Page:A Genealogical and Heraldic Dictionary of the Peerage and Baronetage of the British Empire Chunk 2.djvu/578

 2RITISH OIIDERS OP KNIGhTHOOD. THE MOST HONOURABLE ORDER OF THE BATH. 1netsnIed in 1399. Revived in 1725. Eslnrged in 1815 and 1847. ON the 2nd of Jan. 1815, it was declared that, “forthe purpose of commemorating the auspicious termination of the long and arduous contest in which this empire has been engaged,” the Order should be composed of three classes, and on the 14th April, 1847, it was further extended by the addition of civil knights commanders and companions, on which occasion new Statutes were promulgated for the government of the Order, and. the number of members declared as follow, viz., 1st Class—to consist of knights grand cross; number not to exceed, for the milltary service, fifty, exclusive of the Sovereign and princes of the blood royal, and such distinguished foreigners as may be nominated honorary knights grand cross; and ta’enty-five for the civil service. 2nd Class—Knights commanders, numbers not to exceed, for the military service, one hundred and tve.ty-three, and for the civil service sixty, exclusive of foreign officers, who may be admitted as honorary knights commanders. In the event of actions of signal distinction, or of fntnre wars, the nnmbers may be increased of this as well as of the third class. The members of the second class are entitled to the distinc. tivs appellation of knighthoo4. after having been invested with the Insignia; to take precedence of Knights Bachelors; to wear the badge, &c., pendent by a red nhbon round the neck, the star embroidered on the left aide. 3rd Class—Companions of the Order, to consist, for military service, of six hundred and ninety, and for the civil service of two hundred; they are to take precedence of esquires, but are not entitled to the appellation, style, &c., of knights bachelors. To wear the badge assigned to the third class, pendent by a narrow red ribbon from the bntton-hole. No officer can be nominated to the military division of the thhvl class of the Order, unless his services have bean marked by special mention of his name as having distinguished himself in action against the enemy. This class has never been confe.rred upon any officer below the rank of nsajor in the army and commander in the navy. ‘funJJtnne for tho IiIiLITARv CLAsses of the Order is a gold Maltose cross, of eight points, enamelled, nrgent; in the four angles, a lion pa.saant-guardant, or; in the centre, the rose, thistle, and shamrock, issnant from a sceptre between three imperial crowns, or, within a circle, gulos; thereon the motto of the Order, snrronoded by two branches of laurel, proper, issuing from an escrol, aznre inscribed Ion DEN iL sorve), in letters of gold. It is worn by the grand crosses pendent from a rod ribbon across the right rhouldor, by the knights commandora from the neck, and by the companions from the button-hole. The COLLAR is of gold (weight, thh-ty ounces Troy weight), and is composed of nine imperial crowns, and c4ght rosos, thistle, and shamrock, issuing from a sceptre, enamelled in their prcper colours, tied or linked together with seventeen gold knots, enamelled white, having the badge of the Order pcndent therefrom. Tue STAR OF THE MILITARy GuANO Cnosses is formed of rays or flames of silver, thereon a gold Maltese cross, and in the ecutro, within the motto, branchcs of laurel, issuant as in the badge. Tee Cv’u KNIGHTs Gniao Ceosacs retain the old badge and star of the Order. The Star is of silver, form’d with eight points or rays, charged with three imperial crowns, proper, upon a glory of silver rays, si’vrumdod with e rod circle, upon which is the motto of the Order. Their badge is of gold, composed of a rose, thists, and shamrock, issuing from a sceptre between three imperial crowns, encircled by the motto. The civil knights commanders wear the same badge, of a smaller size ronnd the neck by a red ribbon, and thy civil cu-.paoi0ns the same, hot of a still smaller size, from ths button-hole, pendent from a red ribbon. Tue StaR ov con Kiczr.wrs COMIIANOEHS is in the form of a crosa-patée of silver, having the same centre as the gmnd crosses, but without a gobi Maltose croes thereon. The star of the civil knights commanders is of the same form and size, only omitting tho laurot wreath round the circle containing the motto, and the oscrol ivith the words. “Ichdien” underneath. MOTTO—TRL4 JUNCTA IN UNO. 1230