THE MOST EMINENT ORDER OF THE INDIAN EMPIRE; THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE ORDER; T THE ORDER OF THE CROWN OF INDIA, ETC. BY MAJOR J. H. HE vast expansion of the British Empire, during the present auspicious reign, has demanded a corresponding increase, in various new forms, suitable to each special occasion, of those honorary marks of royal favour, which are symbolized in chivalric decorations. Accordingly, the Victorian period of our "Island Story," has been illustrated by the institution of five new "Orders," besides which, the "Victoria Cross," although not strictly an order, recognizes personal "valour" in the field, and is doubly prized, because open to all the naval and military grades, under that in which other qualifications are required. In addition to these, and instituted at an earlier period, are two Orders of Merit restricted to natives of India. At the head of these five Orders, is that of the Star of India, already described (Illustrated Naval and Military Magazine, October 1887). I. Of the lesser Orders, the first is that of the Indian Empire, instituted 1st January 1878, by Her Gracious Majesty, to commemorate her assumption of the style and title of Empress of India, and as a reward for services rendered to the State in that great appanage. This Order originally comprised only one class, or "Companions," who ranked after the corresponding class, in the Order of St. Michael and St. George, under the "Sovereign" and the Viceroy of India (ex-officio, VOL. VIII. LAWRENCE-ARCHER. Grand Master); and its officers were, and still are, a registrar and a secretary. In the present Jubilee year, however, the Order has been enlarged, and by letters patent, under the Great Seal, dated 1st June 1887, alterations were made in its constitution, and, at the same time, the letters patent of the 2nd August 1886, which added a second class, have been partially abrogated. In consequence, the Order is now styled "The Most Eminent," and it is ordained that Her Majesty's heirs and successors shall be Sovereigns of the Order that the Viceroy, for the time being shall be Grand Master, and also first and principal Knight Grand Commander-that the members shall be divided into three classes, namely, 25 Knights Grand Commanders; 50 Knights Commanders; and a third class, to consist of so many Companions as may be appointed; and, lastly, that Her Majesty, her heirs and successors, at their pleasure, may appoint any Prince of the Blood Royal, being descended from King George I., an extra Knight Grand Commander. It was further ordained, that the Members of the Order should take precedence next to and after those of St. Michael and St. George, grade by grade; that the Order should be governed by statutes and ordinances; that it should be competent to Her Majesty to confer, through the representatives of Eastern potentates, the decoration of Knight Grand Commander on such persons as, by services, official or other, to the Empire in India, might merit the Royal favour. Ꭺ Accordingly, in celebration of her Jubilee year's completion, the Sovereign made the following appointments of Knights Grand Commanders :-- General Sir F. B. Roberts, Bart., G.C.B., K.C.I.E., V.C.; Field-Marshal H.R.H. the Prince of Wales, K.G., &c.; Vice-Admiral H.R H. the Duke of Edinburgh, K.G.. &c.; Major-General H.R.H. the Duke of Connaught, K.G., &c.; Field-Marshal H.R.H. the Duke of Cambridge, K.G., &c. The Secretary of the Order is the Foreign Secretary to the Government of India; and the Registrar, Sir A. W. Woods, Knight, Garter Principal King of Arms. The original badge of the Order is represented in the accompanying plate. An heraldic rose, enamelled gules, and barbed vert. In the centre, on a golden field, the Imperial bust, in profile, proper, within a purple fillet, inscribed in gold, "Victoria Imperatrix." The letters of the word "INDIA," in gold, are distributed on the petals of the rose, which latter is surmounted by the Imperial crown. The ribbon is purple. The Royal, naval, and military members of the Order are as follow: - G.C.I.E.-H.R.H. the Prince of Wales, H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh, H.R.H. the Duke of Connaught and Strathearn, H.R.H. the Duke of Cambridge, V.C., K.G., Sir F. S. Roberts, Bart. K.C.I.E.-Major-General Sir A. Cunningham, C.S.I., retired, Royal Engineers; Surgeon-General B. Simpson, M.D., Bengal Medical Establishment; Hon. Col. Sir B. Leslie, Indian Volunteers. C.I.E.-There are at present, sixty-four Companions of the Order, amongst whom are many officers of the highest distinction: General Sir F. P. Haines; General Sir A. G. Clarke; General Sir E. B. Johnson; General Sir H. W. Norman; General Sir D. M. Stewart, &c. II. The "Distinguished Service Order," was instituted by the Queen-Empress at "our Court of Balmoral" in the fiftieth year of Her reign, on the 6th September 1886, in terms to the following effect:: "Victoria R. and I.," having taken into consideration that the means of adequately rewarding the distinguished services of officers in the naval and military services, who have been honourably mentioned in despatches, are limited-now, for the purpose of attaining an end so desirable as that of rewarding individual instances of meritorious or distinguished service in war-" We have instituted and created by these presents, for us, our heirs and successors, and do institute a new naval and military order of distinction, to be designated and hereafter described." (1.) The