Page:The Book of Orders of Knighthood and Decorations of Honour of All Nations.djvu/213

Rh more than five hundred orphans, and a like number of widows resulted from the contest, in which three thousand eight hundred had been wounded. He asked a vote of credit for seven millions francs (£250,000), four millions of which were to be applied to pensions.

The proposal was accepted with a few amendments on the 30th November, and the 'Cross of July' was founded in consequence. It consists of a white-enamelled star with three double rays under a silver mural crown. The similarly-enamelled centre bears in three circles the national colours, and exhibits, on the obverse, the inscription, '27, 28, 29 Juillet, 1830,' in the middle, and ' Donné par le Roi des Francais' (Presented by the King of the French) on the edge. The reverse shows the Gallic Cock in gold, and the legend: ' Patrie et Liberté'? (Our Country and Liberty). The rays with six points, and with silver balls, are connected by an oak-leaf wreath (No 7). It is worn suspended by a bright blue ribbon (about three and a half inches wide) with a red stripe near each border.

THE MEDAL OF JULY

was also founded for the citizens who had co-operated in the revolution. It is of silver, and shows on the front the Gallic Cock sitting upon a tri-coloured flag, surrounded by an oak wreath, and the words: 'A ses défenseurs la patrie reconnaissante' (A grateful country to its defenders). The reverse exhibits three intertwined laurel-wreaths, between each of which, as also upon the edge, are seen the words: '27, 28, 29 Juillet, 1830. Patrie, liberté.'

THE MILITARY MEDAL

was founded by the President of the Republic (Louis Napoleon), and to it he assigned one of the national castles as an educational