"

and non-commissioned officers and privates of the Royal Marines, are eligible for this decoration. Prior to the institution of this decoration, acts of gallantry by sailors and marines were rewarded by the same medal as that given to the army before the "medal for distinguished conduct in the field was instituted, viz. the "Meritorious Service medal. If the holder be a Chief or First Class Petty Officer, or a Sergeant of Marines, the award carries with it an annuity of £20 per annum; and if a recipient's service ends before his reaching one of those ranks, he may receive a gratuity of £20 on discharge.

7. Albert Medal (for saving life on land).-Instituted by Royal Warrant, 30th of April 1877. 1st Class Similar to that of the 1st Class for saving life at sea, but the enamelling is in red instead of blue, and there is no anchor interlaced with the monogram V.A. Ribbon: Crimson, with four white stripes. Clasps: for subsequent acts of same character. 2nd Class-Badge similar to that of the 2nd Class for saving life at sea, but the enamelling is in red instead of blue, and there is no anchor interlaced with the monogram V.A. Ribbon: Crimson, with two white stripes. Clasps: As authorized for 1st Class.

The conditions governing the award of this decoration are the saine that govern the award for saving life at sea. Originally the award was restricted to acts of gallantry performed within British dominions, but this restriction was removed by Royal Warrant, 5th of June 1905.

8. Distinguished Conduct in the Field (Colonial).-Instituted by a Royal Warrant, 24th of May 1894, which was later cancelled and superseded by Royal Warrant, 31st of May 1895. Obverse: same as Distinguished Conduct in the Field" (Army). Reverse: same as Army medal, but with the name of the colony inscribed above the words "For Distinguished Conduct in the Field." Ribbon: Crimson, with a line of the colonial colour in the centre. Clasps: Authorized for subsequent acts of valour. Every colony or protectorate, having permanently embodied forces, draws up regulations to govern the issue of these medals as suit its own particular requirements, but in all essentials these regulations are modelled on those that govern the award of the Distinguished Conduct in the Field (Army).

9. Conspicuous Service Cross.-Instituted by an Order in Council, 15th of June 1901. Silver cross, with the reverse side plain; on the obverse, in the centre, the Imperial and Royal Cypher, E.R.I., surmounted by the imperial crown. Ribbon: Three stripes equal width, outside white, centre blue. Clasps: none authorized.

This award is to recognize "Distinguished Service before the Enemy." Its grant is confined to Warrant Officers or Subordinate Officers" of the Royal Navy. Such, not being of "lowerdeck rating," are not eligible for the "Conspicuous Gallantry medal; also, they, "by reason of not holding a commission in the Royal Navy, are not eligible to any existing Order or Decoration." 10. Edward Medal.-Founded in 1907 to reward acts of courage in saving life in mines, this medal was extended in 1909 (R.W. Dec. 3) so as to be awarded "to those who in course of industrial employment endanger their own lives in saving or endeavouring to save the lives of others from perils incurred in connexion with such industrial employment."

Certain important medals and decorations for saving life are not the gift of the Crown. These are allowed to be worn in uniform on the right breast. They are the medals of the Royal Humane Society, those given by the Board of Trade for gallantry in saving life at sea, the medals of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, those of the Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners' Royal Benevolent Society, Lloyd's Honorary Silver Medal, Liverpool Shipwrecked and Humane Society's Medals, and the Stanhope Gold Medal.

All these are suspended from a dark blue ribbon with the exception of the medals of the S.F. and M. Royal Benevolent Society, which has a light blue ribbon, and the Stanhope Gold Medal which has a broad dark blue centre, edged with yellow, and black borders. These medals are usually struck in silver or bronze, but occasionally gold medals are awarded. The Stanhope Gold Medal is annually awarded for the most gallant of all the acts of rescue for which the society have awarded medals during the year. This award has been frequently earned by officers or men of the Royal Navy. It is, in fact, the "Victoria Cross" of awards of this character.

