Fourteen months ago, the entire Spanish Government at Madrid cabled me permission to take to, and distribute food to the suffering people in Cuba. This official permission was broadly published; if read by our people, no response was made, no action taken until two months ago, when under the humane and gracious call of our honored President, I did go, and distributed food unmolested anywhere on the island, until arrangements were made by our government for all American citizens to leave Cuba. Persons must now be dying there by the hundreds if not thousands daily, for the want of the food we are shutting out. Will not the world hold us accountable? Will history write us blameless? Will it not be said of us that we completed the scheme of extermination commenced by Weyler? I fear the mutterings are already in the air. Fortunately, I know the Spanish authorities in Cuba, Captain-General Blanco and his assistants. We parted with perfect friendliness. They do not regard me as an American merely, but as the national representative of an international treaty to which themselves are signatory and under which they act. I believe they would receive and confer with me, if such a thing were made possible. I would like to ask Spanish permission and protection to land and distribute the food now on the "State of Texas." Could I be permitted to ask to see them under flag of truce? If we make the effort and are refused, the blame rests with them; if we fail to make it, it rests with us. I hold it good statesmanship to at least divide the responsibility. I am told that some days must elapse before our troops can be in position to reach and feed this starving people. Our food and our force are here, ready to commence at once. With assurances of highest regard, I am, Admiral, Very respectfully yours, CLARA BARTON. [Illustration: A PART OF THE AMERICAN NATIONAL RED CROSS FLEET IN THE SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR OF 1898. YACHT "RED CROSS."--Failed to reach Cuba in time for service, and was used for transporting sick between military camps and New York. S.S. "SAN ANTONIO."--Carried assorted cargo and hospital supplies to Matanzas and Cardenas for distribution to the interior towns. S.S. "STATE OF TEXAS."--Loaded before the declaration of war, with 1400 tons of food and hospital supplies and clothing for Cuban hungry. Carried Red Cross president and working staff and nurses. Used cargo for both U.S. Army and Cubans at Guantanamo, Siboney, the front and Santiago.