104 MILITARY SCIENCES. 



medal is of gold, and displays only the central field of the star ; it is worn 

 at the. breast. 



Kingdom of Spain. The Military Order of St. Ferdinand (fig. 10) was 

 established in 1811 by the Cortes-General, and renewed in 1815 by 

 Ferdinand VIL, in somewhat altered form, as Order of Military Merit. It 

 has five classes, which can contain only oflicers of designated grades. The 

 insignia are a gold, white enamelled, Maltese cross with gold balls. The 

 golden central field displays the figure of St. Ferdinand enamelled in 

 colors, and the blue border contains the words, Al Merito Militar. For 

 the higher classes the cross has a laurel wreath in its angles, and for the 

 two highest a laurel wreath above also. It is worn from a deep red riband 

 with gold-yellow border. The Star of Grand Crosses is likewise a Maltese 

 cross, like the order, but embroidered in gold and having gold lilies in the 

 angles. The central field is that of the order, only rather larger. First 

 class, star and order with two wreaths, en echarpe. Second class, order 

 with two wreaths, en sautoir. Third class, order with two wreaths, at the 

 breast. Fourth class, order with one wreath, at the breast. Fifth class, 

 order without wreath, at the breast. 



Crosses of Honor for military distinction are very numerous. Fig. 11 

 shows that for the battle of Talavera de la Reyna, which was established 

 by the Spanish Council of Regency in 1810. It is a gold, white enamelled, 

 Maltese cross, with golden balls under a royal crown, and bears the inscrip- 

 tion, Talavera, 28 de Julio de 1809. It is worn from a half black, half 

 deep-red riband. 



Kingdom of Portugal. The Order of Avis {pi. 22, fig. 12), called formerly 

 of Evora, was founded by the first King of Portugal and changed in 1162 

 into an Order of Spiritual Knighthood, but by Queen Maria in 1780 made 

 a secular Order of Military Merit, and has 6 Grand Crosses, 49 Commanders, 

 and an unlimited number of Knights. The badge is a gold, bright green 

 enamelled, lily-cross, above which is an eight-pointed" gold star, with golden 

 rays in the angles. On the star is a gold central shield, upon which lies a 

 red, blazing heart, surrounded with a crown of thorns ; in the flames of the 

 heart is a gold, black enamelled cross. The order is worn by the Grand 

 Crosses from a leaf-green riband en echarpe, and with it, on the breast, 

 embroidered in silver, a sun with a white, gold-bordered central shield, on 

 which lies the green lily-cross, but over the shield the flaming heart with 

 the cross. Commanders wear the order en sautoir, Knights smaller, at the 

 . breast. 



Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. The Order of Francis I. (fig. 13) was 

 founded by Francis I., the 23d Sept. 1829. The Order has three classes, 

 Grand Crosses, Commanders, and Knights. The badge of the Order is a 

 gold, white enamelled, Maltese cross under a crown royal ; in the angles 

 of this are four Bourbon lilies in gold ; the golden central shield contains, 

 on the face, in a green laurel wreath, the letters F. I. under a crown ; on 

 the reverse, the words, Franc. I. instituit, 1829. The blue border of the 

 central shield contains the words, De rege optime merito. The order is 

 worn from a deep-red riband with blue border. The Star of Grand Crosses 

 680 



