"Whereas it is Our Royal desire to reward for long and meritorious service of Officers of proved capacity in Our Volunteer Force: Now for the purpose of attaining this end, We have instituted, constituted, and created, and by these presents to Us, Our Heirs and Successors, constitute and create a new decoration which we are desirous should be highly prized by Officers of Our Volunteer Force: and We are graciously pleased to make, ordain and establish the following rules and ordinances for the Government of the same which shall from henceforth be observed and kept." Then followed eight clauses, of which the following is the chief:-- "It is ordained that no person shall be eligible for this Decoration nor be nominated thereto unless he is or was a Commissioned Officer and has served twenty years in Our Volunteer Force, is recommended by the Commanding Officer of the Corps in which he has served, and is duly certified by the District Military Authorities in which the Corps is located as having been an efficient and thoroughly capable Officer, in every way deserving of such decoration: Provided nevertheless and We do hereby declare that half of any time during which an Officer of Our Volunteer Force may have served in the ranks of Our said Force shall reckon as qualifying service towards the twenty years required as aforesaid." The decoration consisted of a striking oval badge: the edge was a silver oak wreath, whilst the royal cypher and crown, in outline, filled the centre. A green ribbon was provided with a silver bar flanking its topmost edge. Two years after the officers' decoration received sanction a similar award, known as the "Volunteer Long Service Medal," was provided primarily for the men. The medal was granted to all Volunteers--including officers who had served in the ranks, but who had not qualified for the previous medal--on completion of twenty years' service in the Volunteer Force, provided that they were actually serving on January 1, 1893, and that the commanding officer recommended such award. Service in the Militia or Imperial Yeomanry could be reckoned towards the required period of years. The obverse of the medal bore a profile of the reigning sovereign (in the case of Queen Victoria, the bust was designed much after the style of that chosen for the Jubilee silver coinage); the reverse consisted of a scroll, with the words "For Long Service in the Volunteer Force" arranged among palm and laurel sprays. The medal was silver, and the ribbon green. The last decoration with which we shall deal at length is the National Rifle Association's medal, which was awarded to the best shot in the Volunteer Force. There were three pieces, one each of gold, silver, and bronze, which could be competed for annually. The awards were instituted in the year 1860.