For though ye Hare be mewsed in ye sand
yet Cranwell at your mercy still doth stand
A fire Ship now doth hee Crave,

And the Fox fain would he Have,

then has hee had both Fox and Hare,

then Spanish Admirall stand you cleare,

For Cranwell means ye Chaine of goold to ware;
Sett penn to paper it is done,

for Cranwell still will be your man,"

all of which goes to show that it had not been unusual to bestow gold chains, with or without medals, on the captains of fireships. By the "Fighting Instructions" issued 20th of April, 1665, by James, duke of York, lord high admiral, it was provided as follows. In the case of the destruction of an enemy's vessel of forty guns or more, each person remaining on board the fire-ship till the service was performed was to receive £10, "on board ye Admirall imediately after ye service done," and the captain a gold medal and "shuth other future encouragement by preferment and commande as shall be fitt both to reward him and induce others to perform ye like Service." If it was a flag-ship that was fired "ye Recompense in money shall be doubled to each man performing itt, and ye medall to ye Commander shall be shuth as shall particularly ezpress ye Eminensye of ye Service, and his with ye other officers preferement shalbe suitable to ye meritt of itt." This was followed by an "Oder of the King in Council" dated Whitehall 12th of January 1669-1670, in which the lord high admiral is authorized" to distribute a Medall and Chaine to such Captaines of Fire Shipps as in the last Dutch Warr have burnt any Man of Warr, as also to any of them that shall perform any such service in the present Warr with Algiers. Which Medalls and Chaines are to be of the price of Thirty Pounds each or thereabouts"

To complete the story of fire-ship awards, it may here be noted (though out of chronological order) that in 1703 revised "Fighting Instructions " were issued by Admiral Sir George Rooke, in which it was provided that the captain was to have his choice between a gratuity of £100, or a gold medal and chain of that value. Lastly an order of the king in council, dated, St James's, 16th of December, 1742, ordered that all leutenants of fire-ships (which originally carried no officers of this rank) should be entitled to a gratuity of £50 "in all cases where the Captain is entituled to the Reward of £100." Though probably others were conferred, so thorough an investigator as the late John Horsley Mayo, for many years assistant military secretary at the India office, who had special opportunities of access to official records, traced but three authenticated fire-ship awards. Those were: (1) to Captain John Guy, who blew up his fire-ship the "Vesuvius" under the walls of St Malo in 1693; (2) to Captain Smith Callis who, with his fireship the "Duke," in 1742, destroyed five Spanish galleys which had put into St Tropez, to the eastward of Marseilles; (3) to Captain James Wooldridge, who commanded the British fire-ships in Aix Roads on the 11th of April 1809, when four French sail of the line were burnt. This latter is believed to be the last award of the kind that was issued. Fire-ships awards are of special interest as affording a precedent, in future naval wars, for the award of special decorations for torpedo services.

It is in this reign also that we first find a case of medals being granted by the Honourable East India Company. The earliest of these would appear to have been a gold medal of the value of £20, conferred on Sir George Oxinden, president at Surat, 1622-1669, in 1668, for considerable civil and military services. Surat was then and until 1687, when Bombay took its place, the seat of government of the Western Presidency, and the most eminent of Sir George's services was the defence of the Company's treasures and possessions at that place against Sivajee and the Malirattas in 1664. It is not known what has become of this medal, but there is indirect evidence to

On the obverse the "Arms of the Governor and Company of Merchants of London trading to the East Indies, with creast, supporters, and mottoes," and around the legend NON MINOR EST VIRTVS QUAM QVAERERE PARTA TVERI. The reverse was probably blank to admit of an inscription. This award was the forerunner of many given by the H.E.I. Co., several of which were "general distributions" of the very highest interest, which will be dealt with together later on.

The awards made in the reigns of James II., William and Mary, William III., Anne, George I., George II., may be very briefly dealt with. Almost without an exception they were either naval or conferred by the Hon. East India Company, and with only perhaps one or two exceptions, they were personal as distinct from "general" awards. Of the very few medals awarded by James II., one was an undoubted military award, though curiously enough the recipient was a bishop. This was Peter Mew, who had been made bishop of Bath and Wells in 1672, was translated to Winchester 1684, "and next year was commanded by the king, in compliance with the request of the gentry of Somerset, to go against Monmouth, and did eminent service at the battle of Sedgmoor, where he managed the artillery; for which he was rewarded with a rich medal " (Hutchins's History of Dorset, 3rd ed., vol. iv. p. 149).

