750. Men entered before 1885.-Men holding any of the ratings specified as eligible for these awards in Appendix XV., Part L, who entered the Service

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prior to 1st January 1885, and to whom they are still applicable, may be recommended for the good conduct medal and gratuity under the following special rules. Pensioners coming under these conditions who return to the Service within five years of their being pensioned, may be recommended for the medal, but not for the gratuity.

2. Conditions for Medal.-To entitle a man to a medal

1. He must have served for 10 years with continuous " Very Good " character, and must never previously have been awarded a character below " Very Good," unless for a period not exceeding one year in his first five years reckoning for pension ;
2. He must have been recommended for it on his service certificate for the three consecutive years immediately preceding his application ;
3. He must be recommended for it by the Captain under whom he is serving when he becomes eligible.

3. Recommendations for Award.-After a man has been awarded seven years of such continuous " Very Good " character as will under these Regulations count towards the medal, and should his character continue to be " Very Good," the Captain will add to the character of " Very Good " given on his service certificate, whenever he is required to record it, the letters R.M. (Recommended for medal), if he should consider him deserving thereof from his invariable " Very Good " conduct and exemplary manner, of performing his duties. After 12 years of such " Very Good " character, the Captain will in like manner add the letters G.R. (Gratuity recommended).

4. Ineligibility.-Desertion, reduction to the second class for conduct, imprisonment, detention, or the award of character less than " Good " during any portion of the time which reckons for pension, shall render a man absolutely ineligible for medal or gratuity, except as provided for in clauses 5 and 6 of this Article, and clause 4 of Article 751.

5. Exceptional Cases.-In order not entirely to exclude from the honour of a medal a man who may have committed himself in the early years of his service reckoning for pension, but who may have since become a " Very Good " character, the Admiralty will consider, with reference to the grant of a medal without gratuity, the case of any man who can show 15 years of continuous " Very Good " character, and who has been recommended as prescribed in clause 2, sub-clause (b), of this Article, notwithstanding anything he may have done or any character which may have been awarded to him, except " Bad " or " Indifferent," in his previous service.

6, Exemplary Conduct in Action.-The Admiralty will also consider the case of any man who would be excluded under the foregoing regulations, but who may be specially recommended on account of his having shown highly exemplary conduct in action or otherwise ; in such cases, however, a gratuity will not be awarded.

7. Continuance of Service,- -It must be distinctly understood that medals are only granted on the condition that the recipients continue to serve for long-service pension, unless invalided; and that, in the event of a man who has been granted a medal declining to go on serving to complete such time, he shall surrender the medal on his discharge, unless he has completed 15 years of service reckoning for pension, in which case he may retain it.

8. Conditions for Gratuity.-To entitle a man to a gratuity

1. He must have served for 15 years with continuous " Very Good " character, and must never previously have been awarded a character below " Very Good," unless for a period not exceeding one year in his first five years, reckoning for pension ;

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1. He must have been awarded the medal and have never forfeited it
2. He must have been recommended for the gratuity on his service certificate for the three consecutive years immediately preceding his application ;
3. He must have been continuously awarded the character " Very Good " since he received the medal;
4. He must have completed time for long service pension unless previously invalided, and must be recommended for the gratuity by the Captain under whom he is serving at the time of application.

9. The Scale for Gratuities shall be as follows:

10. Lower Rates, when payable.-In cases where the man recommended may not have served the full period to entitle him to the gratuity applicable to his rating, he shall receive such lower rate, with reference to his combined service in several capacities, as in the opinion of the Admiralty it may be proper to award him.

11. Gratuity to Widow.-If a man should die before receiving the gratuity to which he may be entitled, it will be paid to his widow, or next-of-kin if dependent upon him, provided he shall have completed time for long-service pension.

12. Clauses 6, 8, and 15 to 22 of Article 751 are applicable to men who joined the Service before 1st January 1880.

751. Entries during and since 1885.-Men holding any of the ratings specified as eligible for the good conduct medal in Appendix XV., Part l., who entered the Service after 31st December 1884, may be recommended for the award under the following rules

NOTE,-This also applies to all boys who were under the age of 18 on 31st December, 1884.

2. Qualifications for Medal.-To entitle a man to a medal

1. He must have served for 15 years with continuous " Very Good " character, and with previous character not inferior to " Good," in service reckoning for pension.
2. He must have been recommended for the award by his Captain on his service certificate for the three consecutive years immediately preceding his application.
3. He must be recommended by the Captain under whom he is serving at the time of application.

3. Notation of Recommendations.-After a man, eligible for a good conduct medal under clause 1, has been awarded 12 years' continuous " Very Good "

* In the case of ratings who are required to pass a qualifying examination for advancement to Petty Officer, this privilege is not to apply to any time served prior to passing the examination.

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character as under these Regulations will count towards the medal, and if his character should continue to be " Very Good," the Captain, if he considers him deserving thereof, is to enter on hisconduct sheet or service certificate the notations of the recommendations provided for under Articles 828 and 830, clause 3.

