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.-g-y-

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r^p.

wJU-C

C '

•^

HISTORY OF THE
UNION JACK

HOW IT GKKW AND WHAT IT IS

BARLOW CUMBERLAND, M.A..

I'ast I'reHklent of the Satlonal Club, Toronto ; Supreme President of the

Sons of England, Canada; and Chairman of the Marine

Section of the Board of Trade, Toronto.

ILLUSTRATED

SECOND EDITION, REVISED AND ENLARGED. WITH INDEX

TORONTO
VVILLIAM BRIGGS

WeSLEV BuiLUINliS

t . W C:OATES, xMoNTREAi. S. F. HUESTIS, Hai.ikax

1900

l^l o O

^■ear one

Kntered according to Act of the Parliament of Canada, in the y.

thousand nine hundred, by I^ari.qw PuMHKK.-Ar^,., at the Opp^rt-
ment of .\gric^ltu^s•

THE FLAG ITSICLF

THIS STORY OF THK

xrinion 3acl?

IS DEDICATED WITH MLCH 1< KSl'KCr

ONE OF ITS SONS.

PREFACE TO SECOND EDITION.

This history of the Union Jack grew out of a
paper principally intended to inform my boys of how
the Union Jack of our Empire grew into its present
foi'ni, and how the colours and groupings of its parts
are connected with our government and history, so
that through this knowledge the flag itself might
speak to them in a way it had not done before.

A search for further information, extended over
many varied fields, gathered together facts that had
previously been separated, and grouped them into
consecutive order; thus the story grew, and having
developed into a lecture, was afterwards, at the sug-
gestion of others, launched upon its public way.

The acceptance it has received, and the kindly
feeling expressed by many who have appreciated its
intentions, is most gratefully acknowledged.

In this second edition much additional matter has
been included as further sources of information have
been developed.

To the evolution of our Jacks has been added the
evolution of our several national ensigns, and the
growth of our colonial flags in harmony and meaning
with the expansion of our Empire has been traced.

'":»

Pkekace to Sec'oni) Edition.

/ 1

The cliapters on the history of th(^ Jacks in the
Thirteen Aniericun Colonies and in the United States
is also new ground and may be of novel interest to
not a few. Tlie added information on the proper
proportions of our Union Jack, and the directions and
reasons for tlie proper making of its parts, may serve
to correct some of the unhappy errors whicli now
exist and may interest all in the obser\ation ami
study of flags.

To* facilitate the making of ready reference an
index has been added, as also a number of new
illustrations exemplifying the text. A record of the
" Diamond Anthem " is also appended.

I would acknowledge the criticisms and kindly
assistance of many, particularly of Mr. James Bain,
Public Librarian of Toronto, who opened out to me
the valuable collections in his library ; of Mr. J. G.
Colmer, C.M.G., Secretary to the Canadian High
Commissioner, London, who assisted in obtaining
material in England ; and of Mr. W. Laird Clowes,
Sir James Le Moine, Sir J. G. Bourinot and Dr.
J. G. Hodgins, Historiographer of Ontario, who have
made many valuable and effective suggestions.

Barlow Cumberland.

'*'

Toronto, Octuher 1, 1900.

in the

1 States
:erest to
proper
oiiH and
ly serve
ch now
on and

3nce an

of new

of the

kindly
!S Bain,
b to me
[r. J. G.
1 High
itaining
Clowes,
^nd Dr.
lo have

.AND.

CONTEXTS.

ClIAITRIl

II.

III.

IV.

VI.

VII.

VIII.

IX.

XI.

XII.

XIII.

XIV.

XV.

XVI.

XVII.

xviu.

XIX.

XX.

XXI.

List of Illustrations ■

A I'oem — Tiie Union JacU -

EnihleniH and Flags -

The Origins of National Flags -

The Origin of the Jacks

The English Jack • - ' ■

The Supremacy of the English .lack

The Scotch Jack

The "Additional" Jack of Jam.. . I., 160(5

The English Jack Restored

The Evolution of the Red Ensign

The Sovereignty of the Seas— The Fight for the Hag

The Sovereignty of the Seas— The Fight for the Trade

The Jack of Queen Anne, 1707 - • - .

The Jack and Parliamentary Union in Britain •

The Two-Crossed Jack in Canada

The Jack and Parliamentary Union in Canada -

The Jacks in the Thirteen Colonies of North America

The Union Flags of the United States

The Irish Jack

The Union Jack of (ieorge III., 1801
The Lessons of the Crosses
The Proportions of the Crosses -

l'\(IK

vii
xi

i;j

101

112

122

180

142

150

159

171

190

204

219

229

239

Contents.

■I I

ClIAITER

XXII. Tinder the Three Crosses in Canada -

XXIII. Tae Flag of Liberty to the Slave

XXIV. The Flag of Liberty to the People -

XXV. The Jack in the Red, White and Blue Ensigns
XXVI. The Union Ensign of the British Empire -
Appendix A. The Maple Leaf Emblem - . . .
" B. Canadian War Medals - . . .

C. A Sample Service Record - - - .

D. The " Diamond Anthem " -
Index

Paob
253

262

273

284

293

305

307

308

318

Paob

'*-|^|

- 253

• 262

■ 273

- 284

- 293

- 305

I. No.
1.
2.

- 307

- 308

- 318

'^B

10.

•

^v^^^H

11.

1 12.
13.

14.

15.
16.

^^H

17.
18
19.
20.
21.

22.

23.

24.

•

'^^^B

25.
26.
27.

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

Paob

St. George - - x

Assyrian Emblems 15

Eagle Emblems 16

Tortoise Totem 19

Wolf Totem 19

Hawaiian Ensign 33

Colour.-^ of 10th Royal Grenadiers, Canada - - - 39

A Red Cross Knight - - 42

St. George's Jack ........ 46

The Borough Seal of Lyme Regis, 1284 - - - - 52

Brass in Elsing Church, 1347 55

The Henri Grace d Dien, 1515 ------ 66

St. Andrew's Jack 71

Scotch "TalleShippe," 16th Century - . - - 76

Royal Arms of England, Henry V. , 1413, to Elizabeth, 1603 79

Royal Arms of James I. . 1603 80

Jack of James L, 1606 81

The Sovereign of the Seas, W31 93

Commonwealth 20 Shilling Piece 95

Commonwealth Boat Flag 102

The Naseby. Charles II. 105

Medalof Charles II., 1635 108

Whip-lash Pennant, British Navy 120

Union Jack of Anne, 1707 130

The Red Ensign in "The Margent," 1707 - - - 134

Fort Niagara, 1759 138

The Assault at Wolfe's Cove, Quebec. 1759 - - 140

Vlll

History of the Union Jack.

:' I

' I

i i

'I !

No.

28. Fort (ieorge and the Port of New York in 1770

29. Royal Arms of George II. - - - * -

30. The Great Seal of Upper Canada, 1792 -

31. Upper Canada Penny ..-.-.

32. New England Ensign

33. Medal of Louis XIV., '' Kebeca Liherafa," 1690

34. The Louisbourg Medal, 1758 - . . - .

35. The First Union Flag, 1776

36. The Pennsylvania Flag, 1776

37. Arms of the Washington Family ....

38. Washington's Book Plate

39. Washington's Seals --..--.

40. St. Patrick's Jack

41. Laharum of Constantine ---...

42. Harp of Hibernia

43. Seal of Carrickfergus, 1605 .....

44. Royal Arms of Queen Victoria

45. Medal of Queen's First Visit to Ireland -

46. The Throne of Queen Victoria in the House of Lords

47. Arms of the Fitzgeralds ......

48. Royal Arms of George IIL, 1801 . . . .

49. Union Jack of George III., 1801 . . . .

50. Outline Jack — The Proper Proportions of the Crosses

51. Square Union Jack

52. Oblong Union Jack .----.-

53. Flag of a French Caravel, 16th Century -

54. The Colonial Jack, 1701

55. Jack of England, 1711

56. Jack in Carolina, 1739 ......

57. The Combat between La Surveillante and the Quebec,

^S. " King's Colour," 1781

59. The War Medal, 1793-1814

1779

Paoe
148
160
166
169
183
185
187
195
197
199
200
201
205
207
208
214
215
215
216
217
220
221
222
234
235
240
244
245
246
247
248
255

List of Ii.lustra'iioxs.

Page

- 148

- 160

- 166

- 169

- 183

- 185

- 187

- 195

- 197

- 199

- 200

- 201

- 205

- 207

- 208

- 214

- 215

- 216

- 217

- 220

- 221

- 222

- 234

- 235

- 240

- 244

- 245

- 246
779 247

- 248

- 255

No.

60. The Canada (ieneral .Service Medal, 1866-70

61. The North- West Canachi Medal, 1S85

62. Flag of the (iovernor-General of Canada -

63. Flag of the Lieutenant-Governor of Quebec;

64. Australian Emblems - - . . .
€5. Australian Federation Badye

Pa(jk
25()
•-'•VJ
•J80
281
295
299

66. Starting the " Diamond Anthem " at Levuka, Fiji Islands 314

COLOURED PLATES.

I. — 1. Red Ensign ; 2. White Ensign ; 3. Blue Ensign

Front ixpica
IL— National Ensigns—l. British ; 2. Italian; 3. Creek;
4. German ; 5. French ; 0. United States -

III.— 1. Grand Union, 1776: 2. United States, 1777; 3.
United States, 1897

IV. — 1. p]nglish Jack ; 2. Scotch Jack ; 3. Jack of James I.

v.— 1. Commonwealth Ensign; 2. Cromwell's "Great
Union " ; 3. Ensign Red

VL — 1. Union Jack of Anne; 2. Red Ensign of Anne; 3.
Irish Jack

VII. — 1. Present Union Jack; 2. Jack Wrongly Made; 3.
Jack Wrongly Placed ---...

VIII.— Nelson's Signal ---.....

IX.— 1, Canadian Red Ensign; 2. Canadian Blue Ensign;
3. Suggested Canadian Ensign ....

208

96
136
224

227

296

il i

I I

! li !

1. St. George.

THE UNION JACK.

' ' It's only a small bit of bunting,
It's only an old coloured rag,
Yet thousands have died for its honour
And shed their best blood for the flag.

" It's charged with the cross of St. Andrew,
Which, of old, Scotland's heroes has led ;
It carries the cross of St. Patrick,

For which Ireland's bravest have bled.

'* Joined with these is our old English ensign,
St. George's red cross on white field.
Round which, from King Richard to Wolseley,
Britons conquer or die, but ne'er yield.

" It flutters triumphant o'er ocean.

As free as the winds and the waves ;
And bondsmen from shackles unloosened
Neath its shadows no longer are slaves.

' !

'!!.

XI 1

History of the Union Jack.

"It floats over Cypress and Malta,

O'er Canada, the Indies, Hong Kong ;
And Britons, where'er their flag's flying,
Claim the right which to Britons belong.

«' We hoist it to show our devotion

To our Queen, to our country, and laws ;
It's the outward and visible emblem
Of advancement and Liberty's cause.

II I

You may say it's an old bit of bunting.
You may call it an old coloured rag ;

But Freedom has made it majestic,
And time has ennobled the flag."

-"St. George."

i ;
I ;

I ;

( !

HISTORY OF THE UNION JACK.

CHAPTER I.

EMBLEMS AND ELAGS.

There is an instinct in tlie liuman race
which delights in the Hying of flags. A senti-
ment ai)i)ears to l)e innate in every man whicli
causes him to heconie enthusiastic al)()ut a
significant eml)lem raised in the air, whether
as tlie insignia of descent or as a symbol of
race or nationality; something, which, being
held aloft before the sight of other men,
declares, at a glance, the side to which the
l)earer l)elongs, and serves as a rallying point
for those who think with him.

A child will chortle at a i)iece of ril)and
waved Ijefore him ; a boy marches with head
erect and martial stride as bearer of the
banner at the head of his mimic battalion ;
the man rallies to his national standard, and
leaving home, and love, and all, stakes his
life for it against his country's foes ; and the
gray-beard, lifting his heart-tilled eyes, blesses

History of the Union Jack.

the (lay that brings him back within sight of
his native flag.

At all ages and in all times has it been the
same. The deeper we go into the records of
the past the more evidence do we find that
man, however varied his race or primitive his
condition, however cultured his surroundings
or rude his methods, has universally displayed
this innate characteristic instinct of delighting
and glorying in some personal or national
emblem.

The search and the discovery of the em-
blems which they bore discloses to us the
eras of a people's history, and therefore it is
that the study of a nation's flag is something
of more than mere passing interest, but be-
comes one of real educational value and
merits our closest investigation, for the study
of flags is really the tracing of history hj sight.

In ancient Africa, explorations among the
sculptured antiquities on the Nile have
brought to light a series of national and
religious emblem-standards, which had mean-
ing and use among the Egyptians long before
history had a written record. The fans and
hieroglyphic standards of the Pharaohs are
the index to their dynasties.

At the time of the Exodus the Israelites

'St

Emhlems and Flags.

had their distinctive emblems, and the Book
of Numbers (eh. ii. 2), relates how Moses
directed that in their journeyings, ** Every
man of the children of Israel shall pitch b?/
his oivti standard, with the ensign of their
fathers' house.''

80 it came that to every Jewish child, in all
the subsequent centuries, the emblem on the
standard of his tribe recalled the history and
the trials of his ancestors and fortified his
faith in the God of their deliverance.

2. Assyrian Emblems.

From the lost cities of Nineveh have been
unearthed the ensign of the great Assyrian
race, the '^ Twin Bull" (2), sign of their
imperial might, and the records of their
warriors are thus identified.

In EurojDe in later times there were few
parts of the continent which did not become
acquainted with the metal ensigns of Kome.

History of the Union Jack.

The foriiiidal)le legions, issuing from the centre
of the reahn, carried the Ini])ei'ial Eagle at
their head, and setting it in triumph over
many a suhjugated state, estahlished its
su])remacy among the peoj)le as a sign of
the all-concjuering power of their mighty

II i

AiLttrinu.
Prus>iiau.

3. Eaule Emblems.
Roman.

Jius-sian.
French.

empire. To this eagle of the Roman legions
may be traced back the crop of eagle emblems
(3), which are borne by so many of the
nationalities of Europe at the present day.

;i llljl!

Emblems and Flacjs.

The golden ecagle of the French battalions,
the black eagle of Prussia, the white eagle of
Poland, and the double-headed eagles of
Austria and Russia, whose two heads typify
claim to the sovereignty over both the
ancient Eastern and Western Empires, are all
descendants from the Imperial Eagle of
ancient Rome.

As these nationalities have successively
arisen the eml)lem of their previous subju-
gation has become the emblem of their power;
just as the Cross, which was the emblem of
the degradation and death of the Christ, has
become the signal and glory of the nations
subjugated to the Christian sway.

As in the Eastern, so also in the Western
hemisphere. On all continents the rainbow
in the heavens is a perpetual memorial of the
covenant made between God and man — the
sign that behind the wonders of nature dwells
the still more wonderful First Cause and
Author of them all. Far back in the centuries
of existence on the continent of South
America, the Peruvians had preserved a
tradition of that great event which, although
it had taken place on another hemisphere, yet
was transmitted by some means to theirs, and,
tracing from it their national origin, they

• I

I !

'f Ifi)

History of the Uniox Jack.

carnod this emblem as sign of the Hneage
which they chiimed as heing, as they called
themselves, *' The Children of the Skies.''
Thus it was that under the standard of a
*' Rainbow " the armies of the Incas of Peru
valiantly resisted the invasions of Pizzaro
when, in the sixteenth century, the South
American continent came under the domina-
tion of Spain.

National emblems were ])orne farther north
on the Northern continent by another nation,
even yet more ancient than the l^niivians.
Embechled in the ruins of buried cities of the
Aztecs, in Mexico, are found the memorials
of a constructive and artistic people, whose
emblems of the '^ Eagle ivith out at retched
ivings," repeated with patriotic iteration in the
stone carvings of their buildings, has thus
come down to us as the mute declarant of
their national aspirations. The nation itself
as a power has long since passed away, but
the outlines of their emblem still preserve the
ideals of the vanished race.

A living instance of much interest also
evidences the continuity of national emblems
among the earlier inhabitants of North Am-
erica. Long before the invading Europeans
first landed on the shores of the North Atlantic

Emblems and Flags.

4. ToKTOISK

Tot KM.

coasts, the nomad H(m1 In<lian, as he travollcMl
from })huv to place tlirou^h the fastnesses of
the forests, ah)ng- the shores of the great lakes,
over the plains of vast central
prairies, or amid the mountains
that crown the Pacific slope, every-
where attested the storv of his
descent by the " Totem " of his
family. This sign of the Tortoise
(4), tiie Wolf (5), the l^ear, or the
Fish, painted or eml)roidere(l on
his trai)pings or carried upon his weapons,
,vas displayed as evidence of his origin, and
whether he came as a friend or advanced as
a foe, its i)resence nerved him to maintain the
rei)atation of his family and the honour of his
ti'ibe.

To-day the Red Man slowdy yields to the
ever-advancing march of the
dominant and civilizing white,
his means of sustenance by the
chase or of livelihood by his
skill as a trapper have l)een
destroyed, so that now in his
poverty he is maintained upon
his " reservations," * solely by the dole of the

*The Indian tribes are, under the Indian treaties, required
to remain within large blocks of territory called •* Reserves."

5. Wolf Totem.

History of the Union Jack.

i I

'II I

I ' !'
III!

! '

i 'I

I! H

I- I

I i

peoples by whom his native country has been
absorbed ; yet, though so changed in their
circumstances, his descendants still cling with
resolute fortitude and pathetic eagerness to
these insignia of their native worth. These
rudely-formed emblems, in outline and shape
mainly taken from the animals and birds of
the plain and forest, are the memorials in his
decadence of the long past days when his
foi'eftithers were the undisputed monarchs of
all the wilds and possessors of its widest do-
mains. They are the Indian patents of no-
bility, and thus are clung to with all the pride
of ancient race.

This instinct in man to attach a national
meaning to some vital emblem, and to display
it as evidence of his patriotic fervour, is thus
all-pervading. The accuracy of its form may
not be exact — it may, indeed, be well-nigh in-
distinguishable in its outlines — but whenever
it be raised aloft, the halo of patriotic mean-
ing, with which memory has illumined it, is
answered by the flutterings of the bearer's
heart ; self is lost in inspiring recollection ;
clanship, absorbing the individual, enfolds him
as one of a mighty whole, and the race-blood
that is deep within him springs quick into
action, obedient to the stirring call.

Emblems and Flags.

The fervour of this manifestation was elo-
quently expressed by Lord Dufferin in narrat-
ing some incidents which had occurred during
one of his ofticial tours through the country
when Governor-General of Canada, the great-
est daughter-nation among the children of the
Union Jack :

" Wherever I have gone, in crowded cities,
in the remote hamlets, the affection of the
people for their Sovereign has been blazoned
forth against the summer sky ])y every device
which art could fashion or ingenuity invent.
Even in the wilds and deserts of the land, the
most secluded and untutored settler would
hoist some cloth or rag above his shanty, and
startle the solitude of the forest with a shot
from his rusty firelock and a lusty cheer from
himself and his children in glad allegiance to
his country's Queen. Even the Indian in his
forest, and on his reserve, would marshal forth
his picturesque symbols of fidelity in grateful
recognition of a Government that never l>roke
a treaty or falsified its plighted word to the
lied Man, or failed to evince for the ancient
children of the soil a wise and conscientious
solicitude."*

Of all emblems, a flag is the one which is
universally accepted among men as the incar-
nation of their intensest sentiment, and when

•Lord DuflFerin, Toronto Club, 1874.

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History of the Union Jack.

uplifted above them, concentrates in itself the
annals of a nation and all the traditions of an
empire.

A country's flag becomes, therefore, of ad-
ditional value to its people in proportion as its
story is more fully known and its symbolism
better understood. Its combinations should
be studied, its story unfolded — for of itself a
flag is nothing, but in its significance it is
everything.

" What is a riband worth ?
Its glory is priceless ! "*

So long, then, as pride of race exists amoi^
men, so long will a waving flag command all
that is strongest within them, and stir their
national instincts to their utmost heights.

* Bulwer Lytton,

li I

CHAPTER II.

THE ORIGINS OF NATIONAL FLAGS.

With such natural emotions stirring within
the breasts of its people, one can appreciate
the fervid interest taken by each nation in its
own national flag, and understand how it
comes that the associations which cluster
about its folds are so ardently treasured up.

Flags would at first sight appear to be but
gaudy things, displaying contrasts of colour or
variations of shape or design, according to the
mood or the fancy of some enterprising flag-
maker. This, no doubt, is the case with many
signalling or mercantile flags. On the other
hand, there is, in not a few of the flags
known as " national flags," some particular
com])ination of form or of colourings which, if
we l)ut knew it, indicates the reason for their
origin, or which marks some historic remi-
niscence. There has been, perhaps, some
notalile occasion on which they were first
displayed, or they may have been formed by
the joining together of separate designs united
at some eventful epoch to signalize a victori-

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History of the Union Jack.

ous cause, or to perpetuate the memory of a
great event. These great stories of the past
are thus brought to mind and told anew by
the coloured folds each time they are spread
open by the breeze ; for of most national flags
it can be said, as was said by an American
orator * of his own, " It is a piece of bunting
lifted in the air, but it speaks sublimity, and
every part has a voice." It is to see these
colours and hear these voices in the British
national flags that is our present undertaking.

Before tracing the history of our own
Union Jack, some instances may be briefly
mentioned in which associations connected
with the history of some other nations are dis-
played in the designs of their national flags.

The national ensign of United Italy (PI. ii.,
fig. 2), is a flag having three parallel vertical
stripes, green, white and red, the green being
next the flagstaff". Upon the central white
stripe there is «hown a red shield, having
upon it a white cross. This national flag was
adopted in 1870, after the Italian peoples had
arisen against their separate rulers, and the pre-
viously separated principalities and kingdoms
had, under the leadership of Garibaldi, been
consolidated into one united kingdom under

* Sumner.

PLATE

BRITISH

GREECE

rRENCH

UNITED STATES

The Origins of National Flags.

Victor Emmanuel, the then reigning king of
Sardinia. The red shield here displayed on
the centre of the Italian flag designates the
arms of the House of Savov, to which the
Royal House of Sardinia belonged, and which
had been gained by the following ancient and
honourable event :

The island of llhodes, an Italian colony in
the Eastern Mediterranean, had, in 1:311, been
in deadly peril from the attacks of the Turks.
In their extremity the then Duke of Savoy
came to the aid of the Knights Hospitallers of
St. John, Avho were defending the island, and
with his help they were able to make a success-
ful resistance. In record and acknowledgment
of this great service the Knights of St. John
granted to the House of Savoy the privilege
of wearing upon their royal arms the white
cross on a red shield, which was the badge of
their order of St. John.

So it happened when, nearly six centuries
afterwards, the Sardinians again came to the
aid of their southern brethren, and the King
of Sardinia was crowned as ruler over the new
Italian kingdom, the old emblem won in
defence of ancient liberties was further per-
petuated on the banner of the new kingdom
of liberated and united Italy.

i...

History of the Union Jack.

h
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The colours used on the Greek flag preserve
the memory of a dynasty. In 1828 the Greeks,
after rising in successful rebellion, had freed
their land from Mohammedan domination and
the power of the Sultan of Turkey. The
several States formed themselves into one
united kingdom, and seeking a king from
among the royal houses of Europe, ol)tained,
in 1832, a scion of the ruling house of Bavaria.
The dynasty at that time set upon the throne
of Greece has since been changed, the
Bavarian having parted company with his
kingdom in 1861. The throne was then of-
fered to Prince Alfred of England, but de-
clined by him. The present king, chosen in
18(33 after the withdrawal of his predecessors,
is a member of the Koval House of Denmark :
yet, notwithstanding this change in the reign-
ing family, the white Greek cross upon a light
blue ground in the upper quarter,^ and the
four alternate stripes of white on a light blue
ground in the field, which form the national

* Particular names are given to the several portions of a flag.
The part of a flag next the flag-staff is called the " hoist," the
outer part or length is termed the "fly" and also the "field."
These parts are further divided into "quarters" or " can-
tons "—two "next the staff," and two "in the fly-" These

descriptive terras should be noted as they will be in constant use in
the pages which follow.

The Origins of National Flags.

Hag of (xreece (PL ii., fig. 3), still jH'eserve the
blue and white colours of Bavaria, from whence
the Greeks had obtained their first king,
Otho I.

The colours of the Gerninn national banner
are black, white and red (PL ii., fig. 4). Since
1S70, when the united German Emj)ire was
formed at the conclusion of the French war,
this has l)een the general standard for all the
states and principalities that were then
l)rought into imperial union ; although each of
these lesser states continues to have, in
addition, its own particular fiag. This banner
of united Germanv introduced once more the
old German colours, wdiich had been displayed
from 1184 until the time when the empire was
broken up by Napoleon I., in 1806. Tradition
is extant that these colours had their origin as
a national emblem at the time of the crowning
of Frederic I. (Barbarossa), in 1152 as ruler of
the countries Avhicli are now largely included
in Germany. On this occasion the pathway
to the cathedral at Aix la Chapelle was laid
with a carpeting of black, gold, and red, and
the story goes that after the ceremony this
carpet was cut by the people into strips
which they then displayed as flags. Thus by
the repetition of these historic colours the

History of the Union Jack.

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present union of the German Empire is con-
nected with the early liistory of more than
seven centuries before.

The tri-colour of the present llepubUc of
France (PL ii., fig. 5), has been credited with
widely differing explanations of its origin, as
its plain colours of blue, white and red admit
of many different interpretations.

One story of its origin is, that its colours
represent those of the three flags which had
been carried in succession in the early centuries
of the nation. The early kings of France car-
ried the blue banner of 8t. Martin. To this
succeeded, in A.D., 1124, the flaming red
Oriflamme of St. Denis, to be afterwards
superseded, in the fifteenth century, by the
white ''Cornette Blanche," the personal banner
of the heroic Joan of Arc.

It was under this latest white flag, bear-
ing upon it the fleur-de-lys of France, that
Cartier had sailed up the St. Lawrence, and
under this flag Canada was colonized and held
by the French until the cession of Quebec ^
after the assault by Wolfe, when, in 1759, it

* The colours carried by the French regiments at the siege of
Quebec are described by Capt. Knox to be : "A white silk flag with
three fleurs-de-lys within a wreath or circlet in the centre part of
gold. ( • * The Fall of New France "—Hart. )

The Origins of National Flags.

was exchanged for the red-crossed flag of
Enghmd.

The present tri-colour of France was not the
Hag of the forefathers of the Krenc^h Canadians
of the Province of Quebec, nor has it any con-
nection with the French history of Canachi.
in fact it did not make its api)earance as a
flatr until the time of the revohition in France
in 17H9, or thirty years after the original
French regime in (Vmada had closed its event-
ful period, and therefore there is no French
Canadian allegiance connected with the tri-
colour.

More detailed evidence of the origin of this
flaii' states that the creation of the tri-colour
arose from the incident that, when the revo-
lutionary militia were first assembled in the
city of Paris, at the revolution of 1789, they
had adopted blue and red, which were the
ancient colours of the city of Paris, for the
colours of their cockade ; between these they
placed the white of the soldiery of the Bour-
bon regime, who afterwards joined their forces,
and thus they combined the blue, white and
red in the '* tri-colour" as their revolutionary
ensign.''^

Whether or not its colours record those of

• Thiers : " History of the French Revolution," Vol. I., p. 74.

HiSTOUV OF THE UnION JaCK.

i! 1:1

the tlii'eo {ineient iiioiiarcliical periods, as well
as tliose of the revolution, the tri-eolour as a
French ensign for use by the i)eoi)le of France,
as their national Haj»" both on land and sea,
was not regularly established until a still later
period, in 1794. Then it was that the Keimb-
liean Convention i)assed the first decree *
authorizing an ensign and directing that the
French national Hag should be formed, of the
three colours placed vertically in e((ual bands —
that next the staff being blue, the centre white,
and the fiy red.

This was the flag under which Nai)oleon I.
won his greatest victories, l)()th as General and
F2nii)er()r ; but whatever glories may have been
won for it l)y France, yet many years before it
had been even devised, or the i)rowess of
Nai)oleon's armies had created its renown, the
French Canadian had been fighting under the
Union Jack as his patriotic ensign and adding
to its history of valiant glory by victory won
by him in defence of his own Canadian home.t

In 1815, with the restoration of the Bour-
bon dynasty, the /hite flag was again restored
in I>ance and continued in use until the con-
clusion of the reign of Charles X, when, in
1830, the tri-colour once more superseded it, and

* Decree of February 15, 1794. t Defence of Quebec, 1775.

Thk OiutJixs OF Natioxal Fla(;s.

has siiu'i' tluMJ, notwitlistaiKliii*;' tlie various
c'hanj^es of form of ^•oveninuMit, whether under
emperor or president, remained as tlie ensij^n
of the Euro[)ean Freneli nation. When in
Canada the tri-eolour is seen flying- it is raised
solely ontof eomnliment and courtesy to the
rrench-speakin*^" friends in modern France.
The fact tliat tlie tri-eolour lias received any
acceptance with the French-speakinj,^ Canadian
arises lar<;ely from tlie reason that, side hy side
with the Union fJack, it partici|)ated in all the
struj4j4les and <'lories of the Crimea, wlien the
two rtaj^s, the tri-eolour and tlie Union Jack,
were raise<l together above Sehastopol as the
signal of the cimibined succt^ss of the allied
armies of France and England.*

The tri-eolour having never been the flag
of his fore-fathers, carries neither allegiance
nor loyalty to the French Canadian. His
people have never fought under it, while many
a gallant French Canadian son has j)oured out

* A quaint suggestion has been made to the writer hy no less an
authority than Sir James LeMoine, tlio historian of Quebec : '* The
French Canadian is very partial to display but is primarily econom-
ical. While the simple colours of the tri-eolour can be conveniently
made by the most inexperienced, the details of the Union Jack are
very difficult to cut out and to correctly sew together. The bonne
mere can easily provide out of her household treasures the materials
for the one, but she must purchase the other, and this therefore
is the reason why the tri-eolour is so frequently seen in French-
speaking Quebec."

History of the Union Jack.

1 1
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his l)lo()(l for the Union Jack at home in
defence of Canada or in)on foreign shores in
service in the British armies. It has never
])rought him Hl^erty or protection as has his
Union Jack, which Inis been his native flag
for a century and a half, or for a quarter of a
century before the tri-c()h)ur of the European
French ever came into existence.

Another flag — although it has ceased to be
a national flag, and is now the flag of a pos-
session of the United States — should vet be
mentioned by reason of the history which is
preserved in its folds.

The Hawaiian national ensign was at first
composed of nine horizontal stripes of equal
width, alternating white, red and l)lue, the top
stripe being white, and the bottom blue.*

AfLerwards the lowest stripe was taken off
and the present flag ((>) adopted, in which
there are eight stripes, the bottom stripe being
red and the British Union Jack placed in the
in the upi)er corner.

The Sandwich Islands, made known to the
w^orld mainly by the tragic death of Capt.
Cook, in 1778, and now known as the Hawaiian
Islands, had been fused into a single mon-
archy by the impetuous valour of King Kame-

* Preble : " History of the Flag of the United States," p. 86.

Mil

. (*

The Origins of National Flags.

liania, who in 171)4 admitted Christian mis-
sionaries to liis king(hmi. Its existence as an
independent monarchy was thereafter main-
tained and was recognized by the ♦•reat powers.
Internal difficidties having arisen in the
kingdom and an insuk heen given to the Brit-
ish consul, the islands were ceded and the
sovereignty ottered to Great Britain in 1843,
when, on 12th Fel)ruarv, the Union Jack was

6. Hawaiian En>;ion.

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15.

raised on all the islands, the understanding
being that the natives were to be under the
protection of the Hag of Great Britain, and
internal order to ])e guaranteed pending the
final disposition which might be arrived at in
England between the representatives of the
Hawaiians and the British Government.'*^

The Annual Register, 1843, Vol. 85.

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History of the Union Jack.

The British did not accept the piofFered
transfer of the islands, but returned the sov-
ereignty to the native government, which was
thereafter to continue as an indei)endent mon-
archy under the protection of Great Britain ;
and by an accompanying treaty all British
manufactures and produce were to be ad-
mitted duty free. On July 31, 1843, the British
flag was lowered and the new Hawaiian ensign
raised in its place.* It was in recognition of
this event that the Union Jack was })laced in
the Hawaiian ensign. (6)

In the same year France and England
agreed never to take possession of the islands
either by {protectorate or in any other form.

The natives steadily decreased in number
and in power, and the trade and commerce of
the islands had i)assed almost entirely into
American hands.

Dissensions had been existent under the
subsequent native sovereigns, and in 1893 the
Queen, Liliuokalani, was deposed l)y a revolu-
tion, and a republican government formed
under President Dole, an American citizen.

Cession of the islands was offered in 1896
to the American Government and was refused,
but in 1898 the islands were finally annexed

* Bird : " Six Months among the Sandwich Islands," 1875.

The Origins of National Flags.

to the United States and the American ensign
raised ; but the Hawaiian flag, with its Union
Jack in the upper corner, continued as a local
flag, and was so displayed on June 14, 1900,
at the inauguration of President Dole as Gover-
nor of the new-formed '' Territory of Hawaii,"
among the Territories of the United States.

These instances of the origin of some of the
national flags of other nations show how they
record changes of rulers or perpetuate the
memory of the dynasties or the men who have
dominated vital occasions. A singularly simi-
lar origin is associated with the creation of the
Stars and Stripes, the ensign of the United
States of North America (PL ii., fig. 6), which
is treated of in Chapter XVI.

CHAPTER III.

THE ORIGIN OF THE JACKS.