The possible exceptions in the way of a general" distribution of a medal during the reigns under review are the cases of the medals struck after the battles of La Hogue, 1692, and Culloden, 1746. By an act of parliament passed in 1692 (4 Gul. and Mar. c. 25), it was enacted that a tenth part of the prize money taken by the navy should be set apart " for Medalls and other Rewards for Officers, Mariners, and Seamen in their Majesties Service at Sea who shall be found to have done any signal or extraordinary service." (Later a Royal Declaration of Queen Anne, the 1st of June 1702, provided that all medal and monetary awards "shall be also paid out of Her Majesties Shares of Prizes.") This is the first case in naval records authorizing the issue of medals to men as well as to officers, and the conferring of the "La Hogue" medal was the first case in which the enactment was carried into effect, at any rate as far as admirals and officers are concerned. Seamen and soldiers had a more substantial reward, for the queen sent £30,000 to be distributed amongst them, whilst gold and silver medals were struck for the admirals and officers. The medal, which was circular, 1.95 in. in diameter, had on the obversc the busts conjoined of William and Mary, r., with around GVL ET MAR DG MB FETH REX ET REGINA. On the reverse was a representation of the fight, showing the French flag-ship, "Le Soleil Royal," in flames, with above the legend, NOX NVLLA SECVTA EST, and, in the exergue, PVGN NAV INT ANG ET FR 21 MAY 1692.

As regards the medal struck after Culloden, fought on the 16th of April 1746, and in which the adherents of the young Pretender were completely routed, there is nothing even to show that it was issued even by the authority of the government, though it was undoubtedly worn, and (if a contemporary portrait is to be relied upon, that of an ancestor of Mr W. Chandos-Pole of Radbourne Hall in Derbyshire) around the neck attached to a crimson ribbon with a green edge. There is no doubt it was struck in gold, silver and copper, but how it was awarded there is no proof, probably only to officers. The obverse had an r., bust of the duke of Cumberland, with above CUMBERLAND, below YEO f (Richard Yeo fecit), and, on the reverse, an Apollo, laureate, leaning upon his bow and pointing to a dragon wounded by his arrow. The reverse legend was ACTUM EST ILICET PERIIT, and, in the exergue PROEL COLOD AP XVI MDCCXLVI. The medal is a strikingly handsome one, with an ornamental border and ring for suspension, oval, 1-75 by 1-45 in., but very few specimens are known to exist. Those in gold were probably only given to officers commanding regiments and a very fine specimen of these, originally conferred on Brigadier-General Fleming (at one time in command of the 36th Foot) is now in the collection of Major-General Lord

in 1794. It will however be more convenient to deal later with these medals and the army gold medals and crosses given for services in the long and arduous struggle of 1793-1815, and to describe here in sequence those medals which were issued by the Honourable East India Company, the issue of which was, with certain limitations, "general," thus reverting to the precedent first established in the "Dunbar " award, namely an issue to all ranks. They are nine in number, and are described below in the chronological order of the military operations for which they were awarded.

1. The "DECCAN " medal. Authorized, first in 1784, and again 1785. Obverse: Figure of Britannia seated on a military trophy, with her right hand holding a wreath of laurel and extended towards a fortress over which the British flag flies. Reverse: Persian inscriptions-In centre, "Presented by the Calcutta Government in memory of good service and intrepid valour, A.D. 1784, A.H. 1199;' around, "Like this coin may it endure in the world, and the exertions of those lion-hearted Englishmen of great name, victorious from Hindostan to the Deccan, become exalted." This medal was issued in two sizes, diameters 1-6 and 1.25 in. The larger medal was struck both in gold and silver, the smaller in silver only, and both were worn round the neck suspended from a yellow cord. This medal was awarded to two large detachments of the Bengal army, denominated the "Bombay Detachment "(authorized 1784), and the "Carnatic Detachment "(authorized 1785), which respectively fought in the west of India and Guzerat, 1778-84, and in the south of India, 1780-84. The medal was not given to any Europeans, only to natives; the larger medal in gold to Subadars, and in silver to Jemadars; the smaller silver medal to non-commissioned officers and sepoys. By a minute of council, dated the 15th of July 1784, a further boon was granted to the "Bombay Detachment," inasmuch as it exempted all Hindus of that detachment from payment of the duties levied by the authorities on pilgrims to Coya in Behar. As the large majority of the troops were high caste Hindus, and Coya was, and is the Mecca of Hinduism, this favour must have been much appreciated by the recipients of the medal. This is the earliest Anglo-Indian example of a medal issued alike to all ranks.