The following are decorations for special merit:

and without the crown. The centre also is similar to that of the 1st Class star, but the enamelling is all dark blue. Suspended and worn as in the 1st Class. Ribbon: As in Ist Class.

The

This, the highest military distinction to which in the ordinary course native officers of the Indian Army can attain, and confined to them, is a reward for long, honourable and specially meritorious service. The 1st Class is composed exclusively of officers of and above the rank of Subadar in the artillery and infantry, or of a corresponding rank in the other branches of the service. 2nd Class is open to all native commissioned officers, irrespective of their rank. Originally the order was limited to 100 in the Ist Class and the same number in the 2nd, but it now comprises 215 in the 1st Class and 324 in the 2nd Class. Officers in the Ist Class are entitled to the title of "Sirdar Bahadur," and receive a daily allowance of two rupees in addition to the pay, allowances or pension of their rank, while those of the 2nd Class are styled "Bahadur," and receive an extra one rupee per diem.

2. Ability and Good Conduct.-Instituted in 1842. Obverse: A paddle-wheel steamship. Reverse: Crown and anchor, and inscribed, FOR ABILITY AND GOOD CONDUCT. Ribbon: None authorized.

No official documents as regards the institution of this decoration are now to be found at the Admiralty, but only engineers were eligible for the award, and it carried no gratuity or annuity. Only six were ever awarded. When, in 1847, engineers were raised to the rank of warrant officers, the issue of this decoration was discontinged. It had a ring for suspension, and was probably worn with the narrow navy blue ribbon of the "Long Service and Good Conduct" medal of the period.

3. Meritorious Service (Army and Royal Marines).—Instituted by Royal Warrant, 19th December 1845, for army only; grant extended to Royal Marines by Order in Council, 15th January 1849. Obverse: Head of Queen Victoria as on China medal.1 Reverse: FOR MERITORIOUS SERVICE, within a laurel wreath, Ribbon: Crimson for army (Plate II.); navy blue for Royal Marines. Only non-commissioned officers of or above the rank of sergeant are eligible for this decoration. It carries with it an annuity not exceeding £20 per annum; but, as the total sum available is strictly limited, the number of these medals that is issued is small, and a non-commissioned officer who is recommended may have to wait many years before his turn comes and he receives the award. The qualification for recommendation is long, efficient and meritorious service, and need not necessarily, although in many cases it does, include any special display of personal gallantry in action. For many years the "meritorious service medal was considered to cancel the "long service and good conduct" medal, but by A.O. 250 of 1902 both medals can be worn together.

4. The Distinguished Service Order (see KNIGHTHOOD) is given only to officers (and naval and military officials of officer rank, not including Indian native officers) for services in war. Often it is the reward of actual conspicuous gallantry under fire, but its purpose, as defined in the Royal Warrant instituting the order, is to reward "individual instances of meritorious or distinguished service in war; " and the same document declares that only those shall be eligible who have been mentioned "in despatches for meritorious main, therefore, it is awarded for special services in war, and not. or distinguished service in the field, or before the enemy." In the necessarily under fire; and although the services rewarded are as a fact generally rendered in action, the order is in no sense a sort of second class of the Victoria Cross. Like the latter, the Distinguished Service Order is generally referred to by its initials. stricted to women (not necessarily British subjects), and is given as 5. The Royal Red Cross is also an Order. Membership is rea reward for naval or military nursing service. Instituted 1883.

6. The Kaisar-i-Hind Medal is given for public services in India. 7. The Volunteer Officers' Decoration.-Instituted in 1892. An oval of silver, crossed at intervals with gold, in the centre the monogram V.R. and crown in gold. Worn from a ring. Ribbon: Dark green.

This decoration was instituted in 1892, and is the reward of twenty years' service in the commissioned ranks of the volunteer force. It is generally called the "V.D." Since the conversion of the Volunteer into the Territorial Force (1908) it has been replaced by THE TERRITORIAL OFFICERS' DECORATION. Officers of the Royal Naval Reserve and of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve are eligible for a similar decoration (1910).