It is quite evident, then, that national flags
are not merely a haphazard patchwork of
coloured bunting, nor by any means '' meaning-
less things." Their combinations have a his-
tory, and, in many cases, tell a story ; but of
all the national flags there is none that Ijears
upon its folds so interesting a story, or has
its history so plainly written in its parts and
colourings, as has our British " Union Jack."

To search out whence it got its name, how
it was built up into^its[^ present form, and what
is the meaning of each of its parts, is an
enquiry of deepest interest, for to trace the
story of our national flag is to follow the his-
tory of the British race.

The flags of other nations have mostly de-
rived their origin from association with some
personage, or with a particular epoch. They
are, as a rule, the signal of a dynasty or the
record of some^ revolution ; but our British
Union Jack records in its folds the steady and
continuous growth of a great nation, and

ley
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The Origin of the Jacks.

traces, by the changes made in it during cen-
turies of adventure and progress, the gradual
extension of constitutional government over a
world-wide empire.

The origin of the name " Union Jack " has
given rise to considerable conjecture and
much interesting surmise. The name used in
most of the earlier records is that of" Union
Flag," or " Great Union." In the treaty of
peace made with the Dutch in 1674, in the
reign of Charles II., it is mentioned as *' His
Majesty of Great Britain's flag or Jack," and
in the proclamation of Queen Anne, A.D.
1707, as "Our Jack, commonly called the
Union Jack."

The most generally (quoted suggestion for
the name is that it was acquired from the fact
that the first proclamation which authorized a
flag, in which the national crosses of England
and Scotland were for the first time combined,
was issued by James VI. of Scotland after
he had become James I. of England, the ex-
planation being that King James frequently
signed his name in the French manner as
" Jacques," which w^as abbreviated into " Jac,"
and thus the new flag came to be called a
"Jack."

The derivation suggested is ingenious and

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History of the Union Jack.

III.

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interesting, but cannot be accej)te(l as correct,
for the simple reason that there were '* Jacks "
long before the time and reign of James I. ,
and that their prior origin may be clearly
traced.

During the feudal period of European his-
tory, when kings called their forces into the
field, each of the nol)les, as in duty bound,
furnished to the king's cause his quota of men
equipped with conq)lete armament. These
troops bore u[)on their arms and l)anners the
heraldic device or coat-of-arms of their own
I logo .!)rd,as a sign of "the company to which
they belonged"; and in such way the par-
ticuii.i' lucality from which they came could at
once be recognized.

It was afterwards provided in England that
the banner of each liege lord should also
bear the national cross as well as his own
coat of arms.

** Every Standard, or Gaydhome, is to hang
in the chiefe the crosse of St. George and to
conteyne the crest or supporter and devise of
the owner.''*

The kings also in their turn displayed the
banner of the kingdom over which each
reigned, such as the fleur-de-lys for France,

* Harleian MS.

The Okkhx of the Jacks.

ce,

the cross of St. (xoorge for Eiigl{in<i, and the
cross of 8t. Andrew for Scotland ; and this
banner of tlie kin^^ formed tlie ensign uhcUm'
which the combined forces of the royal ad-
herents and their sui)porters served.

A survival of this ancient custom exists to
this (lav in our British militarv service, both

7. Colours of IOtii Rdval (iitKNADiKus, Canada.

in the colonial and the imj)erial forces. lliHe
re^inu^nts do not carrv '' colours," but all
infantry regiments are entitled, upcm receiving
the royal warrant, to carry two Hags, which
are called "colours."* (7.)

* Colours of infantry measure (without the fringe) 3 feet 9 inches
long, hy 3 feet on the pike. (Perry : " Rank and B-dges.")

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History of the Union Jack.

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The "First," or "Queen's Colour," is the
plain " Union Jack," in sign of allegiance to
the sovereign, and upon this, in the centre, is
the number oi designation of the regiment,
surmounted by a royal crown. The " Second,"
or " Regimental Colour," has a small Union
Jack in the upper corner, and the body of
the flag is of the local colour of the facings of
the regiment,^ and on it are embroidered the
regimental badge and any distinctive em-
blems indicating the special history of the
regiment itself, and in territorial regiments
the locality from which they are recruited.
In this wav both the national and local
methods of distinction are to-day preserved
and displayed in the same way as they were in
original times.

In the earliest days of chivalry, long 1)efore,
the time of the Norman coiKpiest of England,
both the knights on horseback and the men
on foot of the armies in the field wore a sur-
coat or " Jacque,"t extending over their body
from the neck to the thighs, bearing upon it
the blazon or sign either of their lord or of

* If the facings are blue, as in all " Royal " regiments, the flag
is blue ; if they are white, then the flag is white, having on it a
large St. George's cross in {iddition to the small Jack in the upper
corner.

t Whence our own word " .Jacket."

The Origin of the Jacks.

it
of

their nationality. Numberless exani[)les of
these are to l)e seen in early illuminated manu-
scripts, or on monuments erected in many
cathedrals and sanctuaries.

In the time of the Crusaders, during the
eleventh and twelfth centuries, when the
Christian nations of Europe were ccmibined
together to rescue Jerusalem and the Holy
Land from the rule of the Mohammedan, the
warrior pilgrims, recruited from the different
countries, wore crosses of different shapes and
colours upon their surcoats, to indicate the
nationalities to which they behmged, and to
evidence the holy cause in which they were
engaged. It was from wearing these crosses
that they gained their name of "Crusaders," or
cross-l)earers.

The cross worn by each of the nationalities
was of a different colour — that of France
l)eing red ; Flanders, green ; Germany, black ;
and Italy, yellow.

In the earlier crusades the cross worn by
the English was white, but in later expeditions
the red cross of 8t. George was adopted and
Avorn upon the Jacque as the sign of England,
in the same way as shown in the accompany-
ing knightly figure. (8.)

The continuing use of this cross, and the

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8. A Rkd Crohs Knkjht.

\A m-

The Origin of the Jacks.

iviisou for wearinj^' it are well shown in tlie
followin;^" extracts from the '' Onhiaunces,"
issued to the army with which Kichard II. of
En^dand invaded Scothuid in llJSO :

** . . Also that everi man of what estate,
condidon or nation thei be of, so that he be of
oure partiet bere a signe of the armes of Saint
George^ large^ bothe before and behynde upon
parellt that yf he be slayne or wounded to
dethy he that has so doon to hym shall not be
putte to deth for def aulte of the crosse that he
lacketh, and that non enemy do bere the
same token or crosse of Saint George^ not-
withstanding yf he be prisoner upon payne of
dcth.^*

Tlie sailors of the Cinciue l*oi'ts,t on the
east of England, ])V wh(mi the royal navies
were in early (hiys |)rincii)ally manned, are
recorded to have worn as their uniform, in
l.")13, " rt cote of ivhf/te cotf//i, ivith a red crosse
and tlie armes of ye 2)()rts uiidenieatlie.''

In the time of Queen Mary the continuation
of the custom is further evidenced by entries
in a contemporary diary of 1588 :

** ♦ . The X day of January hevy news
came to London that the Frcs c*i had won
Gales (Calais),

* Harleian MS.

t Hastings, Sandwich, Hythe, Romney, and Dover. Winchelsea
and Rye were subsequently added.

■jum'.»JnmuUjllM. i ji^.

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History of the Union Jack.

ii !

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** The xj day of January the Cete of London
took up a thousand men and made them
whytt cotes and red crosses and every ward
of London found men.

^The xviij day of May there was sent to
the shyppes men in whytt cotes and red crosses^
and gones (guns) to the Queen's shyppes." *

These " surcoats " or ** Jacqiu came in
time to be known as the " Jacks " of the vari-
ous nationalities they represented, and it was
from the raising of one of them upon a lance
or staff at the bow of a ship, in order that the
nationality of those on l)oard might be made
known, that the single flag bearing on it only
the cross of 8t. George, or the cross of St.
Andrew, came to be known as a " Jack," and
from this origin, too, the small flar )le at the
bow of a ship is still called the '* ^ li staff."

Similarly the short tlag-pole at the stern of
vessels, upon which the distinguishing ensign
of nationality is now displayed, is called the
*' Ensign staff."

This custom of wearing the national Jack at
the bow had not only become early established,
but was also officially recognized. On the
great seal of the first Lord Admiral of Eng-
land, in 1409, under Henry IV., a one-masted

Machyn's Diary.

The Origin of the Jacks.

j^^alley is shown.* At the stern of the ?shij) is
the I'oval stanihird of the kinu\ and at the how
a staff hearing on it the scjnare hanner or Jack
of St. George, the sign of England.

Such was the origin of the name, and it is
from the combination of the three national
"Jacks " of England, Scotland and Ireland, at
successive periods in their history, that the
well-known " Union Jack " of our British
nation has gradually grown into its present
form.

* Bloomfit'ld : "The National Flag."

CHAPTER IV.

THE ENGLISH JACK,

A.D. 1194-1606.

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The original leader and dominant partner in
the three kingdoms which have been the cradle
of the British race throughout the world was
England, and it was her flag that formed the
groundwork upon which the Union Flag has
been built up.

The ^' English Jack " (PI. iv., fig. 1.) is de-
scribed, in simple lan-
guage, as a white flag
having on it a plain red
cross.

This is the banner
of St. George (9), the
patron saint of Eng-
land, and in heraldic
language is described as ''Argent^ a croas gnles,''
(on silver- white a plain red cross.")

The cry of " St. George for Merrie England "
has re-echoed through so many centuries that
his place as the patron saint of the kingdom is
firmly established. Wherever ships have
sailed, there the red cross of St. George has

9. St. George's Jack.

The ExGi.mii Jack.

lieen carried l)y tlie sailor-nation who chose
liim as their hero. The incident from which
came his adoption as patron saint is tlius nar-
rated in the early chronicles. In 111)0, Rich-
ard Coeur de Lion of England had joined the
French, Germans and Franks in the third
great crusade to the Holy Land ; but while
the other nations proceeded tc^ the seat of war
overland, llichard l)uilt and engaged a great
fleet, in which he conveyed his English troops
to Palestine by sea. His armament consisted
of " 254 talle shippes and al)out three score
galliots." Arriving with these off the coast,
he won a gallant sea-fight over the Saracens
near Beyrut, and by his victory intercepted
the reinforcements which their ships were car-
rying to the relief of Acre, at that time being
besieged by the combined armies of the
Crusaders. About three miles north along
the shore from the city of Beyrut (Beyrout),
there was then, and still remains, an ancient
grotto cut into the rock, and famous as being
the traditional spot where the gallant knight
»St. George,

" Y' cladd in mightie armes and silver sliielde,
As one for knightly giusts aod fierce encounters fitt." *

.slew the monstrous dragon which was about

Spenser : •' The Faerie Queen."

0\\]\

History of the Union Jack.

i:ir

•^\

7^'!

Mi'y

!l!

to devour the daughter of the king of the
city.

This knight was l)orn, the son of noble
Christian parents, in the King(h)m of Cappa-
docia, and it is this 8t. George of C'appadocia
who is the acknowledged patron saint of Eng-
land.

The Christian hero, St. George, is stated to
have suffered martyrdom during the reign of
the apostate Roman Emperor Julian, and from
his having been beheaded for L ■. faith on the
23rd April, A.D. o61, the anniversary of that
day has since been celebrated as *' St. George's
day." His memory has always been greatly
revered in the East, particularly by the Greek
Church ; and one of the first churches erected
by Constantine the Great was dedicated to him.

The form of his cross is that known as the
Greek cross, the four arms being at right
angles to each other, and its form is displayed
in the upper corner of the national Greek
ensign, in this case as a white cross on a blue
ground. (Pi. ii., fig. 3.)

This Greek religious connection has also
caused the adoption of the cross of St.
George in the insignia of another nation. The
Czar of Russia is not only the "Autocrat
of the People of the Empire of all the

f the

noble
*appa-
idocia
' Eiig-

ted to
ign of
I from
^n the
:)f that
3orge's

n-eatlv
Greek

1*1

ected
^o him.
as the
right
)laye(l
iGreek
la bkie

IS also

)f St.

The

Itocrat

11 the

Scotch Jack

The English Jack. 49

Russias" but he is also the "Supreme Head
of the Orth()(h)x Faith " which in Russia is
re])resente(l by the Greek Church. His Im-
perial Standard is a yellow flag upon which
is disj)layed a black two-headed eagle bearing
ui)on its breast a red shield on which is em-
l)lazoned in white the figure of St. George
slaying the dragon. This same colouring,
white on red, is followed in the decoration of
the order of St. George, which is the second
order of knighthood in Russia, and in the
white cross of St. (xcorge, as shown in the
otticial Hags of the Russian ambassadors.

On the royal arms of Austria the black two-
headed eagle bears on its breast a shield with
a red ground having on it a white St. George's
cross.

Eight nations ])ear the Greek cross of the
shape of St. George, but in four dift'erent
colours on grounds of three different colours :

Greece a white cross on a blue ground ;

Russia a " " " red

Austria a "

Denmark a " " " " "

Switzerland ... a " " " " "

Norway a blue " '" " "

Sweden a yellow " " blue "

England a red ' " white "

!H''

History of the Union Jack.

i^|:ii

*ij

■ii I

England is, however, the only nation which
has adopted the /rd cross of St. 6Voyv/^ as
its special national ensign.

It is to he noted that 8t. George has never
been canonized by the lionian Church, nor his
name placed in her calendar of sacred saints.
His name, like those of St. Christopher, St.
Sebastian and St. Nicholas, was only included
in a list issued in A.D. 404, by Poi)e Gelasius,
as being among those " whose names are justlij
reverenced among men, hut whose actions are
known only to God.'' ^

St. George, the redresser of wrongs, the pro-
tector of women, the model of Christian chiv-
alry, and the tutelary saint of England, was
not a seafaring hero, nor himself connected
with the sea, but it was after and in memory
of their sailors' victory near the scene of his
exploits that the seafaring nation adopted
him as their patron saint.

The red cross eml)leni of St. George is said
by the chroniclers to have ])een at once
thereafter adopted l)y Richard I., who immed-
iately placed himself and his army under the
especial protection of the Saint, and is re-
ported to have introduced the emblem into
England itself after his return in 1194. Fur-

* Jameson : " Sacred and Legendary Art."

,.. I

i-ii--

The English Jack.

licli
^ as

re-
into
IFur-

tlier evidence of its introduction and con-
tinued use is given by tlie record that in 1222
8t. George's Day was ordered to be kept as
a holiday in England.*

Others aver that the emblem was not gener-
ally accepted until by Edward I., in 1274.
This prince, before his accession to the throne,
had served in the last of the Crusades, and
during that time had visited the scene of the
victory and the grotto of the Saint. It is
I)ointed out that this visit of Prince Edward to
Palestine coincided with the change made in
their badge by the English Order of the
Knights of St. John of Jerusalem from an
eight-pointed Maltese cross to a straight white
(irreek cross, and that with this change came
the appearance upon the English banners of
tlie 8t. George's cross, but of the English
national colour red,t therefore they deduce that
the introduction of the emblem in the flag
niav have been of Edward's initiation.

From this last date (1274) onward the St.
George's cross and the legend of " St. George
and the Dragon " are, at all events, in plain
evidence in England. An early instance is
that found in the borough of Lyme Regis, in

* Butler : " Lives of the Fathers and Martyrs."
t Bloomfield : " The National Flag."

History of the Union Jack.

Dorset, to which Edward L, in 12S4, granted
its first charter of incorporation and its ofticial
seal. A photo reproduction of a wax impres-
sion of this l)orough seal (10) taken from an

-'! /I 1 '\

"l, ■ I \ ■'•■■" '•, ,

Y f

U^r oOl

i I

10. The Borough Seal of Lyme Reois, 1284.

old **Toll lease" is here given. The flag of
St. George is seen at the mast-head, and below
it the three-leopards standard of Richard I.,
carried by Edward in Palestine during the
lifetime of his father. At the bow of the ship

The Entilish Jack.

is the figure of the Saint represented in the act
of slaying the dragon, and having on his shieUl
the St. George's cross.

" And on his breast a bloodie crosse he bore,
The deare remembrance of his dyinju; Lord,
For whose sweete sake tliat glorious badge he wore,
And dead, as Hving. ever Him adored :
Upon his shield tlie like was also scor'd.
For soveraine hope which in his helpe he had.
Right faithful true he was in deede and word." *

The religious and Christian attributes of St.
George are commemorated in the seal by the
representation of the Crucifixion and by the
Saint, who has upon the end of his spear a
St. George's cross, being shown as an angelic
person. The sea tradition of his adoption is
also sustained by the characteristic introduc-
tion of the " galley " into the design.

Around the edge of the seal is the rude
lettering of the inscription in Latin : " SIG-
ILLUM: COMUNE: DE : LIM,' (''The
common seal of Lyme " ). Near the top may
also be seen the star and crescent badge of
Richard I., adopted by him as a record of his
naval victory, and which is still used as an
''admiralty badge" upon the epaulettes of
admirals of the British navy.

* Spenser : " The Faerie Queen."

History of the Union Jack.

This seal of Lyme Kej^is is said to be the
earliest representation of St. George and the
dragon known in England.

The same form of cross was ])laced by
Edward I., in 1294, upon the monumental
crosses which he raised at Cheapside, Charing
Cross and other places, in memory of his loved
Queen Eleanor, to mark the spots at which her
body rested during the funeral procession
when her remains were carried from Lincoln
through Northampton to London.

Another instance of a later date is found on
a ** sepulchral brass" (11) placed to the
memory of Sir Hugh Hastings in Elsing
Church, Norfolk, and dated 1347.

These plates of engraved brass, inserted in
the stone coverings of so many graves in the
interior of the churches in England, are most
interesting examples of early memorial art.
The figure of the deceased is usually drawn
in full length upon them in lines cut deeply
into the metal, and is accompanied by an
inscription setting forth his deeds and his
name.

In the upper part of the architectural tracery
surrounding the figure on the brass in ques-
tion is a circle 8^ inches in diameter, in which
the figure of St. George is shown. The Saint

The En(jlish Jack.

liere appears as a knight, dad in full armour
and mounted upon horseback, representing
him in his character as the leader of chivalry
and knightly manhood. A further develop-
ment of the attribute of manly vigour will be

11. Bkass in ELsiNti CurRCH, 1347.

noted in that, instead of being shown as
piercing, as previously, the fiery dragon of the
ancient legend, he is now represented as slay-
ing the equally typical two-legged demon of
vice. The large horns on the head of the fiend

History of the Union Jack.

and his tail tvviisting paiiifulh botween his legs
aro most quaintiy and vigorously drawn.

This photo reproduction is from a "rub-
bing " in black lead recently taken from the
brass, and shows, so far as the reduced scale
will permit, the 8t. George's cross ui)on the
surcoat and on the shield of the knight.

It was under this St. George's cross that
Richard the Licm-hearted, after proving their
seamanship in victory, showed the mettle of
his English Crusaders in the battles of the
Holy Land, and led them to within sight
of Jerusalem. With it the Heets of Edward
I. claimed and maintained the *' lordship of
the Narrow Seas." Under this single red cross
flag the ships of England won the epochal
naval victory of Slitijfi, wdiere the English
bowman shot his feathered shafts from ship-
board as l)litliely as when afterwards the
French battlefields resounded to the crv of
*' England and St. George" ; and the undying
glories of Cressy, Poitiers and Agincourt
were achieved. Under it, too, Cabot dis-
covered Cape Breton, Drake sailed round the
world, Frobisher sought the Nortl^ west pas-
sage, Kaleigh founded Virg'ni?^ and the navy
of Elizabeth carried coi >n into he ill-
fated Spanish Armada.

The English Jack.

This is a j^dorv-roll which justifies tlic nanio
of England as "Mistress of the Seas." Her
patron saint was won as a record of naval
victory. With this red cross flag of St.
George flying above them, her English sailors
pt the seas around their white-clifled
and made the vships of all other nations

swe
coast H
do oil

to it. With it thev

't rated

'i.sance

distant seas, and planted it on ju'eviously
unknown lands as signs of the sovereignty of
their king, making the power of England and
England's flag known throughout the circle of
the world.

All this was done before the time when the
sister-nations had joined their flags with hers,
and it is a just tribute to the seafaring prowess
of the English people, and to tlie victories
won by the English Jack, that the single St.
George's cross is in the British fleets the
Admiral's flag, and Hies as his badge of rank ;
that it is in the Command Pennant of all cap-
tains and officers in command of shi])s, and
that the English red cross flag is the ground-
work of the White Ensign of the British navy.

This White Ensign (PI. i, fig. 2) is the Eng-
lish Jack, bearing the large red St. George's
cross upon its white ground, and having in
this present reign a three-crossed Union Jack

History of the Union Jack.

placed in the upper quarter or canton next
the staff. It is the " distinction flag " of the
British navy, allowed to be carried only by
Her Majesty's ships-of-war, and is restricted,
except by special grant, solely to those bear-
ing Her Majesty's royal commission.^

Thus has the memory of Richard I. and his
men been preserved, and all honour done to
the " Mariners of England," the sons of St.
George, whose single red cross flag has
worthily won the poet's praise :

" Ye mariners of England

That guard our native seas,
Whose flag has braved a thousand years,
The battle and the breeze.

Ill

1 !

!■

ill

^ *

" The meteor flag of England

Shall vet terrific burn,
Till danger's troubled night depart,

And the star of Peace return." f

* A special permission has been granted to the yachts of the
" Royal Yacht S<iuadron," of England, to use the white ensign. A
penalty of £500 may by law be imposed for hoisting on any ship or
boat belonging *• any of Her Majesty's subjects any flag not
permitted in a cordan.e with the Admiralty Regulations. (See
Art. 80, " Admiralty Inst'ns.")

t Campbell.

CHAPTER V.

THE SUPREMACY OF THE ENGLISH JACK

871-1606.

While it is true that flags and banners had
grown up on land from the necessity of having
some means of identifying the knights and
nobles, whose faces w^ere encased and hidden
from sight within their helmets, yet it was at
sea that they attained to their greatest estima-
tion. There the flag upon the mast became
the ensign of the nation to which the vessel
belonged, and formed the very embodiment
of its power. To Hy the flag was an act of
defiance, to lower it an evidence of submission,
and thus the motions of these little coloured
cloths at sea became of highest importance.''*'

The supremacy of one nation over another
was measured most rcjulily bv the precedence
which its flag received from the ships of other

* To hoist false colours is dishonourable.
A flag at halt-inast is a sign of niourning.
The lowering of a flag is a signal of surrender.
The raising of the victor's flag in its place is a signal of capture.
To hoist the flag of one nation under another is to show it

disrespect.
National flags of diiterent nations should therefore never be
hoisted together one above the other trt\i for dtcorations, as the so
doing may lead to misconceptions.

*^-»J.. ^»«tv.. .. .w».^.-^.^»-,,f.m^>,.^.. ,_^^j^

€0

History of the Union Jack.

•r

'•ii:'

■> ;t'!!

nati(3nalities. National pride, therefore, be-
came involved in the (question of the suprem-
acy of the Hag at sea, and in this contest the
English were not l)ehindliand in taking their
share, for the supremacy of the sea meant to
England something more than the mere pre-
cedence of her flag. It meant that nt) other
power should be allowed to surpass her as a
naval power ; not that she desired to carry
strife against their countries, l)ut esteemed it
more for the j^rotection of her own shores at
home, and the preservation of peace along the
confines of her island seas.

Alfred the Great of England (871-901) was
the first to establish any supremacy for the
English flag, and to him is attributed the first
gathering together of a Royal navy, the crea-
tion of an etticient force at sea being a portion
of that sea-policy which he so early declared,
and which has ever since ])een the ruling guide
of the Englisli people. The true defence of
England lay, Alfred considered, in maintaining
a fleet at sea of sutticient power to stretch out
afar, rather than in trusting to fortifications
for eftective land resistance when the enemy
had reached her shores ; better to heat the
enemy at sea before he had a chance to land,
and thus to forestall invasion before it came

The Supremacy of the English Jack. 61

too near. The ])iilwarks of England were
considered in his time, as they are still con-
sidered, to be her ships at sea rather than the
parapets of her forts on land.

" Britannia needs no bulwarks,
No towers along the steep ;
Her march is o'er the mountain-waves,
Her home is on the deej). "

Introducing galleys longer and faster than
those of the Danes,* Alfred kept his enemies
at a respectful distance, and, dwelling secui*e
under the protection of his fleet, was thus
enal)le<l to devote himself with untrannnelled
energy to the estahlishment of the internal
government of his kingdom.

His successors foUowed up his ideas, and
under Athelstane the creation of an English
merchant iiavy was also develo[>ed. Every
inducement was offered to merchants who
should engage in maritime ventures. Among
other decrees then made was one that, " //' a
merrhaiit so thrin's timt Ih' pass thrice onn' the
irhle sens in ' 's oint rraft he mis hetu'efinih n
Thdne ri</hte frorthir.'^f Thus honours were
to be won as well as wealth, and in pursuit of
V)oth the merchants of England extended their
energies to traffic on the seas.

* (I

Sax. Chron.," p. 122. t "Canciam," IV., p. 26S.

(32

History of the Union Jack.

'i:

King Edgar (973-75), by virtue of his navy,
assumed the title of *' Supreme Lord and
(xovernor of the Ocean lying around about
Britain," but Harold, the last of the Saxon
kings, instead of maintaining his ships in
e(|uipment and fitness to protect his shores,
allowed them, for want of adequate provisions,
to be dispersed from their station behind the
Isle of Wight, and so, forgetting the teachings
of Alfred, left his southern coasts unguarded
and let the Norman invader have opportunity
to land, an opportunity which was promptly
seized.

The Norman monarchs of England held to
the supremacy which the early Saxon kings
had claimed for her flag at sea.

When the coiKpiest of England in 1066 had
been completely eflected by the Norman
forces, both shores of the " narrow seas "
between England and Normandy were com-
bined under the rule of William the CJon-
queror, conununication by water increased be-
tween the two portions of his realm, and the
maritime interests of the people were greatly
extended and established.

Richard I. showed England to the other
nations, during the Crusades, as a strong
maritime power. King John followed in his

The Supremacy of the English Jack. G3

footsteps, and in 1200, the second year of his
reign, issued liis dechiration directing that
shii)s of all other nations must honour his
royal flag :

**li any lieutenant of the King's fleet in
any naval expedition^ do meet with on the sea
any ship or vessels^ laden or unladen, that will
not vail and lower their sails at the command
of the Lieutenant of the King or the King's
Admiral^ but shall fight with them of the
fleets sucht if taken, shall be reported as
enemiest and the vessels and goods shall be
seized and forfeited as the goods of enemies/'

The supremacy which King John thus
claimed, his successors afterwards maintained
and extended, so that under F^dward I., 8i)ain,
Germany, Holland, ])enmark, and Nor\yay,
being all the other nations, except France,
which bordered on the adjacent seas, joined
in according to England "possession of the
soyereignty of the English seas and the Isles
therein."* together with admission of the
right which the English had of maintaining
sovereign guanl oyer these seas, and oyer all
the ships of other Dominions, as well as their
own, which might be passing through them.
To Edward II. was giyen, in 1320, the title of
"Lord of the 8eas."t

* Southey : " British Admirals."
tSir Harris Nicholas.

History of the Union Jack.

Kin^ Edward ITT. was iml)iicd with the
force of the Alfred maxim, so that when
invasion threatened Enghind lie said, " he
deemed it better with a strong hand to <jo seek
the enemt/ in his onni conntrif than trait
irjnobl/j at home for the threatened danger.''*
His victory over the French fleet at Sliivs, off
Flanders, on the '24th ffnne, 1840, was the
Trafal^ai- of its day, and the resulting suprem-
acy of the Knglish Jack on the narrow seas
enabled his suhsequent invasion of Normandy.

The j)rowess of* his seamen in their victories
over the French and Spanish fleets won for
Edwai'd the proud title of " King of the Seas,"
in token of which the king was represented
on his gold coinage standing in a ship "full
royally apparelled." t

During the Wars of the Roses less attention
was given to maritime matters, and while the
English were so busily engaged in fighting
amongst themselves, the Dutch of the Nether-
lands, under the Duke of Burgundy, develope<l
a large carrying trade, and so increased their
fleets that in 1485, at the accession of Henry
VII., they had l)ecome a formidable shipping
rival of England and were a thorn in the side
of France. Over the ships of the latter

*Rymer. t Aubrey: "(Jold Noble," Ed. III.

The Supremacy of the English Jack. 65

country the Dutch so lortlcd it on the narrow
seas that, to quote PhiHp de Commines, their
** Navy was so mighty and strong, that no man dorst
stir in these narrow seas for fear of it making war u^^jn
the King of France's subjects and threatening them
everywhere.''

Two flags, the stri})e(l standard of the Dutch
and the red-cross Jack of the English, were
now rivalling each other on the Atlantic and
the adjacent seas, and thereafter, for nearly
two hundred years, the contest for the
supremacy continued. »

Under Henry VIII. England began again
to bestir herself X drawing in the Pepysian
Library u'ives the details of the Henri Grace
li Dieii (12), built in 1515 by order of Henry
VIII., which was the greatest war-ship up
to that time l)uilt in England, and has been
termed the " i)arent of the British Nayy." At
the four mastheads fly St. George's ensigns,
and from the bowsprit end and from each of
the round tops upon the lower masts are long
streamers with the 8t. George's cross, yery
similar in form to the nayal pennants of tlie
present day. The castellated building at the
l)ow and the hooks with >\ liicli the yards are
armed, tell of the deriyation of the nautical
terms '* forecastle" and "yard arm" still in use.

i \

■

History of the Union Jack.

With such improved arniameiit the cross of
8t. George continued to rutfie its way on the
narrow seas, and had widened the scope of its
domain. Cabot had carried the English flag
across the Atlantic under the license which he

f¥:.

ix y

-y\ ,y . s,^^^X A ^^ V \

12. T»K Henri Grace a Dieu, 1515.
(From the Pepysian collection.)

and his associates received from Henry VII.,
empowering them **to seek out and find what-
soever fslesy countries^ regions, or provinces of the
heathen and inf idels, whatsoever they might be ; and
set up his banner on every isle or mainland by them
newly found.''

With this authority for its exploits the red

The Supremacy of the English Jack. 67

cross of 8t. George was ])lante(l, in 1497, on
the shores of Newfoundland and Florida, and
the English Jack thus first carried into
America formed the foundation for the sub-
sequent British chum to sovereignty over all
the intervening coasts along the Atlantic.

The supremacy maintained for the English
Jack never lost anvthing at the hands of its
supporters, and an event which occurred in
the reign of (^ueen Mary, 1554, gives a vivid
})icture of the bohhiess of the sea-dogs by
whom it was carried, and of how they held
their own over any rival craft :

The Spanish fleet, of 100 sail, l)ringing
Philip II., of 8j)ain, to espouse the English
Queen, was met off Soutliami)ton by the
English fleet, of twenty-eight sail, under Lord
William Howard, " Lord High Admiral in
the narrow seas." The Spanish fleet was Hy-
ing the royal flag of Spain, and King IMiilip
would have passed the English ships without
paying the customary honours, had not the
English a(hiiiral fired a shot at the Spanish
admiral's ship, and forced the whole fleet to
strike colours and lower their top-sails in
homage to the English flag. Not until this
had been properly done would Howard ])ermit
his own squadron to salute the Spanish King.*

* Preble : " Flag of the United States.''

■ I

, "i ' \

1 .jjt

:> «
I

History of the Union Jack.

Under Elizabeth seamanship mightily in-
crease<l. Her merchant Heets, from being
mere coasters, extended their ventures to far
distant voyages ; and while before her time
soldiers had exceeded seamen in numbers,
the positions were now reversed.

The defeat of the Spanish Armada, in 1588,
under Queen Elizabeth, was one of the crown-
ing achievements of the supremacy of the
English Jack, but it would almost seem as
though the glorious flag had kept for its
closing years, in the never-to-l)e-forgotten
action of the undaunted Bevenge, the grandest
of all the many strifes in which it had l)een
engaged.

England and Spain were then still at open
war. The English fleet, consisting of six
queen's ships, six victuallers of London, and
two or three pinnaces, was riding at anchor
near the island of Flores, in the Azores, wait-
ing for the coming of the Spanish fleet, which
was expected to pass on its way from the
West Indies, where it had wintered the pre-
ceding year. On the 1st September, 1591, the
enemy came in sight, numbering fifty-three
sail, '* the first time since the great Armada
that the King of Spain had show n himself so
strong at sea." *

* Moiison.

The Supremacy of the Exolish Jack. 69

The English had ])een refitting their efjnip-
ment, the sick had all ])een sent on shoi*e, and
their ships were not in readiness to meet so
overwhelming an armament. On the ap})roach
of the Spaniards, and to save the Heet from
being penned in by them along the coast, five
of the English ships slipped their cables, and
together with the consorts sailed out to sea.
8ir Richard (rrenville, in the Revenge, was left
behind to collect the men on shore and bring
ofi' the sick, and so, after having done this
duty, came out alone to meet the enemy, which
was marshalled in long extended line outside
the port. He might have sailed aroun<l their
wing, but this would have been an admission
of inferiority, and, bold to recklessness, he
thrust his ship right through the centre of
their line. Rather than strike his flag, he
withstood the onset of the whole 8i)anish
fleet, which closed in around him, and thus
this latest century of the red-cross Jack closed
with a sea-fight worthv of its storv, and one
which has been preserved by a Poet Laureate
in undying verse :

" He had only a hundred seamen to work the ship and to

fight.
And he sailed away from Flores till the Spaniard came

in sight,
With his huge sea-castles heaving upon the weather bow.

History of the Union Jack.

' Shall we fight or shall wo fly ?

Good Sir Uichard, tell us now,
For to fight is but to die !