2. The "MYSORE" medal. Authorized, 1793- Obverse: A sepoy holding in his right hand the British colours, in his left an enemy's standard reversed, whilst his left foot rests on a dismounted cannon. A fortified town is in the background. Reverse: Within a wreath; "For Services in Mysore, A.D. 1791-1792.' Between wreath and rim is an inscription in Persian: "A memorial of devoted services to the English government at the war of Mysore. Christian Era, 1791-1792, equivalent to the Mahomedan Era, 1205-1206." Like the "Deccan" this medal was in two sizes, diameters 17 in. and 15 in., the larger being struck both in gold and silver, the smaller in silver only, and both were worn suspended from the neck by a yellow cord. The medal was awarded for the operations against Tippoo Sultan, and was bestowed on the" Native Officers and Sepoys of the Infantry and Cavalry, and on the Artillery Lascars, who either marched by land, or proceeded by sea to the Carnatic and returned to Bengal. The large gold medals were given to Subadars, the large silver to "Jemadars and Serangs," the small silver medals to "Havildars, Naicks, Tindals, Sepoys and Lascars." The award therefore, followed precisely the precedent set in the "Deccan medal. One of the very rare gold specimens of this medal is in the collection of Captain Whitaker, late 5th Fusiliers, whose collection, and that of Lord Cheylesmore, are probably the two finest that have as yet been brought together.

3. The "CEYLON" medal. Authorized, 1807. Obverse: An English inscription: "For Services on the Island of Ceylon, A.D. 1795-6.' Reverse: A Persian inscription: "This Medal was presented to commemorate good services in Ceylon during the years of the Hegira 1209-10." This medal was issued in only one size, 2 in. diameter, and was awarded to a small force of Bengal native artillery which formed a fraction of a large body of British and native troops (the rest did not receive the medal) which captured Ceylon