Order is named "The Distinguished Service Order." (2.) It is ordained to consist of the Sovereign, and of such Members or Companions, as "We, our heirs or successors, shall appoint." (3.) "We, our heirs and successors, Kings and Queens regnant of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Emperors and Empresses of India, are, and for ever shall be, Sovereigns of the Order." (4.) No person to be eligible for this distinction "who doth not hold at the time of his nomination, a commission in our naval, land forces, or marines, or our Indian, or Colonial naval and military forces, or a commission in one of the departments of our Navy or Army, the holder of which is entitled to Honorary or relative Navy or Army rank. Nor shall any person be nominated unless his services shall have been marked by the special mention of his name by the admiral or senior naval officer commanding a squadron or detached naval force, or by the commander-in-chief of the forces in the field, in despatches, for meritorious or distinguished service in the field or before the enemy." (5.) Foreign officers associated in naval and military operations, eligible to be Honorary Members. (6.) Appointments to be according to our pleasure, by warrant under the Sign Manual, countersigned by our Principal Secretary of State. (7.) Refers to the decoration. (8, 9.) Provides for a Secretary and Registrar. (10.) Defines the rank of the Order, as next to and after that of the "Indian Empire." (11.) Describes the badgeas follows:-A gold cross enameled white, and edged gold, having on one side, in the centre, within a wreath of laurels enameled green, the imperial crown in gold upon a red ground; and on the reverse, within a similar wreath, and on a similar ground, the Imperial and Royal cipher, V.R.I., suspended from left breast by a red riband, edged blue, one inch wide. (12.) Provides for publication of appointments in the London Gazette; and, finally, declares that "We, our heirs, and successors,' shall have the power of " annulling, altering, abrogating, augmenting and interpreting these regulations, or any part of them, by a notification, under the Sign Manual, countersigned by the Secretary of State." The Order, having no retrospective effect, excludes officers in receipt of "Distinguished Service" pensions. It was first conferred on those who had distinguished themselves during the campaign in Burma, and in the Soudan, and is the first that, breaking through old traditions and narrow prejudices, stimulates ambition in the junior commissioned grades of the services. The only officer of the Order is the Secretary and Registrar, P. B. Burgess, Esq. There are, at present, forty-five members of the Order: -- Lithgow, D., Surg.-General S. A., C.B., M.D. Murray, Lieut.-Colonel K. D., Royal Irish Fusiliers. 3 ORDER OF THE INDIAN EMPIRE, DISTINGUISHED SERVICE ORDER, ETC. Tweedie, Lieut.-Colonel J. L., Royal West Kent Regi- and others." This is repeated in two other passages in ment. Bennett, Lieut.-Colonel W., York Regiment. Skinner, Assistant Commander-General J. T., Commissariat and Transport Staff. Everett, Lieut.-Colonel E., Cameron Highlanders. Hunter, Brevet-Major A., Royal Lancashire Regiment. Smith-Dorrien, Captain H. L., Derbyshire Regiment. De Lisle, Lieutenant H. de B., Durham Light Infantry. Annesley, Lieutenant W. R. N., Royal West Kent Regiment. Page, Captain C. W. H., Canadian Militia. Lambert, Hon. Lieut.-Colonel W. M., retired, Royal Marine Artillery. Rogers, Surg.-Major J. G., Medical Staff. III. The next of these Orders is that of the "Crown of India," which was instituted by "Victoria, Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, Empress of India," to commemorate the assumption of the Imperial title, January 1st, 1878. The Sovereign is Grand Mistress. It has only one class, and comprises "Princesses of the Royal House, and the wives or other female relatives of Indian Princes the patent, one of which runs: "It shall be competent for the Sovereign of this Order to confer the decoration thereof upon the wives or other female relatives of any of the persons who have held, now hold, or may hereafter hold, the High Offices of Viceroy and GovernorGeneral of India, Governor of Madras or Bombay, or of Principal Secretary of State for India." Ladies of high rank in their own right, and ladies who play a "prominent part in ceremonial life, in such a way that the special grace with which they play it, comes to be noticed, and ladies who show fine qualities in any great crisis" (like the Indian Mutiny, for example)," and are of adequate social rank to receive a decoration, would also be proper recipients of the Order." The Badge consists of the Royal and Imperial cipher, in diamonds, pearls, and turquoises, within an oval garlanded border of pearls, surmounted by the Imperial Crown, jewelled and enameled proper. The badge is attached to a light-blue white-edged watered silk ribbon, worn in the form of a bow. Amongst the distinguished ladies of this Order may be mentioned the following: The fourth, is the "Royal (Family) Order of Victoria and Albert," instituted by Her Gracious Majesty, 10th February 1862. Like the preceding, it is restricted to ladies, and consists of three classes. It was enlarged, 10th October, 1864, and again on 15th November, 1865. The Sovereign is Grand Mistress, and it has a Registrar-Albert W. Woods, "Garter." The Badge (1st, 2nd, and 3rd Classes) bears the heads of the Queen and the late Prince Consort, in profile, |