There'll be little of us left by the time
this sun be set.'
And Sir Richard said again : ' We be all ijood English

men.
L(?t us bang these dogs of Seville, the children of the

devil,
For I never turn'd my back upon Don or devil yet.'

h'i

" And the sun went down, and the stars came out far over

the summer sea,
But never a moment ceased the fight of the one and

the fifty-three.
Ship after ship, the whole night long, their high-built

galleons came.
Ship after ship, the whole night long, with her battle-
thunder and flame ;
Ship after ship, the whole night long, drew back with

her dead and her shame.
For some were sunk, and many were shatter'd, and so

could fight us no more —
God of battles, was ever a battle like this in the world

before?"*

In such way, audacious in victory and un-
conciuered in defeat, the English sailors,
beneath their P^nglish Jack, held for the
mastery of the oceans from Alfred to Eliza-
beth, and laid the foundations of that maritime
spirit which still holds for Great Britain the
proud supremacy t)f the seas.

* Tennyson : "The Revenge."

(HA PIER VI.

THE SCOTCH JACK.

!; f

From a very early period St. Andrew lias
been esteemed as the i)atron saint of Scotland,
and held in veneration ({uite as strong as that
entertained in England for St. George. The
"saltire," or diagonal cross of St. Andrew,
(1:3), shaped like the letter X, is attributed to
the tradition that the
saint, considering him-
self unworthy to be
crucified on a cross of
the same shai)e as that
on which his Saviour
had suffered, had, by
his own choice, l)een
crucified with legs and arms extended upon
a cross of this X shape, and, thf^refore, it
has been accepted as the enil)lem of his
martyrdom.

How St. Andrew came to be adopted as the
patron sauit of Scotland is a subject of much
varying conjectuie. It is said that in the
early centuries some relics of the apostle St.
Andrew were being brought to Scotland, and
although the vessel carrying them was wrecked

13. St. Andrkw's Ja(;k.

■ ^ffj a imaf.mJ r I mnm ww* m

History of thk Union Jack.

and lu'caiiiea total loss, the sacred l)ones were
l)r()Uj;ht safe to shore at the port in the
County of F'fe still called St. Andrews. The
most favoured tradition as to the (hite of his
adoption is that it occurred in A.I). 987.
Hungus, kinji; of the Picts, was being attacked
by AthelHtaiK', the king of the West Saxons,*
when Achaius, king of the Scots, with 10,000
of his Scottish subjects, came to his relief, and
the two kings joined their forces to rei)el the
invaders. The Scottish leaders, face to face
with so formidable a foe, and finding their
followei's somewhat intimidated, were passing
the night in })rayer to (lod and St. Andrew,
when upon the back -ground of the blue sky
there appeared, formed in white clouds, the
figure of the white cross of the martvr saint,
lleanimated by this answering sign, the Scot-
tish soldiers eniered the frav with enthusiastic
valour, Jiiid beset the Knglish with such ard;)ur
as to drive them in confusion from the Held,
leaving theii* king, Athelstane, Ix'liind them
<lead among the slain. Since that time the
white saltire cross, upon a l)lue ground, the
banner of St. Andrew, has ))een carried by
the Scotch as their national ensign.

St. Andrew is also venerated bv the
Kussians as a national saint, their tradition

* Sir Harris Nk ik.Ius ; «' History of Order of Thistlo."

The Scotch Jack.

IxMiig' tliat it was through the Ai)ostU' St.
AikU'ow tliat the gospel of diristianity had
Ikmmi brought to their peophv Tlieir liiglu'st
onh'i' of knightliood (created iu lOi^s) is the
OnU'i' of St. .\u(hv\v, and the national Hag of
J^ussia, borne by all theii' peoj)le, and on their
imperial navv, is the St. Andrew's cross.*
As tliev have transposed the colours of our
banner of St. (Jeorge from a reel cross on a
white ground to a white crijss on a red ground,
so, strangely (MKaigh. they have also ti'ans-
])osed the colours of the baimer of St. Andi'cw.
The Scotch Jack is a white St. Andi'cw's
cross on a blue ground, while on the Kussian
Hag the St. Andi'ew is shown as a blue cross
on a white ground.

The "Scotch dack " (IM. iv.. fig. i>), which
is described in heialdic language as " Aitin\ «(
sdlt'nw ni'iii'iit" (on azui'c blue, a silver- white
saltire), was the Hag carried by the great
Scottish national hei'o. IJobert-the-lh'uce,
whose valour won for him the crown of Scot-
land, and whose desfcndants, the eai'ls of
Klgin, still bear his banner on their coat-of-
arms. At liannockburn. in l'.)!!, this emblem
of Bruce rose victoi'ious over Edward II.
and his stt)lid Englishmen. Its use was con-

* It is also (lisplayeil in tlu' llussiaii Navv, al tlu' inastlioail, as
indicating the rank of Admiral.

■'#

History of the Union Jack.

tinned in 138'), when the Scots, stirred up and
aided hv Charles VI. of France, invaded and
des])oilLMl the l)order counties of England, in
which expeditions both they and tlieir French
auxiliaries wore a white St. Andrew's cross
upon tlieir jac(iues, both before and behind, in
order that they might distinguish the soldiers
of their combined companies fnmi the forces
of the foe.*

But 8t. Andrew's flag was not always vic-
torious. At Chew Chase and Flodden Field
it sutfered defeat, but onlv in such wise as to
pro\e the truth of the warning motto of the
prickly Scotch thistle, " Nemo me imjnuie
lacessit'' — (No one may touch me with
impunity.)

The Scotch Jack in all these early cen-
tui'ies, unlike its English comi)eer, does not
appear to have been cai'i'ied by Scotchmen far
afield, nor in expeditions across the seas. On
land, the Scotch used it mainly as a sign of
recognition during the forays which they kept
up with unceasing vigour on the neighbouring
kingdoms of England and Ireland : and at sea
its scene of action was kept measurably near
to their own shores.

Scotland, being so far removed from the
fleets of the southern nations of Europe, did

* Perry : " Rank aiul Hiulgt'w," p. .'WO.

The Scotch Jack.

not need a regular navy, and never had one of
any size,* l)ut her far northern coasts, indented
with deep ])ays and bordered ])y wild fast-
nesses, adapted themselves adniiral)ly to the
use to which they were mainly put, of being
the lair from which hardy, venturesome free-
booters, in those times called " sea rovers,"
sailed forth in their " talle shippes" (14) and
pounced down upon the vessels of the })assers-
by. The e.ploits of some of these sailors,
under the St. Andrew's Jack, crop out from
time to time with splendid audacity in the
historv of the centuries. One '^ IVIercer, a
Scottish rover," during the reign of Richard
II. of England, so hari'ied the merchant ship-
ping of England that, in 1:}7S, Alderman John
Philpot, "a worshipful citizen of London,"
ecjuipped an expedition at his own expense to
cramp the energies of the marauder, and
meeting Mercer and fifteen S[)anish shi[)s,
which were acting with hiih, brought the
whole Heet, '' besides (jreat riches ivliich were
found on hoard'' in triumph into port at Scar-
borough. IMiilpot was haled before the Eng-
lish royal authorities for having dared " to set
forth a navy of nirn-of-war irithout the advice

* In 1707, when, at the time of the (;onjplete<l union luuler (^uoon
Ainio, the whole navy of the Scots wiih transferred to the navy of
Oreat liritain, it consisted then of only " three small ships."

History of the Union Jack.

of the Ki)ufs Council" but the end justified
the means, and the l)old citizen, who by his
own action had })ut down the annoyance with

'\ 8coT( H " Tam,r Smi'pK/' Itirii Cknt; ry.

(Form a painting' liy Vaiul,vck.)

wliicli tlic oflic rs of the realm should have
dealt, was, after having' himself stoutly berated
the Council for their sluggishnehs, let go free.

Sir Andrew Wood, of Leitb, wlio for a
loiij;" time [)illaged the Eii*;lisli sliips and set
tlie navy of Henry VII. at detianee, was
another (hnighty champion of the St. Amh'ew's
cross.

(irowin*;' ])older in his defiance, he challenged
the English Royal Xr.vv to a contest. The
challenge was accepted, and three chosen
8hi})s were sent to meet him. These he over-
mastered, and carried off his prizes and their
crews to Dundee, from where, after the
wounded had been cared for, and the dam-
ages of the ships repaired, James IV. of Scot-
land returned them and their men to Henrv,
saying, " tJie contest liad Ijeen for Jionoiir, not
for hootyy *

l>ut the greatest hero of them all, the one
whose deeds have woven themselves into the
folklore of the Scottish race, uas Sir Andrew
Barton, who in the timi^ of lleiuy Vlil. not
only [)lund(M'ed hi^ Knglisli neighhours, but
also took toll of the ships of all other nations
without regard to their Hag, making himself
the teri'or ot the North Seas. .An old ballad
tells in ([uaint styk' what an English merchant
of Newcastle, whose ships had fallen into the
hands of Barton, re})()rted to the English

* Pinkerton : " History of Scotland.'

History of the Union Jack.

Admiral who was in charge of the *' Narrow
neas :

" Hast thou not horde, Lord Howard bold,
As thou hast sailed by day and by niglit,
Of a Scottish rover on the seas ?

INIen call hyiu Sir Andrewe Barton, Knyte ?

" He is l)rasse within and steel withoute.

With benies on his toppe-castle strong.
And ei;;hteen pieces of ordnaunce
He carries on each side alon«;.

" And he hath a pinnace derely di^ht,
St. Andrew's cross yat is his guide ;
His pinnace bereth nine score men
And fifteen cannons on each side.

'* Were ye twenty ships and he but one,
T swear by kirk, and bower and hall,
He would overcome them every one
If once his hemes they do down fall."

Sir Aiulrow was tlio hist of the freebooters,
as the ri.se of tlie navv of Henry VIII., and
the; union of the two kin«4(h)nis of England
and Scotland hy James I. mider one crown,
j)nt an en<l to tliese repri.sals by the sul>jects
of the one nation on the other; vet, as we
shall see, it was the remnants of thes(^ very
ri\ alries tlnis engendered between the crosses
of St. Andrew and St. (xeorge which led to the
national »Jacks of the two nations being after-
wards joined together to form one ilag.

'^ T^^^

^-^^

C IIArTEU VII.

T/^£ '' APDITIOXAL'' JACK OF JAMES I,

1(>0()-1(J4I) AM) IGUGI707.

TiiK kingdoms of Eiij^land and Scotland had
l)assed thi'on<»li those centuries of dissension
and conflict when at length, in March, 1()(K],
James VI. of Scotl.md, npon the <leath of
his second consin, Klizaheth,
(^)neen of F^ngland, succeeded ,;^
to her throne, and became
King flames 1. of England.
The nations were now hrought
into closer contact, and the
movement of shipping along
their shor 's increased as (sicli ,. ,,

I.). KovAi, Arms (ik

was relieved from fear (►f at- knulani., Hknky v.,
tack by the other. The roval i^is, t,. Ki../.aueth,

11 1-11 ' • '<>'••*•

.standard, whicii hears on it

the arms of the kingdoms, is the special Hag

of the sovereign, and James, upon ascending

the throne of England, inunediatcly issued a

proclamation instructing a cliange to he made

in its then existing form (1.")). Into the standard

of Queen Elizabeth he introduced the red

<>■ ' - -

'■\

History of the Uxfox Jack.

lion of Scotland and also the harp of Ireland,

Inch had

Hi. R(tYAL Akms of
Jamk.s I., 1003.

wiiicn nail not previon.sly heen nicludod ni
the Koyal Arms (H))-*

While he ehani»ed the Eng-
lish ro\'al .standard, no change
was instructed to he made,
nor was evidently considered
to he necessary, in the Kn^^lish
national Haj;' of St. (reorge,
which continued to he used as
previously on the English ships
by his new subjects. Thus in
the early years of the reign of James, the
English and Scotch ships continued to use
their respective red cross and white cross
fJacks, exactly as they had done prior to his
accession to the Engli.sh throne.

Each nation, no doubt, retained a predilec-
tion for its own national Hag — a preference
which its adherents expressed each in their
own way, and most probably in terms not un-
tinged by caustic references to controversies
and contentions of previous days.

Thus it occurred that in 1606, more than
three years after the joining of the two
thrones, the king, finding that ditticulties kept

*The three lions for England ; thrt'u flenrs-de-lys for France ;
lion rampant for Scotland ; harj) for Ireland.

The Additional Jack of James I.

arisiiij^- al)oiit their Ha^s hctwcen the suhjccts
of his two adjacent kin«4(h)ins, considered it

<»'

17. Jack ok .Jamks I., mm.

ad\isal>le to issue a pi'oelamation declarin
the manner in which thev were in future to
(h's})lay their national dacks, and also author-
izing;' a new tliaj4', which was to l)e used by each
in addition to their own
national Wiv^. This Wii^

was the "additional "
Jack of danuvs J. (17).
It is probable that
the Kn^lish sailor had
objected to seeinj^' the
Scotch cross raised on

the mast above his Knj^iish tlau', and the
Scotchman, on his part too, did not like to
see St. Andrew below St. (feor;j;e. The ad-
ditional Hag- was desij^iied for the jmrpose ot
meeting this dilliculty, and was ordered to be
raised by itself upon the mainmast. It is evi-
dent that scmie ships ha<l been tlyinj^' both the
national Hags, for, as a further precauticm,
particular instruction was given that each ship
slumld rtv onlv one national cross, and this
was to l)e only the cross of its own nationality.
All c(mtroversy as to the precedence of the
resj)ective Jacks was thus intended to be
brouaht to an end.

HisTouY OF THK Union Jack.

This proclamation, as copicMl from an oii^^nnal
issue in the Hritisli Museum, reads as follows:

"A /n'()d(im(i(l<m (lfc/arln(j wlutf FlfKigcs
South (inil Xortk liritnints tihall hea re
at Sea.

" UY THK KINO:

" WlnTea.s, some (liH'crenco hath arist-n
between our Hubjects of South and North
Hritaine travelliuj; by Seas, altout the bear-
in<: of their Fiaiifires : For tlie avoidini; of all
such contentions hereafter wee have, with
the advice of Our C'ouncell, ordered : That
from henceforth all our Hu))j(;cts of this Isle
and Kin^dome of Great Hritaine, and all
our members thereof, shall beare in their
mahir tifjtpr the Red Crosse, commonly called
St. Geor<(e"s Crosse, and tlie White Crosse,
connnonly called St. Andrew's Crosse, yoynrJ
tof/rfhcr (tccot'il iixjto the forme made hi/ our
lierahh, and sent by us to our Admerell to
be published to our subjects : and in their
fore-foppr our Subj«-'cts of Soutli Britaine
shall weare the Red Crosse onely as the}'
were wont, and our Subjects of North
Britaine in their fove-toppe the White
Crosse onely us they were accustomed.

" Wherefore wee will and command all
our Subjects to be conforma])le and obedient
to this our Order, and that from henceforth
they do not use to beare their fhif^ges in any
other sort, as they will answere to contrary
at their peril.

" Given at our Palace of Westminster, the
twelfth day of April, in the fourth yere of
our Reine of Great Britaine, France and
Ireland, etc. God save the King.

*' Imprinted at London Ijy Robert Barker, printer
to the King's Most Excellent Majestic, 1H()().'"

The Additional Jack of James I.

Tins Jack, whicli siibsiMiiuMitlv came to he
coiuinoiily known as the "rnion Klag^c," was,
it will l)c noted, not intended to supersede
the existin<^' national Jacks, for it was directed
to he displayed in addition to, and at the same
time with, tlie Jack of each nation. The new
flau was to he raised alone hv itself on the
mainmast, and the old national t1a<;' on the
foremast, so that each of the Ha^s should he
kept separate from one another.

The reason for this use of two Ha<^s may he
j)ointed out, a reason which is fully confirmed
hy the changes which followed in sul)se(|uent
I'ci^ns.

When James ascended the throne of Eng-
land, it was his great desire to he styled King
of '' CJreat ]>ritain," as well as of '* France and
Irelamh" He had caused himself at the out-
set to he so pi'oclaimed, and used the phrase
in his ])r()clamations,hut without (hie authority.
During the first year of his reign o})inions on
the point were asked of the fJudges of the
courts, and also of the Lords and Commons of
England, hut the rei)lies of all were unani-
mously against his right to the assum})tion of
any such title, as heing one which might seem
to indicate a fusion of the two kingdoms.

The fact was, that although th(5 two king-

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History of the Union Jack.

doms of Scotland and England had been joined
in allegiance to the Ksame sovereign, who was
equally king of each, yet as each kingdom still
retained its own separate parliament, their
union had not been made adequately complete.
The king had particularly desired to complete
this union. In a proclamation he issued he
states he had found among the ''better dis-
posed " of his subjects

" a most earnest desire that the sayd happy
union should be perfected, the memtJry of
all preterite discontentments abolished, and
all the inhabitants of both the realms to be
the subjects of one kingdom."

He says he will himself use every diligence

to have it perfected,

" with the advice of the states and parliament
of both the kingdoms, and in the meantime
till tl'3 said union be established with due
solemnite aforesaid, His Majesty doth repute,
hold and esteem both the two realms as
presently united, and as one realm and king-
dome, and the subjects of both the realms
as one people, brethren and members of one
body."

But charm he never so wisely, the king
could not get his subjects to see matters in
the same light as himself. To temporize with
their quarrellings, he was o])liged to issue the
proclamation concerning their flags, but with
all his endeavours he could not get their parlia-

The Additional Jack of James I.

ments to unite, and thus it was that each
nation continued to retain its own distinctive
national cross, which it flew on the flag-staff
as the sign of its own particular nationality,
and which was, therefore, not displaced l)y the
king's newly created flag.

The regulations for the flags may be stated :

A.D., 1606.
Royal Navy —

Maintop, King's " additional " Jack.

M EECII ANTMEN —

English Subjects —

Maintop, "additional" Jack.
Foretop, English Jack.

Scotch Subjects —

Maintop, "additional" Jack.
Foretop, Scotch Jack.

The construction of the new flag presents
some peculiarities.

In this "■ additional " Jack of James (PL
IV., fig. 3), the red cross of St. George and its
white ground had been ordered by the procla-
mation to be united with the white cross of
St. Andrew and its blue ground, the two flags
being '\joiined to(j(4lier ((ccorditHj to a form
made hif our heralds^ In this ''joining" the
white ground of St. George's flag was reduced
almost to a nullity.

::i'

History of the Union Jack.

As the form was the creation of heralds, it
was made according to the strict heraldic rules
of their highly technical craft. In heraldry, a
narrow border of white or gold, termed a ''fim-
briation," is always introduced where colour
would otherwise touch on colour for the pur-
pose of keeping the colours separate, the tech-
nical statement of the rule being, " metal can-
not be placed upon metal, nor colour upon
colour." The heralds, therefore, in conformity
with their tendencies, reduced the white
ground of the St. George flag until it became
only a narrow margin of white, just sufficient
to ksep the red of the cross of St. George from
touching the blue ground of St. Andrew's flag
upon which it was laid, or so that the white
ground became simply '' a fimhriation to the
red cross of St. George."

The union of the two flags resulted in the
Scotchman getting, as he usually does, a smart
share of all that was going. It is true the two
crosses were given an equal display, but the
white ground of the St. George's English Jack
had almost entirely disappeared, while the blue
ground of the St. Andrew's had been left in
occupation of all the remaining space. No
wonder that an English admiral of the "narrow
seas," hankering after his old St. George Jack,

The Additional Jack of James I.

says, a few years afterwards, of this new flag :
" Though it may be more honour to both the
kingdoms to be thus Hnked and united
together, yet, in view of the spectators, it
makes not so fair a show, if it would please
His Majesty."*

This additional Jack of 1606 continued in
use for over a century, with the exception of
the changes which, as we shall hereafter note,
were made under Cromwell. During its term
the British kingdom, Avliich had already under
the English Jack colonized the mainland of
America from Massachusetts to Virginia,
became more than ever an American power ;
for, under this new Jack, the islands which
surrounded the coast, namely, the West Indies,
Barbadoes, Bermuda, the Bahamas, Antigua,
and Jamaica were added to the British Crown.
On the continent of Europe as well the vic-
torious movements of the flag did not slacken,
for under it Gibraltar was pounced upon and
taken by Admiral Rooke, and Blenheim, the
master victory of the great Marlborough, w^as
won. This was a record on both the contin-
ents worthy of the two races which had joined
their forces at its creation.

Its position was, however, not throughout

Sir William Monson.

History of the Union Jack.

continuous, for successive changes were intro-
duced in the regulations regarding its use (hir-
ing the century within which it achieved its
varied career. All these changes, its alternat-
ing disappearances and re-appearances, help
to prove that this Jack of James I. was not a
flag which denoted a " Union," but was one
which carried a different signification, and was
introduced for another purpose.

CHAPTER VIII.

THE ENGLISH JACK RESTORED.

As A Sin(;le Jack KUO-KHiO.

In the cornek of the Ensu;n. 1049-1707.

The new two -crossed flag of King James
liad in 1606 been authorized to be used l)y the
ships of all his subjects, by the merchantmen
as well as on the men-of-war. This order
caused many heart-burnings among the ad-
mirals of the lioyal Navy, and especially to
the Admiral of the Narrow Seas, whose par-
ticular right it was to fly His Majesty's ensign
on these much-frecjuented waters, and whose
principal prerogative it was to see that the
ships of other nations observed the courtesies
and accorded the privileges due to the English
flag in its claim to the sovereignty of the seas.
Under this newarrangement other ships, as well
as the ships of the lioyal Navy, were carrying
the king's Jack at the main, and the officers
of the navy felt that their official prominence
was thereby much diminished, for, as they
said, how were foreigners to distinguish a
merchantman from a man of war ? Sir John
Penington, Narrow Seas Admiral, in 1633,

History of the Union Jack.

sent in his remonstrances, and pressed for the
** altering^ the CoullctSf whereby His Majestie^s own
ships may be known from the subjectes." This, he
considered, "to bee very materialeand much for His
Majestie's honour ; and, beside^ will free dispute with
strangers ; for when they omitt doing theyr respects
to His Majesties shippes till they be shott att^ they
alledge they did not know it to be ye King's shippe*''
The lioyal Navy kept up a constant agita-
tion for the repeal of the order, until at
length, in 1634, being the thirty-eighth year of
the flag from its establishment by James, their
claim was acceded to by Charles I., and a
proclamation was duly issued

" BY THE KING :

u ^ Proclamation a^ppointiny the jiags as
well for our Navie Roy all as for the
ships of our subjects of South and
North Britaine.

" We taking into our Royal Consideration
that it is Meete for the honour of Oure
Shipps in our Navio Royall and of such
other shipps as are or shall be employed in
Our immediate service that the same bee,
by their flags distinguished from the shipps
of any other of Our Subjects doe herebye
straitly prohibite and forbid that none of
our Subjects of any of our Nations and
Kingdoms shall from henceforth presume to
carry the Union Flagge in the maintoppe or
other part of any of their shipps that is the
St. Georofe's Crosse and the St. Andrew's

The English Jack Restored.

Crosse joyned together upon pain of Our
High displeasure ; but that the same Union
Flagge be still reserved as an ornament
proper for Oar Owne Shipps and shipps in
our immediate service and pay and none
other And likewise Our further will and
pleasure is that all the other shipps of Our
subjects of England or South Britaine bear-
ing flags, shall from henceforth Carry the
Red Crosse commonly called St. George his
Crosse as of olde time hath been used ; and
also that all the other shipps of Our Subjects
of Scotland or North Britaine shall from
Henceforthe carry the White Crosse com-
monly called St. Andrew's Crosse. Whereby
the several shippes may be distinguished,
and wee thereby better discerne the number
and goodness of the same ; Wherefore wee
will and straitly command all Our Subjects
foorthwith to be conformable and obedient
to this Our Order, as they will answer the
contrary at their perill.

" Given at our Court at Greenwich this
5th day of May in the tenth yeare of Oure
Reigne of England, Scotland, France and
Ireland, Defender of the Faith, etc. God
Save the King."

Imprinted at London by Robert Barker, printer to the
King's Most Excellent Majestic, and by the Assignee's
of John Bill, 1634.

This proclamation of Charles I. made a
very great change in the position of the
" Union Flagge " of James, by restricting its
use to one class of ships. That it had nevei*
been intended at that time to serve as a

History of the Union Jack.

national Hag is again clearly evidenced by the
renewed declaration that it was the special
signal of the sovereign, to be used exclusively
on the sliii)s of the Royal Navy. Further,
the merchant vessels which had thus lost the
^* Additional Jack," were ordered to continue
to use, as of '' olde time hath been used," their
distinctive national flags. For the continued
l)reservation of the peace, it was again re-
quired that each ship should display only the
flag of the nation to which it belonged,
namely, the St. George's cross, or old Eng-
lish Jack, on English merchant ships, and
St. Andrew's cross, or Scotch Jack, on the
Scotch merchant ships.

The position of the three flags at this time
was thus clearly distinguished :

A. I). 1634.

The Royal Navy The two-crossed Jack.

English Merchantmen .... St. George cross.

Scotch Merchantmen St. Andrew cross.

The battleship Sovereign of the Seas, which
was built in 1637, was the glory of the fleet
of Charles I., and proved herself, during
her sixty years of active service, one of the
best men-of-war of the time, and " so formid-
able to her enemies that none of the most

The ExciLisH Jack Restorkd.

(lariiiL^ amonu' them would williimlv lie l)v hvv
side."*

The dniwinf^ (18) here sliovvn of this ship is
copied from a contemi)orary painting by Van-
dei'velt. At the stern is the roval standard of

18. The Sovereign of the Seas, 1637.
(From a paintinjf bj- Vandervelt).

Charles I. ; on the two masts ensigns with
royal ciphers ; and the two-crossed " Union
Flagge," which from 1634 was to be the
" ornament proper for our owne shipps," is

* Phineas Pett, "Journal," 1696.

History of the Union Jack.

Hvinj^ at tlic bow. After fourteen more years
had i)a8se(l away another Jack was flying at
the bow, and the royal stanchird of the kinj^-
liad disappeared from the stern of the j^allant
vessels, while even so early as January, KU.'),
premonitory symptoms of this impendin<;'
ehanj^e were i^iven when the headings of the
ollieial lists of the ships of tlie navy had been
altered by order of Parliament, so that the
slii])s were otHcially entered as "Thel*arlia-
ment's Shi[)s," instead of being deseri1)e(l, as
previously, " His Majesty's Ships."*

In IY'])ruary, KUS, the Kevolutionarv Par-
liament of England abolished the otiice of
king, and by this and the subse(iuent execu-
tion of King Charles cancelled the allegiance
of KScotland and dissolved the connection be-
tween the kingdoms. A change was now
made in the Jacks which were to be worn on
the men-of-war. The Parliament did not
consider the Stuart kingdom of Scotland to
be a portion of their State, and ordered that
its recognition should be removed from the
national flags then used. An order of the
Council of State was therefore passed on
February 22nd, 1649, which was communi-
cated in a letter to the Commissioners of the

* Hallam.

The KxciLisif Jack Rkstorkd.

Navy, diroctini;" that '^tlie ships that are in the
service of the State shall beare tlie Red Crosse
onlij in a white jla(/(/j quite throtKjh the jlagg.'"
Up to tliat time carvinjjjs of the royal arms had
been can'iud on the stern of all royal ships,
so the order further directed that these also
should be altered, and that " upon the Sterne
of the Hhippes there shall he the Bed Crosse in
one Escotcheon and the Harpe in one other,
being the Amies of Kmiland and Ireland,

19. Commonwealth 20 Siiillinc; 1'ikce.

both Escotcheons joined according to the pat-
tern lierewith sent unto you.^'

The form of these escutcheons is well shown
in the twenty-shilling piece (19) issued during
the Commonwealth.

Thus the Union Jack of James disappeared
antl the single red cross Jack of England was
restored to its position as the only Jack carried
on the men-of-war of the State.

The merchant vessels of England continued

' I'

96 History of the Union Jack.

to use their national Jacks as before, but the
Scotch ships were specially warned that they
must not carry either the king's arms or the
red cross of St. George, and in case any s s
should be met so doing, the State's admirals
were orderctl to " ((daioinsh tJtem not to do it
in. fdtmry

The jjosition of the Jacks was now :

A.D. 1(J49.

The State Ships St. George cross.

English MercJiantMen St. George cross.

Scotch Merchantmen St. Andrew cross.

The l*arliament also created another flag,
called the Commonwealth Ensign (PI. v., fig. 1),
to be carried on their men-of-war. These
were red, blue and white flags,* having in the
fly a yellow Irish harp, and in the upper
corner next the staff the St. George cross
upon a white ground. Ireland had early been
overrun by the Commonwealth armies, so
her emblem was included in the flag, but
Scotland had warmly espoused the cause of
the Stuarts and was therefore not recognized.

Cromwell, after he had been raised to the
position of Protector, and had dragooned
Scotland into submission, put out in 1658

* The blue Hag is selected for representation for pictorial eflfect.

i^tt.

PLATE r

•m^

The English Jack Restored.

another flag as the " Great Union," or banner
of the Commonwealth (PL v., fig. 2), in which
the crosses of St. George and St. Andrew
were shown for England and Scotland, and
the harp, on a blue ground, for Ireland ; but
they were all placed in separate quarters of
the flag, instead of being joined together, while
on a black shield of pretence in the centre
he caused to be displayed a lion rampant, as
representing his own coat-of-arms and himself.

The Great Union of Cromwell did not enter
into much use, although it certainly was dis-
played at his funeral, nor did it take the place
of the St. George Jack, which, thus restored,
continued to be used as a single flag until
1660, when, at the ''Restoration" of Charles
II., the " Union flagge" returned, without any
proclamation, to the places where, as shown
on the Nasebij (21), it had been displayed
before the change made by the Commonwealth
Parliament.

On this ship it will be noticed that the two-
crossed Jack is flying at the bow and on the
mizzen, instead of the single red cross flag
ordered by Parliament.

Here, then, ended the period during which
the English Jack, having been restored as a
single flag, had continued to be, from 1649

History of the Union Jack.

to 1660, the only Jack authorized to be used
on the men-of-war.

After the return of the king his subjects
evidently began, in their enthusiasm, to make
such indiscriminate use of this " King's Jack "
that they needed, a few years afterwards, to
be reminded of the special instructions respect-
ing the flag which had been given in the
previous reign. In consequence of this, in 1663,
under Charles II., another proclamation was
issued, from which the following extract is
made :

" A proclamation for the regulating the
colours to be luorn on merchant ships. —
Charles R.

" Whereas by ancient usage no merchants'
ships ought to bear the Jack, which is for
distinction appointed for His Majesty's ships:

" His Majesty strictly charges and com-
mands all his subjects, that from henceforth
they do not presume to wear His Majesty's
Jack, commonly called the Union. Jack, on
any of their ships or vessels, without par-
ticular warrant for their so doing from His
Majesty, or the Lord High Admiral of Eng-
land. And His Majesty doth further com-
mand all his loving subjects without such
warrant they presume not to wear on board
their ships or vessels any Jacks made in
imitation of His Majesty's, or any other
flags, Jacks or ensigns whatsoever, than
those usually heretofore worn on merchants'

The English Jack Restored.

ships, viz., the flag and Jack white, with a
red cross, commonly called St. George's cross,
passing quite through the same, and the En-
sign red with the like cross in a canton white
at the upper corner thereof next to the
staff."

The distinctive order of the flags was this
time arranged to be :

A.D. 1663.

The Royal Navy —

" His Majesty's Jack," commonly called "The Union
Jack."

All Merchantmen —

I. The '* Jack White," or plain St. George Jack.

II. The "Ensign Red," or red flag, with the "Jack
White " in the upper corner.

From the time of this proclamation of
Charles II. the Jack of King James regained
its officially authorized position, but only as a
single flag, and even then was ordered to be
used only on the royal men-of-war. The mer-
chant ships, however, began again so frequently
to fly this Jack instead of their single-cross
Jacks, that in the reign of William III., and
again in the reign of Queen Anne (prior to the
creation of her own two-crossed Jack), it was
found necessary to issue special proclamations
reite' ating the official restriction of this Jack
of J imes to the ships of the Royal Navy, and
forbidding any other ships to use it.

> K

i i

I-

100

History of the Union Jack.

Although the merchantmen had seemingly
discarded the St. George Jack, which had
been restored to them, and it had given way
in the Royal Navy to the two-crossed Jack, it
was only to be reserved for a still more special
honour in later times.

In the British Navy of the present day the
St. George Jack has become, and is ordered
to be, the distinctive flag of an admiral. Ac-
cording to the mast upon which it is raised
his rank is indicated, and the ship on which it
is carried is termed the '' Flag Ship." These
flags are displayed as follows :

Admiral St. George at mair

Vice- Admiral ....
Rear-Admiral ....

St. George at fore.

. St. George at mizzen.

Thus has the English Jack been once more
restored, and being the signal of command in
the British Navy, it is a continuing memorial
of the prowess of the seamen of England,
whose ships early won the sea command for
the united empire.

CHAPTER IX.

THE EVOLUTION OF THE RED ENSIGN,

The history of the Jack as a single flag having
been traced through this period, we may revert
to the changes made in the position of the
Royal Standard, and note how its exalted posi-
tion at the stern was transferred to a new flag,
a national ensign, in the upper corner of which
the English Jack was placed alone, when this
flag was first created. •

Under James I. and Charles I., as also
under the previous sovereigns of England, the
flag flown at the stern of the men-of-war had
been the Royal Standard of the sovereign, of
which an example is given in the drawing of
the Sovereign of the Seas (18).

The Royal Standard bearing upon it then,
as it does now, the armorial bearings or
'' arms " of the sovereign, was the banner
of the king, and as then placed at the stern of
the ships, signified his direct management and
control of the Royal fleet.

Before the close of the reign of Charles I.
the money control of the Royal Navy had been
jealously assumed by Parliament, and the ships

102

History of the Union Jack.

had been enrolled as " the Parliament ships."
With the advent of the Commonwealth the
ships of the navy were no longer the ships of
of the king, but became the ships of the state.
It was to take the place of the king's
standard at the stern that the Common-
wealth Ensign (Plate v., %. 1) was designed.
Upon the fly of this paramount flag Parlia-
ment placed the

lLLlL

Ii>! II T

I I M

20. Commonwealth Boat Flag.

yellow harp for
Ireland, and in
the upper corner
the single St.
George cross
for England.

