The First class to consist of knights grand crosses, which designation was to be substituted for that of knights com panions 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 employ ments. To distinguish the military and naval officers upon whom the first class of the said order was then newly confer red, 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 kit diets; 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 ad mitted 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 eli gible as a knight commander who does not, at the time of his nomination, hold a commission in his Majesty's army or navy; such commission not being below the rank of lieutenant-eolonel 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 major general 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 thencefor. ward to be nominated to the dignity of a knight grand cross who had not been appointed previously a knight commander °Mlle order.
The Third class to be composed of officers holding commissions in his Ma jesty'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. No
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 Lon. don Gazette as having distinguished himself.
The bulletin announcing the re-model ling 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 ren dered 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 ordi nance of January 2. In the event of future wars, and of actions of signal dis tinction, 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 com mission, 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 offi cers should enjoy all the rights, privi leges and immunities secured to the Third class of the said order. (Observa tions Introductory to an Historical Essay tspon the Knighthood of the Bath, by John Antis, Esq. 4to. Lond. 1725 ; Selden's Titles of Honour, fol. Lond. 1672, pp. 678, 679; Camden's Britannia, fol. Loud. 1637, p. 172 ; Sandford's Genealog. Hist. fol. 1797, pp. 267, 431, 501, 562, 578; J. C. Dithmari, Cotnmentatio de Homo IrtliiSSi1710 Ordine de Balneo, fol. Franc. ad Vied. 1729; Mrs. S. S. Banks's Col lections on the Order of the Bath, MSS. Brit. Mus.; Statutes of the Order of the Bath, 4to. Lond. 1725, repr. with addi tions in 1812 ; Bulletins of the Campaign of 1815, pp. 1-18)