In accordance with an established tradition, duly confirmed by the last
Congress held in St. Petersburg, it is the duty of the International
Committee to concern itself in due time with the reunion of the
International Meetings, which periodically bring together the delegates
of all the National Societies of the Red Cross.
The British Society not having heretofore been called upon to entertain
the sister organizations of other countries, we addressed ourselves to
the London Committee: We have the pleasure of announcing to our honorable
correspondents that this Committee accepted the mandate which we proposed
it should assume.
The next International Congress of the Red Cross Societies will therefore
convene in London, 1907, during the week beginning June 10th.
You will unite with us Gentlemen, will you not, in addressing publicly
to the British Society, the expression of our sincere gratitude for the
invitation extended to us, assuring it at the same time of the zeal with
which we will favorably respond.
It is important that these periodical occasions, the only ones which
afford to our Societies the opportunity to strengthen the bands which
unite them, by personal and instructive intercourse, should be as largely
attended as possible and that no Society, however modest it be, should
fail to have itself represented.
The British Society which has so recently been called upon to reap
such a rich harvest in the field of Volunteer Aid, will doubtless have
important communications to make to its guests; moreover its organization
and peculiar workings, will offer an ample subject of study to delegates
assembled to perfect their knowledge in the line of aid to wounded
soldiers.
It seems of interest to us, to trace in a few lines, the origin of this
Society, thereby learning to know it in advance, because few countries
have shown as much zeal and expended as much money in succoring wounded
soldiers, as Great Britain. This Society owes its existence to the
Members of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, who conceived the idea in
April, 1869. It was regularly incorporated August 4, 1870. Its operations
were confined at the outset, in time of peace, to the training of nurses,
but in time of war, it played an important and beneficent part in sending
aid in money, or in kind, by furnishing detachments of nurses, not only
for the wars in which England participated, but also for those in which
she was not engaged.
In 1899 a British Central Committee of the Red Cross was created, uniting
the delegates of the National Society for Aid to the Wounded, the
Ambulance of St. John and the Reserve Corps of Army Nurses, to serve as a
bond between these three institutions and for the purpose of distributing
in time of war, all voluntary relief contributions, whether made in
personal service, in materials or in funds. It was destined to enlarge
the sphere of action and of influence of the British Red Cross, and to
neutralize the efforts of all the Relief Societies of the country. The
Chairman of the National Society, Lord Wantage, was placed at the head of
this Central Committee, and the new combination proved efficacious and
useful in the Anglo-Boer War, where the Volunteer Sanitary Service played
such an important part.
Finally in 1905 a new transformation became operative. Lord Wantage,
deceased in 1901, was succeeded by Lord Rothschild. A committee presided
over by the latter, under the auspices of the Queen and in response to an
appeal made by her, was charged with the work of rendering more effective
the concentration of all British Societies concerned with Relief Work
amongst the sick and wounded in the Army. The efforts of this committee
of organization have resulted in an association which assures to the Red
Cross in Great Britain, the position it should occupy. Lord Rothschild
is Chairman of the Executive Committee. We will undoubtedly be able in
the next issue of the “Bulletin” to give more complete details concerning
this entirely recent institution.
The Headquarters of the British Red Cross Society are at 9 Victoria St.,
London, S. W.
The program of each Congress is as you know, finally arranged by the
Committee of the Country acting as host, according to the subjects
suggested by the other National Societies and also by those which it
desires itself to discuss. We therefore request you to inform the British
Society directly and at your earliest convenience, of the questions you
would wish to see appear on the program for deliberation. The British
Society in transmitting to you the final program, will give full,
practical and necessary directions.
In accordance with resolutions passed at St. Petersburg, an exhibition
will be held in connection with the next Congress, with the object of
showing the technical progress made in relief methods. Moreover the
prize founded by the Empress Marie-Feodorovna, will be awarded for the
first time, to the authors of the best inventions for alleviating the
sufferings of sick and wounded soldiers.[1] The inventions to be shown
at the aforesaid exhibition. The jury charged with awarding the prize
is composed of eight members, of which two are named by right, one by
the Russian Central Committee, the other by the International Committee;
besides these, the Central Committees charged with designating in 1907,
each a member of the jury, are those of Germany, Austria, Great Britain,
France, Italy and Holland.
Finally, and in conformity with a decision of the last Congress, we
invite those of the Red Cross Societies which have not yet informed us of
how far they have been able to carry out the wishes and the resolutions
adopted in St. Petersburg, to do so at once, or at least to notify the
London Committee in time to enable them to present a report on the matter
to the Eighth Congress.
Having given ourselves the pleasure of announcing the gracious invitation
which the British Red Cross Society intends addressing to you, with the
special communications which it will send to you directly, we beg to
renew to that Society the expression of our gratitude and to present to
you, Gentlemen, the assurance of our most distinguished sentiments.
For the International Committee of the Red Cross:
G. MOYNIER, _President_.
E. ODIER, _Secretary_.
GUSTAVE ADOR, _Vice-President_.
[1] Article 2 of the regulations of the Empress’ Fund. See Bulletin of
the International Red Cross Committee, xxxiii, p. 143.