In reply I beg, on behalf of the American National Red Cross, to express its gratitude and that of the people of California, for the generosity of the Japanese Red Cross and the people of Japan, and to say that I shall be glad, on behalf of the American National Red Cross, to receive the contributions mentioned, and to expend them for the purposes mentioned in Your Excellency’s letter. I have the honor to be, Your Excellency, Very sincerely yours, WM. H. TAFT, _President, American National Red Cross_. His Excellency, VISCOUNT S. AOKI, _Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary_, Japanese Embassy, Washington. On May 21st a second installment was received from Japan and accepted in the following letter: WASHINGTON, D. C., _May 21, 1906_. _Your Excellency_: I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your favor of the 21st of May, enclosing a check for $30,000, which the Red Cross Society of Japan has raised as the second installment from the general public of Japan for the relief of distress caused to the inhabitants of California by the recent earthquake. On behalf of the Red Cross, I beg to thank you and your people for the generous contribution. I have the honor to be, Your Excellency, Very sincerely yours, WM. H. TAFT, _President, American National Red Cross_. His Excellency, VISCOUNT S. AOKI, _Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary_, Japanese Embassy, Washington, D. C. That, after the great expense incurred by the late war and the need of relief at home on a large scale for the famine stricken provinces, so generous an expression of sympathy for the sufferers in California was made by the people of Japan, is most deeply appreciated by the American National Red Cross and the American people. Up to the date of going to press the Red Cross has received from the State Branches and from other sources $2,275,489.56. Four hundred thousand dollars of this amount has been transmitted to Mr. James Phelan, as Chairman of the Finance Committee of the consolidated Relief Committee and Red Cross, and the remainder is subject to the call of this committee, any sum being at its request immediately forwarded by telegraph to San Francisco through the U. S. Sub-Treasuries, and placed to Mr. Phelan’s credit.