4. Disqualifications.- Desertion or reduction to the second class for conduct will render a man absolutely ineligible for the award of a good conduct medal, except one reduction within the first five years of his time, provided that by his good conduct he earned his restoration to the first class within eight months, and that his character for the year in which the reduction occurred was not assessed below " Good." See clause 2 (a).

5. Special Exceptions.-The Admiralty will nevertheless consider any recommendation which may be made in special circumstances on behalf of a man who can show 15 years of continuous " Very Good " character, although he may be disqualified for the award of a medal under the ordinary regulations.

6. Misconduct pending Presentation.-If a man's conduct should not have been satisfactory during the interval pending the presentation of the medal, it is to be withheld, and the particulars of the case reported to the Admiralty.

7. Gratuities, Amount and when paid.-From the date of the award or restoration of a medal, a continuous service man, provided his character is maintained, will commence earning a good conduct gratuity at the rate of �1. a year which is not to be paid until he completes time for pension. If invalided before completing time for pension he will be paid �1. for each completed year that he has served since the medal was awarded or restored.

Additions and Maximum.-For each year's service in the following ratings after the date of the award of the medal will be added

8. If it is desired that men who have received medals should also be given gratuities, separate application must be made for the latter on the men becoming eligible for the award.

9. "Good" Character after grant of Medal.-If a man is awarded the character of " Good," instead of " Very Good," after the grant of a medal, the period of service during which the character of ." Good " is awarded will not count for increase of gratuity, notwithstanding that he may not have been deprived of the medal.

10. Effect of deprivation of Medal.-If a man is deprived of his medal, he will lose all claim to gratuity; in the event of the medal being restored before he is pensioned, not more than the lowest scale of gratuity, viz., �5., will be awarded.

* In the case of ratings who are required to pass a qualifying examination for advancement to Petty Officer, this privilege is not to apply to any time served prior to passing the examination.

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11. Gratuities of Invalids.-If a man is invalided after having been awarded the medal, and before completion of the full time for pension, he will be awarded the amount of gratuity in accordance with clause 7 of this Article.

12. Gratuities of Dead Men.-If a man should die after the award of his medal, any gratuity to which he may be entitled will be paid to his widow, or next-of-kin if dependent upon him.

13. Voluntary Discharge.-Any man voluntarily quitting the Service before being entitled to a pension will not be entitled to a gratuity.

14. Men who re-engage.-In cases where men who have completed time for pension re-engage for a further period of service, and are not at the time of re-engaging entitled to the maximum gratuity, such further service may count towards it, provided they in all respects comply with the Regulations.

15. Second Payment on Account.-Men who have been paid the gratuity for which they are eligible at the date of completing time for pension, and who subsequently become eligible by further service for a higher rate of gratuity, may be paid the difference between the amount they have already received and such higher rate. But in no case will more than two payments on account of good conduct gratuity be made to the same man.

16. Recovery on Discharge.-In the case of a man who has been paid a gratuity on completing time for pension, and whose pension is not secured to him under Article 1946, clause 2, the gratuity paid will be recovered from his naval pension if he misconducts himself during subsequent service and becomes ineligible for the award on final discharge.

17. Recommendations withheld.-In all these cases if the Captain should see fit to withhold the required recommendation for medal or gratuity he will fully record in the conduct book his reason for so doing, and draw a line across the " R.M.G." column of the man's service certificate or the corresponding column of his conduct sheet (form S. 239a).

18. Service to reckon.-No service can reckon for medal or gratuity which does not reckon for pension, but Officers' Stewards and Cooks who have not performed the necessary service in seagoing ships to qualify for pension under Article 1934, clause 4, will not be debarred from an award of the medal, if otherwise eligible.

19. Imprisonment by Civil Power.-Imprisonment by the civil power shall not prejudice a man's claim to a medal or gratuity, unless it shall have been so directed by the Admiralty if the man was serving at home at the time or by the Commander-in-Chief if abroad.

20. Breaks in Service.-A break in service not due to desertion, dismissal, sentence of imprisonment or detention, or other misconduct on the man's part, will not be considered as breaking the continuity of. his " Very Good " character or of recommendations for medal or gratuity, provided that he rejoin within five years, or, if invalided, so soon as the state of his health permits.

21. Recommendations to Admiralty.-Names of men recommended for medals and gratuities are to be transmitted to the Admiralty so soon as the men, become eligible for them, on form S. 218, accompanied by their service certificate, by the Commanders-in-Chief and Senior Officers at home and abroad and by the District Captains of Coast Guard ; and when the approval of the Admiralty has been received the medals are, if possible, to be presented before the ship's company by the Captain of the ship.

22. Coast Guard.-The foregoing Regulations for the award of good conduct medals and gratuities apply to the Coast Guard afloat and on shore.

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