8. The Long Service and Good Conduct (Army) Medal was instituted in 1833. Obverse: A trophy of arms.' Reverse: FOR LONG SERVICE AND GOOD CONDUCT. Ribbon: Crimson, as for "Meritorious Service" medal (Plate II.).

This is a reward for "long service with irreproachable character and conduct," the qualifying period of service being 18 years.

1 Now naval effigy of King Edward VII., as on Transport Service medal.

XVIII 1*

I a

9. The Long Service and Good Conduct (Navy) Medal was instituted in 1831. Ribbon: Blue, with white edges (Plate II.).

10. The Volunteer Long Service Medal.-Instituted in 1894. Has a green ribbon. Obverse: Effigy of Queen Victoria. Reverse: A scroll within a wreath, inscribed FOR LONG SERVICE IN THE VOLUNTEER FORCE. Replaced by the Territorial Long Service Medal (1908), of which the ribbon is green with a yellow centre; and the obverse a bust of the king. The Militia Long Service Medal (1904) has a light blue ribbon, the Imperial Yeomanry Long Service Medal a yellow ribbon, the Honourable Artillery Company's Medal a black, red and yellow ribbon. All these are shown on Plate II.1

11. The Medal for the Best Shot in the Army was instituted in 1869 Obverse: Bust of Queen Victoria (now effigy of King Edward VII.). Reverse: A winged Victory crowning a warrior. Ribbon: Red, with two narrow black stripes on each edge, the two black stripes being divided by a narrow white one. There is "Best Shot" Medal for the Indian Native Army, which has an orange ribbon.

also a

12. The Medal for Naval Gunnery was instituted in 1903. Ribbon: Red centre, flanked by two narrow white stripes, two broad blue stripes at edges (Plate II.).

Amongst medals of the last class may be mentioned the Jubilee Medals of 1887 and 1897, the Coronation Medal of 1902, the Royal Victorian Medal (this, however, is a sort of sixth class of the Royal Victorian Order, for which see KNIGHTHOOD) and the medals awarded for Durbars.

United States.-The war medals and decorations of the United States, although few in number, are interesting, as they follow a peculiar system in the colours of the ribbons.

thirteen stars in white.

The principal military decoration of the United States is the "Medal of Honor," which was founded for the reward of unusual bravery or special good conduct during the Civil War. In its present form it is a five-pointed star, with a medallion in the centre bearing a head of Minerva and round it UNITED STATES OF AMERICA in relief. On each ray of the star is an oak-leaf, and the points themselves are trefoil shaped. A laurel wreath, in green enamel, encircles the whole, and this wreath is surmounted by VALOR, which in turn is surmounted by an eagle that attaches the decoration to its ribbon. This last is blue, with thirteen white stars worked on it in silk. Accompanying this decoration there is a badge or lapel button, hexagonal, and made of blue silk with the The original form of the decoration had no encircling wreath; on the rays, instead of the oak-leaves, were small wreaths of laurel and oak, and the design in the central medallion was a figure of Minerva standing, with her left hand resting upon a consul's fasces and her right warding off with a shield the figure of Discord. The background was formed by thirty-four stars. The decoration was surmounted by a trophy of crossed guns, swords, &c., with eagle above, and the ribbon was designed of the national colours, as follows: thirteen alternate red and white stripes, and across the ribbon at the top a broad band of blue (palewise gules and argent and a chief azure). The ribbon was attached to the coat by a clasp badge bearing two cornucopias and the arms of the U.S. The present decoration does not have this badge, but is suspended from a concealed bar brooch.

