Operating over such a large territory, communication by mail would have often been too slow to be effective, and it was constantly necessary to resort to the telegraph, and the cost of such service would have ordinarily been very great. But the Postal Telegraph Company and the Western Union Telegraph and Cable Company, in order to assist the work, extended unusual privileges, the first company transmitting all messages free, and the second accepting messages at the government rates. The Central Cuban Relief Committee in their report to the President, extend their thanks to many other companies, and individuals, for whose kindly assistance they are indebted, and special mention is made of the valuable service rendered by the United States dispatch agent, Mr. I.P. Roosa, in the receipt and storage, the purchase and shipment of relief supplies. In the latter part of March a conference was held at Washington, between the Secretary of State and the Central Cuban Relief Committee, which resulted in bringing the committee into relationship with the American National Red Cross, and the designation of the Red Cross as the distributing agent in Cuba, acting for the State Department and the committee. As told elsewhere, the work of distribution in Cuba was scarcely begun when friendly relations between the United States and Spain were suspended, and upon the advice of the Consul-General at Havana, the Red Cross retired when the President called all Americans home. In the meantime the committee, upon the advice of the Department of State, had chartered the steamship "State of Texas" of the Mallory Line, and, loading her with a general cargo of food, clothing, medicines and hospital supplies, dispatched her, under the flag of the Red Cross, to Key West. The purpose for which this good ship was dispatched, and the conditions under which she was sent, are best explained by the correspondence exchanged at that time by the Departments of State and Navy, the American National Red Cross, the Central Cuban Relief Committee and the naval commanders: THE CENTRAL CUBAN RELIEF COMMITTEE, Appointed by the President of the United States and acting under the direction of the Department of State. NEW YORK, _April 20, 1898._ MISS CLARA BARTON, _President, American National Red Cross, Washington, D.C._: DEAR MISS BARTON: In confirmation of the verbal request by the chairman and treasurer of the Central Cuban Relief Committee, in conjunction with the Hon. Wm. R. Day, Assistant Secretary of State, that you proceed to the island of Cuba, there to carry on the work of distribution and relief to the suffering people in behalf of this committee and in co-operation with the United States Consuls, I beg to inform you that at a special meeting of this committee, held on thirteenth of April, 1898, the following action was taken: