PUBLI
༄། ༴། ཟ། ། ། །
RECORD OFFICE
Reference
C.O.
885
2
General and to the officers in the Signet Office and Crown Office, the expense might be reduce to about 1607.; but the majority of Colonists would find even this a considerable sum to pay.
The expenses on knighthood by Patent, including a stamp of 367., amount to 230, which might, however, be reduced as above. But a Colonist can only receive knighthood in the most expensive way, namely, by Patent, the Crown having no power to delegate to the Governors of any of the Colonies the power of conferring the honour in person.
The late Sir Carmichael Smyth strongly urged on Lord Ripon (then Lord Goderich), in 1831, and, again, on Lord Glenelg, in 1837, the creation of a Colonial Order of Knighthood; and suggested, on the latter occasion, the regulations under which it should be divided into three classes. His proposal, however, involved a single Colonial Order, and was chiefly confined to official persons: both of which principles I think erroneous. Lord Glenelg, however, agreed with him in principle, and meditated a general extension of the Orders of St. Michael and St. George. The project, however, appears to have been abandoned, on consultation with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, on account of the supposed impossibility of finding money to pay for crosses and badges.
The accompanying paper (Inclosure No. 1) will show the various regulations which have been made (though none of them with the proper formalities), and successively disregarded, as to the numbers of the officers in the various classes of the Bath, and the present excess of numbers in each of them. From this it will appear that the numbers sanctioned, of the three classes, amount to 591, the actual number being no less than 772; or, deducting the foreign Honorary Knights, from whom there is no authority whatever, to 718. The principal excesses are in the second class of the Army, and the third of the East India Company's service. If an extension of the Order to other services be contem- plated, I think it highly desirable that the numbers fixed be for the future strictly adhered to; that the existing excess be allowed to drop off; and that while it continues it should be considered as pro tanto diminishing the numbers of the new classes to be admitted. This regulation would, in great measure, meet an objection which was urged the other day to a great immediate accession of patronage to the executive.
I understand the idea to be to admit to the honours of all the three classes a limited number of eminent civilians, including those in the Home Service, and men of distinguished science or acquirements in Great Britain, those in the service of the East India Company, and the Colonists. At present the only civilians are in the first class, and those British diplomatists or politicians, and two of the East India Company's service.
It would be advisable also to admit to the honour of the third class the officers of the East India Company's naval service, who are at present excluded by the analogy of the British service, which admits no person below the rank of a Post Captain. I see no reason why the restrictions as to rank in the third class of the Order should not be taken off in both army and navy; in consideration of which, as admitting the Indian navy, and also in consideration of the great actual excess, I propose a small addition to the East India Company's third class.
inclose a paper (Inclosure No. 2, which exhibits the present state of the Order, according to the regulations, its actual state, and that which I suggest after the introduc- tion of the Indian navy and three classes of civilians, of three different denominations.
It will be seen that my proposal involves a total increase of the authorized number of the Order, of all classes, amounting to only one-ninth of the whole as it at present stands. The total ultimate increase on the present authorized number would be 209; the possible immediate increase only 82. The ultimate increase of 209 would be thus divided : British. 52; East India Company, 59; Colonial, 98; total, 209.
If it be thought that I have suggested a disproportionate number of Colonial Honours. it must be recollected that the addition is made in great measure on Colonial account: that persons in this country have many other modes of obtaining distinction, and have readier and cheaper means of access even to those which are apparently open to all alike; and that, after all, when those ninety-eight Honours, of all classes, come to be distributed among forty Colonies, they will be sufficiently rare in each to be objects of great desire, and being spread over the whole surface of the globe, will not produce the same effect as if concentrated in this country, or in any one society. The proportions, however, are of course capable of alteration; I have only suggested a mode by which, without any inpor tant increase of existing numbers, the Honours of an existing Order may be gradually extended, so as to confine almost every description of merit which the Crown may desire to reward, on a footing of fair equality, in the British, East India, and Colonial possessions of the British Empire.
I shall add, in conclusion, that this subject, which I think of the greatest importance in a Colonial sense, had not escaped the attention of our immediate predecessors in office.
3
I find recorded a Minute of Lord John Russell's, dated August 28, 1841, in the following words:
"It was intended by Iler Majesty's Ministers to propose to the Queen to admit Civil Commanders and Companions of the Bath, at least for Diplomatic and Colonial, if not for other Civil service.
"Some restriction was also intended respecting the number of Naval and Military Grand Crosses; but the plan was never sufficiently mature to be submitted to Her Majesty."
January 21, 1844.
Inclosure in No. 1.
Present State of the Order of the Bath.-January, 1844.
CLASSES.
KNIGHTE GRAND CROSS.
Sovereign and Royal Family
Army
Navy
East India Company's Army
Civilians
East India Company's Civil Service Honorary
KNIGHTS COMMANDERS.
Army Navy East India Company's Army Honorary
Army N177
COMPANIONS.
East India Company's Army Honorary
::::
::::
S.
Numbers fixed
Numbers fixed
in 1815.
in 1823.
Numbers existing in March 1834.
Numbers
. fixed
Actual
in March 1834.
Numbers.
E-
ཚུགསg
42
42
42
34
60
18
20
18
14
4
20
25
2
14
83
93
12
Not authorized
2429
56
01
56
89
160
44
46
40
33
15
12
12
12
14
10
16
11
108
141
Not fixed
250
300
250
277
Not fixed
113
100
50
GG
50
118 114
Not authorized
28
29
400
5.38
ខ្លះៗទ
State of the Order of the Bath on the 3rd of May, 1844.
CLASSES.
KNIGHTS GRAND CHOSS,
:
Numbers
Numbers fixed
Numbers fixed
Numbers
fixed
Numbers
in March
in
iu March
in 1815.
in 1827.
1834.
1844.
1834.
Honorary, exclusive of Sovereign and Royal Not authorized
Family
Army
Navy
East India Company's Military Service Civil Service of the Crown
}
60
12
* 81***
14
42
33
18
14
4
20
18
25
2
2
98-2:
East India Company's Civil Service
KNIGHTS COMMANDERS.
Army Navy East India Company's Military Service Honorary
56
91
56
80
180
44
46
40
32
15
12
12
12
J5
10
16
12
COMPANIONS.
Army
Not fixed
250.
300
250
273
Navy, including Marines East India Company's Service Honorary
113
100
115
66
50
136
Not authorized
28
13
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