▁the ▁" S ail or ▁King ", ▁was ▁first ▁awarded ▁on ▁ 2 0 ▁November ▁ 1 8 3 0 . ▁Since ▁the ▁medal ▁was ▁created ▁for ▁award ▁to ▁Navy ▁ratings , ▁its ▁institution ▁was ▁historic ▁considering ▁that ▁ratings ▁had ▁never , ▁up ▁to ▁that ▁time , ▁been ▁considered ▁worthy ▁of ▁a ▁medal ▁for ▁any ▁reason . ▁The ▁medal ▁remained ▁in ▁use ▁until ▁ 1 8 4 7 , ▁ten ▁years ▁into ▁the ▁reign ▁of ▁Queen ▁Victoria . ▁The ▁last ▁award ▁was ▁on ▁ 2 7 ▁November ▁ 1 8 4 7 , ▁before ▁it ▁was ▁replaced ▁by ▁the ▁Naval ▁Long ▁Service ▁and ▁Good ▁Con duct ▁Medal ▁( 1 8 4 8 ). ▁ ▁Award ▁criteria ▁The ▁medal ▁could ▁be ▁awarded ▁to ▁selected ▁Royal ▁Navy ▁and ▁Royal ▁Mar ines ▁ratings ▁after ▁altogether ▁ 2 1 ▁years ▁of ▁service ▁and ▁irre pro ach able ▁behaviour , ▁counted ▁from ▁the ▁man ’ s ▁tw enti eth ▁birth day ▁for ▁Navy ▁ratings ▁and ▁from ▁his ▁eigh teenth ▁for ▁Mar ines . ▁Service ▁was ▁usually ▁non - continu ous ▁as ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁the ▁then ▁current ▁en list ment ▁practice . ▁ ▁Before ▁ 1 8 5 3 ▁and ▁when ▁the ▁country ▁was ▁not ▁at ▁war , ▁the ▁Royal ▁Navy ▁was ▁a ▁part - time ▁establishment , ▁commission ed ▁officers ▁except ed . ▁In ▁the ▁case ▁of ▁ratings , ▁only ▁a ▁few ▁se amen ▁g unn ers ▁were ▁allowed ▁to ▁en list ▁full - time ▁from ▁ 1 8 3 2 , ▁when ▁they ▁were ▁offered ▁renew