"

Another special decoration is the "Merit Medal. This bears on the obverse an eagle, surrounded by the inscription VIRTVTIS ET AVDACIAE MONVMENTVM ET PRAEMIVM, and on the reverse the inscription FOR MERIT, surrounded by an oak-leaf wreath; in the upper part of the exergue is UNITED STATES ARMY, in the lower thirteen stars. The ribbon is red, white and blue, in six stripes, two red stripes divided by a fine white line in the centre, two white on either side of the red and two blue forming the two outer edges.

We come now to the war medals proper, issued generally to all those who took part in the events commemorated.

The Civil War Medal bears on the obverse the portrait of Lincoln, surrounded by an inscription taken from his famous Second Inaugural-WITH MALICE TOWARDS NONE, WITH CHARITY FOR ALL. On the reverse is the inscription THE CIVIL WAR, 1861-1865 surrounded by a wreath of oak leaves and olive branches. The ribbon is somewhat similar to that last described; the blue stripe, however, is in the centre, divided as before by a white line, and the red stripes form the outer edges.

The "Indian Wars" Medal is interesting from the fact that its reverse was copied on other medals, this making it, in a sense, a general service medal. On the obverse is a mounted Indian in war costume bearing a spear, in the upper part of the exergue INDIAN WARS, in the lower a buffalo's skull with arrow-heads on either side. What we have called the " general service" design

By Royal Warrant of 31st of May, 1895, medals both for distinguished conduct in the field and for long service were authorized to be awarded by the various colonies possessing regular or volunteer troops, " under regulations similar, as far as circumstances permit, to those now ranking for Our Regular and Auxiliary Forces.'

on the reverse is composed of (a) an eagle perched on a cannon, supported by five standards (typifying the five great wars of the United States), rifles, Indian shield, spear and arrows, Filipino dagger and Cuban machete; (b) below this trophy the words FOR SERVICE; (c) in exergue, above, UNITED STATES ARMY, below, thirteen stars.

Ribbon of the Indian Medal, vermilion, with deep red edges. The "War with Spain" Medal bears on the obverse a castle with two flanking towers; in exergue, above, WAR WITH SPAIN, below, the date 1898, with, on one side of it, a branch of the tobaccoplant, and on the other a sugar-cane. Reverse: As for "Indian Wars Medal. Ribbon Centre golden-yellow, with two red stripes close to the edges, the edges themselves being narrow stripes of blue.

The "Philippine Insurrection" Medal bears on the obverse a coco-nut palm tree, with, on the left of it, a lamp (typifying Enlightenment), and on the right a balance (representing Justice). This is encircled by the inscription PHILIPPINE INSURRECTION 1899. The ribbon is blue, with two red stripes near the edges. Reverse: As in "Indian Wars " Medal.

Another medal connected with the Filipino insurrection is the so-called "Congressional " Medal, which was designed to commemorate the participation in the war of regulars and volunteers, Northerners and Southerners, side by side. On the obverse is a colourparty of infantry with the national flag, the fly of the flag extending almost to the edge of the medal. Below is the date, 1899, and above, in a semicircle, PHILIPPINE INSURRECTION. The reverse has the inscription FOR PATRIOTISM, FORTITUDE AND LOYALTY, surrounded by a wreath of oak-leaves (typifying the North) and palm branches (typifying the South). The ribbon is blue, edged by narrow stripes of the national colours, the blue being nearest the edge and the red nearest the centre. dragon, surrounded by the inscription CHINA RELIEF EXPEDITION, and at bottom, the date 1900-1. Reverse: As for "Indian Wars " medal. Ribbon: Lemon-yellow, with narrow blue edges.

The "China Relief" Medal bears on the obverse a Chinese

the national colours of the enemy (Spain and China) furnish those It is interesting to note that in the case of two of these medals of the ribbon. The national colours adopted by the Filipinos were the U.S. national colours, on the ribbons of the "Filipino " and red and blue, and these also figure, in spite of their similarity to Congressional" Medals. The Indian ribbon is, similarly, of the colour of the enemy's war paint-vermilion. See, for illustrations and further details of all these medals and decorations, Journal of the [U.S.] Military Service Institution, May-June 1909. Some of the badges of membership of associations of veterans, such as the Loyal Legion, are allowed to be worn as war medals in uniform. The "Rescue" Medal, in gold or silver, is awarded for bravery in saving life by land or sea.

