sirous to commemorate the auspicious termination of the long war in which the empire had been engaged, and of marking his sense of the courage and devotion manifested by the officers of the king's forces by sea and land, ordained that thenceforward the order should be composed of three classes, differing in their ranks and degrees of dignity.

The First class to consist of knights grand crosses, which designation was to be substituted for that of knights companions previously used. The knights grand crosses, with the exception of princes of the blood-royal holding high commissions in the army and navy, not to exceed seventy-two in number; whereof a number not exceeding twelve might be nominated in consideration of services rendered in civil or diplomatic employments. To distinguish the military and naval officers upon whom the first class of the said order was then newly conferred, it was directed that they should bear upon the ensign or star, and likewise upon the badge of the order, the addition of a wreath of laurel, encircling the motto, and issuing from an escrol inscribed Ich dien; and the dignity of the first class to be at no time conferred upon persons who had not attained the rank of major-general in the army or rear-admiral in the navy. The Second class was to be composed of knights commanders, who were to have precedence of all knights bachelors of the United Kingdom; the number, in the first instance, not to exceed one hundred and eighty, exclusive of foreign officers holding British commissions, of whom a number not exceeding ten may be admitted into the second class as honorary knights commanders; but in the event of actions of signal distinction, or of future wars, the number of knights commanders may be increased. No person to be eligible as a knight commander who does not, at the time of his nomination, hold a commission in his Majesty's army or avy; such commission not being below the rank of lieutenant-colonel in the army or of post-captain in the navy. By a subsequent regulation in 1815, no person is now eligible to the class of K.C.B. unless he has attained the rank of majorgeneral in the army or rear-admiral in

the navy. Each knight commander to wear his appropriate badge or cognizance, pendent by red riband round the neck, and his appropriate star embroidered on the left side of his upper vestment. For the greater honour of this class, it was further ordained that no officer of his Majesty's army or navy was thenceforward to be nominated to the dignity of a knight grand cross who had not been appointed previously a knight commander of the order.

The Third class to be composed of officers holding commissions in his Majesty's service by sea or land, who shall be styled companions of the said order; not to be entitled to the appellation, style, or precedence of knights bachelors, but to take precedence and place of all esquires of the United Kingdom. officer to be nominated a companion of the order unless he shall previously have received a medal or other badge of honour, or shall have been specially mentioned by name in despatches published in the London Gazette as having distinguished himself.

No

The bulletin announcing the re-modelling of the Order of the Bath was dated Whitehall, January 2, 1815.

By another bulletin, dated Whitehall, January 6, 1815, the Prince Regent, acting in the name and on behalf of his Majesty, having taken into consideration the eminent services which had been rendered to the empire by the officers in the service of the Honourable East India Company, ordained that fifteen of the most distinguished officers of that service, holding commissions from his Majesty not below that of lieutenant-colonel, might be raised to the dignity of knights commanders of the Bath, exclusive of the number of knights commanders belonging to his Majesty's forces by sea and land who had, been nominated by the ordinance of January 2. In the event of future wars, and of actions of signal distinction, the said number of fifteen to be increased. His Royal Highness further ordained that certain other officers of the same service, holding his Majesty's commission, might be appointed companions of the order of the Bath, in consideration of eminent services rendered in action

with the enemy; and that the said officers should enjoy all the rights, privileges and immunities secured to the Third class of the said order. (Observations Introductory to an Historical Essay upon the Knighthood of the Bath, by John Anstis, Esq. 4to. Lond. 1725; Selden's Titles of Honour, fol. Lond. 1672, pp. 678, 679; Camden's Britannia, fol. Lond. 1637, p. 172; Sandford's Genealog. Hist. fol. 1797, pp. 267, 431, 501, 562, 578; J. C. Dithmari, Commentatio de Honoratissimo Ordine de Balneo, fol. Franc. ad Viad. 1729; Mrs. S. S. Banks's Collections on the Order of the Bath, MSS. Brit. Mus.; Statutes of the Order of the Bath, 4to. Lond. 1725, repr. with additions in 1812; Bulletins of the Campaign of 1815, pp. 1-18)

BATHS AND WASHHOUSES. The establishment of these places for the general convenience of the public, forms a novelty in domestic legislation, and evinces a regard to the health and comfort of the poorer classes of the community creditable to the age in which we live. Buried in the depths of the metropolis and the large provincial towns, numerous classes existed to whom the facilities for either bathing or washing were next to unattainable, and by which they became liable to destructive and enfeebling diseases, as well as precluded from the needful appliances to cleanliness, cheerfulness and salubrity. But the establishment of Public Baths and Washhouses places the means of detergency within everybody's reach; and we are glad to remark that both in London and some of the large towns, the laudable intentions of the legislature have been promptly acted upon.

