Acting under the apprehension that the President deemed it best that no foreign contributions be accepted, two generous contributions made directly to the Red Cross, one from the Canadian Pacific Railroad and one from the Chinese Diplomatic and Consular Service in this country, though deeply appreciated, were declined. In the case of the money offered by the Chinese Legation and Consuls, the Chinese Minister, at the suggestion of the Red Cross, placed the contribution in the hands of the First Secretary of the Chinese Legation, Mr. Chow Tszchi, who was sent by him to the Pacific Slope with a letter from the Red Cross to Dr. Devine, requesting the latter to assist in every way possible Mr. Chow Tszchi’s work for the Chinese sufferers. On May 5th the following letter was received by the Honorable Wm. H. Taft, President of the American National Red Cross: JAPANESE EMBASSY, WASHINGTON, _May 5, 1906_. _Honorable Wm. H. Taft, President of the American National Red Cross_: SIR:—I beg to inform you that the Red Cross Society of Japan has solicited contributions from the general public in Japan for the relief of distress caused to the population of California by the recent earthquake, and transmitted to me by telegraph as the first installment the sum of 50,000 dollars with the request that it be applied to the above named purpose through the kindness of the American National Red Cross. Will you kindly inform me at your earliest convenience whether you can use your good offices in the premises or not? Yours sincerely, VISCOUNT S. AOKI. As information was received that only such contributions as were made directly to the Government were to be declined, this generous expression of sympathy consisting of voluntary contributions made through the Japanese Red Cross to the American National Red Cross for the purpose of this relief work was accepted by the President of the Red Cross in the following letter: WASHINGTON, D. C., _May 8, 1906_. _Your Excellency_: I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your favor of the 5th of May, in which you inform me that the Red Cross Society of Japan has solicited contributions from the general public in Japan for the relief of distress caused to the population of California by the recent earthquake, and has transmitted to you by telegraph the sum of $50,000, with a request that it be applied to the above-named purpose through the American National Red Cross. Your Excellency asks that I advise you whether I can use my good offices in the premises.