ANNO 1818.]

SAINT MICHAEL AND SAINT GEORGE.

7

was agreed that the Island of Malta and its Dependencies should belong in fullright and Sovereignty to Us; in execution of which last mentioned Treaties,We have assumed and taken upon Us the Sovereignty of the said Island ofMalta and its Dependencies: And whereas it hath in all ages been the customof wise and beneficent Princes to distinguish Merit, Virtue, and Loyalty, bypublic marks of Honour, in order that eminent merit may stand acknowledgedto the world, and create a laudable emulation in others to deserve suchhonourable distinctions : And whereas We are desirous of affording to the saidUnited States of the Ionian Islands, and to Our subjects of Our said Island ofMalta and its Dependencies, a signal testimony of Our affectionate regard, bythe Institution of an Order of Knighthood, whereby the auspicious event of thesaid United States of the Ionian Islands being placed under Our protection,and the said Island of Malta being placed under Our rule and Sovereignty,may be commemorated, and by which We may at the same time be enabled toreward conspicuous merit and loyalty: Know ye that We having taken thepremises into Our Royal consideration, of Our especial grace, certain know-ledge, and mere motion, have instituted, erected, constituted, and created, andby these Presents do institute, erect, constitute, and create an Order of Knight-hood, to be called by, and have for ever hereafter, the name, style, and title of“ The Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George,”whereof We, Our Heirs and Successors, Protectors of the said United States ofthe Ionian Islands, and Sovereigns of the said Island of Malta and its Depen-dencies, shall for ever be Sovereign and Chief, and of which the Lord HighCommissioner of Us, Our Heirs and Successors, in and for the said UnitedStates of the Ionian Islands for the time being, or such high and distinguishedperson serving in the Naval or Military Forces of Us, Our Heirs and Suc-cessors, in the Mediterranean, as may be hereafter appointed by Us, Our Heirsand Successors, shall be Grand Master: And We do hereby ordain and declare,that the said Distinguished Order shall be governed by Statutes and Ordinancesto be from time to time made, ordained, altered, and abrogated by Us, OurHeirs and Successors, Sovereigns of the said Order, at Our and their pleasure :And We do hereby further ordain, that the said Distinguished Order of SaintMichael and Saint George shall, besides the Grand Master for the time being,consist of Three Classes of Knights of the said Order, who shall be respectivelydenominated Knights Grand Cross of the Distinguished Order of Saint Michaeland Saint George, Knights Commanders of the Distinguished Order of SaintMichael and Saint George, and Knights of the Distinguished Order of Saint