VICTORIA CROSS 



VICTORIA FALLS 



of the strait to the snow-clad heights of the 

 Olympian Range and the noble dome of Mount 

 Baker. Victoria Arm and the Gorge form a 

 beautiful stretch of water, and there are many 

 other bays and inlets which lend variety and 

 attraction to the city and its vicinity. All 

 parts of the city are easily accessible by elec- 

 tric tramway. 



History. Victoria is the oldest settlement in 

 British Columbia. It dates back to 1846, when 

 a Hudson's Bay Company post, named Fort 

 Camosun, was established on the site. The 

 town was platted in 1852, but remained merely 

 a trading post until 1858. In that year it came 

 into prominence as the result of the discovery 

 of gold on the mainland. From this time on 

 Victoria grew rapidly. It was incorporated as 

 a city in 1862, and in 1868 became the capital 

 of British Columbia. Until the founding of 

 Vancouver, Victoria was the largest city in the 

 province, its population being nearly 15,000 as 

 early as 1886. After 1880 the use of the Esqui- 

 malt harbor, three miles west, as a base for the 

 British North Pacific fleet helped greatly in 

 increasing the prosperity of the city. Since 

 1905 the Esquimalt harbor has been open to 

 merchantmen, and the Dominion government 

 is spending about $10,000,000 for the construc- 

 tion of wharves and a dry dock at Esquimalt, 

 which will be added to the facilities already 

 offered by Victoria. W.F.Z. 



VICTORIA CROSS, the most coveted *and 

 highly-prized decoration of the British military 

 and naval service. In shape it is a Maltese 

 cross, and is made from the metal from guns 

 captured in the Crimean War, with the words 

 /'<>r Valour inscribed beneath the royal crest. 

 This decoration was instituted by Queen Vic- 

 toria in 1856, to be granted to soldiers and sail- 

 ore of any rank for notable deeds of valor in 

 presence of the enemy. The medal is worn 

 suspended from a ribbon (sec illustration). A 

 on of $250 a year formerly accompimn <1 it . 

 <ustomary to bestow the Cross on the near- 

 est of kin to any soldier or sailor who dies from 

 wounds received while performing the qualify- 

 ing act of valor. Inti IH-H illy worth five or ten 

 cents, the Victoria Cross is the most cherished 

 possession of British soldier or sailor, and as th< 

 h -C.I.IMT dreams of a marshal's baton, so 

 n i>h seeks to deserve this Cross. 



The number awarded up to the outbreak of 

 War of the Nations was only 522. Dur- 

 um tli. latter great conflict many more were 

 grunted, because of numerous acts of conspicu- 

 ous bravery, yet it was bestowed sparingly, 

 381 



that it might not be cheapened in the eyes of 

 the nation. In strong contrast, the Iron Cross 

 of the German Empire was awarded to the 



FOR VALOR AND DISTINGUISHED 

 SERVICE 



At left, the priceless "V.C. ;" at right, the badge 

 of the Distinguished Service Order. 



number of more than 2,000,000 during the first 

 three years of the war (see IRON CROSS). 



Distinguished Service Order. When an offi- 

 cer's name is proposed for the Victoria Cross, 

 the feat prompting the nomination is put under 

 official scrutiny. If it does not reach in valor 

 the superlatively-high standard set for the 

 award of the Cross, yet is found deserving of 

 high recognition, the Distinguished Service Or- 

 der may be conferred. This Order is reserved 

 for officers of the army and navy. F.ST.A. 



Consult Parry's The V.C., Its Hcroc* and Their 

 Valour. 



VICTORIA FALLS, a celebrated cataract in 

 South Africa, discovered by Livingstone in 

 1855 and named by him in honor of England's 

 queen. The falls are in the middle course of 

 the Zambezi River, in the British possession of 

 Rhodesia. The river approaches the chasm at 

 a gentle grade, but suddenly dashes over a clifT 

 nearly 400 feet high, with a deafening roar 

 which can be heard for twenty miles, 

 mist and flying spray are visible for nearly ten 

 miles, and because of this cloud the natives 

 named the cataract Mosi-oa-tuni, which means 

 thundering smoke. The Capc-to-Cairo Rail- 

 way crosses the river near the great falls, on 

 tin highest bridge in the world (see illustra- 

 tion, page 1170); Cecil Rhodes stipulated that 

 it should be close enough to the great cataract 

 to allow travelers on the train to feej the spray. 



The British South Africa Company has 

 planned to utilise the enormous water po\\. r 

 for commercial uses. A hotel has been built 

 for the accommodation of visitors, and numer- 

 ous companies have been formed for develop- 



