Relief detachments at the front 32 These detachments consist of field hospitals and relief stations in Korea and Manchuria. Column of Stretcher-bearers 1 The members of the column are located separately along with Etape lines serving in carrying the sick and wounded with stretchers, wagons, horses, etc. In addition to such institutions, there are thirteen agencies at home and one at the front established by the Headquarters of the Society in order to facilitate the management of the whole Relief detachments at home and abroad, numbering 152 Relief detachments in all; and of Relief stations established in such ports and railway stations as are convenient and necessary for giving rest and refreshment to the sick and wounded on their homeward way and also medical treatment in cases of emergency, to say nothing of renewing bandages. These are worked voluntarily by the members of the branches of the Red Cross Society of Japan, surgeons, nurses and the members of the Ladies’ Volunteer Nursing Association. The nurses of both sexes, dispatched up to date, number in all over 4,700, five Relief detachments out of which have been formed and placed entirely in the Russian prisoners’ hospitals and stations. The approximate amount of the expense for the work up to the end of this year is estimated to be as much as 5,160,000 Yen. * * * * * The members of the Ladies’ Volunteer Nursing Association of the Red Cross Society of Japan have constantly and strenuously rendered their services ever since the outbreak of the war in making bandages and caps for the patients, in looking after them at the relief stations, which we have already mentioned, in visiting them at the hospitals, in helping them to write to their families at home, in distributing among them books, magazines, newspapers and various things they could collect, in actually nursing the sick and wounded of both belligerents, if necessary, and in various other ways. The members of forty-one branches, together with those of the headquarters of the Association number nearly 10,000, including Princesses, the wives of the Nobility and of diplomatic staffs and other distinguished ladies who have joined. * * * * * 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:—