RED CBOSS SOCIETIES. 767 REDEMPTORISTS. International Red Cross Conference, held at Paris, proposed such a revision, and in the fol- lowing year a diplomatic congress convened at Geneva to consider the matter. This congress agreed to add a few supplementarj- clauses, one of which provided that the principles of the Convention should be applied to naval warfare. Owing to the Franco-Prussian War and to other causes, however, the clauses were not ratified by the powers and consequently had no binding force as international law. It was not, in fact, until the Hague Peace Conference of 1809 that it was agreed to apply the principles of the Convention to war upon the seas. At other in- ternational conferences of the Red Cross So- cieties, at Berlin in 1809, Geneva in 1884, Karls- ruhe in 1887, Rome in 1892, Vienna in 1897, and Saint Petersburg in 1902, other subjects for amplification were discussed. Among these were the relations of the Red Cross to the army, the means that should be taken to impress iipon the soldiers the necessity of respecting the red cross, and the measures that would best prevent the abuse of the emblem by persons who might make use of it to cloak hostile designs. This last sub- ject, in particular, was much discussed during the South African War. All the conferences have, however, been hampered by the fact that they can only recommend changes; in order to become an integral part of international law such changes must be ratified by the nations. The various national Red Cross associations are not intimately connected, but the society at Geneva is regarded as the central committee of all. Through it all international communica- tions are made, and by it an international bulle- tin is published. Jlany of the national commit- tees also issue publications. The president of the Geneva Committee is Gustave Moynier; that of the American national organization is Jliss Clara Barton. Bibliography: Moynier, Etude sur la conven- tion de Geneve (Paris, 1870) ; id.. La Croix- Rouge, son passe et son avenir (ib., 1882) ; Du Camp, La Croix-Houge de France (ib., 1889) ; Ariga. La Croix-Rouge en extreme ori- ent (ib., 1900) ; Lueder, Die Genfer Conven- tion (Erlangen. 1876) ; id., La convention de Geneve au point de vue liistorique, critique et dogmatique (ib., 1877) ; Criegen, Das Rothe Kreuz in Deutschland (Leipzig, 1883) ; The Red Cross of the Geneva Convention: What It Is, Its Origin and History (Dansville, N. Y., 1881) ; Barton, History of the lied Cross (Wash- ington, 1883); id.. History of thr: Red Cross in Peace and War (New York, 1898) ; Bulletin in- ternational des sociHes de la Croix-Rouge, pub- lished four times a year by the International Committee of Geneva; Memorial dcs vingt-cinq premieres annees de la Croix-Rouge, 1S6^I-1SSS, published by the same committee; and .Inierican Vationnl Red Cross Relief Committee Reports (New York, 1898; 2d ed. 1899). RED DEER. The common deer of Europe, the males of which are the 'stags' hunted in Scotland and elsewhere. See Deer ; Deer-Stalk- ing. RED'DING. ' A city and the county-seat of Shasta Countv, Cal., 170 miles north of Sacra- mento, on the Sacramento River, and on the Southern Pacific Railroad (Map: California. B 1). The court house and sanatorium are note- worthy features of the city. Redding is situated in a mining and lumbering section, and manufac- tures lumber, foundry and machine-shop prod- ucts, etc. Population, in 1890, 1821; in 1900, 2946. RED'DITCH. A town in Worcestershire, England, on the Arrow, 13 miles southwest of Birmingham (Map: England, E 4). It js the centre of the needle-manufacturing industry, and pins, fish-hooks, and fishing tackle also are large- ly made. The municipality owns its electric light- ing plant. Population, in 1891, 11,300; in 1901, 13;o00. REDDLE (also raddle, ruddle, from AS. rudu, redness, from read, red) , or Red Chalk. An ochreous red iron ore used for making crayons and as an abrasive for polishing glass. REDEEMER, Order of the. A Greek order founded in 1829 and reorganized by ICing Otto in 1833. Its membership consists of persons dis- tinguished in the War of Liberation, and in com- merce, industry, science, or art. The decoration Js a white cross on a green wreath of oak and lau- rel; on the medallion is an image of the Saviour. The reverse bears the Greek cross. See Plate of Orders. REDEMPTION (Lat. redemptio, from rcdi- mere, to buy back, redeem, from red-, re-, back again, anew -f- emere, to buy). In law. the deter- mination of a creditor's right in property, real or personal, by the discharge of the obligation for which the property is lield. The term is most frequently employed to denote the release of a pledge or mortgage. In either case the legal in- terest of the creditor (pledgee, mortgagee) is terminated ipso facto by the performance by the debtor of his obligation or the legal tender there- of, and thereafter the possession of the creditor is wrongful. See Pledge; Coxditiox; Equity op Redemption; Foreclosvre, etc. BEDEMPTIONISTS. See Trinitarians. REDEMPTORISTS (Fr. redemptoriste, from Lat. rcdemptor, redeemer, from rcdimere, to buy back, redeem.) , also called Ligiorians. A con- gregation of missionary priests founded in 1732 by Saint Alphonsus Liguori (q.v.). The members of the Congregation of the Jlost Holy Redeemer were bound to seek their own perfection by the obligations and rules of a religious life and to devote themselves to a])ostoIic work among the most neglected and forsaken souls, especially in country places. The instructions given by the members are of the simplest and plainest cliar- acter. The congregation was originally founded in Naples, but being approved by Benedict XIV. in 1749, spread rapidly throughout Italy and afterwards extended into Germany and Switzer- land. The suppression of the .lesuits in 1773 left a hiatus in missionary fields which the Redemp- torists were called upon to fill. By the end of the eighteenth century the congregation had spread throughout most of the countries of Eu- rope and in the early part of the nineteenth cen- tury houses were establishel in North and South America and in Australia. Saint Alphonsus founded also an Order of Nuns called Redeniptoristines. This is a strictly con- templative Order with a number of convents in Italy, three in Austria, four in Belgium, three in Holland, two in France, and one in Ireland. For their constitution and early history, see Dumor-