Other Countries. As has been mentioned above, foreign decorations for military service usually take the form of Orders in many classes. There are, however, numerous long service decorations, which need not be specified. The most famous of the European war and service decorations are the Prussian Iron Cross, the French Médaille Militaire, and the Russian St George's Cross; all these are individual decorations.

The Iron Cross is given to officers and soldiers lor distinguished service in war. It was founded, in the enthusiasm of the War of Liberation movement, on the 10th of March 1813, and revived at the outbreak of the "War for Unity" against France, 19th of July 1870. The cross is a Maltese cross of cast iron edged with silver. The 1813-15 crosses have the initials F. W. (Friedrich Wilhelm) in the centre, a crown in the upper limb of the cross, and the date in the lower. Those of 1870 have W. (Wilhelm) in the centre, crown on the upper and date on the lower limb of the cross. There are certain distinctions between the Grand Cross, which is worn at the neck, the 1st Class Cross which is worn as an Order suspended from a ribbon, and the 2nd Class Cross, which is worn on the breast. In 1870 war medals were given, bearing on the obverse a Maltese cross superposed on a many-pointed star, and having in its centre 1870-1871 within a wreath. The reverse has W. and a crown, with, for combatants the inscription Dem siegreichen Heere, and for non-combatants Für Pflichttreue im Kriege, in each case surrounded by the words Gott war mit uns Ihm sei die Ehre. award of the Iron Cross to the rank and file carries with it an allow (H. L. S.; C. F. A.) ance of 3-6 marks monthly.

The

MEDEA (Gr. Mýdea), in Greek legend, a famous sorceress, daughter of Acetes, king of Colchis. Having been thrown into prison by her father, who was afraid of being injured by her witchcraft, she escaped by means of her art and fled to the temple of Helios the Sun-god, her reputed grandfather. She fell in love with Jason the Argonaut, who reached Colchis at this time, and exacted a terrible revenge for his faithlessness (see ARGONAUTS and JASON). After the murder of Jason's

9. The Long Service and Good Conduct (Navy) Medal was instituted in 1831. Ribbon: Blue, with white edges (Plate II.).

10. The Volunteer Long Service Medal.-Instituted in 1894. Has a green ribbon. Obverse: Effigy of Queen Victoria. Reverse: A scroll within a wreath, inscribed FOR LONG SERVICE IN THE VOLUNTEER FORCE. Replaced by the Territorial Long Service Medal (1908), of which the ribbon is green with a yellow centre; and the obverse a bust of the king. The Militia Long Service Medal (1904) has a light blue ribbon, the Imperial Yeomanry Long Service Medal a yellow ribbon, the Honourable Artillery Company's Medal a black, red and yellow ribbon. All these are shown on Plate II.1

11. The Medal for the Best Shot in the Army was instituted in 1869 Obverse: Bust of Queen Victoria (now effigy of King Edward VII.). Reverse: A winged Victory crowning a warrior. Ribbon: Red, with two narrow black stripes on each edge, the two black stripes being divided by a narrow white one. There is also a "Best Shot" Medal for the Indian Native Army, which has an orange ribbon.

12. The Medal for Naval Gunnery was instituted in 1903. Ribbon: Red centre, flanked by two narrow white stripes, two broad blue stripes at edges (Plate II.).

Amongst medals of the last class may be mentioned the Jubilee Medals of 1887 and 1897, the Coronation Medal of 1902, the Royal Victorian Medal (this, however, is a sort of sixth class of the Royal Victorian Order, for which see KNIGHTHOOD) and the medals awarded for Durbars.

