Jamaica on March 31, 1899, with a stiff breeze blowing and a considerable sea running, when Peter Mahoney, water tender, U. S. Navy, accidentally fell overboard. Mahoney was unable to swim and seeing him sinking Chief Master-at-Arms John Stokes instantly leaped into the sea, swam to the sinking man and kept him above water until a boat could be lowered from the ship to rescue them, for which self-sacrificing act of gallantry he was presented the medal of honor.

Sergeant J. H. Helms, U. S. M. C., was awarded the medal of honor for jumping overboard from the U. S. S. Chicago, off Montevideo, Uruguay, on January 10, 1901, and rescuing Ishi Tomazo, warrant officers' steward, from drowning. Helms was in full uniform and wore his belt and side-arms, but did not stop even long enough to remove his belt, and the order states that it was the second time he had performed a similar act.

The U. S. S. Hornet and U. S. S. Wompatuck, two small vessels of the blockading squadron off the coast of Cuba, were engag ing the shore forces of the enemy at Manzanillo when the Hornet was disabled by the enemy fire and had to be towed out by the Wompatuck. To secure the towing lines to the disabled vessel required skillful work and cool daring under fire, and the work was so well done by Mate Frederick Muller, U. S. Navy, that he was promoted to the rank of boatswain and awarded the medal of honor.

During the Boxer Rebellion in China in 1900 there was hot fighting for the soldiers, sailors and marines of the International Relief Forces all the way from the sea at Tientsin over the go miles of swamp and plain to the capital at Peking, and many deeds of valor were recorded in the reports and accounts of the running fight.

During the advance along the Pei-Ho River on June 20 the column was being subjected to the fire of Chinese snipers, concealed behind salt ricks and wooden shacks across the river. A squad of four men, led by Corporal E. N. Appleton, U. S. M. C., with Privates Burns and Heisch, U. S. M. C., and Coal Passer McAllister, U. S. Navy, volunteered to cross the river in a small row-boat and set fire to the shacks that afforded cover to the enemy. They carried out this undertaking under heavy fire, which wounded two of them, and were entirely successful. For the performance of this hazardous voluntary duty under a fire

The Distinguished Conduct Medal was established in 1854 by Queen Victoria to reward non-commissioned officers and privates of the army" for distinguished conduct in the field." This medal, usually known as the D. C. M., is of silver suspended from an ornamental scroll clasp. On the obverse is the head of the reigning sovereign and on the reverse the legend, "For distinguished conduct in the field." The ribbon is red, blue, red, in stripes of equal width.

The Conspicuous Gallantry Medal was originally authorized during the Crimean war and again in 1874 to reward petty officers and men of the navy and non-commissioned officers and privates of the marines for conspicuous gallantry in action. It corresponds to the Distinguished Conduct Medal for the army. The medal is of silver and bears on the obverse the head of the reigning sovereign and on the reverse the legend, "For conspicuous gallantry," surrounded by a wreath and surmounted by a crown. The ribbon is blue, white, blue, in stripes of equal width.

The Military Medal was sanctioned by King George V in March, 1916, to reward non-commissioned officers and men of the army who have been recommended by the commanding general in the field for acts of bravery. It is a silver medal with the effigy of the king on the obverse and the inscription, "For bravery in the field," surrounded by a wreath surmounted by a crown, on the reverse. The ribbon is dark blue with five narrow stripes through the center, two red and three white.

The Distinguished Service Medal, established in October, 1914, is awarded to petty officers and men of the navy and to non-commissioned officers and privates of the marines "who show themselves to the fore in action and set an example of bravery under fire." It corresponds to the Military Medal for the army. It is a silver medal, bearing on the obverse the bust of King George V in the uniform of an admiral and on the reverse the legend, “For distinguished service," surrounded by a wreath and surmounted by a crown. The ribbon is blue with two narrow white stripes through the center.

BELGIAN WAR DECORATIONS

The Belgian War Cross was established on October 25, 1915, as a decoration to reward all persons who have been mentioned in

general orders for individual acts of courage, devotion or valor during the war against Germany and her allies. The war cross is of bronze and is modelled after the French Croix de Guerre. The Queen Elizabeth Medal was authorized in September, 1916, to reward those who have devoted themselves to war work, such as succoring the wounded, aiding refugees and fugitives and maintaining canteens and rest stations for the soldiers at the front. The medal is awarded in the name of the popular queen of Belgium to men and women, both Belgian and foreign, who are deemed worthy of it.

The Military Medal was instituted by royal decree on September 15, 1902, to reward "soldiers of all ranks below that of a commissioned officer who, by their conduct and service, have merited special distinction."

ITALIAN WAR DECORATIONS

Italy has established no new decorations for war service during the present war, but when she entered the war in 1915 she had four orders which might be conferred upon officers of certain classes, and had awarded numerous medals for service in past

wars.

The Medal for Military Valor is awarded to officers and men of the Italian army and navy for conspicuous acts of gallantry and courage in the face of the enemy. The medal is awarded in three classes, of gold, silver or bronze, according to the class of the service. The gold medal has almost always been awarded for a deed of heroism and daring which has resulted in the death of the soldier or sailor performing the deed and it is regarded as the highest tribute to bravery which Italy can pay.

The silver and bronze medals are awarded for gallant deeds under fire, and as one medal is awarded for each act meriting the reward, it is not uncommon to see an officer or soldier with two such medals.

The ribbon of the medal is blue.

All officers and men of the Italian army who have served one year at the Austrian front are authorized to wear a ribbon of the national colors, green, white, red, in the same manner as the ribbons of medals and decorations are worn; and those who have served a year on the fronts in Macedonia and Albania are authorized to wear a red and white ribbon.

SERBIAN WAR DECORATIONS

The most highly prized war decoration of Servia is the Medal for Bravery, established in 1885. It is made of gold for the first class and of silver for the second class. The gold medal of the first class is awarded to officers for deeds of great bravery in the face of the enemy and very rarely to non-commissioned officers for deeds of extreme daring and courage performed after all the officers present had been killed. The silver medal of the second class is awarded to non-commissioned officers and privates for deeds of especial bravery in action.

The obverse bears the head of the great national hero of Servia, Miloch Obilitch, who in 1389 at the battle of Kossova defeated the Turks, killing their leader, the Sultan Murad, with his own sword. The reverse bears the legend, "For bravery." The ribbon is blue.

The Medal for Military Merit was authorized by the king in 1883 to reward officers and men of the army for meritorious service in peace or war. The medal is of gold for the first class, awarded to officers, and of silver for the second class, awarded to non-commissioned officers and privates.

On the obverse is the crown of Servia and on the reverse the legend," For Military Merit." The ribbon is blue and white.

Thus it will be seen that the bits of metal and the strips of multicolored ribbon that adorn the breast of our soldiers and sailors are not meaningless baubles chosen to satisfy a passing fancy. Each one marks some gallant deed on the bloody field of battle or wind-swept sea, some duty for the country well done or some years of faithful service under the flag in the ceaseless struggle to insure "that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."