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ganization (which was originally composed of many ex-horse caval- rymen, when that organization was disestablished in the early 1940’s). 4The only troops allowed in Italy were the Cohorts of the Praetor- ian Guard, who guarded the person of the Emperor. The fact that gold is outranked by silver is said to have come from the fact that the legionnaire’s helmet was made of brass (gold colored) while the Praetorian Guard wore silvered helmets. The Guard re- ceived higher pay and more privileges than the Legions and ul- timately became the real power in Rome, dispossessing and appoint- ing Emperors at will. They fought to the last man for their Em- peror Maxentius against Constantine I at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge (312 A. D.). Gibbon reported that their bodies were for- med "in ranks where they stood" indicating that the Guard never gave an inch, but died rather than retreated. E. Gibbon, Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, (New York; Laurel and Dell Pu~. Co., 1963), pp. 202-203, 212. SThe Commander of the Legion (Legatus Legionis) had the power of life and death over his soldiers. The Centurions carried a vine stick (vitius) as a symbol of their authority and used it to ad- minister beatings to the legionnaires. A unit that was disgraced might be decimated, that is, every tenth man killed by his fellow soldiers to expiate the unit’s offenses. Units themselves were given the death penalty (damnatio memoriae); e.g., Emperor Ves- pasian had the XV Legion Primigenia struck from the rolls be- cause of their part in Civilitus’s mutiny. While the discipline was severe, it was balanced against a continual fear of revolt and mutiny. Often the Legatus would sentence malefactors to punishment, then suspend the execution, leaving the soldier time to wipe out the fault by good conduct. 6Mericka, Orders and Decorations, (London; Paul Hamlyn Ltd., 1967), P. 9. 7A tax called "Coronary gold" was used to raise the necessary funds to pay for these crowns. Gibbon, op cit., p. 323. 8The Eagle featured in the official ceremonies of the Legion. Soldiers’ oaths of enlistment were taken touching the Eagle. There were religious rites concerning the Eagle which had to be performed before a campaign could begin. M. Grant, The Army of the Caesars, (New York; Chas. Scribner’s Sons, 1974), p. 153. 9G. R. Watson, The Roman Soldier, (Ithaca, New York; Cornell Press, 1969), p. 117. 13 THE MEDALS AND AWARDS OF MAURITIUS B, G, FAULCONBRIDGE (COPYRIGHT BY THE AUTHOR) Mauritius is an island group lying in the Indian Ocean off the East coast of Africa. The population is made up of Europeans, mainly of French descent, Asians, and people of mixed descent. The island was first discovered by the Dutch in 1511. They used it as a port of call, but it was not settled by them until 1598, when they named it after their ruler, Prince Maurice de Nassau. Settlements were established from about 1638 until 1710 when the Dutch had a small colony there. In 1642 Tasman set out on his voyage of Australian discovery from the island. In 1715 the French took possession, but made no attempt to settle until 1721, when the French East India Company sent a small group of colon- ists. The island was renamed Isle de France. During the long war between England and France, French men-of-war and privateers, based on Isle de France, were a constant source of mischief to English merchant vessels. The British Government decided to capture the island and in 1810 a strong British exped- ition eventually was successful. The former name of Mauritius was then restored and, with its dependencies, it was ceded to GrcCat Britain by the Treaty of Paris in 1814. From 1810 until 1903 Mauritius and the Seychelles were adm]nistered as a single British Colony, at first under a Governor, but later under a Governor and a Legislative Council. During the first part of this century Mauritius grew steadily on the road to self-govern- ment. On 12 March 1968, Mauritius became an independent state w]thin the British Commonwealth with tter Majesty Queen Elizabeth II as Queen of Mauritius and with a Governor-General resident on the island. For most of the period of British administration, Mauritians have been eligible for all British awards, the exception being the Police Service, which at various stages had its own awards. The awards of Mauritius are described below. THE POLICE GOOD CONDUCT blEDALS On ii May 1872, the Mauritius Government instituted two medals to be awarded to members of the island’s Police Force, for good con- duct. A silver medal was awarded for twenty years of service and a bronze medal for fifteen years. The medals are oval in shape and measure 1 1/4 inches by 1 5/4 inches. The obverse and reverse designs are the same for both medals. The obverse depicts two crossed maces surmounted by a Victorian crown, with a scroll below bearing the motto "Pax Nob- iscum." The whole is surrounded by a narrow border bearing the inscription at the top "Police Department," and at the base "Maur- itius." The design was worked in high relief. The reverse design depicts two palm branches, tied at their base by a flowing rib- bon, and, in the center, in three lines, the words "For/Good/Con- duct. " 14 Both medals were suspended by a 1/2 inch diameter swivel ring, fitted to the top of the piece, to ribbons 1 1/4 inch wide. The ribbon for the silver medal was dark blue with two white stripes 1/8 inch wide and 3/32 inches apart, 1/32 inch from each edge. The ribbon for the bronze medal was originally three equal verti- cal stripes of white, purple, and white, but in 1914 it was chan- ged to half white and half dark blue. The rank, name, and date of the award to the recipient were engraved, in upright capital letters, around the lower rim of the medal. These medals, which were produced at the Royal Mint in London, were abolished in 1935 as a result of the introduction of the Colonial Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal. POLICE LONG SERVICE AND GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, 1972 This medal was instituted by Her Hajesty the Queen, as Queen of Mauritius, under a Royal Warrant dated 16 September 1972, to be granted to members of the Mauritius Police Service who had com- pleted eighteen years continuous service on or after 12 March 1968, Independence Day. The award of the Colonial Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal was abolished From this date. The medal is circular, of silver, and is 36.07 mm in diameter. The obversedepicts the crowned head and shoulders of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, facing right, by Mr. Cecil Th6mpson, with the legend "Queen Elizabeth II," all in relief on a polished field. The reverse depicts a police truncheon superimposed on a bound laurel wreath, with the circumscription "Mauritius Police Force For Long Service and Good Conduct," all in relief. The truncheon extends above and below the circumscription. The medal is sus- pended by a 1/2 inch diameter silver swivel ring, fitted to a claw at the top of the piece, to a ribbon 1 3/8 inches wide, of navy blue 3/8 inches, red 1/4 inch, navy blue 1/8 inch, red 1/4 inch, and navy blue 3/8 inches. The recipient’s number, rank, and name are engraved in upright capital letters around the lower rim of the medal. Under Regulations made by the Governor-General, dated 16 Septem- ber 1972, it was laid down that service had to be for eighteen continuous years, or with a break of not more than six months during that service, and that service in any other Force for which the Police Long Service Medal and the Colonial Police Long Service Medal were authorized was to be allowed to count towards this new award. The Commissioner of Police had to submit a Certificate of Efficiency for each candidate to prove that his conduct was exem- plary. The Royal Warrant made provision for Clasps to be awarded to the medal for further service. A Clasp is awarded upon completion of twenty-five years of service and a further Clasp on completion of thirty years approved service. The Clasps are oblong, of silver, have a laurel leaf design, and are of the "slip-on" type. The recipient’s details are engraved on the reverse of the clasp. When service ribbons are worn, a Clasp is denoted by the wearing of a miniature silver rosette in the center of the ribbon. 15 .

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