Another form
of Parliamen-
tary flag (20) was
also in use which
had on the fly the two emblems, as on the
Commonwealth shilling piece (19). One of
these flags is still preserved in the house of
the Admiralty superintendent at Chatham, the
colour of the ground of the flag being red.*

The fleets of the Navy were then flying
ensigns of three diflerent colours — red, blue,
and white — according to the rank of the

* W. Laird Clowes' " History of the English Navy."

The Evolution of the Red Ensign. 103

;

admirals who were in command, red ])eing
the colour of the admirals of highest rank
and the typical colour of England.

The exam[)le of the new flag given is that of
a blue ensign, but the harps were placed in the
red Hags as well as in the blue. *

Contemporary paintings also show that red,
blue, and white ensigns were in use under the
Commonwealth, with a single harp in the fly,
and a Dutch medal struck to commemorate
the death of Admiral Tromp also shows the
same design of flag.

The rule of the Commonwealth party having,
shortly after the death of Cromwell, come to
a sudden termination, the Royalist supporters
of th« absent king did not wait for any formal
proclamation authorizing an altering of the
flags which had come into existence under the
order of the Parliamentary Council.

Pepys tells in his " Diary " of how this was
begun. Being " Clerk of the Acts of the
Navy " he had been deputed to read the pro-
clamation of Parliament declaring the restor-
ation of the king to the crews on board those
ships of the Navy which had been appointed to
cross over to The Hague and bring Charles II.
to England.

Langton : •' Heraldry of the Sea."

104

History of the Union Jack.

While lying at anchor in the Downs, waiting
for the high officials who were to accompany
them, he records how the *' General * of the
fleet " went from ship to ship in a small boat,
telling them to "to alter their arms and
flagges."

On 13th May, 1660, being on l)oard the
London, one of the ships of this squadron, he
makes the following entries of his day's doings,
and tells of the making of these changes :
" To their quarterdeck, at which the taylers
and i)ainters were at work, cutting out some
pieces of yellow cloth in the fashion of a crown
and ' C.R' to l)e put up instead of the State's
arms." He also records that meetings of the
officers were held and that he had attended
*' in the afternoon a council of war only to
acquaint them that the harp must be taken
out of all their flags, it being very oflensive to

the king."

When, therefore, the harp had l)een removed
from "all" their flags, there remained the
simple " Ensign lied," having the St. George
cross in the upper white canton. (PI. v., fig. 3).

* Under the Commonwealth successful generals and officers on
land had been appointed to commands as admirals in the navy, and
the military titles were still retained ; the official title of the
officers in highest command in the navy of the Commonwealth
being "Admirals and Generals at Sea."

The Evolution of the Red Ensiox.

105

The drawing of the Nasehij (21 ) — afterwards
re-named the Royal Charles — one of the ships
of the s(iua(h'on which crossed to The Hague,
and the ship on which Charles II. came to
England, shows this red ensign flying at the

21. The Na^tehy. Cuarlks II.
(From a paintiiij,' bj- Vandervelt.)

stern. There had not been sufficient time for
the obtaining of new flags and standards, there-
fore those which they had in use were altered
on board the ships, as Pepys has told, and
this flag is a Commonwealth '' Ensign Red,"
with the Irish Harp cut out (PI. v., fig. 3).

Ill I

|!i

;:i

1 ;'l

lOG

History of the Union Jack.

A very ^reat deal of (lei)en(lence cannot, as
a rule, ])e placed on the form of the flags in-
troduced into their pictures by artists even of
the hijj,hest rank. When painting Hags more
attention is given by them to the colour effect
desired to be produced than to the accurate
drawing of the details.

Some instances of unworthy errors in the
drawing of national flags may be mentioned.
In a painting by Leutze, now in the Metro-
politan Museum of Art, New York, a repre-
sentation is shown of "Washington crossing
the Delaware, on December 2r)th, 1776." In
this a flag with the stars and stri])es is prom-
inently shown, although no such flag had any
existence until a year and a half afterwards,*
an error which has been perpetuated by a copy
of this painting on a series of the national bank-
notes issued by the United States Government.
In the Capitol of the United States there is a

* The United States national ensign has at the different dates

been composed as follows :

1776 — The Union Jack of Queen Anne and thirteen stripes.

1777 — Thirteen stars and thirteen stripes,

1794 — Fifteen stars and fifteen stripes.

1818— Fifteen stars and thirteen stripes.

Thereafter an additional star was added as each new State
was created out of the western territories, the stripes for
the original thirteen colonies remaining the same.

1896— Forty-five stars and thirteen stripes.

The Evolution of the Red Ensign.

107

picture of the " Battle of Lake Erie," fought
in 1814, in which the Haj^^ on Comino(hjre
Perry's hoat has only thirteen stars and thir-
teen stripes, although the United States ensign
ha<l been changed twenty years before, in
1794, to have fifteen stars and fifteen stripes.
On the walls of the Commons Corridor in
the British Houses of Parliament at West-
minster is a fresco representing the landing of
Charles IL, in 16(50, in which the Union tTack
is depicted as having three crosses — the red
cross of St. Patrick being included, although
it was not entered in the flag unMi 1801, or
140 years afterwards.

In each of these instances the artist was
painting from his imagination, but Vandervelt,
who painted the picture from which our illus-
tration of the Naseby is taken, was himself
present on the occasion he recorded, and, see-
ing that he was the most celebrated marine
artist of his day, the details of the flags can be
taken to be correct.

The subsequent proclamation of 1663 shows
that not only was this flag used on the royal
ships, but that also all the merchant ships had
adopted it and were flying the " Ensign Red "
at the stern in the same way as on the Nasebij,
and thus it was that this flag, having become

Li!

I'' 1

'Ml

108

History of the Union Jack.

ostablishod by usage as the national ensign,
was then eonfinned in its j)()sition by the pro-
clamation of Charles 11.

Fui'ther eontirniation of this use is given by
the medals issued in KUi.") by Charles 11. which
he granted to his followers in recognition of
service. One of these is given in Hg. '2'2. On
the reverse is a ship in full sail. On the flag

'22. Medal of Chakles II., 16G5.

at the mainmast head are the letters CR,
being the abbreviation of CAR0LU8 KEX,
and intended to indicate that the flag was the
lloval Standard : at the bow the two-crossed
Jack, and at the stern the Red Ensign with
the St. George Jack in the upper corner.

The place of distinction at the stern had
lieen occupied, as under Charles I., by the
royal standard of the reigning kings. To this
position the Commonwealth ensign had been

The Evolution of the Red Ensign.

lOD

installed as bein^ the ensign of the State, and
then by tlie uni)remeditated ti'ansition at the
" Kestoration " the red ensign sneeeeded to
the j)ost of honour as the ensign of the nation.

The story of this Hjig again exemplifies the
peculiar genius of the British constitution, for
it attained to its })()sition, not by a single verbal
enactment, })ut by force of unwritten usage,
and its gradual acceptance by the will of the
people after which it was contirmed by the
act of the sovereign.

It will also l)e noted in the drawing of the
Nasebi/, and on the medal, that the lloyal
Standard of Charles II. is shown Hying at the
main. This was the position at which it was
displayed under previous sovereigns by the
Lord High Admiral of the Navy to indicate his
rank. The Earl of Warwick, who was Lord
High Admiral under Charles I., continued to
Hy it at the main even after the death of the
king ; but when Warwick was dismissed from
his post by the Commonwealth, the Royal
Standard was no longer used as the distinction
flag of the Iloyal High Admiral. When the
Commonwealth ended and the new king
returned, it was again raised to the place
where it had been displayed by the last Royal-
ist admiral.

i I

i !

I !

110

History of the Union Jack.

At the present day the Royal Standard,
being the personal flag of the sovereign, is
only shown to indicate the royal presence or
that of some member of the royal family, or
raised in recognition of some special royal
day. On ship-board it is raised on the main-
mast immediately the royal personages come
alongside, and is lowered the moment that they
leave, the national ensign being still displayed
at the stern.

It was the St. George cross which had been
placed in the upper corner of the Common-
wealth ensign ; from here it had passed into
the Ensign Red of Charles II., thereafter borne
at the stern on both merchantmen and men-of-
war. In the paramount ensign of the nation
the single-cross English Jack was thus carried
from 1649 to 1707, when its place in the
national ensign was taken for the first time
by a two-crossed Jack, and then only by the
first veal Union Jack, the Jack of Queen
Anne.

In all the series of changes mentioned in
this and the previous chapter direct evidence
is given that the " commonly called Union
Jack" of James was only an "additional" flag ;
that having been considered the "King's Jack,"
it had not officially displaced the local national

The Evolution of the Red Ensign.

Ill

Jacks, and that, although it had superseded
them as a single flag in the Royal Navy, it had
never been introduced into the paramount and
national ensign of the nation.

Such, then, was the origin and evolution of
the Ensign Red, the national ensign of the
British people, and which formed, with the
changes made in the Jack in the sul)sequent
reigns of Queen Anne and George III., the
basis of the present " Red Ensign " of the
British Empire.

Our national ensign tells us how from its
very origin it signilied the progress of con-
stitutional rule. The Royal Standard of
Charles I. at the stern was the expression of
absolute rule by the king without the control
of parliament ; the Commonwealth Ensign told
of the absolute rule of parliament without the
king ; the Ensign Red at the stern recorded
the coming of constitutional government by
both king and parliament ; and so our Red
Ensign still tells the story of British constitu-
tional rule by sovereign and people, repre-
sented in their united power by this Union
Ensign flying at the stern of all British ships
and over all 'the British lands which bear it
united allegiance.

«il

CHAPTER X.

THE SOVEREIGNTY OF THE SEAS.

THE FIGHT FOR THK FLAG.

'ii;

^lil'

1 ! ■ I

At the close of the first historic period of tlie
St. George Jack we saw it reigning supreme
upon the seas around the shores of Enghmd.
The great Arma(Ui had, in 1588, been met and
shattered, and its squadrons so relentlessly
pursued around the British Isles that but a
remnant remained to struggle back to Spain
and tell the story of their defeat.

After such a victory as this the red cross
flayr of the " Navie Rovall" sailed the Narrow
Seas W' itli more assurance than ever, claiming
and receiving the o])eisance of all vessels that
were passing by. The ancient policy of Alfred
and of John had been as much esteemed
during this Elizabethan period, and its princi-
ples adhered to as earnestly and for the same
reason as in the earliest days ; but the increase
of merchant shipping and the rise of the busi-
ness fleets of England now gave a new reason
for its being maintained beyond the old one of
self-defence. With the advent of long-distance
voyages riches were now to be found beyond

The Sovereignty of the Seas.

113

the confines of the Nrarrow Seas. Sir Walter
Italeigh stated the new reason with a terseness
which four centuries of phrase-making has not
since excelled. Said he : " Whosoever com-
mands tlie sea conimancls the trade; whosoever
commands the trade of the ivorld commands
the riches of tlie worlds and consequently the
ivorld, itself/^

The sovereignty of the seas had in this way
developed a monetary value ; yet, whatever
may have been the real and underlying
causes, the contests for the supremacy which
for the next hundred years kept simmering
between the nations, bursting out at times into
blasts of open war, arose ostensibly from dis-
putes betv^een the guardians of the rival fleets
regarding the i)recedence to be accorded to
their respective flags.

The sea-rovers of Elizabeth had developed
into something very like " gentleman-bucca-
neers." They ranged the oceans, preying
upon the Spanish and Portuguese ships where-
ever they were to be found, and returned in
joyousness, bringing home their booty. The
maritime eagerness of the people was whetted
by these prizes, and it is said that even the
Queen herself was not averse to accepting
from her good subjects, Drake and Hawkins,

lil!

114

History of the Union Jack.

a share of the proceeds of their prowess. The
reign of the Jack of James I. had scarce begun
when a neighl)ouring maritime rival arose to
assume formidable proportions. Nurtured in
the hardy school of their fishing fleets, and
practised in distant voyages by traffic with
their possessions in the East Indies, the Dutch
merchantmen not only copied the English
methods of preying abroad on the ships of
other nations, but also began to employ them-
selves actively in carrying the water-])orne
business of their own merchants, and next,
which was an intrusion much more ol)jection-
able, to enter into competition with the Eng-
lish ships in carrying the merchandise of the
other nations of Europe. Thus the passage of
the Dutch fleets along the coasts of England
greatly increased. As soon as the Spanish
war w^as over. Sir William Monson, the
Admiral of the Narrow Seas, demanded that
the ships of all other nations should, as of old*
lower their flags in the presence of his own,
*' a courtesy which could not," he announced,
" be challenged by right, but now that the
war was ended. His Majesty James I.
demanded the full recognition of such rights
and duties as belonged to his predecessors."'*

* Monson's " Naval Tracts."

The Sovereignty of the Seas.

115

These old rights the Admiral and his officers
accordingly proceeded to enforce.

The spirit of the British sailors under the
new two-crossed Jack was still the same as
under the English Jack, and one is reminded
of the old pride in the flag l)y an instance
which is narrated as having occurred under
James I. One of the ministers of Henry IV.
of France had embarked at Calais to cross to
England in a French ship wearing the French
flag at the main. The commander of the
English despatch l)oat, which had been sent
to escort him, on meeting him in the channel
ordered the French ship to lower her flag.
*' The Duke of Sully, considering that his
quality freed him from such an aflront, boldly
refused, but this refusal was followed by his
receiving three cannon shots which pierced his
ships. Might forced him to yield what right
forbade, and for all the complaints he made
he could get no better reply from the English
captain than this : ' That just as his duty
obliged him to honor the ambassador's rank,
so it also obliged him to exact the honour due
to the flag of his master as Sovereign of the
Seas.'"*

The ** rufflings " increased in frequency, and

* Richelieu.

116

History of the LTnion Jack.

iiil

the contest went merrily Oii, as the Dutch,
increasing in enterprise and volume of ship-
ping, chafed still more under the domination
of the English admirals. In this restlessness
they were encouraged ])y the differences which
raged between King Charles I. and his Par-
liament. The latter thwarted the king's
efforts at sea and refused to contribute to the
levy of ship-money, declaring it to be an
*' insufferable tax " ; while he, without their
concurrence, Avas attempting to strengthen the
navy, which he had created to assert the King
of England's right to the sovereignty of the
seas, and for the protection of his shores, by
the maintenance of the old Alfred policy.
The king's sailors felt keenly the increasing
insolence of the passing Dutch ships, as wrote
one old salt :

** What affront can be greater > or what can
make a man valianter^ than a dishonour
done to prince and country, especially by a
people that was wont to know no more
than how to catch, pickle, and feed fish.^^

Notwithstanding the Parliament's objections

an English navy was at one time collected of

sufficient strength that, when the Dutch and

French fleets joined together in 1635 with the

avowed intention of contesting the command

* Monson.

« ih

The Sovereignty of the Seas.

117

of the sea, its sim])!)- sailing out to meet them
over-awed their forces, as reports Monson :

**It IS to be observed that the greatest
threateners are the least figfhters; and so it
fared with them; for they no sooner heard
of our readiness to find them* but they
plucked in their horns and quitted our coasts
never more repairing to it/'

The king's opponents averred that the (quar-
rels with the Dutch over the honour due to
the flag were fomented only for the purpose of
forming an excuse for extorting more money
by the objectionable ship-money, whose
proceeds, they alleged, were exi3ended for
very different purposes than the maintenance
of the navy. So the people resisted, while the
king persisted. Later on, during the Civil
War, English ships, manned by lioyalist sup-
porters of the king, were engaged in fighting
with English ships manned by supporters of
the Parliament, and each party was preying
upon the merchant adherents of the other.
Meantime the Dutch maritime power con-
tinued to grow. The struggle between the
Parliament and the king resulted in the defeat
and execution of Charles, and the weakening
of the fleet by the dissensions brought on
the humiliation of the English flag during the
first Dutch war.

1
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118

History of the Union Jack.

Under Cromwell, in 1649, the 8t. George
cross had been restored.

The Council of State took heart, and showed
by their actions that once more the homage
due the national flag was held by them in as
great esteem as it had been by the king and
his party in the royal days. The orders to
their naval commanders were explicit :

" And, whereas, the dominion of these seas
has, time out of mind, undoubtedly belonged
to this nation, and the ships of all other
nations.in acknowledgment of that dominion,
have used to take down their flags upon
sight of the Admiral of England, and not to
bear it in his presence, you are, as much as
in you lies, to endeavor to preserve the
dominion of the sea, and to cause the ships
of all other nations to strike their flags and
not to bear them up in your presence, and to
compel such as are refractory therein by
seizing their ships and sending them to be
punished, according to the Laws of the Sea,
unless they yield obedience and make such
repair as you approve."*

The Commonwealth of England, in self-
defence of their shipping, and as a direct blow
against the Dutch, enacted the celebrated
Navigation Act of 1651, directing that all
goods imported into the Kingdom of Britain,
or into her colonies, must be carried either in

* Bloomfield: "The National Flag," p. 186.

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The Sovereignty of the Seas.

119

English ships or in those of the country whence
the cargo was obtained.

The Dutch and EngHsli navies sailed the
seas watching the movements of each other's
flags, and minding the welfare of their mer-
chant marine. Bickerings were frequent, but
in May, 1652, off Dover, Tromp brought the
right to salute to a crisis. The Dutch fleet
bore down in strength upon the English with-
out lowering their colours. When Tromp was
within musket-shot the English Admiral gave
orders to fire at his flag. At the third shot
Tromp answered by a broadside. In sucli way
the first Dutch War began.* Although the
Parliament had become alive to the value of a
navy, yet the unpreparedness of the previous
years now told its tale, for when the season of
1652 had closed, the Dutch had swept the
English flag from the Narrow Seas, and Tromp
is traditionally reported to have triumphantly
carried a broom at his mast-head as a sign of
his complete success.

Tromp's glory was of but short duration, for
the Roundhead dragoon, Blake, nicknamed
" The cavalryman at sea," soon clipped his wings.
In return for the compliment of the previous
year, Blake, after his victory, ran up a pennant

Hannay: " Short History of the Royal Navy."

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120

History of the Union Jack.

on his mast, hm^ and narrow like a whip-lash,
to show that he had in his turn driven the
Dutchman off the seas ; and the whip-lash
masthead pennants, with the 8t. George cross
in the white ground at the head (23), borne on
all Her Majesty's ships in commission, serve
as reminders of the story of this exploit to the
present day.*

23. Whip-lash Pennant, British Navy.

Peace followed in 16r)4. In this treaty of

peace the Dutch agreed that :

" Tlie ships of the Dutch — as well in shins
of war as others — meeting any of the ships
of war of the English Commonwealth in the
British Seas, shall strike their flags and
lower their topsail in such manner as hath
ever been at any time heretofore practised
under any form of government."

Thus had the old sea supremacy of the
nation of Engknid, claimed by King John,
been again ackn(»viedged ; but on this occasion
it was for the first time accorded to England
by the terms of a formal treaty.

* These masthead pennants, with the St. George cross at the
head, are worn on all Her Majesty's ships in commission. They
?^ary in length from 9 to 60 feet, and in width 2^ inches to 4 inches,
nd are worn as a sign of command both night and day.

The Sovereignty of the Seas.

121

It was til. 10(1 cross Jack of 8t. (ftM)rt(e,
introduced bv Kicliard L, and raised as his
*' Iloyal Flag" by King- John, which had in
pre\i()iis times received the honour of the
" Sovereign Lordship of the seas." We have
seen how for a while its place had been shared
by the additional two-crossed Jack of James ;
but now, by the incident of the temporary
<lissohition with Scotland under the C*om-
monwealth, the English Jack was once more
reigning in sole possession of the flag-staff,
to receive by the terms of this treaty the
renewal of that proud homage which its single
red cross had received four centuries before.
It was a happy coincidence which the flag of
the seafaring Englishman most fully deserved.

CHAPTER XI.

THE SOVEREIGNTY OF THE SEAS.

THE FIGHT FOR THE TRADE.

I «

I'll
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Notwithstanding the check which they had
received in their career, the marine power —
both naval and merchant — of the Dutch kept
on increasing. The hostihties against Spain
conducted under Cromwell had transferred
the Spanish carrying trade to the Dutch from
the English ships, which had previously en-
joyed it. The Dutch had also challenged the
English merchantman in his own trade as well
as becoming general carriers for all Europe ;
so much so that they were termed " The
wagoners of all the seas."

It was the contest for the money value of
the " command " of the seas which was rerlly
being waged, and the commerce of distant
continents was the prize which would fall to
the victor's share. Vessels of the Dutch and
other nations were ordered to heave to, or
were stopped l)y a shot across their bows, not
only to compel observance of the supremacy
of the flag, but also to search their holds for

The Sovereignty of the Seas.

123

goods which the searchers might consider
should have been carried in English ships.

The Dutch had agreed to acknowledge the
English flag in the British seas, but the
English claimed it should be saluted in all.
In 1663 De Ruyter and Admiral Lawson had
almost come to cannon shots in the Mediter-
ranean over salutes claimed for the flag, and
recriminations and searchings had extended
to the waters of the far East Indies, where
the Dutch, who had taken the Cape of Good
Hope from the Portuguese, were competing
with the English ships for the merchant trade.

Soon, under Charles II. (1665-67), another
Dutch war blazed out, during which De lluyter
sailed up the Thames to (xravesend and
destroyed the ships at Chatham and in the
Medway, and London was for the first time
startled by the sound of an enemy's guns.
Again the success was but temporary, for at
the close of the war Xew Amsterdam in
America, and with it the command of the
Hudson River, was ceded to the English.
The name of the new territory then obtained
was changed to New York, in honour of the
Duke of York, the king's I)rotlier, which
English and royal name it still retains,
although now forming the principal maritime

124

History of the Union Jack.

'pi

city of the Repul)lic of the United States.
With the booty came, in the articles of peace,
the old-time ascri})tion of sovereignty to the
British flag. It was again agreed by one of
the articles of the treaty :

" That the ships and vessels of the so
United Provinces, as well men-of-war as
others, meeting any man-of-war of the said
King of Great Britain in the British seas,
shall strike their flag and lore the topsail in
such manner as the same hath been form-
erly observed in any times whatsoever."*

But the rivalry was too intense to continue
much longer without coming to a definite
climax. The "command" foreseen by Kaleio'h
was at stake. Both nations had the mari-
time instinct, and both the genius of colon-
izing power, so that one or the other of them
must give place and leave to the survivor the
supreme possession of all that this command
implied.

Formal negotiations between the govern-
ments had Deen rife, but the vital test was the
supremacy due to the flag. An English royal
yacht was ordered to sail through the Dutch
men-of-war in the channel and to fire on them
if they did not strike their flags. An ultima-
tum was sent summoning Holland to acknow-

* Treaty of Breda, 1667.

The Sovereignty of the Seas.

125

ledge the right of the EngHsh crown to the
sovereignty of the British seas and to order
its fleets to k)vver their flags to the smallest
English man-of-war. *

Thus the third and final war came on in
1672 and continued until 1()74.

The plain red fighting flag of the English
navy of the day was flying at the fore on the
men-of-war as the signal to " engage the
enemy," an<l the ensign red was at the
stern of both men-of-war and merchantmen
as the national ensign. War immediately
commerced, and while the royal navy was
battling with its guns, the merchant navy of
England was (^utting into the carrying trade
of the Dutch, so much so that at its close the
British merchant ships had captured the
greater part of the foreign business of the
enemy, and l)y thus exhausting their earnings,
and reducing the fighting resources of the
Dutch, contributed to the final victory almost
equally with the exploits of the men-of-war.

The contest, though short, was very sharp.
The strife had been for the merchant carrying-
trade of the world, and when it was won,
whole colonies were transferred with it to the
victorious Enghsh.

Mahan.

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History of the Union Jack.

During the interval which had followed
since the previous war the English had re-
turned their newly acquired possession of
New York to the Dutch in exchange for the
Dutch possessions in Guiana,* but now they
took both these countries back, and the Island
of St. Helena, which, in the beginning of the
war had been captured l)y the Dutch by an
expedition sent from their colony at the Cape
of Good Hope, was again recovered to the
British flag. These possessions formed only
a portion of the victor's spoil. Above all of
these and other great money results, the old
sea spirit again asserted itself, and setting into
inferior position the additions to the realm, or
the compensations exacted for the expenses of
the war, the final treaty declares among its
first clauses the lordly renewal of the centuries-
old right of the respect and salute due to the
nation's flag :

"In due acknowledgment on their part of
the King of Great Britain's right to have his
flag respected in the seas hereafter men-
tioned, shall and do declare and agree, that
whatever ship or vessels belonging to the
said United Provinces, whether vessels of
war or others, or whether single or in fleets,
shall meet in any of the seas from Cape Fin-

* The boundaries of the territories then transferred formed the
subject of the recent Venezuela excitement, 1896.

The Sovereignty of the Seas.

127

isterre to the middle point of the land Van
Staten, in Norway, with any ships or ves-
sels belonging to His Majesty of Great
Britain, whether these ships be single or in
great number, if they carry His Majesty's
of Great Britain flag or Jack, the aforesaid
Dutch vessels or ships shall strike th'iir flag
and lower their topsail in the same manner
and with as much respect as hath at any
time, or in any place, been formerly prac-
ticed towards any ships of His Majesty of
Great Britain or his predecessors, by any
ships of the States General or their prede-
cessors." *

The "Jack" of His Majesty Charles II.,
which was the sign of His Majesty's shii)s, was
the two-crossed "achlitional" Jack of his
father, which had l)een restored to the navy
at the Restoration, and as shown on the
Nasehy (21).

This Jack was Hvino- at the l)ow and on the
mizzen of the ships of war, and at tlie stern
was the sign of nationality, the "ensign red "
with the St. George cross.

The ensign red which the ships of that
royal navy bore when they thus won the final
supremacy of the sea from the navy of Hol-
land was the flag worn also by the British
merchantmen of the time, and on them
witnessed the obtaining of that other com-

* Treaty of Westminster, Charles II. and Holland, 1674.

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128

History of the Union Jack.

maiid, then won from the Dutch, '* t/f(' rom-
mand of the tnide, ivlrh'h is the commnud of
the riches of the worlds To this victory
the merchant mariner, by his seamanship and
energy, had done his full share, and had won
his right to wear it as his own. Worthily,
therefore, at this present day do the merchant
ships of Britain wear the red ensign on every
sea and in every clime, in rightful acknowledg-
ment of the part their predecessors })layed in
the g-iining of the supremacy of the sea.

Thu-. suju'emacy, and still more the spirit of
sea supremacy, has ever remained dominant in
the souls of British seamen.

When in March, 1889, the harbour of Apia,
in Samoa, was devastated by a terrific cyclone,
and all the ships of other nations dragged their
anchors and were driven ashore, it was with
this native spirit that the British sailors
slipped their cables and set out for their ocean
home on the open sea. As the British man-
of-w^ar breasted the hurricane and battled
through the breakers at the harbour mouth,
the American sailors on their flagship liodney,
sinking with fires extinguished* inside the bar,
cheered her as she passed, a cheer which rang
round the world, and the bold Calliope, with
her British ensign above her, and her " hearts

* R. L. Stevenson : " Letters from Samoa."

The Sovereignty of the Seas.

129

of oak " within, Vv^on her way to safety far
out in the wildest storm.

With such widespread venture in her people,
such spirit in her ships and record in her flag,
no wonder is it that the British Navy and the
British merchant marine, exceed in number
and in power tliose of any other nation on the
globe. Well, therefore, with lusty throats and
cheerful hearts, Britannia's children sing :

" Rule, Br? tan a id,
Britdunia rnles' the wares-!''

ililij

:!ii I I

( HAPTER XII.

THE JACK OF QUEEN ANNE, 1707.
THE FIRST UNION JACK.

The story of the flag now l)rings us to the
creation of the first iral Union Jack.

In the year 1707, being the sixth year of
tlie reign of Queen Anne, the parliaments of
England and Scothmd were at length l^rought

into union in one par-
liament. Up to this
time there had not l)een
one distinctive " Union
Jack " to represent }>oth
the kingdoms — no one
flag taking the place of
the separate national
Jacks of St. George and St. Andrew, which
the English or Scotch subjects of the sovereign
had always continued to use, according to
their nationality.

Immediately after the union of the two
parliaments, Queen Anne issued her proclam-
ation creating " Our Jack," to be used in the
ensign of the now completely united kingdoms
of Great Britain, the flag thus authorized being
the first '' Union " Jack (24).

24. Union Jack of Anne,
1707.

' ".lui i m B i

The Jack of Queen Anne, 1707.

131

Royal Arms.

With threti fleur-H-ih-liiH quarfereif in (he second'^, and the motto,

''Semper Eadem."

"BY THE QUEEN.

" A Proclamation — Declaring ivhat ensign
or colours shall be worn at sea in mer-
chant ships or vessels belonging to any
of Her Majesty's subject f^ of Great
Britain and the Dominions thereunto
belonging. — Anne R.

" Whereas, by the first article of the Treaty
of Union, as the same hath been ratified and
approved by several Acts of Parliament, the
one made in our Parliament of England, and
the other in our Parliament of Scotland, it
was provided and agreed that the ensigns
armorial of our Kingdom of Great Britain
be such as we should appoint, and the
crosses of Saint George and Saint Andrew
conjoyned in such manners as we should
think fit, and used in all flags, banners,
standards and ensigns both at sea and land ;
we have, therefore, thought fit, by and with
the advice of our Privy Council, to order
and appoint the ensign described on the side
or margent hereof, to be worn on board all
ships or vessels belonging to any of our
subjects whatsoever ; and to issue this, our
Royal Proclamation, to notifie the same to
all our loving subjects, hereby strictly charg-
ing and commanding the masters of all
merchant ships and vessels belonging to our
subjects, whether employed in our service
or otherwise, and all other persons whom it
may concern, to wear the said ensign on
board the ships or vessels."

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132

History of the Union Jack.

After creating the eusipv, which was to be
used by all ships, warning was given r gainst
the using of the single Jack, or of any of the
distinctive flags of the lloyal Navy, without
permission.

'* And whereas, divers of our subjects have
presumed on board their ships to wear our
flag, Jacks and pendants, which, according
to ancient usage, have been appointed as a
distinction for our ships, and have worn
flags, Jacks and pendants in shape and
mixture of colours so little diflerent from
ours as not without difliculty to be dis-
tinguished therefrom. We do, therefore,
with the advice of our Privy Council, hereby
strictly charge and command all our subjects
whatsoever, that they do not presume to
wear in any of their ships Our Jack, com-
monly called the * Union Jack' nor any
pendants, nor any such colours as are usually
worn by our ships without particular war-
rant for their so doing from us."

The proclamation then stated that no other
ensign was to be used, and that it was to
take the place of the ensign up to that time
used by merchant ships.

" And to hereby further command all our
loving subjects that without such warrant
as aforesaid they presume not to wear on
board their ships any other ensign than the
ensign described on the side or margent
hereof, which shall be ivorn instead of the

iSII

$"3

The Jack of Qteex Axxe, 1707.

133

ensign before this time usually worn on
merchant ships.

" Given at our Court at Windsor, the 28th
day of July, in the sixth year of our reign.

"God Save the Queen."

Here, then, we have the estal)lisliment of a
new flag in accordance with the intention of the
Treaty of Union, a treaty which had received
the separate approval of the Parliament of
England, and of the Parliament of Scotland,
before either had passed out of existence and
become merged in the new '' Union " Parlia-
ment. In thic* flag the crosses of St. George
and St. Andrew were conjoined ; the new flag
w^as called *' Our Jack " (PI. vi., lig. 1), which
in its simple form, as a single Jack, w^is not
to be used afloat on any other ships than Her
Majesty's Royal Navy without particular war-
rant.

We have seen how, in 1660, th^ St. George
cross had been left in possession of the upper
corner of the '' ensign red."

A notable change was ^\i>\^ made. Al-
though the St. George cross remained, as it
still does, in the " command pennant " of all
otticers of the Royal Navy, its place in the
upper corner of the ensign red w^as now taken

iillB

134

History of the Union Jack.

lUI! '

;::i,v.

bv the new " Union Jack," in the form as
shown '' in the niargent " (25).

ft ;
■4 f.

A P H C

Declaring what Enfign or
Jonging to any otHer
unto belonging.

ANNE R.

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Oftt
Cot
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Kui
£(){
Ohi
com
etil

0(C(

rlitii
9iUw ono i&utu(t or ^ fo little

htni fimini uttcntitti W vA Jncoi

pmi)> eotiiKfl, (jcrcbp antiit/ vCfjAroe ant
0) at(rris S>iir Lull, cainincnic M<I«t> 1 '
linrticiiliirKlntrant Id) tfjcir To Doinp froi
9tiiiiti.ii, roj tbc Ctnit bcliiQ : diio do ()i
iljf)' PKfimic not to Cilc.1t on TBoatO tl
aiiji Who of pciiDant toUnifucbtr, oi «n)
oidii of tbr CiiriQn iicra]c tbttf %\m, ufu
<£otiiniilDaii0 of itttcrtf of <)3act O) B
cipal (Dfficccd nnr Coiiinilinonecs of Our .
(Comniifflonrro fo> (Tiir <j:uftoms, aiiO «
Cur Kopal Utill nno ipleafuct t0, %M
louts 0} ifn&Bii tct(bk> ctppoiiitra to t
tbe upiitt €o;iicc tbitcof tictt tbc 9iU
t(r0 aiiD €oinitiiaionct0 of £)ur JiSaui), ti
tn(fltoiitt0 fo) Otic Cuflonifi. aiib t(ic C
Ulcar a BcD Siotk uiltb a Qnton Jack 1;
t}e fafo lack (ball be Ocfctibcu tNe en

empiopco, aiiD me do anaip Cbaco:
OiSftiBlonXacks, unltft tbtp Qmii baut
IxfiDjMnriitfonrD Ctfllctn. anD Oic b
t«l, tbt 0oDcrno)0 of £>tir io)t0 ano C
w\ tbeClmc bcfng> upon tbdr ^ttitutr
liig to C^ltar tbe CnOgn firrtbi) appoln
unto, bbctbtf at era, 0}(n 9o)ti not,

25. The Red Ensign in " The Margent," 1707.

The " red ensign," thus formed, was ordered
thereafter to be worn by all ships, both mer-

* — .