In its

United States.-The war medals and decorations of the United States, although few in number, are interesting, as they follow a peculiar system in the colours of the ribbons. The principal military decoration of the United States is the "Medal of Honor," which was founded for the reward of unusual bravery or special good conduct during the Civil War. present form it is a five-pointed star, with a medallion in the centre bearing a head of Minerva and round it UNITED STATES OF AMERICA in relief. On each ray of the star is an oak-leaf, and the points themselves are trefoil shaped. A laurel wreath, in green enamel, encircles the whole, and this wreath is surmounted by VALOR, which in turn is surmounted by an eagle that attaches the decoration to its ribbon. This last is blue, with thirteen white stars worked on it in silk. Accompanying this decoration there is a badge or lapel button, hexagonal, and made of blue silk with the thirteen stars in white.

The original form of the decoration had no encircling wreath; on the rays, instead of the oak-leaves, were small wreaths of laurel and oak, and the design in the central medallion was a figure of Minerva standing, with her left hand resting upon a consul's fasces and her right warding off with a shield the figure of Discord. The background was formed by thirty-four stars. The decoration was surmounted by a trophy of crossed guns, swords, &c., with eagle above, and the ribbon was designed of the national colours, as follows: thirteen alternate red and white stripes, and across the ribbon at the top a broad band of blue (palewise gules and argent and a chief azure). The ribbon was attached to the coat by a clasp badge bearing two cornucopias and the arms of the U.S. The present decoration does not have this badge, but is suspended from a concealed bar brooch. Another special decoration is the "Merit " Medal. This bears on the obverse an eagle, surrounded by the inscription VIRTVTIS ET AVDACIAE MONVMENTVM ET PRAEMIVM, and on the reverse the inscription FOR MERIT, surrounded by an oak-leaf wreath; in the upper part of the exergue is UNITED STATES ARMY, in the lower thirteen stars. The ribbon is red, white and blue, in six stripes, two red stripes divided by a fine white line in the centre, two white on either side of the red and two blue forming the two outer edges.

We come now to the war medals proper, issued generally to all those who took part in the events commemorated.

The Civil War Medal bears on the obverse the portrait of Lincoln, surrounded by an inscription taken from his famous Second Inaugural-WITH MALICE TOWARDS NONE, WITH CHARITY FOR ALL. On the reverse is the inscription THE CIVIL WAR, 1861-1865 surrounded by a wreath of oak leaves and olive branches. The ribbon is somewhat similar to that last described; the blue stripe, however, is in the centre, divided as before by a white line, and the red stripes form the outer edges. The "Indian Wars" Medal is interesting from the fact that its reverse was copied on other medals, this making it, in a sense, a "general service" medal. On the obverse is a mounted Indian in war costume bearing a spear, in the upper part of the exergue INDIAN WARS, in the lower a buffalo's skull with arrow-heads on either side. What we have called the "general service" design

By Royal Warrant of 31st of May, 1895, medals both for distinguished conduct in the field and for long service were authorized to be awarded by the various colonies possessing regular or volunteer troops, "under regulations similar, as far as circumstances permit, to those now ranking for Our Regular and Auxiliary Forces."

on the reverse is composed of (a) an eagle perched on a cannon, supported by five standards (typifying the five great wars of the United States), rifles, Indian shield, spear and arrows, Filipino dagger and Cuban machete; (b) below this trophy the words FOR SERVICE; (c) in exergue, above, UNITED STATES ARMY. below, thirteen stars. Ribbon of the Indian Medal, vermilion, with deep red edges. The "War with Spain" Medal bears on the obverse a castle with two flanking towers; in exergue, above, WAR WITH SPAIN, below, the date 1898, with, on one side of it, a branch of the tobaccoplant, and on the other a sugar-cane. Reverse: As for "Indian Wars" Medal. Ribbon: Centre golden-yellow, with two red stripes close to the edges, the edges themselves being narrow stripes of blue.

