RAREST OF ALL HONORS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 47, 20 March 1909, Page 4

RAREST OF ALL HONORS.

Tlie proposal 1,1 ilworiilc I lie Queen of Hilly witli the (hand dross of the Ivofjion' of Honor for lier bravery at Ali'ssina does credit to t'lie French nation (May* a Home, .paper). It is, however, doubtful whether Her Majesty would not he debarred by etii(llelle I'riiiii acceulillj,' it licignill", sovi"rei»,is iuul their consorts must be •riven llw hifrhcht jji-iiile of anv pnrlicu'liii- order, or none; and, altliouyli few iicoplc are aware or it, there is one Tiij.li.-r frradc than, that of (Irand Cross in the French la-ion of Honor.

This is Hie (irand Uollur, and, as regards the numbers made and granted, it i- liv fur the rarest and most exclusive'decoration in lilie world, l-'tiur oiily are now in existence, un.l of these four only two can be properly worn. tine of ihcin d"corates. oil stilte own. sinus, the hrcasl of the Preisideut of Fran... lor the lime beii.e. the other Ileal of I Leaflet Kuiperor of Austria.

A third "collar" is an heirloom of the piincelv house of Mural, w'l.ich hlherile.l it iron, .loiwliiiit .Marat, the ostler who beeanic Kiiif. ~l'Miples. The l'ourlli w is worn bv Napoleon. 111. throuflhout his i-eijjn. a'nd passed, at his death, to hi, widow, the Kinlprcss .losepliine. in whose posisc'ssion il now is., ' , The "collar,'' it may he iiienlio-.ied, is an ex'ceediiifily. ornWe and massive affair, lit consists of seventeen f-'old medallions, with eighteenth .niedallio.i of blue eiiamel' in tllie centre, from wliich. ilunirh'* the hiif irohl and white ■

In. the case of that worn by the Ficnih Prisidcii.ts, the .inline «f each sin-ces-ive holder i's inwei'Wn'il on the hack of one of the »ohl medallions, the intention that, when e'vcrv one of Ihe seventeen sllihll huve been thus neili-ed. the "collai" in to be deposited iiiiiotijr the archives aiiil 11 new one prepared.