A CIVILIAN VICTORIA CROSS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 146, 17 July 1909, Page 3

A CIVILIAN VICTORIA CROSS.

To judge by the reports in the daily papers (says & Home journal), no little coGifusioii exists regarding the Albeit AJedals that 'were recently presented by lire King. This is doubtless partly due to the fact that there arc in existence two entirely separate and distinct kinds of decorations so aained. FOUNDED BY THE SOCIETY 01' ARTS. The oldest of these is the gold Albert Medal founded in 1802 by the Society of Arte, which is granted to men distinguished in science, literature, and su forth. It is probably the most jealously guarded, and therefore tile most liiglily« ■prized, distinction of its kind in the world. Kings have coveted it in vain. Even our own Edward Vil. did not get his until so recently as 11)01. The other Albert Medal, which may be described as a Victoria Cross' for civilians, an altogether dill'erent affair, and it is this, that is usually meant when the decoration so called is ordinarily referred to. It is granted for valor, and for valor only, no consideration whatever being paid to the social rank of the recipient.! Instituted by lloyal Warrant in IB(iti, j it was intended at lirst that it should | be awarded exclusively for gallantry in l saving life at sea. But m 1877 a supplementary Royal Warrant was issued extending its scope so as to cover similar acts performed on laud, with a view to .its bestowal upon the re&'cuers in the terrible Pontypridd colliery disaster of that year. BOTH HAND-CHISELLED. There are, it may be mentioned, two grades of Albert Medals, the first-class, or highest, being in gold and dark-blue eaamcl. w The second-class is similarly unameUed, but bronze usurps the place of the rarer and more costly medal. It is' interesting to note, however, that both the gold and the bronze medals are hand-chiselled, instead of being struck from a (lie as the Victoria Grosses are. A curious fact, too. j* that their production has been in „ ..tuds cf the same family ever sn. . the decoration was first instituted, naving been handed down, from father to son.