Page:The Book of Orders of Knighthood and Decorations of Honour of All Nations.djvu/517

234 of the second 30, of the third 18, and of the fourth 9 roubles.

The Emperor Nicholas instituted a yellow medal (Tab. II. No. 11) for long and faithful service in the army, which may be considered as the fifth class of the Order.

The obverse shows a red cross within a ring of the same colour, and with the name of the possessor. The Emperor distributed it also amongst foreigners, and more especially amongst the whole company of the sub-officers of the Royal Guard at Berlin. The cross thus distributed had a crown above it.

THE MILITARY ORDER OF ST. GEORGE.

This Order was founded by Catharine II. on the 26th Nov. (7th Dec.) 1769, as a reward for Officers of the army and navy. The biographer, Castera, says: "It cannot be denied that the hope of this reward has greatly contributed to the many victories of Russia during that period, and no one knew better than that Empress the great power which vanity exercises on the actions of men."

Emperor Paul I. who was dreaming and planing great reforms in his empire, never thought of distributing the Order amongst his soldiers, and it was only restored to practice by an ukase of his son Alexander I. on the 12th December, 1801. In gratitude, the Chapter offered the same insignia to the Czar the restorer of the Order, which the latter, however, modestly, refused to accept until after the campaign of 1805, when he accepted the Cross of the lowest, the fourth class. Whatever the cause of hesitation may really have been, there can be no doubt that the circumstance of the modest refusal, greatly enhanced the value of that Order in public opinion.