The Most Exalted Order of the Star of India. THIS Order was instituted by the late Queen Victoria on the 23rd Feb., 1861, by letters patent of that date (gazetted 1861, June 25). The original statutes were issued on the 7th of March following. It was not until 5 years after its original institution that the Order was divided into classes. As originally constituted it was to consist of only one class of knights (25 in number) together with the Sovereign, the Grand Master (who was to be ex officio the Viceroy and Governor General of India), and such extra and honorary knights as the Sovereign should from time to time appoint. In 1866, however, the Order was completely remodelled by letters patent dated March 28 (gazetted May 25), followed by statutes dated April 19 of the same year. In its re-organised form the Order was made to consist of the Sovereign, the Grand Master, 25 Knights Grand Commanders (G.C.S.I.), 50 Knights Commanders (K.C.S.I.), and 100 Companions (C.S.I.) with power reserved to the Sovereign, as before, to appoint extra and honorary members. By No. 4 of these statutes of 1866, April 19, the Viceroy of India, by virtue of being Grand Master of the Order was to be First and Principal Knight [Grand Cross] thereof and was to remain a G.C.S.I. after his term of office as viceroy had expired, either as an ordinary G.C.S.I. or in case of their being no vacancy as an extra G.C.S.I., to be absorbed into the number of the ordinary knights as a vacancy should arise, and with rank and precedence according to the date of his having been sworn in as viceroy. At the time of the re-organisation of 1866 the existing K. S. I. were made G.C.S.I. Of the 25 Knights Grand Commanders 15 were to be such native princes and chiefs of India as shall have entitled themselves to Royal favour; the remaining 10 to be such British subjects as have merited favour by important and loyal services to the Empire in India. For the second and third classes the qualification was the meriting Royal favour by conduct or services in the Indian Empire. Finally the members of the Order were to have precedence rank for rank next after those of the Bath and immediately before those of St. Michael and St. George. In 1875 the membership of the Order was again extended. By statute dated Aug. 30 of that year the total number of the members was increased to 205, viz. 25 G.C.S.I., 60 K.C.S.I. and 120 C.S.I. By separate statute of 1876, Dec. 20, these numbers were again increased, viz., to 246 in all, i.e., 30 G.C.S.I. (eighteen thereof to be native princes), 72 K.C.S.I. and 144 C.S.I. By this statute of 1876 the qualification for the 2nd and 3rd classes of the Order was thus restated. "No person shall be nominated to either of these classes who shall not by their conduct and services in our Indian Empire, or after not less than 30 years service in the department of our Secretary of State for India, have merited our royal favour." By the statute of 1897, June 10, the Order was again enlarged to a total membership of 276, viz., 36 G.C.S.I. (18 thereof to be native princes), 80 K.C.S.I., and 160 C.S.I. At the same time the rule regarding the Grand Masters was re-stated as follows: the Viceroy and Governor General of India to be pro temp Grand Master and by virtue thereof First and Principal G.C.S.I. On the termination of his office he is to be an additional G.C.S.I. with rank and precedence among the ordinary G.C.S.I. according to the date of his having been sworn in as viceroy. The last extension of the Order was made by statute of date 1902, Oct. 21 (gazetted 1903, Jan. 1), when the total membership was increased from 276 to 291, viz., 36 G.C.S.I. as before, with ex-viceroys as additional; 85 K.C.S.I. and 170 C.S.I. The Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George. Ar the peace in 1814 the island of Malta was ceded to England, and First class or Knights Grand Cross, 8 in number exclusive of the Second class or Knights Commanders 12 in number. 24 in number. Within the Ionian Islands and Malta all these three classes were to have precedence of knights bachelors, but no definite pronouncement was made in the statutes of 1818 as to whether knighthood of a non-knightly person was essential prior to investiture. This led to an anomalous state of the Order, and with the object of remedying the confusion fresh statutes were signed 1832, Aug. 16. These statutes specifically prescribed that persons of the first and second class must be knighted prior to investiture. At the same time the numbers were increased as follow8: Knights Grand Cross increased to 15. The most noticeable feature in these changes is the revolution in the status of the members of the third class. From 1818 to 1832 these latter had been styled knights (if of English birth) or cavalieri (if of Ionian or Maltese birth). They had been entitled to be styled Sir and had precedence over knights bachelors. It may be as well to give here the names of these cavalieri who between 1818 and 1832 were entitled to be styled Sir, with the date of their appointment: GIOVANNI MELISSINO, of Zante. 1820, Feb. 2. 1820, Feb. 2. GIULIO DOMENICHINI, of Zante. 1820, Feb. 2. Maura. PIETRO PETRIZZOPULO, sometime Regent of Santa 1820, Feb. 2. PAOLO CAPPADOCA, of Corfu. 1820, Feb. 2. DEMETRIO VALSAMACHI, of Cephalonia, sometime secretary to the Legislative Assembly of the Ionian Islands. 1820, Feb. 2. ANDREA MUSTOXIDI, of Corfu, sometime a senator of the Ionian Islands. 1820, Feb. 2. 1821, Mar. 22. 1821, Mar. 22. 1822, Jan. 31. 1822, Jan. 31. 1822, June 15. PAOLO PROSSALENDI, of Corfu. PANDASIN CARIDI, sometime Regent of Cephalonia. VINCENZO CASOLANI, of Malta. GIUSEPPE MARQUIS TESTAFERRATA, of Malta. SPIRIDION GIALLINA, of Corfu, sometime member of the Legislative Assembly of the Ionian Islands. 1822, June 15. ANGIOLO CONDARI, of Santa Maura. 1822, June 15. GIOVANNI MORICHI, of Paxò. From the statutes of 1832 onward, however, the members of the third class were relegated to a lower precedence. Instead of being styled "knights or cavalieri" they were to be in future styled cavalieri (if of foreign birth) or companions (if of English birth), and the knightly rank was confined to the first two classes. Under letters patent of 1850, Dec. 31, followed by the statutes of 1851, Jan. 31, the constitution of the Order was further modified. The membership of the Order was increased to 65, viz.: prince of the blood royal was to be Grand Master and first and principal Knight Grand Cross. Further, the lord high commissioner to the United States of the Ionian Islands, the governor of Malta and the commander-in-chief in the Mediterranean were to be extra G.C.M.G., to be absorbed into the number of ordinary G.C.M.G. as vacancies fell. But the Order still remained confined, as before, to the Ionian Islands and Malta or to English officials serving there. By the treaty of 1864, Mar. 29, however, the Ionian Islands were ceded to Greece, and it became necessary to entirely re-model the Order. By statutes of 1868, Dec. 4, and 1869, Apr. 3, the Order was extended in its scope to the British Colonies; the persons admissible were to be natural British subjects, who had held office in or performed services in the said colonies. At the same time the numbers were again increased as follows: and power was given to the sovereign to appoint extra numbers of the first and second classes and to increase the numbers of each class. It was at the same time ordained that the Order should have precedence after the Order of the Star of India. These numbers have been since increased on four successive occasions as follows: By these last-named statutes the Order was made to extend to services rendered to the Crown in relation to foreign affairs. By statute of 1886, June 28, eight knights commanders and nine companions were added as additional members for services in connection with the Colonial and Indian Exhibition, and by the statute of Mar. 19 in the succeeding year these members became ordinary members of the Order. At the same time, by this statute of 1887, Mar. 19, the total membership of the Order was increased to 607. |