THE VICTORIA CROSS.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3857, 27 November 1883, Page 4

THE VICTORIA CROSS.

Of all prizes that men in the army and navy covet, there is none more eagerly sought, more jealously guarded, or more dearly loved than tho simple cross in gunmetal, bearing tho inscription " For valor." The Victoria Cross was instituted by Royal Warrant on the 19th January, 1850, as a rewurd for individual instances of merit and valor iv tho army and mivy, Although many acts of heroism had been performed in both services in tho earlier part of our gracious Majesty's reign, it was not deemed advisable to make the action of the Avarrant retrospective, and the heroes of the Crimea Avero therefore the first avlio received the much-coveted decoration. The cross itself is a simple piece of gunmetal, bronze-colored, with the royal crest in the middle, and below, the Avoids " For Valor;" in the centre of the reverse the date of the act of heroism is inscribed, and on the bar to Avhich the ribbon is attached, the name of the individual and of the corps to which ho belongs. On this bar also is engraved a sprig of laurel, and the bar is attached to the cross by the letter V on a red or blue ribbon, according to the service—in tho army or navy—of the recipient. It is not to soldiers only, however, that the Victoria Cross is .warded, and many civilians who luiA'e distinguished themselves by acts of conspicuous bravery have been enrolled among the hero band. The actual money value of the cross is only a few shillings ; but the laurel croAvn of tho Roman cost even less, and decorations are, of course, altogether valueless from that point of vioAV. Thank God, the day has not come yet when chivalry lies dead, or Avhen braA-ery sells its'olf for cash ! Many a bravo knight has gone into the clash of arms and has fought bloody battles for the sake of a flower from the hand of his mistress, or a scarf Avhich has encircled her fair neck; and iv these later times, many a man has gone into the deadly breach, and through a tempest of fiery missiles, for the love of country and honour, sustained in the midst of dangers by the hope that some day that simple Maltese cross, devised by the Queen, and always Avhen practicable conferred by her own hand, may rest upon his breast. The Victoria Cross carries with it £10 a year pension for each non-commissioned officer and private, Avith an additional annuity of £5 for every additional bar, such bar being added upon each fresh act of bravery equal to the first.— Heroes of Britain iv Peace and War.