Among the friends and supporters of Henry Dunant, two Dutchmen take an outstanding place: Dr. J. H. C. Basting and Captain C. W. M. van de Velde.

The ICRC actively developed its relief operation in Algeria in June. Acute medical and sanitary problems are facing its delegates, especially in Oran. As reported earlier the ICRC has sent a medical team of three to the Moslem city of Oran, where medicines, surgical instruments and equipment, and dietetic milk for new-born children, are most urgently needed. Following urgent requests by its delegates on the spot the ICRC immediately despatched by air two tons of dietetic powdered milk: Two further shipments were also sent by the French Red Cross, one of eight crates of sugared concentrated milk, the other of one and a half tons of standardised milk.

Twenty Chinese fishermen from Hainan in the Tonkin Golf, reported missing and later found in Da Nang (formerly named Tourane, in the centre of Vietnam), are now on their way to their own country. The Chinese Red Cross in Peking had asked the ICRC to try and find the men. The ICRC delegate was given permission to visit them by the Government of the Republic of Vietnam. As their boat was no longer seaworthy when they reached the Vietnam coast, the ICRC delegate secured a junk for them. It is on board this craft that they are now going back to China.

Last May, the President, Mr. L. Boissier, accompanied by Mr. G. H. Beckh, Delegate, paid a short visit to the Balkans. His first port of call was Belgrade where he stayed for two days only, since his visit to Yugoslavia was not of an official nature and was only the prelude to a stay of longer duration.

As former French African States began to achieve independence, so the International Committee gave its attention to interesting them in its humanitarian work. It was for this reason that Dr. Gloor, Vice-President, went to Yaoundé during the celebrations organized on the occasion of the proclamation of the independence of the Cameroon Republic, in 1960.

Continuing our general description of the activities of the Central Tracing Agency at the headquarters of the ICRC at Geneva, we would point out that requests for information concerning military personnel and civilians of East European origin, missing during the course of the Second World War continue to reach Geneva in fairly large numbers.

News broadcasts in different languages constitute one of the principal activities of the ICRC Radio Service, and include, on the Swiss Shortwave, Arab language broadcasts, directed by Mr. I. Zreikat, certain of which are passed on, in copies, to radio stations in Arab speaking countries.

The financial position of the ICRC at the end of December 1961, together with a summary of expenditure and receipts for the year, is shown in the tables which follow.