Newport daily independent., 1903-04-02
BRITAIN'S ORDER OF MERIT.
Origin of tue Victoria Cross, the Eng- fish Soldiers Most Coveted
 Prize.

Thursday, January 29, is the ami yersary of the institution of the sol dier's most precious decoration-per- haps the most precious decoration in the world-the Victoria cross, for it was instituted by her majesty, the late Queen Victoria, on the 29th day of January, 1856, and so is not quite 50 years old. While it is the most prized of all the decorations and orders an Englishman can win, it is also the most democratic decoration in the world, for, although it is the official badge of an act of personal courage and dar- ing, it has no concern with rank, long service or wounds, and it may be worn by one who has been only few months or even weeks in the army, while others who have spent their lives in the service and gained rank and other decorations may not possess it, says St. James Gazette. It may be worn by private soldier or a field marshal, and on the roll of the heroes names are to be found almost every rank in both the services, for the winning of the cross is possible to any one, as it was granted "as reward for conspicuous bravery or devotion to the country in the presence of the enemy" or as the inscription upon it records, For Valor!"
 The Victoria cross had its birth dur ing the CFimean war, when Queen Vic toria felt that some recognition of the personal daring and heroism of her soldiers in that terrible struggle was needed. The royal warrant clearly lay down the conditionS under which the cross may be won, but the whole of them may be summarized in the one sentence, For conspicuous bravery or devotion to the country in the pres ence of the enemy"
 There are not many who are un- familiar with the appearance of the cross, but for the benefit of those who have only seen it in photographs or pictures, it may be said that it is about an inch and half wide and has in the obverse center a crowned lion, under meath which is an escroll bearing the words, "For Valor." It is attached to a bar on which is a spray of laurel leaves and is suspended by broad ribbon, which is blue for the naval service and dark red for the military. Both the cross and the bar are made from bronze which formerly formed part of some of the Russian guns cap tured during the Crimean war and complete with the ribbon and pin weighs just under an ounce, or 432 grains, to be exact. 1t is engraved with the name and regiment of the recipi- ent, as we'll as the date on which he won it and as soon as this is done it is dispatched from the makers to the sovereign to bestow upon the hero.
 It is strange to have to record that the first Victoria cross was won by a sailor for it has come to be looked upon as almost entirely military decoration, yet such is the case and it is still stranger that the deed which gained it was performed a year and seven months prior to the institution of the decoration. Another feature is that at the time of winning it he was boy serving his time as a mid shipman on board II. NJ. S. Hecla, and the story of how Charles Davis Lucas, now an admiral, won the cross as middy will always form one of the most glorious stories among the many in its history, 1t was at the lombard ment of Bomarsund, in the Baltic, on June 21 1854 that n live shell droDr,ad m the midst of group of men of whom young Lucas was in command The fuse was almost burned away, and an explosion seemed imminent, but without moments hesitation the young midshipman sprang forward, grasped the spluttering shell in his hands and, rushing to the side of the vessel, hurled it overheard, where it exploded before it reached the water.