The Jack of i^)L'EEN Anne, 1707.

135

4;
4

cliaiitnien and Her Majesty's service ; and,
furthermore, no other ensign was to 1)6 worn
excei)t this " red ensign," with the new
Union Jack in the ujumm' corner, which was
to take the phice of the separate national
Jacks and the of *' ensign red " previously used
on the merchant ships of the subjects of the
sovereign.

Here, then, ceased the official authorit;/ as
national Hags of the separate crosses of St.
George and 8t. ^\n(h'ew, and l)egan the reign
of the " First Union Jack " of the United
King(h)ms of England and Scotland, Then,
too, was first raised the British Union Ensign,
the "meteor flag" of the realm, to be worn
by all sul)jects of Britain's Queen, on land or
on sea, on merchant shi})s or on men-of-war,
so that wherever the ])lood-re(l flag should liy
the world should know the nation to which
its bearers belonged. In this /rd etm(fn
(PI. VI., fig. 2), the paramount flag of the
nation, the new " Union Jack," was j)laced ; a
position which, although enjoyed by the " Eng-
lish Jack," had never been occupied by the
''additional" Jack of James I., whose term
was now brought to a close.

The proclamation and drawing of the ensign,
as shown (25), are taken by photo reproduction

. %

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136

History of the Union Jack.

from the upi)ei' corner oi an original in the
British Museum, London.

A very noticeable ditt'erence will be seen to
exist between "our" new Jack of Queen
Anne, of 1707, and the "additional" Jack of
James, of 1006.

The white border surrounding the St.
George cross has l)een enlarged, and is no
longer a mere margin or " fiml)riation," but
has become a broad white l)and, distinctive in
size and appearance.

It has been contended bv those versed in

heraldry, and reference will subsecpiently be
made to their contention, that this alteration
was incorrectlv made, as it is not, thev con-
si<ler, in exact accordance with strict heraldic
restrictions.

There is, however, another view which may
l>e suggested, and which it is fair to entertain,
namely, that the alteration was really inten-
tional.

In the James I. Hag the ci'osses were **joyncd
according: to a form made by our heralds";^ in the
Queen Anne flag tlu\y are to be "conjoyncd in
such manners as we should think fit,'' t Most
probably the (lueen consulted her sailors,
and this time the designers were not think-

* See Proclamation, page 8'2. t-See Proclamation, page 131.

.. i

Red Ensign or Anne:

":i

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The Jack of Qieen Axne, 1707.

137

ing so much of heraldry and ancient heraldic
rules as of making a flag, and, while combining
the two crosses, of making two flags into one.

When the new flag-makers thus l)roadened
the white, they did it, one would suggest, for
the puq)ose of restoring to the Union flag
a part of the white ground of the 8t. Geoi'ge
Jack, w?«jch had previously l)een entirely
eft*aced, but which by the l)road white border
was now given a place in the " Union " in
company with the blue ground of the 8t.
Andrew.

A confirmation of this intention will be
found in the annals of the next change
in the Union Jack, which was made almost
a century later.

It may have been that some of the Queen's
designers were sailors, w ho had carried the red
cross of St. George, and now" that it was being-
withdrawn from the flag of the nation in favor
of the new comer, felt that it was l)ut due to
its centuries of glorious service that evidence
of the whole English Jack — its wdiite ground
as well as its red cross — should be retained
in the new national emblem.

Whether heraldically correct or not, there
the l)road white l)and first appeared, and has
ever since remained, showing the red cross

ii'

138

History of the Union Jack,

and white grouiKl of 8t. George's Jack, com-
bined with the white cross and blue ground
of St. Andrew's Jack, into one " Union Jack,"
which was hereafter to be the '' sole ensign"
of British rule.

It was this two-crossed Union Jack of Queen

l;:ii^

AViBW of NlAaARAFOB.T,

i3^ittii»i in /Atr'Pi'f"!' iTil^_

26. Fort Niagara, 1759.
(Reproduced from an old print).

Anne which was raised at Plassey, when Clive
won India, and at Pon<licherry and at Seringa-
patam. Xova Scotia and Newfoundland were
early (1713) transferred to it from the tleur-de-
lys, and Sir Wm. Johnson raised it in Canada

ill.

The Jack of Queen Anne. 1707.

139

^
h)

al)ove the old Fort Niagara, on the shores of
Lake Ontario * (26), when

" The last day came, and Bois le Grand

Beheld with misty eyes
The flag of France run down the staff,

And that of England rise." f

Under it Wolfe stormed Loni^houni, the key
fortress of Cape Breton, and, following up his
victory, climbed the Heights, and died victori-
ous on the Plains of Abraham (27), when in
1759 QnelH'c was gained, and all Canada came
under the realm of British law.

The youthful Nelson saw it Hy aloft when
he served as Captain's coxswain on a British
man-of-war searching for the North Pole, and
twentv-five years later when in glorious action
he w^on his title as Baron Nelson of the Nile.

The West Co((st of A/tint, Xetv Sotttli
Wales and Vaneoacer Maud were all added
under its display, showing how the mariners
of Britain were carrying it far across the
distant seas, more distant then than now, for
those sea-dogs of the " sceptred isles " boldly
raising their new Union Jack upon the mast,

* The artist would appear to have altered the flag shown on the
flagstaff in a sketch which he had made the previous year. The
sketch was made in 1758, and the Fort taken in 1759. An
" escutcheon " will be noted in the centre of the Union.

t Kirby : " Spina Christi."

r *

•

.■^

r.-

l»t

I—

O S

b '-'

<y £

" -a

w c

> o

o J

'^ .S

?? -=

o I

J o

a:
•y.

©I

g E

m5*w«"i>»J|«^JJ

The Jack of Queen Anne, 1707. 141

a-.

«:

F-^

I-H

.«

fin

»J

J»*

?•

■"*

~l^

•«;

■B

W fe

i>i

»i

braved the unknown oceans, and sailed their
ships wherever billows rolled or winds could
waft them.

8o it came that it was under this flag the
colonial possessions that dot the world around
were wrested from the flags of other nations
to form the foundation of that Greater Britain
which from these beginnings has since grown
up in all the regions beyond the seas.

1 !

:i ! '

I
i I

CHAPTEK XIII.

T//E JACK AND PARLIAMENTARY UNION

IN BRITAIN

The history of the flag so far as we now have
foHowed it has been the story of martial or
naval prowess and of the extension of its power
and command around the world ; but there is
another story told in its combinations which
is even greater in power and has still deeper
meaning in the welfare of the peoples who have
come l)eneath its sway.

The kingdom of England for centuries had
its own St. George's Jack, and the kingdom of
Scotland its cross of St. Andrew. These red
and white crosses had been the accepted sym-
bols of their respective nationalities. Each of
the kingdoms had its own separate parliament,
differing, it is true, from that of the other in
methods and in many details, but represent-
ing the constitutional machinery adopted in
each community for consultation between the
king and his subjects, who, through their
representatives, were advised upon matters
connected with the government of their
country, whether in its internal laws or in its

II i

The Jack and Pauliamentauy Union in Britain. 143

relations with foreign powei's. In course of
time the same sovereign, in the person of
James I., had by virtue of his ])irth succeeckMl
to the throne of England, as well as to that of
Scotictiid. The kingly office in both the king-
doms had thus been merged in the person of
one and the same king. A new flag had been
created representing the allegiance which had
then been joined in the one sovereign. In
this the crosses of the two kingdcmis had been
joined together in one design, Imt the separate
national elacks of each had ])een still retained
and their use continued in force.

These separate national Jacks were certainly
intended to evidence the continued separate
national existence of each kingdom, while the
new personal Jack or banner of the king-
would appear to have evidenced the union of
the thrones in one person, and to represent
the united fealty offered to the one king.
Yet it is fairly open to question whether this
Union Jack of James I. was ever intended to
mean as much as this, or whether it was not,
after all, introduced more for the purpose of
avoiding trouble between the sailors of the two
nations, and only intended at first to l)e a local
convenience for the preventing of dissensions.

The new Union Jack certainly did not repre-

144

History of the Union Jack.

sent a union of the nations, else why did the
two national Jacks still remain ? If it had
been intended to rejH'esent the fealty of his
sul)jeets to their kin*»-, why was not the red
cross of the Irish included as well as the
crosses of the En<^lish and the Scotch, for the
Irish were equally at the time subjects of
James I. ?

The Irish had, in fact, been subjects of his
predecessors for many centuries. In 1171,
after the concjuest of the island had been
effected by Henry 11. of England, the native
princes of Ireland had declared fealty to the
prince — not in his capacity as* king, but in evi-
dence of his position as having become by
conquest the *' Lord of Ireland." The country
had from very early (hiys l)een governed ])y its
own parliaments, whose meetings are recorded
as having taken place as early as 1295 ; but it
was not until 1522 that Ireland was raised to
the rank and designation of a kingdom. In
this year an Act w^as passed by the Parliament
of Ireland dechxring Henry VIII., the king of
England, to be also the king of Ireland ; and it
was by virtue of this Act that a king of Eng-
last first assumed the additional title of King
of Ireland. The flag of England was at this
same time the single St. George Jack ; yet,.

■I

..jL

■MIMMI

The Jack and PAur.iAMEXTAUY Union in Britain. 145

(lid the
' it liad

J of Ills

'lie red
as the
for the
sets of

of his
1171,
been
native
to the
n e vi-
ae by
amtiy
by its
3rded
but it
ed to
In
ment
ng of
nd it
Eng-
^ing
this

yet.

:.i

although the erowns were thus formally united,
the cross of St. Pati'ick was not added to the
red cross of St. George as a Union Jack in
sign of fealty to the one sovereign.

After this, the Kingdom of Ireland owed
fealty to three sovereigns of England in
succession ;* yet un<ler none of them were the
crosses of the two national flags joined together.
It was not until a Scotch king, the great-gi*and-
son of Henry VIIL, became King of England,
that any of the three national crosses were
ccmibined. In 1003, James I. I)ecame King of
Ireland and England, as well as of Scotland ;
yet notwithstanding that the three sister
kingdoms were? thus united in allegiance
under his united crown, the three se})arate
crosses of the national Jacks of each were not
united in one Hag. James I. on his accession
had at once added the Irish harp to the ([uar-
terings of his royal standard (16), but three
more years passed before he entered the red
cross of St. George in the '' additional " Union
Jack which he then created. All these inci-
dents point, evidently, to the view that the
union of the crosses of St. George and St.
Andrew in the new flag of 1606 Avas not, nor
could it be, an emblem of the union of thrones,

I •

Edward VI., Mary, Elizabeth.

. 1

:iili

Si'

■■WH

li I , I
iiji,

!i I

■hi

146

History of the Union Jack.

Imt was mainly deviscMl, as the kind's pro-
claniation distinctly stated, for the special and
local i)iii'pose of keepinjj;' the sailors of the two
nations most interested in shipi)in^^ at i)eace,
and thus to prevent their crews from (piarrel-
ling with one another as they sailed their
shii)s along the shores of (Jreat l^ritain.

It rccpiired, in fact, s(mietliing more than a
mere union of allegiance to create a real Union
Jack, and to entitle the national crosses of the
king(h)ms to be entered ujxm its folds ; and
what this requirement was the history of the
entry of the St. Pati'ick cross into the Union
Hag enables us to see even yet more clearly.

It will be remembered that a change in the
"ailditional " Jack of James was made in the
sixth year of the reign of (^ueen Anne, and
that the occasion of this change was coincident
with the union of the sej)arate parliaments of
England and Scotland into one British Parlia-
ment.

It was so soon as this occurred, ])ut not
until then, that the flag in which ^ two
national crosses were blended ^^s made the
sole national ensign.

It was in 1707 that this nist T nion Jack
was created. Queen Anne w^as at the time
Queen of Ireland as well as Queen of Eng-

The. Jack anu Pauliamentaky Union in Britain. 147

land iind Scotland. Slu* had ([uai'tercd the
hai'i) of Ireland in her royal stanchird five
years previously, at the time when she had
commenced her reign ; yet the (.^ueen when
forming the new flag did not join the cross of
St. Patrick in her Union Jack anv more than
had King James when forming his.

For ninety-four years longer the red cross
Irish Jack continued in its separate existence.
The reign of (.^ueen Anne had come to its
close ; three more sovereigns* in succession
had ascended the united throne of Great
Bi'itain and Ireland, and successive changes
had been made in the emblazon ings on the
Koval Standard, vet in all these reii'iis the
Union Jack, which had been declared to ])e
the only flag of the realm to l)e worn l)y their
subjects, and which was raised over the new
dependencies which the unite<l valour of all
three nationalities won for the cix)wn, con-
tained only the crosses of St. George and
St. Andrew, representing but two of the
kingdoms included under its rule (28).

At last, in 1801, during the forty-lirst year
of the reign of George III., the Irish Parlia-
ment was united with the Union Pai'liament
of England and Scotland, and then, and not

* George I., George II,, George III.

i I'

$4-

i!Iil"

148

History of the Union Jack.

i'li

1, I

till then, was the red cross of St. Patrick

blended with the other two national crosses.

The emblem of Scotland had not been

l)lended with that of England in one Union

28. KoRT Georgk and the Port of New York in 1770.

(From an old print.)

Jack until their parliaments had been united ;
so the eml)lem of Ireland was not added to
the other two until her parliament had also

'^\ —

The Jack and Parliamentary Union in Britain. 149

*atrick

TOsses.

been

Union

ro.

tefl;
I to
^Iso

been joined with theirs. 80 soon, then, as
the three kingdoms were joined in union
under one parHament, then for the first time
the three crosses of the three national Jacks
were united in one three-crossed Union Jack.

We thus have learned what was the neces-
sary (lualification to entitle a national cross to
])e entered in the union ensign.

It needed a union of parlia nents to create
a real Union Jack — a Hag in which the national
crosses should each continue to retain their
national significance, and, when joined together
in union, be still accorded the same precedence
which had previously attached to each when
separately displayed.

The historv of these successive blendin^s
shows most plainly that tht^ triune flag arose,
not from union under one sovereign, but from
legislative union under one parliament. The
Union Jack, therefore, has l)ecome the emblem
of the British Constitution. It is the signal
of the existence of Government under British
parliamentary irdon, and therefore, wherever
displayed, it inuicates the presence of British

rule and British law.

CHAPTER XIV.

THE TWO-CROSSED JACK IN CANADA.

Although the Union Jack has been built
up on the local Jacks of the three island king-
doms, its greatest glories have been won in
expeditions sent far across the seas to other
lands. The peo})le of the parent isles have
never needed to raise it as their signal in driv-
ing invaders from their own shores, and in
this way it does not bear that added vitality to
them which it bears to the resident Canadian,
that of being associated with brave defence of
home and native land. To the P^nglishman,
Irishman or Scotchman, in his own island
home, it is an emblem of foreign con(juest ; to
the immigrant and to the Canadian-] )orn it is
much more, as being the patriot signal of
national defence.

After the events of ITo^, Canada had
settled down into the })aths of peace ; soldier
and habitant vied in binding up (me another's
wounds, and evidencing all the pleasantries of
reconciliation.*

■" The nuns of the convents of (Quebec seweil togetlier hhmkets
to make trousers for the 78th Fraser Highhinders, who otherwise

■m

The Two-Crossed Jack in Canada.

151

A memorial, the like of which has never
been known elsewhere, either in history or
the world, has been erected in the scjuare of
" The Uovernor's Garden," at Quebec, to the
two heroes, Montcalm and Wolfe, equal in
valour, equal in fame. A united sentiment
raised this single monument to their united
memory, bearing upon it the noble inscription :

MORTEM, VIRTUS, COMMUNEM.

FAMAM, HISTORIA

MONUMENTUM, POSTERITAS DEDIT.*

As the glory of their champions was thus
intertwined, so the patriotism of the old French
occupjints and of the new-comers to Canada
began from this splendid example to blend
more eloselv in fraternal union.

The Treatv of Paris, in I7f)3, confirmed
the Union Jack in its position of being the
successor to the fieur-de-lys and the three

would have ha(' o protection against the snows tluring the first
winter of their .*ocu])ati()n of tlie citadel of Qiiehec. Tlie soldiers
of this regiment were given grants of land, and settled on the
nortii shove of the St. Lawrence, helow (Juehec, where they inter-
married with the French Canadians. It is a striking instance of
the amalgamating influence of the hnhlta\it that the descendants of
the Erasers are now Frasurn, and speak French as their native
tongue.

* "Valour gave them a common death, history a connnon fame,
posterity a common monument."

152

History of the Union Jack.

castles of Castile over all the territory on the
continent of America stretching from Lal)ra(lor
along the Atlantic coast sonthward to Florida,
and inland westward as far as the waters of
the Mississippi from their highest sources to
its mouth on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico. *

In pursuance of this treaty, King George III.
issued his proclamation (Octol)er, 17H3) creat-
ing four provinces and governments, named
Quebec, East Florida, West Florida, and
Granada, this last consisting of the islands of
the West Indies. Of these four the province
of Quel)ec comprised the territory lying ad-
jacent to the 8t. Lawrence river system, along
its whole length to the head waters on the
watersheds of the farthest inland lakes.

By this i)roclaniation French Canada ceased
to be a con(|uered country, and became a fully
established colony of the British king. It was
to l)e governed l)y a govei'iior and an asscml)ly,
entitled to arrange its own taxation, have

* The Treaty of Paris was concluded at Paris, 10th February, 17()3,
by George III. of Oreat Britain, Louis XV. of France, Charles III. of
Spain, and Joseph of Portugal. France ceded to Britain all countries
east of the Mississippi except the town of New Orleans ; and Spain,
in consideration of the return to her of Havana and the Island of
Cuba — which had been captured during the war by the English —
ceded Florida with the Bay of Pensacola and all her territories in
North America to the East or Southeast of the Mississippi.

The Two-Crossed Jack ix Canada. 153

control of its own internal welfare and local
government, and eni})owered to institute its
own courts of law; nut to every subject, new
or old, of the kin<»-, there was reserved the
right of appeal to the foot of the throne itself
in the Privv (V)uncil of (ii'eat Britain, should
any person think himself aggrieved by the
decision of his own locally appointed courts.*

The French Canadian subject soon began
to find for himself the beneficent character of
British rule. He was no longer harried by an
irresponsil)le governor or a grasping " inten-
dant " for the enrichment of a far-distant
court, ])ut was assisted in every wav in the
local develojmient of his country. His personal
property was assured, and he soon ])ecame
sensible of the certainty of English law.

An Act of Parliament followed, formallv
and still further guaranteeing to the French-
s})eaking subjects the (piiet continuance of
their most cherished customs. +

The Quebec Act of 1774 confirmed the
hah it ant in the free exercise of his Roman
Catholic religion, and restored to him his old
French civil law {dulr Cir'ih'), ))ut provided
that in all criminal matters the law of England,

* Royal Proclamation under Treaty of Paris, 17().S.
t Quebec Act, 1774, Section 11.

1.54

History of the Union Jack

wliicli had been found so satisfactory, was to
remain in force.

Content with his lot, secure in his home,
and sure that good faith would ever be kept
with him and his descendants, the French
C^anadian i)roved loyal to the trust which was
now confided to him.

After having been for sixteen years an
English colony, Canada was invaded in 1775
by the forces of the thirteen older English
colonies to the south, which, after a series of
altercations and misunderstandings, due main-
ly to their refusal to contribute toward the
expense of maintaining the military forces
emi)loyed for their protection — or to what
would now 1)6 called Im})erial defence^ — had
consorted together in revolution against their
parent state. After entering Montreal, which
had been abandoned to them, the Revolution -
arv forces concentrated around the walls of
Quebec for an assault upon the citadel. Be-
low were the rebels against the British crown ;
above, upon the Queen's bastion on Cape
Diamond, Hew the two-crossed Unit)n Jack,
and within the fortress, under Sir (luvCarletcm,
the friend and fellow-soldier of Wolfe, was a
garrison of l,SOO men, one-third of whom
were Fiencli Canadian militia, headed bv Col.

The Two-Crossed Jack in Canada.

155

Lecompte Dupre. The invaders from New
York were, however, reckoning without their
host. They had expected to find the French
Canadians dissatisfied with their lot ; but, in-
stead, they found them standing side by side
with their British friends and joining with
them i*^ common defence of their native Can-
adian hind.

The assault commenced on the night of
December 31st, 1775. At the point of attack
at Pres-de-Ville, in lower town, the guard was
under the command of Captain Clmbot and
Lieutenant Picard, of the French Canadian
militia, and the guns were served by sailors
from the British ships, with Sergeant Hugh
McQuarters of the Royal Artillery in charge.
The attack was boldly met, General Mont-
gomery, the leader of the United States forces,
was killed, Geueral Arnold, his second in
command, wounded, and the whole invading
force was i)ut to rout.

Thus were the historic heights and rann)arts
of old Quebec again crowned with a l^ritish
victory ; but this time with one in which the
French Canadians were themselves the brave
defenders of the Union Jack.

No wonder the French-speaking Canadian
looks upon this flag with pride, and, as one of

]5fi

H.sroRv OP .,„, u^,^^ j^^,^

'I'-iven the Uiiited St. 1 '^' victoriously

t""e the, Imv tt^^^ ;"™:'«- '-k each
<^'"m(lia„ soil '" "''««'^' '"■« love.1

l%o.I l<Ueroni;iiVr'-^«'-<l.V

•"'I Aew Brunswick, l.ut 1. '^''°'"*

'•"••^■etcl to the western P"nc.i)a]ly

f-unla, all tlu-ee rft W r" "'' f ^^^^
"'tl;eJX,nu„ion,orU:io;^r;S^^

«l'.te settlers, who lr,"ll" ""■' '""' '' ^^
<''«t'-<-ets l.v t .e c . nee .'" '''''"^'"^ '» "'«

-- -ajHn, v^ftr^Lltr •^^■■"^' ^- ^-
^'•e«a,la„tryoftherrench-speakin,Brito„.

The Two-Crossed Jack in Canada. 1.')7

at (Quebec, in 177."), had kept the TTnion Jack
flyinj^" above Canadian soil, and to Canada's
unl)roken forests the Knglish-speaking* Loyal-
ists therefore came, leaving the old colonies
l)ecause they would have their loved flag
once more float above them.

Never does history relate such devoted
loyalty to a Hag as was shown by this migra-
tion of* the U. E. Loyalists'*^— men giving up
homes, farms, comi)ani(mship and wealth, and
with their wives and little ones following a
flag for conscience sake into an undeveloped
and almost unknown land.

" Ritjht staunch and true to the ties of old.

They sacrificed their all,
And into the wilderness set out,

Led on by duty's call.
The aged were there with their snow-white hair,

And their life-course nearly run.
And the tender lau«^hing little ones,

Whose race had just begun.' f

It was enough foi* them that the Union Jack
was the Hag of Canada ; so they followed it
to the far north. Here they lived out the
balance of their <lays, and, <lying, have been
buried in the sacred soil beneath its folds.

* " United Empire Loyalists," so called because they preferred
to remain united with the parent Empire rather than become
citizens of another I^tate.

t Jakeway : " The Lion and the Lilies."

158

History of the Union Jack.

Certain it is that tlieii* descendants will ever
jn'ove true to their loyal faith, that no otlier
realm shall possess their hones nor other
nation's Wn^ Hy above their ji^raves.

Snch, then, was the esteem in which Cana-
dians lield tlie two-crossed Union Jack. Even
l)efbre tlie past century had commenced,
tlie French -speakin*;' Loyalist in eastern Can-
a(hi liad laid (h)wn his life in its (U'fence ; and,
preserved to the countiy l)y this h)yalty, the
En^lish-speakin<;' Loyalist there souj^ht his
new Iiome in the far-off forest, so that he and
liis loved ones might continue to live beneath
its swav.

Truly was this two-crossed Union Jack
the flag' of (/anachi, and as truly is its three-
crossed successor, our present Union Jack, the
native birthright of the sons of its defenders
and the successors of those patriot pioneers.

■ i

»'

mmm

smijjuijjass as

I ever
) otlicr

OtllOl'

Caiia-
Kven

'need,
Can-
and,

', tlio

t Jijs

leatli

CHArTKIJ XV.

THE JACK AXD /\l h'/.LlMEXTAR Y i'XJOy

I\ CA.VADA.

In adtlition to its liafmoiiv with the stoi'v
of the union and the i»ro\vtli of tlie constitu-
tion in tlio niotlicrland, the Union Jack lias
also an inteivsting comu'ction with the exten-
sion of the powers and advantages of the
British Constitution in Canada, and particu-
larly with the establishment of i'esj)onsil)le
parliamentary government among its ])eople.

In 17.")*> the seeds of the new nationalitv
had been sown u])on the I Mains of Abraham,
where the blood of Wolfe and Montcalm had
mingled to enrich the soil, and the power of
France in Canada l)ecamc merged in the
})ower of England.

The French forefathers of the new subjects
of King George II. had come largely from
those very portions of old France whose
people had crossed over to England with Wil-
liam the Conijueror and given the l^ritish their
king.

^iii:

1(50

History ok the Union Jack

1|i. :(

i;1.

Ell ' > I

As savs onu of our Krciuli (^anadiaii his-
torians :

"The iinmij^ratiou of the Frcncli, oxtondin^
fi'oin l()l]4 to \l'2i), was alin(»st (.'iitiivly from
amoii^' the Nonnans of Dieppe and Kouimi, so
that the scttU'd portion of ('ana(hi was to all
intents and purposes a reproduction of a Nor-
man province. The sul)s(Mjuent settlers were
mainly selected in l\ochelle, l*oictou, l*aris
and Normandy, to the exclusion of ])ersons
from the soutli and east, and comin;;' out
single, they married the dauj^hters of the
settled Normans. This accounts for the
marked ahsence of any hut the Norman
accent and form of speech throuj.»hout the
Krench-s|)eakin^' connnunities of ('anachi at
the present day." *

Thus the new French-speaking subjects in
Canada were onlv returning
alleu'iance to the sover-

11)

ei<»ntv of a kiim' whose an-

cestors had been placed upon

the Enj^lish throne hy their

own Norman forefathers;

ui)on whose royal arms ('JO)

were disj)layed the three

fieurs-de-lijs as si^n of his

claim, through his ancestors

to the thrcme of France (15) ; upon whose

* Benjamin Suite, " The Origin of the French-Canadians."

21). IJoYAL Arms ok

(jEOROE II.

Tiik.Iack and Pahi.iamkntauy Union in Canada. Ull

crown was tlir motto in their Freiu-li lan^niaj^ii
" h'nn i't Mail hnt'it','* and who bv tlio re-
tcMition of oM ciistonis still j^avo his consent
to the laws enacted in his Ih'itisli Parliament
in the same old Norman phrase, " Lc Rn'i le
ri'iilt'' (*' The Kin«^ wills it"), which had been
used by his Norman forefathers, t

The French Jtahitant felt how easy was the
renewal of the old relationshij), and accei)ted
the change in the way so well exi)ressed in his
Canadian voyageur patois :

" An' dat was de way we feel, w'en de ole re(/ime's
no more,

An' de new wan come, but don't change moche ;
w'y its jus' lak' it be before,

Spikin' Francais lak' we alway do, an' de Eng-
lish dey mak' no fuss.

An' our law de sam', wall, I don't know me, 'twas
better mebbe for us." +

There now commenced on this continent
an evolution of internal government of the
I)eople similiar to that which had taken place
in the ohl land of England, hut under reversed
conditions. An eminent French authority vj

* First used at (iisors, in Normaiirly, in 1198.

t Tiie custom is still continued, and the consent of Queen
Victoria to Acts passed by Parliament is given in Norman
French, "La Reyiie It reiitt'"

X VV. H Drummond : "The Habitant."

Jj Ouizot : " Essais sur I'Histoire de France."

1G2

History of the Union Jack.

I .

lias stated liis l)elief' that P^nj^laiid owed her
liberties to her having been con(|uered by the
Normans, and to this we may add the state-
ment of a no less important English author,!
that "assuredly England was gainer by the
eoiKjuest." As the advent of Norman rule to
England had resulted in sueli privileges to the
English [)eoi)le, so assuredly the eession of
Quebec and the introduction of English gov-
ernment into Canada brought ecjual blessings
to the descendants of those self-same Normans.

The Erench Canadian found that under the
Union Jack his ][)roperty was secure. Under
the old regime the Erench Canadian liad prac-
tically no voice in the government of his
count rv. There was no svstem of elective
municipal government, no freedom for public
meetings ; ad the legislative and excutive
power, even to its extremest details, being-
centralized through the governor and intend-
ant in the ])erson of the king of Erance, who
was two thousand miles awav. Eindin*'' his
religious faith untrammelled, his freedom unim-
paired, his language ])reserved, the habitant
soon settled d<>wn without objection to his
new soverei^ntv.

In 1774, the E>iitish Parliament i)asse<l the

+ Gibbon.

I— li

K<>v-

The Jack and Parliamentary Union in Canada. 1G3

Act known as tlic "Qiic])cc Act," which
{^ranted an increased sliare of local govern -
ment to the people of the great i)rovince
comprising Canada which was then set apart,
and the greater })ortion of which is now within
the present Dominion. This measure of self-
government still further assured the French-
descended Canadians of the protection of their
liberties, so that when the English-descended
colonists of the thirteen English state colonies
to the south of them revolted from their
allegiance in, 177.'), Canada stood firm hy the
British crown. The descendants of the Nor-
mans in (^mada were true to the government
which their forefathers had heli)ed to create in
England.

The march of events now brought an addi-
tional set of new subjects to the l^ritish
constitution as it had then been establishe<l
in Canada.

The granting of separation to the thirteen
United States, in 17S:5, was followed by the
innnigi'ation to Canaihi* of those loyal souls
whose hearts revolted at the action of their old
colonies in taking down the Union Jack, and
who refused to separate themselves fi'om the

* A similar immigration took place at the sniiie time to the
provinces of Nova Sootia and New Hnuiswick.

.>
■;■*

\ ■

104

History of the Union Jack.

Tiiited Empire, in whose ultimate justice
tliey had unwavering faith.

These "United Empire Loyalists" settled
maiidy in the western parts of Canada. Of
the (piarter of a million souls who then formed
the total population, about a hundred and
forty thousand were of French language and
descent, living in the counties adjacent to the
St. Lawrence Kiver ; and of the forty to
fiftv thousand Lovalists who, it is estimated,
reached the Northern colonies during or im-
mediately after the rel)ellion of 177."). over
iwenty-nve thousand had, hy 1786, settled
along the western lakes.

(iovernment in Canada had hitherto been
conducted bv a (lovernor and a Legislative
Uouncil ai)|)ointed by the Urown. A further
advance in constitutional self-government was
now considered desirable, and the "Constitu-
tional Act of 1791 " was passcMl. The ancient
l*rovince of (^)iiebec was divided into two
provinces, called Lower Canada and Upper
Canada, very fairly representing the localities
occupied, the one by the older or French-
speaking subjects of His Majisty, and the
other by the new coming English-speakmg
loyalists, who had followiMl their old Hag into
the forests of the north-land.

ative
rtlior
was
titu-
•iont
two
3per
ties
icli-
the

nto

The Jack and Pauliamentary Union in Canada. 165

This Act of 1791 ^avc the rij^lit of parlia-
montary j^oveniment to the people of (^anacla.
A Le*'islative (Council and a House of Assembly
were created for each province, the niemhers
of the latter house hein^* elected by the people
in the counties and towns of each.

The Le«»isl!iture of Upper Canada held its
Hi. I session at Newark (now Xia^ara-on-the-
Lake) in 1702, suinmoiKMl, as said (xovernor
Siincoe in his opening* speech, " Under the
authority of an Act of Parliament of (Ireat
i^ritain, })assed in the last year, which has
established the British (Constitution in this
<listant countrv." To this he added :

"The wischmi and beneficence of our Most
(iracious Soverei^^n and the British Parliament
have been eminentlv proved not oniv in im-
parting" to us the same form of <;'overnment,
but in securiu}^' the benefit of tlie many pro-
visions which i^uai'd this memorable Act, so
that the blessinj^s of our invulnerable con-
stitution, we hope, will be extended to the
remotest posterity."

As a si^n of this sc^lf-j^ovei'nment under the
Bi-itish Urown, tlie kin^ issued his wari'ant
from th(^ Uourt of St. dames on March 4th,
170*J, authorizing a " Great Seal for the Pro-
duce of Upper Canada " {'M)), to be used in

1G6

History of the Union Jack.

sealing- all public instruments. Tlie engraving'
(J30), which is a photo reproduction of the seal

■'0. Tmk Uukat Skai. ok ri't'KH Canada, I7!>2.

attacluMJ to tiir Crown Patent of a gi'ant of
one huiuli'ed acres of land ncai' i'ort Hope,

The Jack and Pahliamentauv Union in Canada. 167

Upper Canada, made to a F. E. Loyalist, shows
the details of the design bein^-, as described in
the royal warrant, " an anchor and sword
crossed on a Ccduniet of peace, encircled by a
wreath of olives, siirinoiinted by an inii)erial
crown and the Union of (Ireat Biitain."

