The ribbons of these decorations are: For the D.C.M. red and blue. The D.S.M. (Naval) has blue and white. The ribbon for the Military Medal is red white and blue, and that of the C.G.M. (Naval) blue and white. It will be noticed that since 1856 the number of British Orders and decorations has very greatly increased. At that date there were only the Garter, the Thistle, St. Patrick, the Bath, and the Michael and George, and only the last two of these was open to ordinary persons. Now there are upwards of twenty Orders and decorations open to those who do good and valiant service for the Empire in peace and war. As is only natural, opinions are divided on the subject. Several millions of His Majesty’s subjects who have not received one of these insignia of honour decry the whole system, and say it is debasing to wear decorations for doing one’s duty. Several millions more hope, given the opportunity, to earn one of them; whilst the few thousands who have received them feel, in a greater or less degree, a certain warm sense of gratification in that their King and country have discovered what fine fellows they are. The increase in the number of Orders and decorations is mainly due to the great extension of the Empire, the wars both great and small that have been waged during the past seventy years, and the impossibility of rewarding the greatly increased numbers of those whom the King delighteth to honour with practically only one Order open for a restricted distribution, the Order of the Bath. After so great a war as the Great War, wherein many millions of men of British blood were engaged, naturally all the now existing Orders are full to overflowing with members and supernumerary members, but as the river runs low after the heavy rains are over, so will the flow of honours decrease to the small stream which in peace time can alone keep up their value. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ APPENDIX A KEEPERS OF THE JEWEL HOUSE[26] Abbot and Monks of Westminster, 1042-66, in the reign of Edward the Confessor. First official Keeper of the Regalia, 1216, in the reign of Henry III. Bishop of Carlisle, 1230, in the reign of Henry III. John de Flete, 1337, in the reign of Edward III. Robert de Mildenhall, 1347, in the reign of Edward III. Thomas Chitterne, 1418, in the reign of Henry VI. “The two Cary’s,” both Privy Councillors. Thomas Cromwell, Earl of Essex, 1531-34, in the reign of Henry VIII. John Williams, Lord Williams, 1539-44, in the reign of Henry VIII. Richard Wilbraham of Woodhey, Cheshire, 1547 (?) to 1553, in the reign of Edward VI. Marquis of Winchester, 1553, in the reign of Edward VI. Handed over the Crown Jewels to Lady Jane Grey. John Astley, 1558-95, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth. Sir Henry Mildmay, 1622(?)-1660, in the reigns of James I, Charles I, and interregnum.