The Sentinel. [volume] (Trenton, N.J.) 1880-1882, 1882-02-25
stars, Crosses and Ribands.

crosses Is decidedly on the increase.
Till the time of James II. fhe kings Of
England had but a single decoration
to bestow, and the number of the
Knights of the Garter was even more
restricted then than now. The means
at the kings disposal for rewarding
merit consisted chiefly ef ordinary
knighthood of hereditary titles, and
OF pensions knights of the Bath, In
deed, Charles III. created at his coro-
nation-they were the last who took
the ofhcial hath-but these had no
badge to mark them from other
Knights. The kings natural sons
formed strong minority of the blue
ribands. Admirals like Penn, Mings,
and Marlborough had to be content
with the simple accolade; diplomat
ist like Temple with baronetcy. For
the masterpiece of the Triple Alliance
the last received no reward whatever.
James II. revived the Order of the
Thistle, the original number of
knights being eight, which Anne in
creased to twelve. Walpole revived
the Order of the Bath, which was to
consist of thirty.five knights, to be
distinguished by star and red riband.
Shortly after Swift told the world how
the king of Lilliput decorated with
blue, red and green threads those of
bis courliers who jumped highest.
But the real difficulty at first was to
get men to accept the red riband.
The minister took it himself to set the
example, and offered it to the old
Duchess of Marlborough for her grand
son. NO." said Sarah, "he must
have the Garter" Walpole replied
that the best way to get the higher
decoration was to accept the lesser
but Atossa was not easy to convince.
Till the year 1915 no further addi-
tions were made to the orders of
British chivalry, though George III.
created an Irish order, and wanted to
institute another to be styled "of
Minerva" for men of letters and
artists but the rumor of his intention
revealed so terrible an imbroglio of
jealousies and factions among the
persons whom it was designed to ben
eft that the monarch, for very peace,
was fain to give up the idea. A favor
lite method of recompense under the
Georgian period, down to the time of
the Union, was to confer an Irish
peerage. Give was thus honored, and
encouraged to hope for an English
title as further promotion. Similarly,
till the union with Scotland, Scotch
titles had been stepping stones to more
serious English honors. Marlborough's
earliest reward had been a Scotch
barony, conferred on him when he
had no higher military rank than that
of colonel.
To George, Prince Regent, and to
Lord Liverpool we owe the present
system which causes a mans great
ness to be known by the number of
letters of the alphabet he can place
after his name. The Bath was divided
into classes, and the Royal Hanoverian
Guelphic Order founded at the same
time, with an unequal number of
Wi a
SAME premier to guide him, called yet
another order into existence In 1918,
and named it after st. Michael and st.
George. 1t, too, consisted of three
classes.
Touching the Hanoverian decora-
ton there is q good story told of
William ". which has the merit of
being authentic. On succeeding to
the throne the Sailor King was much
gratified to find how many old naval
officers who had served with him or
under him remembered his majesty,
and trusted his majesty had not for
gotten them. Some of them were
perhaps little impracticable in their
requests, and a few were rather i'm
Fortunate. One the king frankly
vowed at dinner. party had pestered
him. However" William continued,
II got rid of him at last; made him
knight of the Hanoverian Guelphic
Order" "And served him right too ~
exclaimed one of the guests. Even
the presence of the sovereign could
not prevent an explosion of laughter.
The multiplication of orders under
the present reign has proceeded apace,
nor can it be denied that their increase
has been effected with the general ap-
prevail. The Victoria Cross and the
Star of India supplied what soldiers
nd Indian civilians alike considereda
necessities. The need for the decora-
tons of the Indian Empire and the
Crown of India was less apparent
but Lord Beaconfield's career would
not have been complete without his
founding an order of chivalry. When
the Ladies' Order was founded 1t was
officially stated that no initials were