This " Union," which svill be seen in the
upper ri^ht-hand corner of the seal, was the
Union fJack of (^)neen Ainie. In drawini^s of
the arms of the Province of Ontai'io (the
new name i»iven to the I'lovince of Upper
Canada at the time of Confederation, in 1S()7),
the fbick is fre(|nently shown as containinj;'
three crosses. A I'cferencc t(» the imi)rcssions
made by the seal itself u|>on the ^reat pieces
of white wax, four and a half inches broad
by thi'ee-(|uartci*s of an inch in thickness,
wliich were attached I>y bands of paichmciit
or of tape to tin' olhcial docunirnts, show, as
is seen in the photograph, thai the "Union"
containecl two cjosscs only, namely, rlie cross
of St. (icorj^'c and the cross of St. .\ndrew.

The I'nitcfl Kmpirc Loyalists sought their
Iov(mI two-crossed Uni(>n Jack in Can.ida.
They found it not only tlyiii^' on the Maj^staff,
but also impressed on the seals of the j^i'ants
of land which were made to them in reco^ni-
turn of their lovaltv. ( )n these it came to

IficS

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H^ISTORY OF THE Tx.ox J^cK.

"•'"el. continues t,. tl.i.. . '', '""'■"""•Mts,"

'"«.! /.nrlianuMit l £; "^''"'^''f.^- "f every
Tills P.,; ' " "'^" 'f lias cicatcl.
'"IS I ni,.n J„ck on the (;,,..,f s; , • •

tins „ay n„, (.,„,,, " ."L.tt Soal ,« „,

'••^t"-..,, (Jroat • '""■''"""'"""•y union

«--""ont t.! t,;; L tine : o t:''^'''^''""^^^

e.st in tlu-s .same Gm w ' "'"' "" '"'"-
«i<le it Lore tl.e rov.l r 7 ■' '' "'" "'^ '■"■'''••^"
-«-erei,.:;;^.;:t-'--'-''therei,n-,

«f'''si.nvntiaMin.:;^i. :;;'■'''''""'■'•''

(-'")• WhattheU ,„ ""'.'•^'"•'^^''«'"— •

•'-'.-" o; tiJ S\; ;'''••-'• ;''••••"<•-.-

^ '"'""''■— visil., Ln ; • ,is' ''''■••'"■''

toi.ueetion with tl„. i ■ """ l'e'-«>iiitl

ii i

The Jack ANDPAnLiAMKXTAiiv Union in Canada. 109

This Union flack was also shown in tho
arms of the DepaitnuMit of Echication of Upper
('ana<hi, fivnn 1S44 to 1S70, (hn-in^- tlie rq/ime
of I)i'. Ryerson as Siiperinten(U'nt. In tliese
tlie (U'sij^n was the same as on theUreat Seal,
hut the Union Jaek was removed from the
u[)per corner and placed ui)on a shield in the
centre, upon which the two crosses of (j)ueen
Anne are plainly shown.*

31. Upfkk Canada Penny.

A furthc r adoption of the national emblem
is shown in the desimi on the early currency,
which was coined for use in the proyince.
The " penny " of the Hank of Uppei* Canada
(in) .shows on the one side St. (rcorge and the

* In the earlier stained glass windows placed in the Normal
School, Toronto, the head offices of the Department of Kducation
of Ontaiio, the three -crossed flag had heen shown, hut tliis, on tlie
suggestion of the writer, has heen corrected in tlie new windows
placed in the lihrary in ISHC.

170

HiSTOUY OF THE IJXION JaCK.

(lrjijj;()n, and on the other the arms of the
(iieat Seal, having on it tlie Union Jack,*
whieli good national emblem, no douht, made
the money that he earned more acceptable to
the Canadian Loyalist. These nuist have
l)een ha})i)V remindei's to the patriot, for on
the coins which j)assed cnrrent among his
people he was [)aid, and on the seal of the deed
of the iirant of land which his Loyalist father
had received for his new home, was the im-
print of the old Union ffack, placed there by
an Act of the Union Parliament of (li'eat
liritain, as the sign of his parliamentary nnion
with that United Knn)ii'e which connnanded
his alleuiance.

1 <

til

" TIh" design of tliis liiink of I'pper Ciiimda penny was made l)y
F. W. Cuinht'iliind, the fatlici- (it the uiiter.

>f tlio
ack,*
made
>^e to

iiave
>!' on
Ills
loc'd
tlwr
Jin-

CHArTEU X\ I.

THE JACKS IX THE THIRTEEN COLOXIES
OF NORTH AMERICA,

VVk now turn to tlio histoi'v of the flacks in
the country to the south ofCanachi, wlieie ini-
mip'ation from Kn^land had heen huildinj;' up
the thii'teen coh)nies wliicli suhseijuently
hecanie tl»e Tnited States of America. The
Spanisli flaj^' Iiad heen planted i!i \\\V\ hy
Cohunluis upon San Salva(h)r in the Haliamas.
In 1407 ('alK)t liad phiced the St. (leorj^e
cross of Henry VII. on the North Atlantic
sliores, and the Knj^lish claim l>y rij^ht of first
discovery was then laid to Newfoundland,
Ijahrador, and the coast of America fr(Mn
Cape IJi'eton to Maine. I'ndei' Klizaheth,
Halei;;h in ir>S4 expand(Ml the claim of the
St. (Jeor«;e cross in A'ii'^inia far to the south,
and in 1002, under the same tiaj;, IJartholomew
(losnold, sailinj;- out for the merchant adven-
turers of Bristol, exploited the shoi-es of Nan-
tucket, Martha's Vineyard, and Klizaheth,
which still retain the names he then ^ave them.
Other adventurei's, too, tliei'e were, who wei'e
searching;" the unknown resources of the new

172

HisTouv (►F THE Uniox Jack.

!('

t i

contiiKMit, but no sottloinonts wore poniian-
oiitlv ostahlislicd on those shores* hv anv

• • •

exce])t the Frenclinian, De Monts, wlio raised
the white tlaj^' of France at Port Roval, on th(^
Hav of Fnndv, an<l hiid the founchitions of tlie
town, in 100.').

Koi' more than two hunch'ed years the cross
of St. (Jeoi'j^e had heen prospecting^- ahnij;
these Atlantic shoi'es and layinj^' claim to their
possession, l)nt from this time on liegan the
contest for tlieir peimanent ownershi]).

The sovei'ei;^ns of France and Kn^land had
with profnse lil)erality j^iven royal grants of
American teri'itorv to their venturesome mer-
chant seamen, and in this manner James I.
in 10(^5 partitioned off the lar^^er part of these
shores to the two merchant-adventurer com-
panies of London and IMymouth.

The IMymouth (\)m[)any was granted the
C(mntrv between what is now known as New
Brunswick and Lonj^ Island, and the I.ondcm
Company from the Potomac to Cape Fear in
Carolina- the two hundred miles intervening^'
between them heinj^' left to separate their
boundaries, and so ensure peace between the
rival Companies.

It was into this interval that Hendrick

* Sttulucuna (l^uubec) was occupied by Curlier in 1535.

]] ►^^

TuE Jacks in the Tuiuteen Colonies. I7*i

Hudson sailed in 1007, and planted t\w Duteli
Ha^" over New Anisterdani.

The London Coninanv in that same vear
estahhshed tliemselves in Virginia, wliere their
('apt. Xewjiort, after a weary and wave-tossed
voyage, named their Hrst sheltei* and landing-
plaee '* Point Conit'ort," an<l tiie riv(»r tlie
"flames," and their settlement " fJamestown,"
in honour of his kin^'.

To these colonists fell the honour of the first
contest for the Ha«;'.

The French had occupied Acadia, and were
(piietly extending" southward, when in 101:}
Conunander Sanuiel Arj^all, of Virginia,* find-
ing them trading off Mount Desert, in what is
now Maine, cai)tured and destroyed their new
shore settlement of St. Sauveur, and next year,
heading an exj)edition sent out by the Colony
of Virginia, advanced farther northward, and
destroved their head(|uarters at Port Koval.
Thus the colonists of Virginia, acting for their
nation, defended the English claim, and re[)elled
the interference made with the cross of St.
(reorge in its rights of prior discovery under
C'al)ot.

The Plvmouth Com])anv were not so ener-
getic as were the Virginians in the <)ccu})ying

* Afterwards Governor of Virginia in 1618.

IMAGE EVALUATION
TEST TARGET (MT-3)

1.0

I.I

1.25

I^|2j8 |2.5

|50 l*^" M^E

1.4

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PhotDgraphic

Sciences

Corporation

33 WEST MAIN STREET

WEBSTER, N.Y. MS80

(716) 872-4503

x74

History of the Union Jack.

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of their " plantations," but in 1614 Capt. John
Smith, on their behalf, settled a port called
''New Plymouth," and gave the name of "New
England " to the surrounding country.

While these things were going on in
America the migration of the Puritans to
Holland had taken place. These non-conform-
ing Independents left England in 1609, not
from any disloyalty to their native land, but
because their religious views forbade them to
bend to what they considered the unbiblical
Church requirements of James I. To his
ritual regulations they would not conform, so
they removed themselves and their families to
Holland. Strong in their nationality they
remained for ten years at Leyden, an isolated
colony in a foreign land. To England they
could not return, no place in Europe was open
to them for settlement without losing their
language and their flag, and they must, there-
fore, leave Holland and seek the new lands
across the ocean. Assistance and favourable
arrangements for colonization in their posses-
sions in America were offered them by the
Dutch. Thev were also offered inducements
by the London Company to settle on the
Delaware, in Virginia. As it was considered
that complications might arise if an English

The Jacks in the Thirteen Colonies. 175

colony were to proceed across the seas under
the Dutch flag, they declined the offer of Hol-
land and accepted the English proposition,
and the consent of King James was obtained
to their repatriation in America without con-
forming to the religious conditions to which
thev so devotedly objected.

Thus they sought the new land, not as
rebels, but as loyalists returning in gladness
to their nation's flag.

Forming the *' Pilgrim Company," in which
thev all took shares, a vessel named the
Speedirell was purchased at Delft-Haven in
Holland, and another named the Mayjiotrer
in London. The two parties joined at South-
hampton. After leaving the shores of England
the Speedwell was found to be unseaworthy
and the two vessels therefore returned to Eng-
land, when it was determined that the Maii-
Hower should proceed alone. There not being
sutticient accommodation on the one ship for
the combined expeditions a number were left
behind. The Mapflowev, a vessel of only 180
tons, sailed from Plymouth with about 100 of
the *' Pilgrims " crowded on board. On reach
ing the shores of America in November, after
a voyage of two months and five days, they
found that they were far to the north of the

J, ,

176

History of the Union Jack.

Virginian Colony to which they had been
commissioned. Being hopeful that they would
receive, as they subsecjuently did, a grant from
the l*ly mouth Company, but being without a
charter for the territory on which they were
about to land, it became necessary to make a
new agreement for the government of their
colony. A (-(mipdct was accordingly drawn
up on board the Maifjlotrer '' off Cap-Codd,"
and signed by all the heads of families. In
this document they described themselves as

****** the loyall subjects of our dread
Soveraigfne Lord Kingf James by the g:race of
God of Gt* Britainet France and Ireland^ Khig-
de fender of ye faith^ &c«» havingf undertaken
for the gflory of Godt and advancement of ye
Christian faith and honour of our King &
Countrie a voyage to plant ye first colonie in
ye Northeme parts of Virginia/*

and the date of the year is given as

**the eighteenth of *Our Soveraigne Lord
King James/ ** *

As the Mapflower was an English ship she
w ould carry the St. George cross on the fore-
mast, and as they declared themselves to be
loyal subjects of King James it is possible

*Macdonald : " Charters Illustrative of American History, 1606-
1775."

The Jacks in the Thirteen Colonies. 177

I been |

would ]

t from ?

hout a t

y were 1

lake a J

• their

drawn

:^odd,'^

s. In

^as 1

ad 1

of 1

s:- 1

■

k I

that the " additional Jack " of James I. was
also displayed at the main.

Such was the beginning of the migration of
the l^uritans from England, which, following
this first colony, continued during the re-
mainder of the century.

That the Pilgrims carried the English Jack
is plainly shown by the controversies which
arose from time to time in this '' New Eng-
land " district upon the subject of the use of
the cross of 8t. George.

John Endicott, and the Puritans who sul)se-
quently settled at Salem, objected to the cross
in the tlag as bein^m ** idolatrous emblem," and
in 1634 ** defaced the ensig^n by takings out one part of
the red cross*" *

Much discussion ensued upon these consci-
entious scru^jles, and the offenders were sum-
moned to appear before the Court of Assistants,
but decision was deferred for several meetings,
" because the Court could not agree about the
thing ^ ivhether the ensigns should be laid by, in
regard that many refused to folloiv them." It
was, however, ordered by the Commissioners
for military affairs that all the ensigns should
in the meantime be laid aside.

Endicott was finally tried at a general court

* Winthrop's Journal, Novembers, 1634, Vol. I., p. 175.
12

'W^^ ..

178

History of the Union Jack.

I' i ■

held at Newtown, and ''/tis affetice JohikI great ;
he jnd(fiiKj the rross to he a sin, did hut content
hi^ise// to have it reformed at Salem, not
taking care that others might 'he brought out of
it; also laying a hlemish on the other magistrates,
as if they woidd suffer idolatry, and giving occa-
sion to England to think ill of us J' He was,
however, lightly sentenced by suspension for
one year of right to hold civil office, because
^' he did it out of tenderness of conscience and
not of any evil intent^ *

A suggestion was made that red and white
roses should be inserted in the flag, instead of
the cross, as being English emblems, and the
ministers were ^^ to write U^ England and cou-
sidt the most wise and godly ;" but nothing came
of this suggestion.

Opinions must have continued strong in the
controversy, for at the close of the year the
commissioners left out the cross in all of the
colours they issued to the military companies,
and inserted the king's arms in the flag which
was to be used on the fort on Castle Island, at
Boston, t

In the following year (1636) much heart-
burning was occasioned by the masters of
several ships trading to Boston declaring that

* Winthrop's Journal, March, 1635.
t Winthrop^s Journcd, December, 1635.

The Jacks in the Thirteen Colonies. 179

because the king's colours were no^ displayed
at the fort the colonists were all traitors and
rebels. This imputation was most warmly
resented by the people, and the captains were
promptly tried by the Massachusetts court for
the defamation.

They acknowledged their error and made
humble apology in open court, but in doing
so suggested that the king's colours ought to
be show^n on the fort. To this answer was
made ^^ that ''we, had not the kwg'i< colours';
thereupon two of them did offer them freely to
m*i. We replied that, for our part, we were
fullii persuaded that the cross in the ensign was
idolatrous, and thereof ore might not set it in our
ensign, but hecanse the fort was the king's and
maintained in his name, we thought that his own
colours might he spread there!' *

The king's own colours would be the two-
crossed Jack of James, which Charles I. had in
1634 declared as His Majesty's Jack to be the
^' ornament proper for our owne ships." This
eTack was ordered to be thereafter displayed
at the fort, lest it might again be thought
that the colony had foresw^orn its allegiance.

In 1643 the colonies of Plymouth, Massa-
chusetts and Connecticut formed themselves

* Winthrop's Journal, March, 1636.

I i

"■ I

180

History of the Union Jack.

'?'

■ I

\''i-

.1:

.'k

■ ,'■ '

■ !li

for defence against the French and the Dutch
into the " United Colonies of New Enghind."
That their forces had continued to use tlie
two-crossed " King's Jack " of King James is
proved by the fact tJiat they found it necessary,
owing to the change of sovereignty in the
mother countiy, to pass an order authorizing
a change in their own flag. The Common-
wealth of England had in 1649 abolished the
use of the two-crossed Jack. In 1651 the
fleet of Cromwell which crossed the Atlantic
was to be seen flying the new Commonwealth
ensign at Barbadoes and in Virginia. Follow-
ing the action of the home government, the
General Court of Massachusetts overcame
their local scruples and passed an order adopt-
ing the English ensign :

'* Forasmuch as this Court conceives the
old English colours ijow used by the Parlia-
ment of England to be a necessary badf^e of
distinction between the English and other
nations in all places in the world, till the
State of England shall alter the same, which
we much desire, we being of the same nation,
have therefore ordered that the Captain of
the Castle shall presently advance the afore-
said colours of England upon the Castle
upon all necessary occasions." *

So the English Jack took the place of the
Jack of James in America.

* Massachusetts Records, Vol. I. Order of General Court at
Boston, May 7, 1651.

The Jacks in the Thirteen Colonies. 181

Under this St. (xeorge Jack, with its red
cross and white ground, the colonists not only
organized and defended their own territories,
but also carried on active operations against
the French. As in its earlier years, so also
throughout the century, the extensions of the
French settlements in Cape Breton and Acadia
had been a menace to the colonies. The
colony of Massachusetts itself took tlie matter
in hand, and organised an expedition which it
sent out under the leadership of Major Sedg-
wick, in 1(554, when Port lloyal was taken from
the French, l)ut, much to the chagrin of the
colony, only to be restored to France in 1667
by the peace of Breda.

The importance of the particular flags which
were to be used along the coast was eminently
increased by the terms of a treaty made in
1686 between James II. and Louis XIV., pro-
viding " for rights and pre-eminences in the
American seas." Under this it was agreed
that

" the British shall not trade nor fish in the
havens, bays, creeks, roads, shoals or places
of the French in Canada " and vice versa,

and further,

" that whensoever the subjects of either king
shall be forced to enter with their ships into
the other's ports, they shall be obliged at

■

182

History of the Union Jack.

■'it'

(

■ I i
' 1

■■

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■i i
1

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their cornint^ in to hang out their flag or
colours of their nation, and give notice of
tlieir coming by thrice firing a cannon, and
if they have no cannon by thrice tiring a
musket, which if they shall omit to do, and,
however send their boat on shore, they shall
be liable to confiscation." *

The old controversy about the cross in the
flag had by no means been settled by the
decision of the General Court of Massachusetts
in 1651, and although it was so displayed
officially yet many individuals still held to the
original religious objections.

Thomas Singleton, master of the ship
Charles, notes (when off Boston) in his diary
of a voyage to the American coast in 1679-80 :
*' I observed that while the English flag or colour
has a red ground with a small white field in
the uppermost corner where there is a red
cross, they have here dispensed with this cross
in tlieir colours and preserved the rest."t

Governor Andros brought out with him from
England, in 1686, his official flag as Governor
of New England. A drawing of this in the
British State papers office J shows it to have

* Treaty of Whitehall, November, 168fi.

t Journal of Voyage to the New Netherlands, 1679-80, trans-
lated from the original manuscript. Long Island Historical Society,
1867.

t British State papers. New England. Vol. 12.

The Jacks in the Thirteen Colonies. 183

been a large St. George Jack liaving a royal
crown, and underneath the initials of the king,
J. R (James Rex), in gold on the centre of the
red cross. This governor's flag was oliicially
used ])y Governor Andros in the colonies of
Massachusetts and Connecticut.

The united colonies of New England, moved,
no doubt, by the
necessities of the
Treaty of White-
hall, passed an
Order-in- Coun-
cil in 1680 direct-
ing the cross to
be restored to
their flag (32).

We get some
glimpses of the
mental difficul-
ties of the times

from the diary of Samuel Sewall, an otticer in
the colonial forces. On August 20, 168(5, he
writes :

**I was and am in great exercise about the cross
to be put into the colours, and afraid that if I
should have a hand in it whether it may not hinder
my entrance into the Holy Land/'

32. New England Ensign.

(From a Dutch publication of 1711.)

lcS4

History of the TTmox Jack.

,5|i

» t

I ^''^

He oveii C()iit(Mii])]atiM] tlio nocossity of retir-
ing' from tlie service, and enters :

'' Sabbath day» August 22*
** In the evening seriously discoursed with Captain
Eliot and Frary signifying my inability to hold, and
reading Mr* Cotton Mather's arguments to them
about the cross^ and sayM that to introduce it into
Boston at this time was much» seeing that it had
been kept out more than my lifetime, and now the
cross much set by in England and here ; and it scarce
could be put in but I must have a hand in it* I
fetch home the silk Elizur Holyoke had of me to
make the cross^ last Friday morn^ and went and dis-
course Mr* Mather* He judged it sin to have it put
in^ but the captain not in fault, but I could hardly
understand how the command of others could wholly
excuse them^ at least me who had spoken so much
against it in April, t68{, and that summer and for-
ward, upon occasion of Captain Walley's putting the
cross in his colours*''*

It was under this single crossed flag that,
during the war between William III. and
Louis XIV., the seven coloniesf united together
and in 1690, at their own exi)ense, sent out a
naval expedition from Boston under Admiral

* Sewall Papers, Massachusetts Historical Collections, Fifth
Series, Vol. V.

t Massachusetts, Virginia, Maryland, the two Jerseys, New
York, Connecticut, and Plymouth and Rhode Island.

1^1 j

m '^'Jd^-h

'i4tms^lSg m».>K[.

'"^'k'^iCK'i'^ ^T^ y ^'f j^

TiiK Jacks ix the Thihtkk.v Colonies. 185

nii])s against (j)iiol>oe. The Hoet sncfesst'iilly
attacked and a<^ain cjiptui'ed Port lloyal,* luit
arriving before (^uel)ec', above whose ramparts
was tlving tlie wliite tiau' and Heui'-de-lvs of
Franee, was re})ulsed ])y Trontenac. Tlie
I'eeords of tlie ex})editi()n, and of the episode
of the eaptnre of their aihniral's flag ])y the
Freneh, attest that the Heet of tlie united col-
onies was sailing under the cross of St. (leorge.

33. Medal of Louis XIY., " Keheca Liherata,'" 1690.

A co])y of the medal (133) issued by Louis
Xiy. of France in commemoration of the
event is also given in the narrative.!

While the united colonies thus used in
common the English ensign, some of the col-

* Acadie was restored to the French by the Treaty of Ryswick,
25th Sept., 1697.

t Ernest My ran J : " Phips devaut Quebec," p. 341.

186

History of the Union Jack.

i'li )

onies had distinctive flags. Massachusetts
at times displayed the red ensign with a
pine tree on the white ground in the upper
corner instead of the cross to which so much
objection had been made. The flag of the
** United Colonies of New England " (32) was
the English red ensign with the pine tree, or
else a globe signifying a new continent, in the
upper corner of the white canton bearing the
cross of St. George. The instance given is
taken from the old Dutch publication of 1711.*

This New England ensign was in con-
tinuous local use from 1686 to 1775.

The change in the English flag, made under
Queen Anne, from the cross of St. George to
the two-crossed Jack, brought a corresponding
change in the union flag in America.

The narrative of the change in Massachusetts
in 1701 is given in chapter XXI. (page 244). In
1709 similar instructions were sent out to
Governor Hunter for the Province of New
York, and the drawing of the flagt which is
attached to the documents is the same as in
the instructions of 1701.

Under this Queen Anne's Jack Port Royal
was again taken by the forces of the United

* p. Schenk, Amsterdam, 1711. See p. 245.

t New York Colonial manuscripts, Vol. V,, page 137.

; i

^fli

^ 1 lAiriiTbirii «>*>-

The Jacks in the Thirteen Colonies. 187

Colonies, sent out from Boston under General
Nicholson in 1710, and the name changed in
honour of the Queen to Annapolis where both
royal name and royal ensign have ever since
remained.

The colonists had in all these expeditions
stoutly proved their share in the prowess of
the British Jacks. Acadia,* by the treaty
of Utrecht (1713), had been ceded to Britain,

34. The Louisbottrg Medal, 1758.

but Cape Breton had remained in the hands
of the French, and Louisbourg having been
created by them the strongest fortress in the
new world, the colonists determined upon its
reduction.

In 1745 an expedition, entirely colonial,
organized by General Shirley, of Massachu-

* Practically our present Nova Scotia.

. ,.4

188

History of the Union Jack.

If?

setts, and William Vaughan, of New Hamp-
shire, sailed from Boston under General Pep-
l)errell. After a siege of forty days the
fortress surrendered. In 1 748 the fortress was
again restored to the fleur-de-lys by the treaty
of Aix-la-Chapelle, but only to be retaken by
Wolfe in 17r)8,and the Queen Anne Jack, which
the United Colonies had placed above it, is
shown again in the Louisbourg medal.* (o4.)

On vet another field the United Colonists
carried the Union Jack. In 1762, when
Havana was captured from the Spanish by
Lord Abermarle, in his fleet of 203 vessels and
among his land forces of 12,000 men, there
were alongside the men from across the
sea, colonial contingents sent by the colonies
of (bnnecticut. New York, Rhode Island, New
Jersey and Maine, f

When Cuba was thus gained for the Union
Jack the colonists of America joined with
their British brothers in lowering the flag of
S})ain, but the island was restored to Spain by
the treaty of Paris, February lOtli, 1763. j

* Bourinot : " Island of Cape Breton."

t Graham's Journal, publisbed by the Society of the Colonial
Wars, in New York.

t When, in the Spanish-American war of 1899, the forces of the
United States placed the thirteen stripes of the old colonies above
the flag of Spain, in Cuba, tireat Britain stood by tlie descen-
dants of her men of 1762 and kept the field clear from inter-
ference by other nations.

» ii=

The Jacks in the Thirteen Colonies. 18^

Thus for two and one-half centuries (1497-
1762) had the colonists who carried the Eng-
lish Jacks wrestled with the forests and
battled along the shores of America, and for
yet another quarter of a century was the two-
crossed Jack to be carried by those who had
so manfully won competence and glory be-
neath it, so that at length the thirteen colonies
held its past in such esteem that even when
parting with allegiance to their parent realm
they placed the Jack of Queen Anne in their
ncAV union ensign as a sign and remembrance,
of their common history.

r^-

j;lg

I'-

CHAPTER XVII.

THE UNION FLAGS OF THE UNITED

STATES.

* ,1

4i •

ffe"

The thirteen English colonies which in suc-
cession had been planted in North America,
along the shores of the Atlantic from the
French possessions in Acadia to the Spanish
possessions in Florida, had each its own
'' colony flag" ; the '' United Colonies of New
England " had in addition devised the flag to
distinguish their particular union ; but the
national flag which declared the union of all
the colonies with one another, and with the
motherland beyond the seas, was the " Union
Jack " of Great Britain.

It was under the Union Jack that the forces
of the colonies of Massachusetts, New York,
Pennsylvania and Virginia had marshalled
in 1755, and with the English regulars had
advanced under the leadership of Braddock
and Washington to drive the French out of
the Ohio Valley, but to meet with such signal
disaster on the banks of the Monongahela.

In the same year, under the cross of St.

The Union Flags of the United States. 191

George in their United Colonies flag, the
colonists of New England won their victories
over the French, and changed the name of the
lake, by whose shores they fought, from " St.
Sacrament" to "Lake George."

Under the successive Jacks the colonies had
grown into commonwealths, had expanded
their territories, and their sons had written
their names in British history by gallant deed
and notable achievement.

Thus the crosses in the Union Jack had a
vivid meaning, and their local historic record
had won for them the attachment of the
people in the colonies.

The occupation of Quebec by Wolfe in 1759,
and the subsequent retirement of French rule
from Canada and the valley of the North Mis-
sissippi had freed the colonies from conflict
with the po^er which had hitherto opposed
their expansion beyond the Alleghanies. They
were now free to exploit the West, which this
victory of the parent realm had gained for
them, and which was to be the wide field
for their subsequent expansion. Combining
together for these adventures had brought the
separate colonies more into contact with each
other and created points of internal union.
At length the time came when rifts in the

mmm

SS:
f

W'i

L ,^

i-i-^

102

History of the Union Jack.

methods of government on this continent

began to show themselves

Troubles had been brewing between the
colonies and the home government ever
since the passing of the obnoxious Stamp Act
of 1765, but, although the friction had at
times been great, there was no intention on
the part of the colonists of severing their
allegiance from the parent realm. The cause
of the colonists in America was largely
esj)ouse(l among the English ])eople. Lord
Effingham resigned his commission in the
British army, upon his regiment (the 22nd)
being ordered to America, '' rather than con-
sent to bear arms against my fellow-subjects
in America."*

No more ardent adherents or outspoken
advocates for the self-government of the col-
onies were to be found in America than were
Chatham, Burke, and Charles James Fox in
the Parliament of England, and under the
later and better condition which has since
governed the relations between Great Britain
and her outlying colonies there would in all
probability have been no breaking of the old
home ties.

Engaged in the throes of a great European

* Letter to Lord Barringtoii, Secretary of War, April 12, 1775.

■'i

The Union Flags of the United States. 193

war, Britain had poured her men into Spain
and could spare but few of her own for service
in America. Forces consisting largely of hired
Hanoverian and Hessian soldiers had been
sent across the sea to enforce the objection-
able enactments, and hostilities had broken
out in June, 1775, between the resident citizens
and these imported " regulars ; " but even
after this entanglement, the flag which was
introduced for the '' United Colonies " was
raised not for the purpose of indicating any
alteration in allegiance, but to evidence the
local union of the still loyal colonies against
the dictation of the impracticable home min-
istry.

That these were their views toward Great
Britain they most plainly stated in the address
they sent to the king immediately after their
armies had been placed in the field :

" We not only most ardently desire the
former harmony between her and these
Colonies may be restored, but that a concord
may be established between them as to per-
petuate its blessings uninterrupted to suc-
ceeding generations in both countries." *

As in previous wars of defence or of adven-
ture, the separate colonial forces were again

* Address of the General Congress of the Colonies in America to
the King, Sept. 1, 1775.
13

■ii|i

■]

t i.--l

194

History of the Union Jack.

brought together into one army. On their
assembling at Cambridge, in July, 1775, they
were mustered into one service under General
Washington. As was recorded in a local paper,
** None of the men who have been raised by
this (Massachusetts) and several other colonies
are in future to be distinguished as the troops
of any particular colony but as the forces of
* The United Colonies of North America,' into
whose joint service they have been taken by
the Continental Congress." *

As early as October, Washington found the
necessity of having some " continental flag "
which should identify the whole of the forces
of " The United Colonies of North America "
thus assembled together under his command,
instead of having the military detachments
from each colony continuing to use its own
individual flag.

An existing ensign used by the Colony of
Pennsylvania was at first proposed by him for
this purpose, having a white ground with a
tree in the middle, and the motto, " Appeal
to Heaven." t

This was succeeded by a new design, devised
for the Continental Union flag (35), which, to

* New England Ghronicle, July 6, 1775.
t "Washington Letters," Vol. I., p. 84.

• [TWiiltiii

The Union Flags of the United States. 195

the accompanying salute of thirteen guns, was
raised by Washington over the camp of his
army at Cambridge, Massachusetts, on the 2nd
January, 1776, being

Miiiiiiiiiiiiuiiyiii||:{iillllilMlllMlilllP|n|IMl

IIMIIIIIIIIIIliiiiliiillililllliliBil

■■MiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiHiiiniiiiiiHiiiiiui

iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinaiii

iiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiijwiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii'iiniiniiittiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin

iliilllHil

35. The First Union Flag,
1776.

the occasion of its first
appearance.

This flag was called
*'The Grand Union"
(PL III., fig. 1). It was
composed of thirteen
stripes of alternate
white and red — one for

each colony — and in the upper corner was the
British Union Jack of that period, displaying
the two crosses of St. George and St. Andrew,
as introduced in 1707.

There existed at the time a flag which had
been carried by the English East Indiiv Com-
pany over their British possessions in India
since 1704. This was composed^of thirteen
stripes, red and white alternately, and had the
single red cross of St. George upon a white
ground (the old English Jack) in the upper
corner. This flag might have been seen on
the vessels trading to America and exchanging
products between the English East Indian and
the American colonies, and thus being re-
cognized as a '' colonial flag" it may, with the

1 If.

196

History of the Union Jack.

change of form of the Union Jack, have sug-
gested the new ensign.

There is no direct evidence as to the flag
which had been raised by General Putnam at
the outbreak of hostilities at Bunker Hill,
June 17, 1775, but tradition reports* that it
was the ensign of the colony of New England
(32), which, like the East Indir. ensign, had the
St. George's cross on a white ground in the
upper corner ; but the whole fly of the flag was
red.

In the selection of a new flag for the com-
bined forces of the united colonies, what
design could be more reasonable or more
appropriate than the selection of that Union
Jack under which their united armies had so
often fought, together with the addition of
thirteen stripes to indicate the number of
colonies then assembled together ?

This retention of the Union Jack in the new
flag was designedly intended to signify that
the American colonies retained their allegiance
to their motherland of Great Britain, although
they were contesting the methods of taxation
promulgated by its government.

By this flag the thirteen colonies testified
that, though in arms, they still claimed to be

Lossing.

The Union Flacjs of the United States. 197

Britons, and were demanding for themselves
all the rights of citizenship which such relation
conferre<l.

It was, as one of their orators has well said,
" the flag of the British colonies in arms to
secure the rights and liberties of British sub-
jects."*

The first Union flag raised l)y Washington
over the armies of the united colonies thus
disi)laye(l the British Union Jack.

Another flag (:36)
bearing the Union flp ^

Jack is still ex- 'f'lill ii m,««„ ^^ ,.,^,
tantt Itisacrim- '''''M'MilSW

son red flag, hav-

ing a rattlesnake
painted u})on it,
and in the upper
corner is the Union u
Jack of 1707. This lU

was carried by a 36. The Pennsylvania Flag, 1776.

regiment of the

colony of Pennsylvania, and was used at the
battle of Trenton, December 26th, 177(3, and
in subsequent engagements with the British
regular forces.

* General Schuyler Hamilton : " Addresses on the Flag," p. 18.
t Preble, p. 205.

■ i-

f 1

1 L'

1' \

1 r

if : t

■■'■ n

198

History of the Union Jack.

The intention to cure the troubles bv con-
stitutional mccans became unhappily merged in
the appeal to arms.* As the hostilities pro-
ceeded rancour grew, and then a new flag was
sought for, which should typify the changed
conditions. The source from which arose the
idea of this final design we shall presently see.

On July 4th, 1776, the Declaration of Inde-
pendence followed,! but the ''Grand Union"
still continued to be used by the thirteen col-
onies, which had now become thirteen States.
It was not until June 14th, 1777, or almost a
year after the Declaration, that a new national
flag was fully developed.