that has merely a verbal design on both obverse and reverse, and moreover it sets a precedent that was destined to be followed only too often in that it was only granted twelve years after the services that had earned it had been rendered. Only 123 medals were struck, two in gold for native officers, and 121 in silver for other ranks. Like the two preceding, it was worn from the neck suspended from a yellow cord." 4. The SERINGAPATAM" medal. Authorized, 1799, for services in Lord Harris's campaign of that year, and the storm of Seringapatam. Obverse: A representation of the storming of the breach at Seringapatam, with the meridian sun denoting the time of the storm. In the exergue is a Persian inscription: "The Fort of Seringapatam, the gift of God, the 4th May 1799." Reverse: A British lion overcoming a tiger, the emblem of Tippoo Sultan. Above is a standard, with, in the innermost part of the hoist immediately contiguous to the staff, the Union badge, and, in the fly. an Arabic legend signifying "The Lion of God is the Conqueror. In the exergue: IV. MAY, MDCCXCIX. (the date of the assault). It was in one size, 1-9 in. but of five different kinds. Although the medal was authorized in 1799, it was 1801 before orders for the preparation of 30 gold medals, 185 silver-gilt, 850 silver, 5000 copper Kuchler, and the medals made by Matthew Boulton at the Soho bronzed, and 45,000 pure tin, were given, the artist being C. H. Mint, Birmingham. It was 1808 before they came out to India for distribution, and it was not till 1815 that the Company's European officers had the prince regent's sanction to wearing them on public occasions. For the first time the issue was absolutely " general, to Europeans as well as natives, to Crown troops as well as to those of the H.E.I. Co., but it was not till 1851, when the First India G.S. Medal was awarded, that official sanction was given to their being worn by Europeans in uniform. The medal was given in gold to general officers, in silver-gilt to field officers, in silver to captains and subalterns, in copper bronzed to non-commissioned officers, and in pure grain tin to privates and sepoys. With regard to this medal there is an incident that is worth recording. The bulk of the troops engaged at Seringapatam were Crown forces, or belonged to the Madras and Bombay presidencies; the only Bengal troops taking part being five battalions of infantry, and artillery detachments. On their return to Bengal no steps were taken with regard to medals till 1807, when medals copied from the Soho Mint one, but 1-8 in. only in diameter, were made at the Calcutta Mint. Following the Bengal precedents as set in the" Deccan," " Mysore "and" Ceylon " medals, the medals were struck in gold for officers, and in silver for the other ranks. A Bengal native officer therefore wore just the same medal as a general officer of any of the other forces, and similarly a Bengal sepoy wore the same medal as a British captain or subaltern of the Crown. The Bengal medal can easily be distinguished from the others, for in the reverse the artist's initials CH.K. are rendered "CH." Some officers, amongst them Lord Harris himself and his second-in-command Sir David Baird, wore the medal with the red, blue-bordered ribbon, which is the same as that worn with the Army Gold Medal (see below) and was in fact the only authorized military ribbon then in use; but though no ribbon was issued with the medal, recipients were given to understand that the ribbon would be of a deep maize colour and watered, the shading on the ribbon symbolizing the stripes in the fur of the tiger, Tippoo Sultan's favourite emblem. The duke of Wellington's medal (silver gilt), has the maize (or yellow as it is often termed) ribbon, and the medal was undoubtedly more generally worn with this ribbon than with the red and blue one. There are also apparently occasional instances of it having been worn with a plain red ribbon. 5. The "EGYPT" medal. Authorized, 1802. Obverse: A Sepoy holding the Union Flag in his right hand; in the background a camp. In exergue, in Persian: "This medal has been presented in commemoration of the defeat of the French Army in Egypt by the victorious and brave English Army." Reverse: A British ship sailing towards the coast of Egypt. In the background, an obelisk and four pyramids. In the exergue, MDCCCI. This medal was only awarded to native officers and men of the small force of Bengal and Bombay troops which formed part of the expeditionary force from India, that co-operated in Sir Ralph Abercromby's descent on Egypt in 1801 (see BAIRD, SIR DAVID). This was another case of a belated issue (1811 for the Bengal troops and two years later for the Bombay troops). The medal was issued in only one size, 1-9 in. in diameter. For the Bengal troops 776 medals were struck, 16 in gold for commissioned officers, 760 in silver for other ranks. Bombay government obtained the approval of the court of directors for the issue of the medal to their troops in 1803, but apparently did nothing till 1812, when they asked the Calcutta Mint for a copy of the medal to enable them to prepare similar ones. The Bombay Mint would not however appear to have been equal to the occasion, for the sample was returned to Calcutta with the request that 1439 medals might be struck there. This was accordingly done, but all of these medals were made of silver, and so the medal went to the Bombay troops in all ranks alike. As in the case of the "Deccan medal, Hindu sepoys, who had volunteered for Egypt, were exempted from the duties levied on pilgrims. This medal was worn suspended from the neck by a yellow cord.

The

6. The "RODRIGUES, BOURBON AND MAURITIUS" medal. Authorized, 1811. Obverse: A sepoy, holding in his right hand the British flag, in his left a musket with bayonet fixed, stands with his left foot trampling a French eagle and standard; beside the figure a cannon, and, in the background the sea and ships. Reverse: Within a wreath, in Persian: "This medal was conferred in commemoration of the bravery and devotion exhibited by the Sepoys of the English Company in the capture of the Islands of Rodrigues, Bourbon, and Mauritius, in the year of the Hegira 1226." In the circumference, in English: RODRIGUES VI. JULY MDCCCIX. BOURBON VIII. JULY AND ISLE OF FRANCE III. DEC. MDCCCX. This medal was awarded to the native troops of the Bengal Presidency that formed part of the combined naval and military forces that effected the reduction of these islands in 1809-10. The government of Bengal also suggested for the consideration of the governments of Fort St George and Bombay, that corresponding Medals shall be conferred on the native troops from those Establishments;" but those governments do not appear to have complied with the suggestion, a distinct injustice to the Madras and Bombay troops employed. The medals, struck at the Calcutta Mint for the Bengal troops, were 1.9 in. in diameter, and in gold and silver, 45 gold for native officers, 2156 silver for all other ranks. They were worn as was customary in so many cases with yellow silk cord suspended from the neck.

