The China Medal, 1857-60.—This medal was granted on February 28th, 1861, to commemorate the successes of Her Majesty's British and Indian forces, both naval and military, employed in the operations in China which terminated in the capture of Canton on December 29th, 1857, and in the operations which terminated in the capture of the city of Pekin. The bars issued with the medal were, CHINA 1842 to those who had been in the first war; CANTON 1857, TAKU FORTS 1858, TAKU FORTS 1860, PEKIN 1860, and FATSHAN 1857 to seamen and marines only. The medal, which is the same size and design as that issued for 1842, but with the date left out on the reverse, is affixed to an ornamental clasp for suspension; the ribbon is also the same, and the names of the recipients, their regiments and rank, are impressed on the edge in Roman capitals. The medals given to the navy were mostly issued unnamed, with the exception of those awarded to the Indian navy, and sometimes those to the marines. The suspender and bars of this medal are of the same pattern as those used with the "Mutiny Medal." A bar, or bars only, was granted for the second China War, 1857-60, to be affixed to the medal of those who had also served in the first China War, 1842, but such specimens are of the greatest rarity.

The medal given with the two bars TAKU FORTS 1860 and PEKIN 1860 to the 1st Dragoon Guards is rare, as only two squadrons of the regiment were present, no other British cavalry being engaged, and because of the brilliant action of the men on September 21st in riding at "a very ugly place," and scattering the Tartar cavalry. Lord Cheylesmore has in his collection the only five-bar medal issued for the war; it was awarded to a gunner in the Royal Marine Artillery, and has the bars for FATSHAN 1857, CANTON 1857, TAKU FORTS 1858, TAKU FORTS 1860, and PEKIN 1860.

NEW ZEALAND, 1860-6

War again broke out in New Zealand in 1860, and so serious did it become that at one time as many as 10,000 regulars and 15,000 colonials were under arms. At Taranaki, on June 13th, the Maoris were defeated, and again at Mahoetaki on November 6th. In order to protect New Plymouth, or the Taranaki district, a chain of redoubts was built, and from one of these, on the Waitara River, a little party of men of the 40th Regiment moved out to locate the Maories known to be in the bush. Directly they entered it a number were killed and wounded by the fire of the hidden enemy, and in a very short time hardly a man was unhurt. In this unfortunate affair, on March 18th, 1861, Sergeant Lucas gained the V.C. for his heroic conduct in assisting Lieutenant Rees, who had been wounded, into cover, and, although himself wounded, remaining at his post under a galling fire. Next day the Maoris surrendered, and for a short spell peace was restored.

In 1863 war again broke out. The Maoris in the North Island had elected a young, characterless man as King, and established a capital at Ngaruawahia, near the junction of the Waikoto and Waipa Rivers. British law was defied, and when the supporters of the weak and pliant "King" had interfered in a dispute affecting Europeans and Maoris, it became necessary to take strong measures. Lieutenant-General Sir Duncan A. Cameron, learning that the Waikoto tribe had planned to invade Auckland, advanced into the wild country north of the Waikoto River, where at Kohera, above the Mangatawari Creek, the rebels had taken up a strongly fortified position. Attacking them on July 12th, 1863, Cameron drove them out and into the swamps, but owing to difficulties in transport was unable to follow up his success. An instance of the chivalry which characterised the brave Maori warriors throughout the war may here be mentioned; the Maoris at Meri-Meri, hearing a rumour that Cameron and his men were short of food, sent a little fleet of canoes under a flag of truce with potatoes and milch goats for their enemy. When he was able to move, Cameron set out to attack Meri-Meri, but on his arrival he discovered that the Maoris had retired southwards across country, whither, owing to the condition of the land caused by the heavy rains, they could not be followed. Cameron pushed on up the river, and at Rangireri attacked the strongly fortified Pah on November 20th; but owing to the assault being made before the artillery had completed its work, the troops, after their repeated assaults, were only partially successful, and during which 6 officers were killed and 9 wounded, and 120 men killed and wounded. At night a number of the enemy escaped from the Pah, and the remnant of 183 surrendered at daybreak.

Four V.C.'s in 1863.—In this fight about 50 artillerymen, armed with swords and revolvers, led by Colonel Mercer, made a brave effort to enter the Pah, but the Colonel was mortally wounded and the gunners had to retire: brave efforts were made by some of his men to rescue him, and Surgeon Temple of the artillery well earned his V.C. for dressing the dying man's wound while the bullets showered around him. Prior to this, Sergeant McKenna of the 65th had gained the V.C. for his coolness and excellent handling of a small detachment of men after the officers had been mortally wounded near Cameron Town on September 8th, and Ensign Donn and Drummer Stagpoole of the 57th had won theirs by a very gallant action in bringing in a wounded man under a heavy fire at Pontoko, on October 2nd. On December 9th General Cameron occupied Ngaruawahia and the Maori "King" surrendered.

The "Gate Pah."—On February 21st, 1864, Rangiawahia was taken, and on March 31st Orakau was invested by a force under Major-General Carey, and captured on April 2nd. Sixteen officers and men were killed and 52 wounded in this engagement. The Maoris then fortified Tauranga, which, on April 29th, after the artillery had played on the place for several hours, a party of the 43rd and about 150 seamen and marines stormed, and thinking the enemy had deserted the Pah, took little precautions for their own safety. The Maoris, however, breaking from the inner entrenchments, mortally wounded the officers, and the storming party, which had entered the "Gate Pah" with ringing cheers, poured out again in confusion. The Pah was evacuated during the night. The "Fighting 43rd" lost 7 officers killed and mortally wounded, and 97 men killed or wounded, the naval brigade losing its Commander, also 4 officers and 40 seamen and marines killed or wounded. In the assault on the Gate Pah Samuel Mitchell, Captain of the Foretop of H.M.S. "Harrier," gained the Victoria Cross for refusing to leave Commander Hay when ordered by him to do so, and, under a shower of bullets, carrying him in his arms out of the Pah. Surgeon Mauley of the R.A. also earned the V.C. for his gallantry in succouring the dying Commander and the wounded generally under the most dangerous circumstances.