The Congress of the United States, then in
session at Philadelphia, approved of a report
made by a committee;]: which had been ap-
pointed to consider the selection of a Union
flag, and enacted,

" That the flag of tlie thirteen United States
be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white ;
that the Union be thirteen stars, white in a
blue field, representing a new constellation."

The new enactment was not at once put in

* Benjamin Franklin's only son bitterly resented his father's
abandonment of peaceful and constitutional methods, and himself
left the country in 1782, and died a U. E. loyalist in 181.3.

+ Carried in Congress only by the casting vote of the chairman.

X Franklin, Adams and Washington,

mi W%

I' tf 'III -

It- \ 1 5

» ,

i '■!

The Union Flags of the United States. 199

force, and a still further delay ensued, but at
length, on September 3rd, 1777, this flag was
otticially proclaimed as the Union Ensign of
the United States (PI. in., fig. 2), and was
the first national flag which was otticially
adopted by the authority of Congress.

As Washington himself suggested the first
design, and^had introduced the second, it is
not improbable, and indeed it is recorded that
he actually had somewhat to do with the de-
signing of the final one.*

He ' ever this last report may be, his friends
and admirers most certainly
had, and the similarity be-
tween the design of the final
flag and the coat-of-arms of
the Washington family points
to the source from which they
deduced the completed design.

Upon the tombstones of the
family in Sulgrave Churchy
Northamptonshire, England,
and upon the old manor house
occupied by them in the time of Henry VIII.,
is to be seen the shield (37) of the Weshyn-
tons,t or Washingtons, an old English county

* Preble : " Ross Episode," p. 265.
t Also spelled Wessingtons.

,37. Arms of the

Washinoton

Family.

.,„!'

■

l1 '

MU \

t'\

ssv-ii ;*

n\yi

200

History of the Union Jack.

family, who traced their lineage back into the
fifteenth century.

John Washington, a descendant of this
family, had been a loyal cavalier, standing
staunchly by his king, Charles I. When
Cromwell and the Roundheads came into
power, the Royalist Washington emigrated in
1657 to Virginia, bringing out Jiis family, and

with them his family
shield, on which are
shown three stars, above
alternate stripes of red
and white. Having set-
tled upon consideraljle
estates, he and his de-
scendants kept up the
old \va\s and maintained
the stvle and county
standards of their Eng-

38. Washington's
Book Plate.

lish forefathers.

(leorge Washington,

the subsecjuent Presi-
dent, was the great-grandson of the old loyal-
ist colonist. He, too, served in the forces of
his sovereign. King George, and maintained

the old familv traditions and habits in the

same way, a$ did all the *' first families " of
Virginia.

^PTATEIU

Grand Union 1776

- 1

United States 1777

United States 1897

1,1' k I

W 1 !

'Al

The Union Flags of the United States. 201

On the panels of his carriage were painted
his family coat-of-arms. It appeared on the
book-plate (38) of the books in his lil)rary, and
the first commissions which he issued to the
officers of the Continental army were sealed
with his family seal (39).

Thus the suggestion for the further altera-
tion was ready to hand. The similarity of one
portion of the de-
sign already ex-
isting could not
fail to have been
noticed, for the
stripes on the
Washington coat-
of-arms were al-
ternately red and white, as were also those on
the Grand Union.

It had been suggested that the idea of the
" new " constellation was derived from the
analogy of the " old " constellation of Orion
containing thirteen stars, and that the form
of the stars was taken from a seal said to have
belonged to John Adams, one of the com-
mittee for designing the flag.*

Reference to the details of this seal shows
an eagle bearing in its claws the lyre of Orion,

39. Washington's Seals.

Magazine of American History, Vol. XIX., p. 151.

'i i'

202

History of the Union Jack.

iiiHi

both being surrounded by a circle of thirteen
stars ; but the stars on the seal are all shown
as sidereal six-pointed stars, and not five-
pointed as are the Washington stars.

The stars which were inserted in the flag
when the Union Jack was withdrawn were
not the six-pointed stars which would be used
heraldically if representing a " sidereal con-
stellation," but are the five-pointed stars of
the Washington armorial bearings.

So it transpired that the stars and stripes
of the coat-of-arms of the old loyalist English
family, to which the successful Revolutionary
general belonged, and of the seal with which
he had attested the commissions which his
officers had received from him, formed the
basis for the design of the new American flag,
and through them the memory of the great
leader and first President of the United States
is indissolubly connected with the Stars and
Stripes, the national ensign (PL iii. fig. 3.) of
the nation which he brought into existence.

The American had good right to be proud
of that Jack in whose glories he had so val-
iantly l)orne his part, and when as Englishmen
battling for the rights of Englishmen the
united colonies formed their colonial ensign
they had rightly placed the Union Jack in its

The Union Flags of the United States. 203

upper canton as evidence of those glories and
of that claim. •

Afterwards, when their new nation had been
framed, and the Washington stars had marked
the new allegiance, the thirteen stripes of the
old thirteen English colonies still remained to
attest to the world the Americans' share in the
preceding centuries of Anglo-Saxon adventure
and their heritage in all the liberties and litera-
ture of the English tongue. The rights won
by the Barons from John, the works of Chaucer,
Shakespeare, Milton, are still theirs by heredi-
tary right, and the thirteen Anglo-Saxon stripes
in his national emblem proclaim this to the
American of to-day as they did to his fore-
fathers in the thirteen colonies who first placed
them in his union ensign.

The bitternesses arising out of a fratri-
cidal contest have for long decades misread
the events and obscured the history of that
dividing strife, but British law and the
English tongue still speak in the flag of the
old English colonies which forms part of the
national ensign of the United States.

CHAPTER XVIII.

THE IRISH JACK.

The lineage of the Irish Jack is not so
clearly defined as is that of the other Jacks.
Although " Paddy " has always been so ready
for a shindy that fighting has come to be con-
sidered his " natural divarsion," he has never
been considered particularly fond of the water.
It is on land that he has found play for his
fierce delight in mingling where the fray is
thickest. It is as a soldier that the Irishman
has always excelled. Wellington, Wolseley and
Roberts attest his power in command, and in
many a forlorn hope the wild energy of the Irish
blood in the ranks has scaled the breach and
carried the stormers past the anxious moments
of the onset, displaying that same " eager,
fierce, impetuous valour" with which, in the
charge of the Heavy Brigade at Balaclava,
^' the Inniskillings went into the massive Rus-
sian column with a cheer." *

It may be that as Ireland was at no time dis-
tinguished as a maritime nation, and its local
sVfrping not developed to any great extent,

* Kinglake : " Invasion of the Crimea."

The Irish Jack.

205

40. St. Patrick's Jack.

the display of her national Jack had not been
so much in evidence among the sailors of the
early days as were the Jacks of the two sister
nations.

The banner of St. Patrick (40), which is the
'' Irish Jack," is a white flag, having on it a
cross of the same saltire
shape as St. Andrew's
cross, but red in colour,
the heraldic description
being, ''Argent, a sal-
tire gules," a red saltire
cross on a white ground
(PL VI., fig. 3).

St. Patrick was the Christian apostle of the
Irish, and thus became their traditional patron
saint. The story of his life is that he was
born in Scotland, at Kilpatrick, near Dunbar-
ton on the Clyde, and being taken prisoner by
pirates when a child, was carried into Ireland
and sold there as a serf. Having acquired the
native language, he escaped to the continent,
and afterwards becoming a Christian, and
having been ordained to service in the Church,
returned to Ireland for the purpose of convert-
ing the people. The British name said to
have been given him in his youth was Siicceath
(valiant in war), a temperament which he

r-Twi

I :

206

History of the Union Jack.

lii

certainly impressed upon the Irish. This name
was afterwards, when he returned to Ireland,
changed to Patricias, in evidence of his noble
family descent, and to add importance to his
mission. *

The legends of the saint date back to
A.D. 411, when he is reported to have com-
menced his mission, and to have afterwards
devoted his life to the increase of the well-
being of the people and the spread of Chris-
tianity throughout Ireland. Tradition reports,
although some do not put much faith in it, that
the saint suffered martyrdom upon a cross of the
shape of this red cross, and thus, when he
became the patron saint of Ireland, it was
held in recognition as his emblem, and for
that reason was adopted as the Irish cross.

Another emblem of Ireland, the green sham-
rock, is also connected in legend with St.
Patrick, as having been used by him, through
the lesson of its three leaves joined in one, in
explaining the doctrine of the Trinity. Thus
both the shamrock and the red saltire cross
form the salient features of the insignia of the
'' Most Illustrious Order of St. Patrick," the
Irish order of knighthood.

On the other hand, some people declare

* Smith : '* Religion of Ancient Britain."

The Irish Jack.

207

.^^^

that St. Patrick never had a cross, and that
the cross of the saltire shape is sacred only to
St. Andrew.

They suggest that the shape of the saltire
cross, both of the Irish and the Scotch, is
derived from the Labarum (41), or Sacred
Standard, which was raised by Constantine
the Great, the first Christian em-
peror of Rome, as the imperial
standard of his armies. On this
he had placed a monogram com-
posed of the first three letters,
xn (ChRI), of the Greek form
of the sacred name of Christ
(Xfti0To5), and the saltire cross is
reputed to be the repetition of the
X of the lower part of the Christian emblem.

The Labarum was the official standard of
the Emperor of Rome, and upon it were dis-
played the insignia of the emi3eror of the day.
His previous insignia Constantine, after his
conversion to Christianity, changed to the
Christian emblem.

Should this latter suggestion of the origin
of the cross of the saltire shape be accepted
as the preferable, the saltire cross has yet
a most interesting and particular connection
with the early history of Ireland.

41. Labarum of
Constantine.

208

History of the Union Jack.

Constantius Chlorus, the father of Constan-
tine the Great, was the Roman governor of
Britain in the reign of the Emperor Diocletian,
and had, a]>out A.D. 301, completed the
pacification of Ibernia — as Ireland was then
called. The pagan goddess of the island was
the goddess Hibernia,* and the harp was her
emblem ; and this Hiber-
nian Irish harp (42) Con-
stantius had in testimony
of his success adopted as
the insignia for his stan-
dard. After the resigna-
tion of Diocletian, Constan-
tius Chlorus and Galerius
were created joint emperors
of Rome, and, dividing the empire between
them, Galerius took the East and Constantius
the West.

The death of Constantius occurred soon
afterwards in England, at the city of York
(Eboracum), and there he was succeeded as
Emperor of Rome by his son Constantine.

The persecution of the Christians in Britain^
which had raged under Diocletian, and during
which Alban, the first British martyr, had met

* Surely ! Did the English add their "h's" in those early, as.
well as in later days ?

4% Harp of Hibernia.

The Ihish Jack.

209

his death at Vorulam, now called St. Alhaiis,
had been in some degree restrained l)y C'on-
stantius, l)ut was now completely sup})ressed
by the new emueror. Cairying with him the
germs of Christianity, which he had learned in
Britain, Constantine removed to the continent
to engage in the contest for the command of
the empire to which he had fallen heir, and in
the battle of the Milvian Bridge, near Rome,
in A.D. 812, he defeated the opposing eastern
forces mider Maxentius, and entered into un-
disputed possession of his position as emperor.
It was just before this engagement that Con-
stantine is reported to have seen a cross shining
in the heavens at midday, having on it the in-
scription EN Tonn NIKA (''In this conquer"
— " In hoc signo vinces") and, therefore, recog-
nizing the Christian emblem, he adopted the
Christian cross as his standard and placed the
sacred monogram upon his Labarum. This vic-
tory resulted in the official recognition of the
Christian religion, and the attaching to it of all
the political power of the Emperor of Rome.

Constantius had lived, and Constantine the
Great had been brought up, in the northern
part of England, which, during the Roman
occupation, had been converted by mission-
aries from the old country still farther to the

FW.

210

History of the Union Jack.

I ,

north, from which St. Patrick afterwards also
came to Irehmd, and as it was to Constantino
that they owed their rescue from persecution,
his insignia wouhl, therefore, l)e heartily
received. It is very possible that early
Christianity may, through this source, have
adopted the X cross, the lower part of Constan-
tine's Christian monogram, as their emblem,
and so it had become associated in Ireland
with the Christian labours of St. Patrick, their
apostle and patron saint. In this " story of
the Irish Jack " it is a happy conception that
the Labarum of Constantino the son should
have given origin to the form of the Christian
red cross of Ireland in return for the former
pagan emblem received from the island by his
father.

Whichever may have been the source of its
origin, the saltire cross, in its form of the red
cross of St. Patrick, is by both lines of descent
intimately associated with the history of Ire-
land, and is rightfully claimed as one of its
national emblems.

The origin of the harp, c»i) a blue ground,
displayed in the royal arms and standard of
Great Britain, has also an ancient story,
although much more modern than that of St.
Patrick's cross. The arms of Ireland, before

!lii-

The Irish Jack.

211

the time of Henry VII. of England (1485-1509),
had consisted of three golden crowns set upon
a blue ground. These ancient arms of Ireland
are now worn on the helmet plate and glen-
garry of the Koyal Munster Fusileers regiment
of the British army.

Henry VIII. was the first English king who
used an Irish emblem. When he was pro-
claimed king of Ireland, he placed the harp
of Hibernia upon the coinage which he then
issued, instead of the " three crowns " which
had been used under his predecessors, but he
did not introduce the harp into his royal arms,
nor place the red cross of St. Patrick upon
his banners.

The first English sovereign to insert an Irish
emblem in the official insignia of the sove-
reign, was Queen Elizabeth, who introduced
one in the design of her " great seal." Instead
of using the three Irish crowns, she inserted
a harp as the emblem of the Irish nation, and
among the banners displayed at her funeral
Ireland was represented by a blue flag hav-
ing upon it a golden harp surmounted by a
crown.* James I., her successor, was the
first king to introduce an Irish emblem into
the "royal standard," and from that time

* Hulme : " Flags of the World."

212

History of the Union Jack.

onward the golden harp of Hibernia, on the
ancient bhie gronnd of the three Irish crowns,
has been shown in one of the quarters of the
British staniUird as the emblem of Ireland.
In the arms of all the sovereigns, from James
I., 1603 (16), to and including William IV.,
1837, the front of the harp was formed by the
female figure representing the goddess Hiber-
nia. During the Victorian period a change
has been introduced in the shape of the harp,
which has been altered to that of the ancient
Irish harp, connected in form and legend with
King Brian Born (Boroimhe).

The exploits of this most noted of the early
kings of Ireland had been mainly devoted to
the defence of his kingdom against the inva-
sions of the Danes during the period when,
under Canute, they had well nigh conquered
all England.

Although in the main successful, he was
slain in battle, according to some, in 1039,*
or, as others report, in the hour of victory
over the Danes at Clontarf, near Dublin, in
1014. f

That the king had accepted Christianity is
attested by his having, in 1004, presented a

* King : "National Arms."
+ "Haydn's Index."

J^I

The Irish Jack.

213

gol(U*n votive ottering upon the altar of the
church at Armagli, and here, in acconhince
with his (lying re(|uest, his body was buried
after the battle of Clontarf *

This city of Armagh is reputed to have been
founded al)out A.D. 445, by St. l*atrick, and
to this account is accredited the ecclesiastical
pre-eminence which has always enshrined the
city, for the Bishop of Armagh is the " Arch-
bishop and Primate of all Ireland " of the
Protestant Church, and it is the See citv also
of the "Primate of Ireland" of the Roman
Catholic Church.

The minstrelsy of the Irish har})er has held
sway and been cherished through all the ages
by the Irish people, whose temperament may
have been attected, or else has been most
touchingly expressed, by its strange and mystic
cadences. The sweet pathos of these ancient
melodies has given tone and inspiration to
most of the Irish songs, markedly to those of
the sweet singer Moore, whose music has
installed in affectionate memory

"The harp that once through Tara's halls
The soul of music shed."

Of all the traditional patrons of Irish music,

Ulster Journal of Archteology, " Vol. I., September, 1894.

WW-

214

History of the Union Jack.

King Brian Boru was the most renowned, and
thus in poetry and song his name became
identified with the Irish harp. In the old seal
of Carrickfergiis (43), granted by James I., the
form of this ancient harp of Brian Boru is
excellently displayed. Around the margin is
the Latin inscription :

" SiGILL . CVSTVM . PORTVS . CaRIGFERGI . AnO."

Within the circle are the initials of the king,

I. K. (James Rex), and
the date, 1605, and on the
shield in the centre are
three Irish harps, having
the rounded front pillar
and the curious upper
sweep of the neck, termed
the " harmonic curve," of
the type known as the
Irish harp of Brian Boru.
Although this Irish harp was introduced in
the seal of the Irish city during his reign, the
emblem placed in his royal arms by James I.
as the emblem of Ireland was the angelic harp
of Hibernia, and in this shape it remained on
the royal standards of all the succeeding
sovereigns until Queen Victoria, in whose
royal arms (44) the Irish harp is now displayed.

43. Seal of Carrick-
FERGUS, 1605.

The Irish Jack.

215

44. Royal Arms of
Queen Victoria.

In the second year of her reign, when Queen
Victoria first visited Ireland in 1839, being the
first occasion upon which a British Queen had
ever visited the Island, a medal
was struck to commemorate
the event. On this are the
profiles of Her Majesty the
Queen and the Prince Con-
sort, and on the reverse (45) is
the old Irish harp surmounted
by the royal crown.

It is true that the angelic
harp is still usually to be seen
upon the flags flown as royal standards, but
the Irish harp is most beautifully shown in the

coat of arms upon the
back of the royal throne
in the House of Lords
at Westminster (46).

Seated in the centre
of the parliament which
heads our empire. Her
Majesty thus recog-
nizes in royal way the
Irish emblem of her
Irish people.
As the pagan harp emblem on the labarum
had been changed by Constantino to what

45.

Medal of Qoeen's First
Visit to Ireland.

'■

46. The Throne of Quefn Victoria in the House of Lords.

I- i

The Iuish Jack.

217

1^ k

afterwards Ix^'ame the Christian ci'oss of St.
Patrick, so now, centuries later, this same
Hibernian liarp has been changed on the
royal arms under Victoria to the Irish harp
of the Christian King Brian Born, and throngh
his grave at St. Patrick's ancient citv of
Armagh is again to be connected with Ire-
land's patron saint. Thus, whether it be cross
or harp, both the official em-
blems of Ireland are associ-
ated with St. Patrick.

During only one period in
the early story of our flag-
had Ireland l)een represented
on its folds, as is shown in
Cromwell's Jacks and in the
Commonwealth Ensign (PI v.,
figs. 1 and 2), l)ut it had not
been, as were the other nation-
alities, by a cross, but by a golden harp on a
blue ground.

The Irish red cross on a white ground had
been the banner of the Irish fiimilv of the
Fitzgeralds at the time of the conciuest of
Ireland under Henry II., and it still appears in
the arms of their descendants (47 ). It appeared
in a flag used at Cromwell's funeral, but not-
withstanding its still earlier associations the

47. Arms of thl
Fitzgeralds.

r; '

:.\

ii,

218

History of the Union Jack.

red cross of 8t. Patrick does not seem to have
been formally recognized as the general
national emblem for Ireland until about the
close of the seventeenth century.

Though the kings of England had, since
Henry II., in 1171, been ''lords paramount,"
and since Henry VIII. been ''kings of Ire-
land," the national Jack of Ireland had not
been joined vrith the other Jacks. When the
crosses of St. George and St. Andrew ^were
combined in the " additional " Jack of James,
in 1606, it was no^ included, nor was it after-
wards in the firot Union Jack of Queen
Anne, in 1707 , so thfst for all these centuries
the red cross of ht. Patrick had continued
alone. At length, the time had come when
another change was to be made in the Union
Jack, and it was in 1801, under George III.,
that the red sal tire cross first joined the two
sister crosses. For the immediately previous
two hundred years the Irishman had gallantly
contributed his prowess to the glories won
under the two-crossed Jack, in which his
nation had not been represented ; but from
this time onward his own Irish cross entered
into its proper place in the national Jack, and
received its acknowledged position as the
emblem of the Irish kingdom.

CHAPTEK XIX.

THE UNION JACK OF GEORGE IJL, 1801.
THE SECOND AND PRESENT UNION JACK.

We come now to the formation of the three-
crossed Jack, the " Ee J, White and Blue " of
story and of song, being the second Union
Jack.

In the forty-first year of the reign of George
III. the three kingdoms had been brought
into complete union, whereupon a proclama-
tion was issued by the king, of which the fol-
lowing extracts are given :

EXTRACTS

From a Proclamation of the King, dated
St. James Palace, January Ut, 1801,

Declaring His Majesty's pleasure concerning
the royal style and titles appertaining to the
imperial crown of the united kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland and its dependencies,
and also the ensigns armorial, flags and ban-
ners thereof

The first clause quoted is that respecting
the royal coat of arms :

" And that the arras or ensigns armorial of

,ii'

I :

Ijl

220

History of the Union Jack.

tlie said United Kingdoms shall be quarterly;
first and fourth England, second Scotland,
third Ireland; and it is our will and pleasure
that there shall be borne therewith on an
escutcheon of pretence the arms of our
Dominions in Germany."

The result of this clause was that the lilies
of P'rance, which had l)een (quartered in the
royal arms since Edward III., 1327, were

altogether removed, and the
whole four quarters were ap-
propriated — two quarters to
the three golden lions of Eng-
land, and one quarter each to
the red lion of Scotland and the
golden harp of Ireland— and
upon a shield on the centre
was to be placed the arms and
white horse of Hanover, to
indicate the other countries over which the
king also reigned.

The next clause is respecting the royal
standard, or personal flag of the sovereign : ,

" . . . And it is our will and pleasure
that the standard of the said united king-
doms shall be the same quarterings as are
hereinbefore declared to be the arms or
ensigns armorial of the said united king-
doms. . . ."

Although the royal arms contained a recog-

48. Royal Akms ok
George III., 1801.

The Union Jack of George III.

221

nition of the king's Hanoverian kingdom, the
flag to be used as the " royal standard " is
ordered to have on it only the arms of the
three united kingdoms of England, Scotland
and Ireland.

l]be following clause describes the detaik
of the " Union Flag " or Jack (49) :

"And that the union flag shall be azure,
the crosses saltires of St. Andrew and St.
Patrick, quarterly per saltire counterchanged,
argent and gules ; the latter fimbriated of
the second, surmounted by the cross of St.
Georffe of the third fimbriated as the saltire."

In making the Union Jack, these instruc-
tions define that the
white cross of Scotland
and the red cross of Ire-
land are to be joined
together quarterly and
'' counterchanged," and
that the red cross of
St. George is to '' anr-

moiint'' that is, to be laid upon the surface of
them both.

The designers of this new Union Jack of
1801 had this time to join three flags together,
instead of, as in 1707, only joining two ; the
problem set before them being the union of

49. Union Jack of
George III., 1801.

222

History of the Union Jack.

the three national Jacks of the sister nations
into one grand Union Jack (PI. vii., fig. 1).

The construction of the new flag presents
some important details which teach some very
interesting lessons. The construction was in
the hands of flag-makers, and the "regula-
tions " for the making of the new flag were
issued at the same time as the proclamation,

'/J or R.
Ki or F2, ,

1/3 or w *-t

K20FR

^. Vs oT A B.

60. OoTLiNE Jack — The Proper Proportions of the Crosses.

I't.

and are the same as those of our admiralty
regulations of the present day.

From these regulations it is clearly evident
that the recognition which the white ground
of St. George's Jack had been given in the
flag of 1707 was intended to be continued,
and a striking confirmation is given of the cor-
rectness of the suggestion which was offered
(page 137) as being the reason for that broad-

its

in
a-
re
n,

The Union Jack of George III. 223

ening of the wliite border to the red cross of
St. George, which had occurred in the making
of the Union Jack of Queen Anne.

An outHne drawing (50) of the flag is given
for convenience of comparison. The propor-
tions of the several crosses and borders are
directed in the regulations to be made accord-
ing to the measurement called the ** width of
the flag," being the measurement on the
" halliard " or '' hoist," which is the side next
to the flagstaff", and are as follows :

Regulations for the Sizes of the Parts of the

Union Jack.

Red cross of St. George i of width of flag.

White border to St. George | of red of St. George.

Red cross of St. Patrick ^ " " "

White border to St. Patrick ^ " " "

Broad white of St. Andrew J " "

The paramount cross of St. George is to be
one -fifth of the width of the flag on the flag-
staff", and its width is made the factor by which
the measurements of all the other part!?: are
to be regulated in flags of varying sizes.

The crosses of the two other Jacks, which
were to be joined, are each allotted > propor-
tion of one-third the width of the cross of St.
George.

The divisions of the parts for the Irish

' (

224

HiSTOKV OF THE UnION JaCK.

flack arc stated so})ai'at('ly, Ikmiij;' (ttt^'-fhird for
tlio rod cross of St. Patrick, and oNc-s'hrth for
its white border ; tlie two ineasurements, when
achled together, anionnting to a ju'oiwrtion of
one-half.

The jH'oportion of one-half allotted to the
*' broad white of St. Andrew" comprises the
due share of oHc-thtnl for the Scotch cross,
and iUH'-xit'th for its border, being an exact
eciuality to the pro])ortions given to the Irish
cross and its border.

At first sight it would appear that the
*' broad white of St. An(h'ew " was given a
larger pro})()rtion of the flag, l)ut the measure-
ments of the " cross " and its '' border " of the
Scotch Jack are stated in one figure, because
their colours are the same, while those of the
Irish Jack are given separately, because the
colours are different, the cross being red and
its border white.

The national banners of St. Patrick and St.
Andrew are thus given each a proportion of
one-third for its cross and one-nM for it's,
BORDER or "fimbriation."

In complying with the instruction of the
'' blazon " respecting the red cross of St.
George, that it should be " fimbriated as the
saltire," that is, for what is stated in the regu-

Jack wrongly made

:*■■

Jack wrongly placed.

*^ ii

I illli'liPilHUWIBpwpUm

The Union Jack of George III.

225

lations " for the white border to the cross of
St. George," there is allotted, not simply one-
sixth proportion due a " fimbriation," but
the full proportion of one-third, equal to that
of a national cross, and in this way the white
border to the cross of St. George is as wide as
the cross of each of the other nations.

The width of the border cannot this time,
as was said of the change of 1707, be the result
of the " carelessness of a draughtsman,"* for it
is made with premeditated carefuhiess, and,
more than that, the measurements are set
down in exact figures. Thus the suggestion
of the reason for the broadening of the bor-
der in the flag of 1707 has been justified by
the flag of 1801.

This broad white border, given to surround
the red cross of St. George, and now clearly
established in its equality of representation
with a national cross, is not only the formal
recognition of the white ground of the Eng-
lish Jack, which had been restored to the flag
of 1707, but it is also a recognition of the
white ground of the Irish Jack, which was
now for the first time entering the Union
Jack.

In this Union Jack of 1801 we have, then,
plainly displayed, a complete representation of

McGeorge: "Flags."

226

History of the Union Jack.

the three separate crosses, and of the white
and blue grounds of the three national Jacks
which were then combined together to form
our Union Jack.

No participation in this division of the space
may, however, be attributed to the '' Officers
of Arms " of that day, for it has been expressly
put on record that " in thi^f allotment they were
not allowed the ejcercim of their oivn judgment,''
and that in their opinion the ^^ science oj
heraldry has been set at dejiancey*

In fact, ever since this flag first appeared,
there have been perennial uprisings of heraldic
bile and many learned arguments about the
correct interpretation to be given to the
" blazon," and in the explanation of the word-
ing "fimbriated as the saltire." The person
who made the drawings of the first flag has
been termed ^'either careless, or ignorant, or
stupid — most probably all three!'

It has been reiterated that " the guide to all
heraldic devices is the verbal blazon of the
heralds," and that this blazon has not been
herald ically interpreted.

To one objector, during this present reign,
the simple but sufficient answer was officially
returned by the Garter King of Arms, that '^the

Naval and Militai-y Magazine, 1827, p. 182.

The Union Jack of George III.

227

flag was made according to the drawing, and it
was' exhibited in the same way on the colours of
the Queen's infantry regiments." There was, in
fact, nothing more to be said ; whatever may
have been the interpretation, the flag was made
so, and thus both on sea and on land the
official flags are all made in the same way.

It is most probable, one would gauge from
the testimony of the earliest objectors, that the
flag-makers, whose minds were occupied in
joining the three flags, were not at the time
much hampered by the niceties of armorial
restrictions or aesthetic traditions.

If the heralds are not entirely satisfied with
the way the divisions are made, due honour
has at least been done to each of the Jacks of
the three kingdoms, while at the same time
the historical value of the " Union " has been
greatly enhanced, and its beauty as a flag most
certainly increased. And if the object of
heraldry is the teaching of lessons by the com-
binations of colour and of forms, then the flag
as made is yet more heraldically successful.

In the heraldic and traditional interpreta-
tions of colours, red indicates courage, white
is the emblem of purity, and blue the emblem
of truth.

Red, white and blue,
Brave, pure and true."

■M

228

History of the Union Jack.

By this better and more equal division of
the colours in the flag much additional
emphasis is given to the story which those
colours tell.

Lessons are thus taught which, as well as
the other lessons which it bears, may be
deeply impressed upon the minds of our
children, so that by reading the history of
their nation in its folds they may endeavour
to live lives worthy of the ideals of their
national flag, and frame their own characters
and the character of their empire by its lofty
teachings.

Since 1801 no change has been made in this
Union Jack of George III., which was the
second of its race, and is our present Union
Jack.

CHAPTEK XX.

THE LESSONS OF THE CROSSES.

The combinations of the Jacks have at
length been completed, and the three crosses
been placed together in the one flag of 1801.

That it is a beautiful and easily distin-
guished flag is admitted on all hands, but it
has the still further quality, of immeasurable
value in a national flag, that its parts and col-
ours tell the history of the nation whose
emblem it is. To those who have acquainted
themselves with the story of the three separ-
ate national flags, the Union Jack, with its
three crosses, its white borders and eight blue
triangles, tells the story of the influences
under which the present Empire has been
built up by the three kingdoms which were
combined to make it.

Laid broadly upon the whole combination,
and '' surmounting " it, and also forming the
basis for all its measurements, is the plain red
cross of St. George, indicating, in such a way
as the simplest mind can understand, the
leading part which the English nation has
taken in the creation of the Empire, and the

230

History of the Union Jack.

powerful position which it holds in its
councils.

Under this cross, and supporting it, are the
white and red crosses of the two junior
nations, which are themselves, in their turn,
supported on the white and blue grounds,
which form the basis foundations of the flag,
the whole being bound together by the four
broad arms of the plain red cross.

Thus clearly does the position of the crosses

and their grounds teach the lesson of how the

three sister nations, supporting each other, are

all united by courage to build their realm on

the sure foundations oi purity and truth.
But there is another lesson which the crosess

also plainly tell respecting the relations be-
tween the Scotch and Irish nations them-
selves.

The flag is divided by the cross of St. George
into four quarters, in all of which the sal tire
crosses of St. Andrew and St. Patrick, as the
heraldic blazon of the proclamation says, are
*' quarterly per saltire counterchanged."

Fierce and endless have been the discussions
between heraldic experts as to whether the
word in the blazon should be "counter-
charged " or " counterchanged." The latter is
the word given in this proclamation, and

The Lessons of the Crosses.

231

ter-

although the flag may, in the opinion of some
of the heralds, be an '' ertraordifiarif nmuJiju-
ination^'* and the blazon '' not only very oh-
i(ciire hut a positive jumble of tenns"] yet the
undoubted intention of the designers has been
carried out in the flag itself

The cross of Scotland occupies the higher
position in the first and third quarters, which
are next the flagstaff, and the cross of Ireland,
in the second and fourth, which are the quar-
ters at the end of the flag; that is, the
relative positions of the Irish and Scotch
crosses, as they are placed in the first and
third quarters, are reversed in the second and
fourth quarters.

It will be noted (PL vii., fig. 1) that in
the first and third quarters the broad white
of the cross of St. Andrew is placed above,
and the red cross and its border are beneath ;
while in the second and fourth quarters the
red cross of St. Patrick and its border are
above, and the broad white is underneath.
That is to say, the positions of the crosses
are alternately changed about, or ^' counter-
changed."

The quarters of the flag next the flag- staff

* Qentleman\'i Matjazine, January, 1801.

t Navcd and Military Magazine, March, 1827.

232

History of the Union Jack.

I !:'.

are considered to be of hij^her importance than
the others, and in these more important ({uar-
ters the cross of St. Andrew is thus given
precedence over the cross of St. Patrick.

The lesson intended to be taught by the
position of the crosses is plain. The kingdom
of Scotland had entered into the union with
England before the kingdom of Ireland, and
therefore, as being the senior, the white cross
of St. Andrew is given the precedence over
the red cross of St. Patrick.

These important and intentional divisions
of the space in the flag were plainly devised,
but unfortunately are often omitted to be
followed.

Flags are sometimes to be seen (PI. vii.,
fig. 2) in which the white border around the
red cross of St. George is reduced to the same
narrow size as the border of St. Patrick, and
thus the white grounds of the Jacks of Eng-
land and Ireland are displaced.

Still more often the red cross of St. Patrick
is set full in the centre of the transverse cross,
and thus the cross of St. Andrew^ is completely
expunged, for the white is reduced to only two
narrow white margins of equal size on both
sides of the Irish red cross. The broad white
of St. Andrew has thus been entirely lost.

The Lessons of the Crosses.

233

Sufficient care, too, is not taken in setting
the flag upon the flagstaff. Wheti the red
ensign, or any similarly quartered flag, is re-
vervsed on the flagstaff' — that is to say, dis-
played with the Union down — it becomes a
signal of distress. Union Jacks are often seen
hoisted upside down (PI. vii., fig. 3). No more
distressing act can be done to the Union Jack
than to reverse its crosses by putting the
wrong end next the staff, with the broad white
saltire down ; nor greater indignity be done to
its people than by destroying the positions of
their national Jacks.

