MEDAL FOR LONG SERVICE AND GOOD CONDUCT.

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officer or soldier were engraved round the edge of the medal, which was to be suspended from the button-hole of the uniform to the ribbon authorized for the military medals, namely, crimson with blue edges. In the "London Gazette," of the 23rd. of April, 1816, was published the following official notification::

MEMORANDUM.

"Horse Guards, March 10th., 1816.

"The Prince Regent has been graciously pleased, in the name and on the behalf of His Majesty, to command, that in commemoration of the brilliant and decisive victory of Waterloo, a medal should be conferred on every officer, non-commissioned officer, and soldier of the British Army, present upon that memorable occasion.

"His Royal Highness has further been pleased to command, that the ribbon issued with the medal, shall never be worn but with the medal suspended to it.

By command of His Royal Highness the Prince Regent; FREDERICK, Commander-in-Chief.

H. TORRENS, Major-General and Military Secretary."

The distinction for Waterloo became the more valuable, from the fact that there was only one ribbon and one medal for all ranks of the army, from the Commander of the Forces to the youngest drummer.

MEDAL FOR LONG SERVICE AND GOOD

CONDUCT.

King William the Fourth, on the 30th. of July, 1830, signified to the Secretary at War his command that discharged soldiers receiving a gratuity under the provisions of the Royal Warrant of the 14th. of November, 1829, should be entitled to wear a silver medal, having on one side of it the words

In an interesting paper, entitled "APSLEY HOUSE," which appeared in the "Quarterly Review," for March, 1853, descriptive of a visit to the late Duke's residence, the writer thus alludes to this medal,-"His own Waterloo medal, engraved 'Arthur, Duke of Wellington,' and much worn by use, with the ring cobbled and mended by himself, is indeed a relic."

"For Long Service and Good Conduct," and on the other, in relief, the king's arms, with the name and rank of the soldier, and the year inscribed thereon. The medal was to be transmitted by the Adjutant-General to the officer commanding the regiment, who was to deliver it to the soldier on parade, with the parchment certificate of discharge, on which the grant was to be recorded, as well as in the regimental orders, and in the register of soldiers' services. When circumstances prevented the discharged soldier from receiving the medal at the regiment, the same was to be delivered to him through the Adjutant-General, at the Board of the Chelsea Commissioners. The men to be recommended must have completed a service of twenty-one years in the artillery, engineers, and infantry, and twenty-four years in the cavalry. Under special circumstances pensioners could be recommended by their former commanding officers for this distinction, but they were eligible only for the year in which they were discharged, and the application in their behalf had to be made within three years from the date of their quitting the service.

Since the introduction of this medal an improvement has been made in the issue; by the shortening of the qualifying period, where it was twenty-one to eighteen years, and where twenty-four to twenty-one years, the medal is now delivered to the soldier, in most instances, before discharge, and on parade by his commanding officer, thus enabling him to wear it during the remaining period of his service in the regiment. The names and services of the recipients are notified, as far as practicable, to the parishes to which they belong. East or West India service does not reckon as additional towards the Good Conduct Medal, and service under age is not allowed to be counted.

By a Royal Warrant, dated 16th. January, 1860, the grant of the medal for "Long Service and Good conduct," without gratuities, was in future to be extended to such soldiers as might fulfil the conditions previously required, but who were precluded from becoming recipients of the medal with a gratuity, in consequence of the aggregate amount to be annually awarded having been already appropriated. In addition to those already authorized with gratuities, it was directed

that the medal alone should be granted to such soldiers, whether sergeants, corporals, or privates, as might be selected for them, the same rule being observed as regards their qualifications, in the following proportion in each year, namely, -To each cavalry regiment and battalion of the military train, two; to each brigade of the royal artillery, three; to every nine hundred men of the royal engineers, three; to each infantry regiment or battalion, three.

Non-commissioned officers and men who might be qualified before discharge, were to be eligible to receive the medal without gratuity, if recommended by their former commanding officers within three years after their discharge.

Non-commissioned officers on the permanent staff of the militia who were eligible previous to their discharge from the army for the medal with gratuity, are also eligible to receive medals without gratuities, and no limit is placed on the grant as regards the date of discharge from the army in the case of men so serving. Their names have to be submitted by the officer commanding the militia regiment to which they belong, who is to prove their qualification by transmitting, with the recommendation, a statement of their army services, exemption from trial by court-martial, etc., according to the prescribed form, and certified by their former commanding officer. A record of the recipients of these medals is preserved in the office of the Secretary of State for War.

This medal is similar to that granted for "Distinguished Conduct in the Field," of which an illustration is given at page 165, of the Crimean section of this work, the words "For Long Service and Good Conduct" being substituted instead of "For Distinguished Conduct in the Field." The ribbon is crimson, like that for Meritorious Service.

MEDAL FOR MERITORIOUS SERVICE.

By the Royal Warrant, dated 19th. of December, 1845, authorizing rewards for meritorious service, and for good conduct of non-commissioned officers and soldiers, it was ordered that a

sum not exceeding two thousand pounds a year, should be distributed in granting annuities, as rewards for distinguished or meritorious service, to sergeants recommended by the Commander-in-Chief, either while serving or after discharge, such discharge not being anterior to the 19th. of December, 1845, with or without pension, in sums not exceeding twenty pounds, which are permitted to be held during service, and together with pension.

The sergeants selected for this honorary distinction are entitled to receive and wear a silver medal, having on one side Her Majesty's effigy, and on the other the words "For Meritorious Service," and the name and regiment of the sergeant, with the date of its grant; and they are not liable to the forfeiture of the annuity and medal, except by sentence of a court-martial, or by conviction of felony by a court of civil judicature.* The ribbon is crimson, as shewn in the illustration at page 176.

By the Royal Warrant of the 4th. of June, 1853, the distinguished service rewards were extended from two thousand to four thousand pounds a year, by an annual progression at the rate of two hundred and fifty pounds a year; and by the warrant of the 4th. of December, 1854, in order to mark Her Majesty's sense of the gallantry of the army in the Crimea, it was directed that one sergeant in each regiment of cavalry

Medals granted for service in the field, as well as medals and gratuities, and medals and annuities, for good conduct, are forfeited by soldiers on conviction of desertion or felony, or being sentenced to penal servitude, or on discharge with ignominy. They are also liable to forfeiture by sentence of court-martial, on conviction of disgraceful conduct, or, in case of sergeants, on reduction to the ranks. Medals thus forfeited are transmitted to the Horse Guards, in order to their being returned to the Mint.

Under certain regulations lost medals are replaced; if the loss be proved to have occurred from carelessness or neglect, the loser may be recommended to the Commander-in-Chief for a new medal, at his own expense, after two years' absence from the regimental defaulters' book. In order to justify the replacement of a medal at the public expense, the loss must be shewn to have occurred while on duty, or by some accident entirely beyond the control of the loser; in all other cases, such as the loss of a medal cut from a tunic, or stolen from the person, the soldier has to pay for it himself. In cases wherein the clasps are not lost, they are forwarded to the Adjutant-General to be attached to the new medal. When medals are designedly made away with or pawned, the soldier is to be tried by court-martial, and, if convicted, put under stoppages, the amount being credited to the public. After five years' absence from the regimental defaulters' book, the offender may be recommended for a new medal, on again paying the value thereof.