The first act to encourage the establishment of Public Baths and Washhouses in England was passed in 1846, and is the 9 & 10 Vict. c. 74. By the first clause it is declared that "it is desirable for the health, comfort, and weifare of the inhabitants of towns and populous districts to encourage the establishment therein of public baths and washhouses and open bathing places,' and then proceeds to enact in several clauses, that all incorporated boroughs by their councils, and any parish by its

vestry, or more than one parish jointly if they concur by their vestries, may establish such baths and washhouses. In parishes, on a requisition signed by ten rate-payers, a vestry is to be convened, but no resolution in favour of them to be deemed to be carried unless two-thirds vote for it, and a copy of the resolution is to be forwarded to the Secretary of State for the Home Department. Commissioners are to be appointed, who are to appoint the officers and keep the accounts, which are to be open to the inspection of the rate-payers and | others, under a penalty of 51. for refusal.

The expenses of carrying the Act into execution are to be paid out of, and levied as part of, the poor-rate, and if any surplus income should arise, it is to be paid over to the proper persons in relief of the poor-rate. In order to erect the necessary buildings, money may be borrowed by councils or vestries of the Public Works Loan Commissioners, upon security of the borough-fund or on the poor-rate, and with the consent of the Treasury. Land belonging to a borough or parish may be appropriated for sites, or such sites may be purchased, or existing baths and washhouses may be purchased. The trustees and commissioners of gas-works, water-works, canals, &c., may, in their discretion, grant and furnish supplies of water and gas for such public baths and washhouses and open bathing places, either without charge, or on such favourable terms as they shall think fit. If, after having been established seven years, any such baths and washhouses shall be found too expensive, they may be then sold, and the proceeds carried to the borough-fund or the poor-rate, as the case may be. The borough council and the parish commissioners are empowered to make byelaws for regulating the use of the baths and washhouses, and the charges, but in conformity with the schedule afterwards given, and they must be approved by the Secretary of State; a copy of such byelaws to be hung up in every bath-room, washhouse, &c. "The number of baths for the labouring classes in any building or buildings under the management of the same council or commissioners, shall

not be less than twice the number of baths of any higher class if but one, or of all the baths of any higher class if more than one, in the same building or buildings.' The charge also for the use of washing-tubs is not to be higher than are stated in the schedule, except when used for more than two hours, when the council or commissioners may fix such sum as they deem reasonable. The officers are empowered to detain clothes in cases of non-payment, and if the charge is not paid within seven days, the same may be sold, and the surplus above the expenses to be paid on demand to the owner. The officers and servants are forbidden to take fees; and any member of the council or commissioners accepting any fee or reward, on account of anything done or ordered to be done in pursuance of this act, or holding any office under the provisions of this act, or being parties to any bargain or contract in connection therewith, is rendered incapable of ever serving or being employed under this act, and also forfeit 50%.

Bye Laws to be made in all cases. For securing that the baths and washhouses and open bathing places shall be under the due management and control of the officers, servants, or others appointed or employed in that behalf by the council or commissioners.

For securing adequate privacy to persons using the baths and washhouses and open bathing places, and security against accidents to persons using the open bathing places.

For securing that men and boys above eight years old shall bathe separately from women and girls and children under eight years old.

For preventing damage, disturbance, interruption, and indecent and offensive language and behaviour and nuisances.

For determining the duties of the officers, servants, and others appointed by the council or commissioners.

By a subsequent statute, the 10 & 11 Vict. c. 61, some technical legal difficulties in the Act of the preceding year were removed, and in place of the first schedule of charges, the following substituted:

Charges for the Baths, Washhouses, and Bathing Places.

1. Baths for the Labouring Classes.— Every bath to be supplied with clean water for every person bathing alone, or for several children bathing together, and in either case with one clean towel for every bather.

For one person above eight years of

age:

Cold bath, or cold shower bath, any sum not exceeding ld.

Warm bath, or warm shower bath, or vapour bath, any sum not exceeding 2d.

For several children, not above eight years of age, nor exceeding four, bathing together:

Cold bath, or cold shower bath, any

sum not exceeding 2d. Warm bath, or warm shower bath,

or vapour bath, any sum not exceeding 4d.

2. Baths of any higher Class.-Such charges as the council and the commissioners respectively think fit, not exceeding in any case three times the charges above mentioned for the several kinds of baths for the labouring classes.

3. Washhouses for the Labouring Classes.-Every washhouse to be supplied with conveniences for washing and drying clothes and other articles.