The "Philippine Insurrection" Medal bears on the obverse a coco-nut palm tree, with, on the left of it, a lamp (typifying En. lightenment), and on the right a balance (representing Justice). This is encircled by the inscription PHILIPPINE INSURRECTION 1899. The ribbon is blue, with two red stripes near the edges. Reverse: As in "Indian Wars" Medal.

The

Another medal connected with the Filipino insurrection is the so-called "Congressional " Medal, which was designed to commemo rate the participation in the war of regulars and volunteers, Northerners and Southerners, side by side. On the obverse is a colourparty of infantry with the national flag, the fly of the flag extending Below is the date, 1899, and almost to the edge of the medal. above, in a semicircle, PHILIPPINE INSURRECTION. reverse has the inscription FOR PATRIOTISM, FORTITUDE AND LOYALTY, surrounded by a wreath of oak-leaves (typifying the North) and palm branches (typifying the South). The ribbon is blue, edged by narrow stripes of the national colours, the blue being nearest the edge and the red nearest the centre. The China Relief" Medal bears on the obverse a Chinese dragon, surrounded by the inscription CHINA RELIEF EXPEDITION, and at bottom, the date 1900-1. Reverse: As for "Indian Wars" medal. Ribbon: Lemon-yellow, with narrow blue edges.

It is interesting to note that in the case of two of these medals the national colours of the enemy (Spain and China) furnish those of the ribbon. The national colours adopted by the Filipinos were red and blue, and these also figure, in spite of their similarity to the U.S. national colours, on the ribbons of the "Filipino and

Congressional" Medals. The Indian ribbon is, similarly, of the colour of the enemy's war paint-vermilion. See, for illustrations and further details of all these medals and decorations, Journal of the [U.S.] Military Service Institution, May-June 1909. Some of the badges of membership of associations of veterans, such as the Loyal Legion, are allowed to be worn as war medals in uniform. The "Rescue" Medal, in gold or silver, is awarded for bravery in saving life by land or sea.

Other Countries.--As has been mentioned above, foreign decorations for military service usually take the form of Orders in many classes. There are, however, numerous long service decorations, which need not be specified. The most famous of the European war and service decorations are the Prussian Iron Cross, the French Médaille Militaire, and the Russian St George's Cross; all these are individual decorations.

The Iron Cross is given to officers and soldiers for distinguished service in war. It was founded, in the enthusiasm of the War of Liberation movement, on the 10th of March 1813, and revived at the outbreak of the "War for Unity" against France, 19th of July 1870. The cross is a Maltese cross of cast iron edged with silver. The 1813-15 crosses have the initials F. W. (Friedrich Wilhelm) in the centre, a crown in the upper limb of the cross, and the date in the lower. Those of 1870 have W. (Wilhelm) in the centre, crown on the upper and date on the lower limb of the cross. There are certain distinctions between the Grand Cross, which is worn at

the neck, the 1st Class Cross which is worn as an Order suspended from a ribbon, and the 2nd Class Cross, which is worn on the breast. In 1870 war medals were given, bearing on the obverse a Maltese cross superposed on a many-pointed star, and having in its centre The reverse has W. and a crown, 1870-1871 within a wreath. with, for combatants the inscription Dem siegreichen Heere, and rounded by the words Gott war mit uns Ihm sei die Ehre. The for non-combatants Für Pflichttreue im Kriege, in each case sur award of the Iron Cross to the rank and file carries with it an allow ance of 3-6 marks monthly. (H. L. S.; C. F. A.)

MEDEA (Gr. Mýdea), in Greek legend, a famous sorceress, daughter of Aeetes, king of Colchis. Having been thrown into prison by her father, who was afraid of being injured by her witchcraft, she escaped by means of her art and fled to the temple of Helios the Sun-god, her reputed grandfather. She fell in love with Jason the Argonaut, who reached Colchis at this time, and exacted a terrible revenge for his faithlessness (see ARGONAUTS and JASON). After the murder of Jason's