=Transport Medal.=--King Edward VII, on his birthday, November 9th, 1903, instituted a medal which was granted as a special recognition of the magnificent work done, and for the nautical skill and perfect efficiency shown, by those who were engaged in connection with the Transport Service during the China and South Africa campaigns. On the obverse is the bust of King Edward VII, facing left, in the uniform of an Admiral of the Fleet, wearing his orders and decorations, and the legend EDWARDVS VII REX IMPERATOR. On the reverse, in the foreground, is a large liner ("Ophir") ploughing through the sea; above is a map of the world on Mercator's projection, which embraces the British Empire from the West Indies to New Zealand, but, owing to the circular form of the medal, omits the North American Continent; below is the legend OB PATRIAM MILITIBUS PER MARE TRANSVECTIS ADJUTAM. The medal, 1⅖ in. in diameter, is suspended by means of a straight swivel bar from a red ribbon, with two blue stripes each ¼ in. broad. The names are impressed round the edge of the medal in capital letters. The official announcement of the issue stated that the "Transport Medal shall be granted in future wars to the Officers of the Mercantile Marine serving in the transports" whenever a war medal is granted for the campaign. These medals have realised from £2 to £4 each at public auction. MERITORIOUS SERVICE MEDALS Under this heading I might have placed several of those earlier medals which were awarded when campaign medals had not been instituted, but the record for our purpose may begin with the institution of the Meritorious Service Medal on December 19th, 1845, when Her Majesty Queen Victoria decreed that a sum of not more than £2,000 per annum should be set aside for the payment of rewards in the form of annuities not exceeding £20, to sergeants recommended by the Commander-in-Chief in recognition of meritorious or distinguished services. The sum for disbursement was increased to £4,000 in June 1853. This medal bears on the obverse the diademed head of Queen Victoria, with the legend VICTORIA REGINA, and generally has the date of institution in the exergue, but in some of the earlier, and in the later issues also, the date is omitted. On the reverse (as illustrated facing page 136) is the inscription FOR MERITORIOUS SERVICE, surmounted by a crown, and encircled by a broad wreath of laurel. The suspender is of the same pattern as that issued with the India 1854 medal, and the decoration depends from a red ribbon 1¼ in. wide when worn by military sergeants, and a blue ribbon by sergeants of marines, who in 1849 were also granted the medal. Until November 1902 this medal could not be worn with the L.S. and G.C. medal. These medals realise from £3 to £4 10_s._ in the sale-room. [Illustration: SILVER CROSS FOR SAN SEBASTIAN, 1846. Awarded to Staff-Surgeon Chas. Benson Brearey, M.D.] [Illustration: IRON CROSS FOR SAN SEBASTIAN, 1836.