7. The "JAVA" medal. Authorized, 1812. Obverse: A representation of the storming of Fort Cornelis. On a flag-staff the British flag is shown flying above a Dutch one, and over all is the word Cornelis. Reverse. In Persian: "This medal was conferred in commemoration of the bravery and courage exhibited by the Sepoys of the English Company in the capture of Java, 1228, Hegira." In circumference, in English: "JAVA CONQUERED XXVI AUGUST MDCCCXI." This medal was awarded to the native troops of the Honourable East India Company (all Bengal), which took part in the expedition under Lieut.-General Sir Samuel Auchmuty which effected the capture of Java from the Dutch in 1811. The medal, 1-9 in. in diameter, was struck in gold and silver. 133 in the former metal for native officers, and 6519 in silver for other ranks, and was worn in the usual manner with a yellow silk cord. 8. The "NEPAL" medal. Authorized, 1816. Obverse: Hills crowned with stockades. In right foreground the colours and bayonets of an attacking force, to the left a cannon. Reverse: In Persian: This Medal was conferred by the Nawab Governor General Bahadur in testimony of the energy, good service, skill and intrepidity, which were displayed in the Hills in the years of the Hegira 1229 and 1230." This was awarded to the native troops of the East India Company who took part in the arduous operations in Nepal in 1814-16. This medal, 2 in. in diameter, marks a very interesting new departure, for it was struck only in silver, and given to all ranks precisely alike, whether the recipient was commissioned or not. It was worn from the usual yellow silk cord.

9. The "BURMAH" medal. Authorized, 1826. Obverse: Representation of the storming of the great pagoda at Rangoon; on the left, a palm tree under which the general and staff, and the river with steamer and boats of the Irrawaddy flotilla joining in the attack In exergue, in Persian: " The Standard of the victorious Army of England upon Ava." Reverse: The White Elephant of Burma crouching in submission before the British Lion; behind the lion, the British flag flying broad, behind the elephant, the Burma flag drooping and between the two flags palm trees. In the exergue, in Persian: "The elephant of Ava submits to the lion of England. year 1826." This, one of the most beautiful of all war medals, was designed by W. Daniell, R.A., and executed by W. Wyon; and was awarded to all the Company's native troops, that participated in the First Burmese War, 1824-26. The medal, 1-5 in. diameter, was issued in gold to native officers, in silver to other ranks. In all there were struck; for Bengal troops, 308 gold, 13.108 silver; and for those of Madras, 450 gold and 20,025 silver. Of the Madras medals however nearly half were still unclaimed in 1840. It is with this medal that we first find, as regards Indian medals, definite instructions as to the use of a ribbon, and the manner in which medals should be worn. In 1831, it was officially ordered that the colour should be red with blue edges-it was in fact precisely similar to the Waterloo ribbon (for which see Plate I)-and the instructions were that the medal "be worn perfectly square upon the centre of the left breast, the upper edge of the ribbon being even with the first button for ranks wearing Sword Belts only, and even with the second button for ranks wearing Cross Belts." Like the Waterloo medal also, it was mounted on a steel clip and ring, and the medals were struck at the Royal Mint instead of, as heretofore, in India.'

Most of the authorities on medals, including Mr Thomas Carter and Captain Tancred, style as the reverse of the medal what above is styled the obverse and vice versa. We, however, prefer to agree with the description of the medal as given by Mayo and for this reason. The side of the medal which is described above as the obverse depicts a chief incident of the war; the allegorical representation on the other side is after all but the pictorial equivalent of a verbal inscription, and so is properly the reverse of the medal.

This closes the list of the Indian medals, which, with the exception of that for Seringapatam, were issued only to the native troops of the Honourable East India Company. All are now very rare and very highly valued by collectors.