For the use by one person of one washing tub or trough, and of a copper or boiler (if any), or, where one of the washing tubs or troughs shall be used as a copper or boiler, for the use of one pair of washing tubs or troughs, and for the use of the conveniences for drying:

For one hour only in any one day,

any sum not exceeding ld. For two hours together, in any one

day, any sum not exceeding 3d. Any time over the hour or two hours respectively, if not exceeding five minutes, not to be reckoned. For two hours not together, or for more than two hours in any one day, such charges as the council and the commissioners respectively think fit. For the use of the washing conveniences alone, or of the drying conveniences alone, such charges as the council and the commissioners respectively think fit, but not

than one in sixteen, and the number of such births in the year ending 30th of June, 1841, would therefore be about 33,000, and as the females aged from 16 to 45 were about 3,500,000, the proportion of those who gave birth to an illegitimate child in that year was about one in 109. The Commissioners for taking the census of Ireland in 1841, do not give any statement respecting illegitimate births, but it is believed that they are fewer than perhaps in any other country. In Paris in 1842, out of 28,218 births, 10,286, or one in 2-7, were illegitimate, of whom 4621 were born at the hospitals, and 5665 at home; and of the illegitimate children 8231 out of 10,286 were not recognised by either parent. The number of illegitimate children born in France in 1841 was 70,938, and of children born in wedlock there were 906,091. The proportion of illegitimate births was therefore as 1 to 12.929, or nearly 10 in 130. (Annuaire du Bureau des Longitudes, 1844.) In 1834 the number of illegitimate births in Prussia was 40,656 out of 555,282 births, or 1 in 13.6. From 1820 to 1834 the proportion was 1 in 14.4. (Trans. of London Stat. Soc. vol. i. part 1.) In 1837 the number of illegitimate children born in Prussia was 39,501, and as the number of females from 16 to 45 was 2,983,146, 1 in every 75 of this number had in that year given birth to an illegitimate child. (Laing's Notes of a Traveller in Prussia, &c., p. 167.) The same writer, in his 'Journal of a Residence in Norway,' states, p. 151, that the proportion of legitimate to illegitimate children in that country is about 1 in 5; and he gives an instance of a country parish where the proportion from 1826 to 1830 was 1 in 3-2. Mr. Laing states in his 'Tour in Sweden,' that in 1838 there were born in Stockholm 2714 children, and of this number 1577 were legitimate and 1137 were illegitimate, the proportion being 1 illegitimate to 13 legitimate, that is, for every 15 legitimate there were 10 illegitimate. In the town population of Sweden, exclusive of Stockholm (and the towns are generally of very small size, without commerce or manufactures), the proportion was about 1 illegitimate to 4 legitimate births.

In

The following statements are taken from Turnbull's Austria, vol. ii. p. 200, not as illustrations of national morals, in which light the author considers them fallacious, but "as bearing on certain great questions of public good." Vienna, in 1834, the proportion of illegitimate to legitimate births was as 10 to 12; at Gratz as 10 to 6; at Milan as 10 to 28; at Venice as 10 to 28. In Lower Austria, in the same year, the proportion of illegitimate births was 1 in 4; in Upper Austria 1 in 5; in Styria 1 in 3; in the Tyrol 1 in 17; in Bohemia 1 in 16; in Moravia and Silesia 1 in 7; in Gallicia 1 in 12; in Dalmatia 1 in 2; in Lombardy 1 in 25; in the Venetian Provinces 1 in 3; in Transylvania 1 in 36; in the whole Empire, exclusive of Hungary, 1 in 9.

The repute in which spurious children have been held has varied in different ages and countries. In some they have been subjected to a degree of opprobrium which was inconsistent with justice; in others the distinction between base and legitimate birth appears to have been but faintly recognised, and the child of unlicensed love has avowed his origin with an indifference which argued neither a sense of shame nor a feeling of inferiority. When the Conqueror commenced his missive to the Earl of Bretagne by the words, "I, William, surnamed the Bastard," he can have felt no desire to conceal the obliquity of his descent, and little fear that his title would be defeated by it. Accordingly, history presents us with many instances in which the succession not only to property, but to kingdoms, has been successfully claimed by the spurious issue of the ancestor. It is, however, very improbable that in any state of society where the institution of marriage has prevailed, children born in concubinage and in lawful wedlock should ever have been regarded by the law with exactly equal favour. (See Ducange, Glossary, tit. "Bastardus.")

Those who may be curious to learn what fanciful writers have urged in proof of the superior mental and physical endowments of illegitimate issue, may refer to Burton's Anatomy of Melancholy, vol,