Page:The Book of Orders of Knighthood and Decorations of Honour of All Nations.djvu/588

Rh Cross, Commanders, and Knights. The fourth class comprises the recipients of the civil medal.

The badge of the Order is: a gold octagonal cross enamelled white. The round white middle has a gold ring, and shows on the obverse the Saxon arms, and the legend: 'Friedrich August, Kénig von Sachsen, den 7ten Juni, 1815,' and on the reverse an oaken wreath, in which are intertwined the words: 'Für Verdienst und Treue' (For merit and loyalty).

The civil medal exhibits, on the obverse, the royal effigy with the above legend, while the reverse is precisely the same as that of the Order.

The 7th June is generally fixed for the distribution of the decoration, and promotions in the Order.

The Knights of the Grand Cross wear the badge across the right shoulder, by a broad white watered ribbon (four inches wide), with two grass-green stripes, and accompanied by a silver sextuple and radiant star on the left side of the breast, containing the oaken wreath and inscription as above.

The commanders wear the same cross round the neck by a similar ribbon three inches wide, while the Knights have the cross in smaller size, fastened to the second button-hole by a bow of the same ribbon, two inches wide.

By a decree of the 24th September, 1849, the Order of Civil Merit was extended to Military and other distinctions, and it passes now by the simple name: Order of Merit. It has undergone the following alterations:

1. It now consists without the medal, of five classes: Knights Grand Cross, Commanders, first and second classes, and Knights, first and second classes.

2. The medal is also divided into two classes for the gold and silver ones.

3. The Commanders first class, wear now in addition, on