As has already been stated, the first war medals awarded by the Crown in the reign of George III., were the navy gold medals, instituted on the occasion of Lord Howe's great victory over the French fleet on the 1st of June 1794. On the 26th of that month the king and queen visited Portsmouth, and, on the deck of the "Queen Charlotte," Lord Howe's flag-ship, presented the victorious admiral with a diamond-hilted sword of the value of three thousand guineas. Gold chains, from which the medals were afterwards to be suspended, were also conferred on Admiral Lord Howe; Vice-Admirals Graves and Sir Alexander Hood; Rear-Admirals Gardner, Bowyer and Pasley; and Captain of the Fleet Sir Roger Curtis. At the same time the king announced his intention of conferring gold medals on each of the officers named, and similar, but smaller medals on the captains. The medals were delivered in 1796, the Admiralty ordering "The Admirals to wear the Medal suspended by a ribband round their necks. The Captains to wear the Medal suspended to a ribband, but fastened through the third or fourth button-hole on the left side. The colour of the ribband, blue and white."

The ribbon, which is white with broad blue borders (see Plate I), did not of course supersede the gold chain in the case of those officers on whom chains had been conferred. They wore their chain with the ribbon, and the medal of Admiral Bowyer (now in the collection of Lord Cheylesmore) is so suspended. The same splendid and intensely interesting medal was later conferred for various fleet and ship actions deemed worthy of special acknowledgment; and so came into being the first "regulation " medal for naval officers.

The two medals are, with but one slight distinction, identical in design, the larger being 2, and the smaller 1.3, in. in diameter. The design is:

Obverse: The fore part of an antique galley, on the prow of which rests a figure of Victory who is placing a wreath on the head of Britannia who stands on the deck of the galley, her right foot resting upon a helmet, her left hand holding a spear. Behind Britannia is a union" shield, charged with the Cross of St George and the Saltire of St Andrew. (Ireland had not then been added to the Union). Reverse: Within a wreath of oak and laurel, the name of the recipient, the event for which the medal was conferred, and the date. (In the smaller medal the wreath is omitted.)

In all, eighteen actions were recognized by this medal, the complete list of which is as follows:

The "Glorious First of June" (7 large and 18 small medals): St Vincent (Feb. 14, 1787) (6 large and 15 small medals); Camperdown Oct. 11, 1797) (2 large, 15 small medals); The Nile (Aug. 1, 1798) (1 large and 14 small medals); Re-capture of the frigate "Hermione "from the Spaniards by the boats of H.M.S." Surprise at Porto Cavallo (Oct. 25, 1799) (1 small medal); Trafalgar (Oct. 21, 1805) (3 large and 27 small medals); Action off Ferrol (Nov. 4. 1805) (4 small medals); Action off St Domingo (Feb. 5, 1806) (3 large and 7 small medals); Capture of Curaçoa (Jan. 1, 1807) (4 small medals); Capture of the Turkish frigate Badere Zaffer by H.M.S. "Seahorse" (July 6, 1808) (1 small medal); Capture of the French frigate Thetis" by H.M.S. Amethyst (Nov. 10, 1808) (1 small medal): Capture of the French frigate " Furieuse" by H.M. ship-sloop" Bonne Citoyenne July 6, 1809 (1 small medal); Capture of the Island of Banda Neira (Aug. 9, 1810) (1 small medal); Captain W. Hoste's action off Lissa (March 13, 1811) (4 small medals); Capture of the French 74-gun ship Rivoli "by H.M.S. "Victorious" (Feb. 22, 1812) (small medal): The Chesapeake" and "Shannon (June 1. 1813) (1 small medal); Capture of the French frigate "Étoile" by H.M.S." Hebrus" (March 27, 1814) (1 small medal); Capture of the American frigate "President" by H.M.S. "Endymion" (Jan. 15. 1815) (1 small medal)

In all 22 large medals, and 117 small, were awarded; but this does not say that all who were entitled to the medal received it. This is most notably the case with regard to the "Glorious First of June." When the issue was made, in 1706, the medals were given only to those flag officers who had received gold chains, and to such captains as were specially mentioned in Lord Howe's despatch of the 21st of June, despite the fact that the admiral specially put it on record that the selection therein made, "should not be construed to the disadvantage of the other commanders, who may have been co