are informed that the said American National Red Cross has given formal notice to the Departments of State, War and Navy and the Surgeons-General of the army and navy of its readiness to respond to any calls for civil aid to supplement the hospital work of the army and navy, in accordance with the provisions of the resolutions of the Geneva Conference of 1863 and the Geneva Convention of 1864, and their amendments.
Third.—That, in order to guarantee the fullest effectiveness of the aid thus offered by the civil Red Cross, this committee hereby gives you official notice that it stands ready, together with other co-operating committees, to furnish all necessary money and material to support the work of the said American National Red Cross, as hereinbefore outlined.
We beg to request, Mr. President, that you take the necessary action to have the several departments of the government duly notified of this financial guarantee of the assistance tendered by the American National Red Cross, to the end that the fullest reliance may be placed upon its offer, should the extent of the present war over tax the preparations of the medical departments of the army and navy.