92

HISTORY OF THE ORDER OF

THE CHANCELLOR,

who in this, and in all other Orders, ranks with the Prelate, was appointed inAugust 1832, when the Order first became in fact, as in name, a British Orderof Knighthood. Until that time, all the Officers, except the King of Arms,resided either at Malta, or Corfu; and the Sovereign’s commands, instead ofbeing immediately transmitted through a Functionary of the Order in England,were usually conveyed to the Lord High Commissioner, or Governor of Malta,by the Secretary of State for the Colonial Department, from whom the Secretaryat Malta, or the Registrar at Corfu, received his instructions.

The Sovereign having then deemed it expedient to abolish the other anoma-lies by which the Order had been disfigured, was further pleased to appointa Chancellor, to receive His commands through the Secretary of State, andto conduct the affairs of the Order.

It is provided by the Statutes of August 1832, that the Chancellor shall beappointed by the Sovereign; and his duties are thus described : “ He shall keepthe Seal of the Order; and at all Investitures by the Sovereign, he shall, in theabsence of the Prelate, administer the Oath, and give the Admonition to thenew Knights Grand Cross, and Knights Commanders. He shall notify allnominations to the said Order, prepare and countersign all Instruments to whichthe Seal of the Order be affixed, and transmit the commands of the Sovereignrespecting the Order. He shall moreover sedulously attend to the service of theOrder, and especially within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,and perform such other duties as he may be directed by these Statutes, or by theSovereign, or Grand Master.” 1 It is also his duty to take measures for thereturn of the Insignia of deceased Knights, and of those who may be promoted;and the whole business of the Order is now performed by that Officer.

The Statutes declare that the Chancellor, if not previously a Member of theOrder, shall, on his appointment, be nominated a Knight Commander, and shallrank as the senior of that body; but on ceasing to hold that Office, he is to

1 Article X. p. 51, antea.