“Gentlemen, you may rest assured that your benevolence for our work will never, never be forgotten; you will always be considered as our first benefactors and our prayers and the prayers of our dear poor will follow you everywhere. If you come back to visit this desolated country of Messina, we hope you will come at once to see us, as we are really your ‘protegées.’ “Receive, Gentlemen, my most grateful homage, and believe me “Your most humble servant “In Christ our Lord, “ST. AIMÉE DE LA PROVIDENCE, “Provinciale des Petites S’re. des Pauvres. “Piazza, San Pietro in Vincoli, Roma. “August 8th, 1909.” COMMUNE OF MESSINA [Sidenote: Date June 9, 1909. SUBJECT Honorary citizenship of the Commandant and Officers of the Navy of the United States of America, who directed the construction of the American houses.] Extract from the Deliberations of the Municipal Council. The year nineteen hundred nine, the ninth day of the month. The Municipal Council of Messina, being called together by a notice of meeting, sent by the Mayor, dated the seventh of May, convened today in a hall of the Palazzo Comunale, with the following present: 1. Commendatore Antonio Martino, _Mayor_, Presiding. 2. Avvocato Auguste Bette, _Alderman_. 3. Cav. Avvocato Francesco Martino, _Alderman_. 4. Cav. Ingegnere Amilcare Martinez, _Alderman_. 5. Cav. Ingegnere Arturo Lella, _Alderman_. 6. Dottore Orazio Ciraolo, _Alderman_. The Secretary-General, Avvocato Giacomo Crisafulli, assisted at the meeting. The President at 1 o’clock P.M. declared the session open. On the motion of the President,