Such errors as have been mentioned cannot
be too greatly lamented, or be too carefully
avoided, for by them dishonour is done to the
memory of the nations whose prowess has
ennobled their national emblems, and the
beautiful story of the Union Jack is utterly
marred ; for the positions of the crosses and
borders cease to tell the consecutive history
of the empire nation whose combined union
emblem they form.

In PI. VII., fig. 3, a further error will be
noted which makes the flag incorrect, even if
it were not raised upside down. It will be
seen that the inner ends of two of the portions
of the red saltire butt squarely against the

234

History of the Union Jack.

sides of the upright arms of the white border
of St. George, instead of coming diagonally
against the transverse arms, and that the
opposite ends of the combined sal tires are not
in continuous line with one another, as in the
correctly made Jack of fig. 1. This has oc-
curred from the centre lines of the combined
saltires having been drawn directly from the
corners of the oblong flag to the inner corners
of St. George.

In view of these errors it may be well to
give some simple instructions by which the
flags may always be correctly made.

Union Jacks must
be made either square
(for use on the jack-
staffs) as (51), or
oblong (for use as in
ensigns) as (52), in
which latter shape
the length must al-
ways be twice the
width on the staff.

It will be noticed
that in the square
Jack (51) the diagonal lines drawn from the
opposite corners of the flag intersect the cor-
ners of the white border of St. George and of the

51. Sqoabb Union Jack.

ilii

The Lessons of the Crosses.

235

cross, which latter is shown in dotted Hnes,
and that in the oblong Jack (52) they do not.
Draw two diagonal lines from corner to
corner upon the shape of flag selected, then
place the St. George cross and its border upon
the flag according to the measurements in the
**OutHne Jack" (50). The diagonal lines will be

52. Oblono Union Jack.

the centre and dividing lines of the combined
saltires. The St. Patrick and St. Andrew
saltires and their borders are then to be added
according to the proportions shown in (50),
the red saltire being placed touching the
diagonal, but below it m the first and third
quarters of the flag, and above the diagonal in
the second and fourth.

The utmost care should be exercised in the
making of the union flag.

ful

236

History of the Union Jack.

From 1801 onward datcH our present Union
Jack, in which all three nations are repre-
sented. It was born when the power of Great
Britain seemed almost wrecked. Reverses had
accumulated upon her. In America many of
her possessions among the West Indies and
on the surrounding coasts^ had been wrested
from her flag, and thirteen of her longest
established and most i)opulous colonies had
revolted from her sway and foresworn their
allegiance. In Europe the nations of France,
Spain and Holland were united in arms
against her, and she was battling almost
single-handed against the power of the great
Napoleon ; yet, undaunted by these trials,
the sons of the united nation ran their new
Union Jack up aloft, and started out to
frame that marvellous career which it has
since achieved.

This second Union Jack flew at Aboukir
wdien Abercrombie drove Napoleon out of
Egypt ; with it were won the triumphs of
Wellington, from Assaye in India, through
Badajoz and Spain, to the crowning victory
at Waterloo. It was the flag whicl fl ated
in the "w^hite ensign" on all th iips at

* In 1781 England lost Tobago, St. Eustachius, Den irara,
Essequibo, St. Christopher, Nevis, and Montserrat.

Union

repre-
f Great
ses had
lany of
es and
v^rested
longest
es had
n their
France,
I arms

almost

e great

trials,

}ir new

out to

it has

Lboukir
out of
iphs of
hrough
victorv

fl wited
.lips at

Den irara,

«n

fULR

JUL*
llJLft

o
(n

The Lessons of the Crosses.

237

Trafalgar,* and on the Victon/ when Nelson
sent aloft his British watchword :

" England expects every man will do his duty."t

The ha)'^ of that signal shone aronnd it at
Balaclava, when the heroes of the valley-
charge proved it was

" Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs not to make reply ;
Theirs but to do and die."

And again above the BirkcithciKl, at sea^
when five hundred steadfast men went down
^ eneath its folds, inspired by its duty-call.

In Africa Melville and Coghill wrapped it
around their bodies at Isandula, and won death
to save it from the foe ; and for it the forty
mounted riflemen of Matabeleland died in
their tracks singing *'God Save the Queen."
On the continent of America the impetuous
Brock, facing enormous odds, and lea<ling his
Canadian volunteers in defence of their native-
land, gave up his life for it on the cedar-clad
slopes of Queenston Heights, and beneath it

* Nelson, in order to have the British ships easily recognized by
one another in the action, had < liered that instea«l of wearing (in
accordance with regulations) the Hags of tlieir respoctivt! red,
white or hlue squadrons, all the ships should wear the same Hag.
(the white ensign) as himself,.

+ Plate VIII.

238 .

History of the Union Jack.

the French Canadians of Beauharnois knelt
on the battlefield, and rising won, with the
brave De 8alaberry as their leader, the vic-
tory of glorious Chateauguay. *

If those crosses could but speak what
glories they could tell ; and yet the outlines
of the flag, when they are properly displayed,
signal the stories of the crosses as plainly and
as eloquently as if they voiced it in burning
words.

* " Captain Langtin caused his men of the Beauharnois militia to
kneel, went through a short prayer with them, and then, rising,
said, ' Noii: that they had Juljilhd their duty to their God, they
v'ould fulfil that to their iti«(/."'— Liguthall : "The Battle of
Chateauguay. '

CHAPTER XXL

THE PROPORTIONS OF THE CROSSES.

The proportions of the crosses and of the
white border to St. George in the Union Jack
have hitherto been treated solely by inference
and by comparison of the regulations which
were issued for the construction of the flag.
It may be well now to revert to actual ex-
amples showing the details of flags early in
use, which will further substantiate the sug-
gestions made for the allotment of the several
proportions.

It has been explained by some that the
broad white border of the red cross of St.
George was introduced to present a portion of
the white cross of France.

King James I. and all his successors until
King George III. (1806) had been styled
'' Kings of (xreat Britain, France and Ireland."
The successive Uni ^n Jacks had been created
during the existence of this formal title, and
therefore it is suggested that two crosses had
been placed ui)on this part of the flag, one
being the white cross of France, upon the face
of which the red cross of St. George had been

MriiMidMMkHflMI

m
^"i--.

240

History of the Union Jack.

laid to thus present the ancient but long past
union of the kingdoms of France and England
under the one sovereignty.*

Unfortunately for this explanation the white
cross of France was not a straight-sided cross,
such as that of 8t. George, l)ut one of Maltese

shape, being
wider at the
ends than at the
centre.

An instance of
this Hag is given
in the co])y (53)
ofthe flag shown
on the mainmast
of a French cara-
vel of the six-
teenth century
as drawn in an old manuscript illustration.!

It is quite evident that the rectangular w liite
border to the St. George could not be formed
by a cross of this shape, and, therefore, this
suggestion for the origin of the white border
must be taken as erroneous.

• Calais, the last foothold in France, won by Edward III. in his
olaini to the succeHsion of the throne of France, was lost in 1558
under Queen Mary.

t Caravelle Francaise tirt^e des " Ouvres Pilote du Havre,'"
MSS. du XVI. Siecle.

53. Flag of a French
Caravel, 16th Century.

The Proportions of the Crosses.

241

past
land

rhite

TOSS,

jtese

the
it the

nee of
given

f (5")
Jihown

nmast

1 cara-

e six-

;ntury

>n.t
white

brmed
this
border

[II. in his
1st in 1558

Havre,""

It was not unreasonal)le, seeing that the royal
standard is comyjosed of the arms of the
sovereign, tiiat the successive kings and (jueens
of England should have continued the tieur-de-
lys in one of the quarterings of their royal
arms, as a sign of family succession, and as
evidence of claim bv descent to the old sov-
ereignty of France ; but the British nation did
not itself claim any such sovereignty, and there
would therefore be no corresponding reason
for inserting the French cross in the union flag,
nor any historical connection which would
justify its being so used.

In the illustrations given of the two-crossed
Jack of 1707 (Plate vi., fig. 1 and cut 24) the
white saltire of St. Andrew is represented as
of the full size of the combined saltire of the
present three-crossed Union Jack of 1801.

This is the proportion of size which is
given to it in heraldic drawings and the way
in which it is usually drawn in later repre-
sentations, the white saltire cross of 8t. Andrew
being thus shown broader than the white
border to St. (leorge : but the earlier practice
in the making of flags appears to have been
different.

In the allotment of the proportions of the
new three-crossed Jack of 1801, when the

■n-

■■»■■

IS'"'

il,

1 I

242

History of the Union Jack.

cross of St. Patrick was added to tlie flag', it
has 1)0011 pointed out that the white bonier to
St. George was widened and given the same
width as each of the two national crosses
wdiich were then first })hiced side by side.

It will be interesting to show, by reference
to early original documents, that this was the
same proportion as had previously existed
between the cross of St. Andrew and the
border of St. George in the old two-crossed
Jacks.

Ill the time of William III. it appears that
objections had l)een raised in England to the
using of the two-crossed Jack by merchant
ships of the American colonies in the same
way and of the same form as by the merchant
ships of the mother country. Permission to
do this had been granted to the colonial ships
by the Governors of the colonies.

The English Lords Justices in Council con-
sidered the (juestion and reported:

"At the Council Chamber, Whitehall, the
olst day of July, 1701.

"Present — Their Excellencies the Lords
Justices in Council.

"Upon reading this day at the Board a
report from the Lords Commissioners of the
Admiralty in the words following, viz. :

"Their Excellencies the Lords Justices

The Proportions of the Crosses.

243

con-

lie

les

having been pleased to refer to us a Report
of the Lords Conunissioners of Trade, upon a
Memorial from this Board, representing the
Inconveniences that do attend Merchant
sliips wearing the King's Colours, in and
among the Plantations abroad, under Colour
of the Commissions given them by His
Majesty's Governours of the said Planta-
tions. We do most humbly report to their
Exceller. ies that we do agree with the said
Lords Commissioners for Trade that all such
ships to whom the aforesaid Governours
shall, by the Authority Lodged in them,
grant Commissions, ought to wear colours
that tnay distinguish thern from private
ships, as is done by those employed by the
Officers of the Navy, Ordnance Victualling,
and others, and therefore do humbly propose
that all the said Governours may be directed
to oblige the Commanders of such Merchant
ships, to which they grant Commissions, to
wear no other Jack than that hereafter
mentioned, namely, that worne by His Ma-
jesty's ships, with the Distinction of a
White Escutcheon in the middle thereof, and
that the said Mark of Distinction may
extend itself to one-half of the depth of the
Jack, and one-third part of the Fly thereof,
according to the sample hereunto annexed.

" Pembroke,
"Haversham,
" D. Mitchell.

''Admirnlty Office, 29th Jidy, 1701.

The Lords Commissioners of Trade were
accordingly instructed to write to the gov-
ernors of His Majesty's plantations "that they

■•*:■■

244

History of the Union Jack.

do oblige the commanders of such merchant
ships to which they grant commissions to urffr
no other Jack than according to what is pro-
posed."

An exact tracing of the " mmplc heveuuto
annexed^' taken from the original manuscript
report,* which was sent to the then governor

of the colony of Massa-
chusetts, is shown in
fig. 54.

This flag is the Jack
of James I., which is
still described in this
report of July, 1701, as
it had been of old, as

54. The Colonial Jack, the "King's Colours."

1701. It will be noted that

the white cross of St.

Andrew is a narrow cross, and that the white

border to St. George is of the same width as

the St. Andrew's cross.

In the centre of the Jack is the '' white
escutcheon " described in the report, and to
which reference will be made in a subse(|uent
chapter. Similar instructions were sent to the
Governor of the colonv of New York in 1709,
and the flag is repeated with an escutcheon in
the same form.

*Arcliives Rooms, Massachusetts, Vol. 62. Fol. 449-490, Boston.

The Proportions of the Crosses.

245

iint
ear
)ro-

(uto
ript
[•nor
,ssa-
1 in

Jack

;h is
this

H, as

il, as

)urs

that

f St.

vhite

th as

Iwhite

11(1 to

K^uent
X) the
1709,
on in

»>

A coloured sheet, "Schouw-Cart Aller
Scheeps Vlagjijen" (Examples of all ships' flags),
** correcting errors in previous editions," was
published in 1711 by P. Schenk, at Amsterdam.
In an old atlas* of maps, which were bound
together in " old Amsterdam " in 1763, there
is included one of these sheets. Among the
flags represented q
on it is a " Jack
of England" (;")5),
showing the white
of St. George of
the same width as
the St. Andrew's
cross.

References to
many drawings of
Jacks as used on
the American side
of the Atlantic show similar proportions, of
which some examples may be given.

Fig. 56 is a copy of the Jack on the bow-
sprit of a three-masted ship shown in a large
^hree-sheet engraving, entitled " A Prospect
of Charleston," published l)y R. Roberts, June
9th, 1739. t

' New York Colonial Society Manuscripts, New York.
t lu Emmet Collection, Lennox Library, New York.

55. Jack of England, \1\\,
(From an old Dutch sheet of flags.)

I, Boston.

246

History of the Union Jack.

The cut of the port of New York (28)
on page 148 shows the flag as used in 1770.

Fig. 57 is portion of an old engraving of
the combat between the French frigate La
Sf(rrn//(ftff(' and the English frigate Qf«'hev^
6th Octol)er, 1770.* This was one of the
most gallantly contested actions of the many
engagements between single ships during the

progress of the war. The
two frigates met in the
English Channel, and fly-
ing at one another at sight
they battled hand to hand.
All their masts had been
carried away, l)otli ships
were on fire, the flags tafl*
on the Frenchman was
burnino' and his flat^ fell.

56. Jack in Carolina, r .

1739. On seeing the ensign come

down the Englishmen
cheered, thinking that the enemy's shij) had sur-
rendered, but the Frenchmen (juickly put up
another in its place and the action went fiercely
on. More than half of the crew on either
side had been killed or wounded, all the l)oats
except one on the French ship had been
destroyed, when the Quebec blew up and Capt.

* In Collection of Chateau de Remesay, Montreal.

The Pkoi'ortions of the Crosses.

247

2S)
).

r of

the

lany

; the

The
the

1%-

sight

land.

been

shii^s

y-staff
was
fell,
come

mien

(I sur-
Lit up
jrcely
nther
l)oats
been
Capt.

Fanner, lier commander, went down in her
witli nearly all who were left alive of her crew.
CVipt. de Coudic, who was himself severely
wounded, received the forty-three survivors,
with a seaman's j]jallantry, on board the Snr-
rciUnutc, saying that "as their .shij) had per-

57. Thk Comhat uetwekn La Snrrfjl/'intc and the Quebec, 1779.

ished with her colours tiying they would be
treated, not as prisoners, Init as brothers
rescued from shipwreck," and after a two
days' struggle in keeping afloat the French
ship, barely more than a hulk, laboured into
Brest.

248

History of the Union Jack.

iii:

The white flag with the flcur-de-lys is at
the stern of the French ship, and at the stern
of the English ship is the red ensign on which
the narrow 8t. Andrew cross and the white
border of 8t. George are still shown of e(|ual
width.

A further example is given in the drawing
(58) made from a flag* surrendered by the

British forces at
the capitulation
of Yorktown, by
Cornwallis, on
20th October,
1781. This is the
" king's colour "
of one of the
regiments, and
is the Union
Jack of Queen
Anne, 1707. In
the centre is a
garter surrounding a red rose and surmounted
by a crown. On the garter is the royal motto
'' Honi soil qui mat y peme^' and the cross of
St. Andrew is of the same width as the bor-
der to St. George.

These instances could not all be incorrect

68. •' King's Colour," 1781.

Now in the Museum at Alexandria, Virginia, U.S.A.

The Proportions of the Crosses.

249

and their similarity shows tliat the form and
j)rop()rtions of the flag, as given in the Massa-
chusetts document, were those which were
sul)se(juently used in the actual liags officially
displayed at sea and on shore.

In all these Jacks the white of St. Geoi'ge
is of the same width as the cross of St.
Andrew, and from these evidences of the form
of the Hag', derived from such varie<l sources,
we may fairly conclude that the allotment
to the white border of St. George in the
Union Jack of a proportion equal to that of
a national cross had not only early authority,
but also wide acceptance.

These were two-crossed Jacks. When the
regulations were given out, in 1801, for the
construction of the three-crossed Jack, the
instruction that the white border to St. George
should be given the same width as each one
of the national crosses of St. Andrew and
St. Patrick was simply a continuation of
the proi)ortion allotted to it in the Union
Jacks which had preceded, and by this method
the proportionate representation of the Jacks
of the three kingdoms was intended and
justified.

Another objection raised, by those on the
side of the heralds, to the proportions of the

«f

250

History of the Union Jack.

j)resont fla<^, is tliat the crosses themselves arc
of less width in pr()j)()rtion to tlie size of the
Ha<,^ than they should 1)'> according to heraldic
rules, and that, therefore, the dividing of the
flag is incorrect.

We need again to be reminded that the Hag
makei's were not placing three crosses u[)on a
single Hag, hut were joining three ffacks into
one l^nion Jack ; yet it may be satisfactory to
see that in the doing of this they have really
fulfilled the rules of heraldry.

Aecf)rding to the received rules of strict
herjildry, in emblazoning a shield or a banner,
a cross shonhl be given one-third and a saltire
be given one-fifth of the widtk On a shield
this measurement of width is taken across the
top, but on a banne' or a Hag it is measured
per})endicularly along the HagstaH'.

Applying this rule and measurement to our
Jack, and taking, as in fact they are, the red
cross of St. (rcorge and its two boi'ders as
(Hie rr<>ss\ and the two saltire crosses of St.
Andrew and St. Patrick and their two borders
iif^ (nir s(ilt}n\ we shall find that the heraldic
rules have been actually complied with as in
fig, r?(), by the regulations and that the com-
bined cross is one-tlurd, and the combined
saltire one-fifth, of the width of the Hag.

j^-*

^ThE PaOPORTlOXS OF THE CROSSES. 251

One Combixed Cross : *

Red cross of St. George, j of width "V

Upper wliite border, > of ,•',- 'i^

Lower white border, I of •' 'i"

r< _ 1 / (P!i.-. V

r\ r-i ^ 1 ."• .1 Vlhinl. ^

Une Combived Saltire : f

Red of St. Patrick, .1 of ;', ,i.

White border of St. Patrick, ^ of -K V

Broad white of St. Andrew, .1 of ■» "'

•1 _ 1 /Oii,-\

Tiff — s vnriii,/

It is possible that tliis form of compliance
with the heraldic rules was fully intended ;
yet, were it not so, it is at all events a hajipy
coincidence which nn-oht he taken as a con'-
formity to the rul(^s, and thus the fla- which
has been confirmed in its shape hy the usa<re
and <rl(„y of centuries can he cheerfuNv
accepted hy the heralds as hein- completely
satisfactory.

* It may he convenient U, state these proportions as they wouM
he in a Lnion Jack, of which the width on the HagHtatl' is .-, feet :

Red of St. (Jeorge, I of 5 feot 1 ft. o in.

Upper white border 4 j,,^

Lower white horder 4 j,,

1 ft. H in. or i of 5 ft.

t Red of St. Patrick 41,,

White of St. Piitrick o j,/

liroad white of St. Andrew i; i„"

1 ft. in. or j^ of 5 ft

'■m'

252

History of the Union Jack.

The proportions of the crosses and ])orders
of tlie rnion Jack are, therefore, not only
teehnieally correct, ])ut they also preserve the
historical pr()j)ortions of the three nations and
of the three national Jacks, which were in
1801 joined tot»ether in completed union.

C HAPTER XXII.

UNDER THE THREE CROSSES IX CANADA.

1x1801 the "new" three-cro is union had
entered into tlie upper eorner of the red
ensi<;n of British rule. The Canadians, both
Freneh and Enghsh, had hecn faithful to its
two-erossed predeeessor, and now a<^ain their
patriotism was to he put to the test.

The parent kingdom of (ireat Britain had
for nineteen years been engajjjed in its mighty
st niggle with the great Napoleon for the
supremacy of Europe, and the time seemed
opportune to a section of the j)e()i)le of the
United States for gaining an advantage over
the nation from which they had separated
their allegiance, and also, though covertly, for
striking a blow at the neighbouring |)eople who
had so successfully resisted their }>revious
invasion.

The quarrel was none of Canada's making,
nor one in which she had anv share, and
although the ostensible reason which had been
alleged as the cause of offence was re})ealed
before hostilities had been conmienced, yet

I.'sSr

llW,,

•2.34

History of the Union Jack.

war was declared ))y the United States on the
isth of June, 1S1l>.*

Tlie population of the Unite<l States at that
time amounted to no less than eij^ht millions,
while in Canada, from end to end, there were
but four hundred thousand souls, all told.

The Canadians did not (juail, thou^ih their
country was to ]>e the scene of war, and their
homes to be the stal;e for which the nations
were to strive. Aid they could not expect from
their J^ritish friends across the sea, already
strained to the utmost in the lonj^' conHict
with the ai'inies of Europe ; their reliance
must be uj)on their own stout hearts and
strong- right arms. But this was enough, for

" Odds lie not in nuiiilwrs, but in spirit, too."

So they rallied with eagerness beneath their
country's and Britain's Ha«^

Only four thou.sand live inuulrcMJ regular
trained soldiers were in Canada in 1>IJ, and
in them are include<l men of the Newfoundland
and (Jlengarry regiments, recruited locally in
the colony; and thus the bi'unt of the defence
was to fall upon the stalwart but untrained
militia ' he country-side.

* The Hritish Onlers-i' ','ouni;il respec-tinj? the " right of search,"
to whiiih ihe ITni't'd StaicH ina<k> (>hje( ti.)n, and hd<l l»eeii ;;ivi'n a.-*
tlieir reason for war. had been repealetl in Kngliiitil tht> day before
M'ar wax ducdarcd.

Under the Thhee Ckosses ix Canada, 'lory

II the

: that

lions,

were

their
[ their
ations
t from
Ireadv
•(mtiict
I'liance
ts and
^oh, for

their

oiilar
•2, and
ndland
•ally in

U'fence
it rained

(if search,"

eii >;iven as

,hiv before

Tlie tide of invasion advaneed nortli against
Canada from the United States, l-'or three
years, from \X\'2 to IHIT), the eontest went on.
Our Freneli Canadians a^ain bi'avely took \i\)
their arms, and this time, un(hM- the new three-

r)t>. TnK W'ah Mki.ai.. \-\y.i 1SI4.

oi tlie vic-
tories which
,\ tliev won he-
neath it in (h'-
fence of their
Canach'an h'h-
erties and
liomes. So,
too, tlieir Knj^lish-speakinj; brothers of I'ppcr
Canada won e(|ual victories for this same
Union Jack. .Vt Mackinac, Captain Kohci'ts*
with his Indians and Canaih'an voyaj^cnrs
raised it aljove the capturcil Ameiican foi't.
At the capitulation of Fort Detroit, in the
State of Michi^^an, the American soldieis laid

* An ancestor of Lunl I{u)>urt8 uf Kuixiaiiur and Prt'turia.

P'^

250

History of tuf Union Jack.

down their arms before it. At Qiieenstoii
Hei<^]its, under the j^dorious I^roek, at Stoney
Creek and Heaver Dams, Niaj^ara and Lundy's
Lane, tlie Ameriean inva(U'r was sent in qniek
retreat from Canadian soil, and at the conelu-

kIoii of the three years' war,

flit*}

Mil »s

after all tlie
varying- tlue-
tuations in re-
) verse and sne-
cess between
the contend-
ing forces,
there was not
one foot of
Canada, from

(iO. ThkSekvkk Medal, Canada, 180<) 70. ^^(1 to en<l,

which was oc-
cupied or sullied by the foot of the foreign foe.

Thus all along their frontier shores, from
Mackinac to far St. John, the Canadians stood
shouMer to shoulder in one })ol(l, united line,
and held the larger half of North xVmerica for
the British crown.

Again, when Fenian hordes and restless
soldiers, who had ))een disbanded fnmi the
armies of the American civil war, were as-
sembled and drilkMJ under the protection of
the United State.;, and launched in rai<ls

(Jndem the Three Crosses in Canada. 257

nston
toney
indv's
quick
onc'lu-
;' war,
II the
tiuc-
; in re-
1(1 sue- "
^'tween
mtond-
U' c s ,
rjis not
oot of
I, from
end,
was oc;-
n foe.
from
s stood
(1 line,
•iea for

restless

[mi the

,'ere as-

!tion of

n raids

'A^

against (Vnadian liomes, the Canadian volun-
teers mustered around their Union Jaek, and
alon;;- the Xia^^ara frontier, in 18()(), and
at Kecles Hill, in the Provinee of Quebec,
in 1S7(), aj^ain drove the southern invader
hack, and held their native soil inviolate be-
neath its three-crossed folds.

• •••••••

"Since when has a Southerner phiced liis heel
On the men of the northern /one?

" Shall the mothers that bore us bow the head

And l)lush for degenerate sons?
Are the jMtiiot tires gone out and deafl?

Ho ! brothers, stand to the guns I
Let the Hag be nailed to the nuist,
Defying the coming blast !
For Canada's sons are true as steel,

Their metal is muscle and bone,
The Southerner never shall place his heel

On the men of the northern /one,

" Oh, we are the men of the northern zone,

Where the riajth^s their branches toss ;
And the great oear rides in his state alone,

Afar fiom the southern cross.
Our people shall aye be free,
They never shall l)end the knee.
For this is the land of the true and leal,

Where free<lom is bre(l in the bone —
The Southerner nt'ver shall place his heel

On the men of the northern /one." *

Keniighan ( "The Khan"') : "Tlie Men of the Northern Zone.

258

History of the Union Jack.

But now another ])arlianientarv union was
to be inelu<le(l in the career of the Union
Jack.

Up to I8(i7 the Eastern Britisli provinces in
North America ha<l remained under sej)arate
local governments, such as had heen estab-
lished in the previous century; but in this
year Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Up])er
and Lower Uanada were all united in the one
"Dominion" ot*Uana<la, then extending only as
far as Lake Superior. This "Act of Uonfeder-
ation" was pa.s.sed in London, at Westmin.ster,
by the l*arliament of (ireat Britain, and thus
again the Union I*arliament of the Union Jack
was parent to a new Union Parliament estab-
lished in united Canada. Each province con-
tinues to have its own " Provincial Assemblv,"
in which legislation is conducted on matters
jjertaining to its own local or home rule, but
all general powei's arecentre<l in the Dominicm
Parliament of Canada. Hitherto the spirit of
the Hag had been solely that of union with
the motherland ; thereafter it had an added
and local meaning, for it became also the
symbol of Uanadian union, the ])atri()t flag of
the new daughter nation which had thus been
brought into existence in the outer Britisli
American realm. Inspired by this union, the

Under the Three Crosses in Canada. 259

)n was
Union

nces in
^parate

estal)-
in this
L Upper
the one

only as
)nte(U'i'-
ininster,
n<l thus
on Jack
it osta))-
nce con-
^cnibly,"

matters

ule, hut
oniinion
spirit of
on with
1 aihled
also the
)t tia^ of

uis been
British

lion, tlie

older provinces thus combined bet^an to extend
theii oorders, and soon ^bmitoba and the
Hudson Bay territories of the central prairies
were added, in 1801), and British Columbia
joined in 1S71, followed by Prince Edward
Island in 1H7JJ, to make the enhumul Dominion

and a rebellion broke out, the courage of the
united Canadians was aroused with electric
Hash, and the volunteer battalions from the
Maritime Atlantic shores, from Krench-speak-
inj^' (Quebec, from the p'eat Ontario lakes, and
from all parts of the Dominion, vied with one

\i,'

200

HiSTOHV OF THE UnION JaCK.

aiiotlior in lu'annf;' the privations of forcod
marclu's across the frozen lakes, or over the
pathless prairies, to rc:'cli the scene of action,
and join in maintaining the siij)reniacy of their
native union. The rebellion was (juickly
suppressed; hut the events at Fish Creek,
Hatoche, and on the hanks of the Saskatche-
wan, left gaf)s in tlie loyal ranks.

** Not in th(i (juiet churchyard, near those who loved them

best,
But by the wild Saskatchewan we laid them to their

rest :
A simple soldier's funeral in that lonely spot was theirs,
Made consecrate and holy by a nation's tears and prayers.
Their recjuicm, the music of the river's sin<jfin<j[ tide ;
Their funeral wreaths, the wild flowers that grew on every

side ;
Their monument, undying praise from each Canadian

heart
That hears how, for their country's sake, they nobly bore

their part."

Three medals* have been granted by their
sovereign to conunemorate the gallantry of
the Canadians who fought beneath the Union
Jack : in 1812-1.'), for union with the mother-
land (•>*>)' "* 18()()-7(), for service in defence
of their country during the Fenian raids ((50) ;
and in 188;'), for union within Canada itself
{()!). Such are some of the events which

* See Appendix " H "— '• Caiuulinii War Medals."

Under the Thiiee Crosses in Canada. 201

t'oired

(»r the

fiction,

>t' their

luickly

Creek,

ivjitche-

ivt'd them

to their

vas theirs,
(I prayers,
tide ;
f,v on every

Cana(Uan
nobly bore

])V their
iiitry of
c Union
mother-
defence
ids (()()) ;
hi itself
s wliich

(

Ills."

have ^iveil rise to the stirrin*^' patriotism
evinced hy Canadians for their national tla^',
and whidi have kept aflame the passionate
fervor of their lovahv.

Fonr times within tlie centnry — in 177.'),
ISI-J, lH()(iand 1H7() lias their I'nion Jack
been I'aised in defence of home and native
land; and once, in ISS.'), for maintenance of
union within themselves.

As Canadians see it wavinj;- above their
school-h(mses, and on the ships or over their
homes, they read in the crosses the stories
that they tell, and remember that the deep
red tones in its folds have been freshened and
coloured bv the heart-blood of Canada's sons,
poured out for it in un^rud^^in*^' loyalty on
their own loved soil. The sons of the parent
nations have carried it in manv a far-off strife,
Imt in their own island homes, "ccmipassed by
the inviolate sea," they sleep secure, and never
have had to fi<;ht beneath it in defence of
native land. It is in this regard that Cana-
<lians can cherish this Way^ even more than
they who first carried it, and their sons may
now ri<.fhtlv wear it as their vei'v own, for the
Union Jack is so bound up with love of coun-
try, defence of home, and all that is glorious
in Canada's history, that it is the Hag of
Canada itself.

^ —

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iiiillli

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Illil

llllpiipll I

i ll:l"

CHAPTEK XXIII.

THE FLAG OF LIBERTY TO THE SLAVE.

These stories of martial and constitutional
advance are not all the story that this Union
Jack tells. There is something more than
mere valorous devotion which should be
aroused in the expression of loyalty for a flag.
Such a devotion might be found even under a
despot's sway, for racial and reckless valour
may, with some, take the place of thoughtful
allegiance.

The story of an ideal flag should declare a
supreme idea, an idea which has been so well
expressed as being the ** divine right of liberty
in man. Not lawlessness, not license, but
organized institutional liberty — liberty through
law, and law for liberty." *

When a flag records, by the unmistakable
story of its life, how this desired liberty has
been, not simply alleged, but in actual fact
granted to all who have reached the soil of its
dominion, and, further, tells how the amplest
dream of self-government is realized by those
who dwell beneath its sway, then, indeed, is

• Henry Ward Beeclier.

The Flag of Liberty to the Slave. 263

LA VE.

tutional
} Union
re than
)uld be
>r a flag,
under a
3 valour
oughtful

leclare a

so well

f liberty

use, but

through

stakable
erty has
ual fact
oil of its
amplest
by those
ideed, is

that flag to be cherished with the most pas-
sionate devotion, and valued in the most
critical estimation.

Such a flag becomes an inspiration, not only
to the heart, but to the mind, and men may
well be willing to risk their all, and life itself,
for the maintenance of its unsullied honour.
Such a flag is the Union Jack in Canada.

This Jack in Canada is not only the national
ensign of the British race, but it is more, for
Canadians have made it the real " flag of
liberty " in America.

It is the proudest ascription of the Union
Jack of the Empire that

'* Though it may sink o'er a shot-torn wreck,
It never flies over a slave."

This fact is true to-day of the Jack throughout
all the British territories, but it has not always
been so, and we may, with much interest, trace
the condition of the slave under the flag in
Great Britain, in the Colonies, in the United
States, and in Canada.

It has been the happy lot of the motherland,
the cradle of the liberties of the earth, that
freedom has been enjoyed for many centuries
upon her own home soil ; but even there legal
doubts existed about the position of slaves
who had reached her shores, until 1772,

■<■■■

■\i i

' i i

•i !

', ^

'H i

:i ■:!!;

264

History of the Union Jack.

when the notable decision of Lord Mansfield
declared that, '' W/tf^n <i xlare has landed oh
the soil of the British fsles that si are is free^
Although this legal definition had been reached,
the abolition by statute of slavery under the
Union eTack was not enacted by the British
Parliament until 1811 ; and even after that,
as this Act did not apply outside the British
Isles, slavery continued in the outer realms to
such an extent that in 1820 there were no
fewer than 340,000 slaves under British rule
in the Island of Jamaica alone.

At last, in 1833, the glorious Act of Emanci-
jyaiion was passed by the British Parliament,
and the same freedom which had existed on
the soil of the parent kingdom was extended
to all races who lived anywhere under the
Union Jack. The people of the parent isles
gave further proof that this was done, not
solely in the pursuit of an ideal, but out
of real good-will, for they were not con-
tent with proclaiming freedom to the slave,
but themselves purchased his emancipation
by paying one hundred million dollars to his
owners in those colonies in which, up to that
time, slavery had existed with their consent.
In the true spirit of British fair-play they
thus scouted the idea of exercising their own

iisfield
(led on
rer.
iaclied,
ler the
British
ir that,
British
ahns to
i^ere no
ish rule

Emanci-
liament,
isted on
xtended
der the
?nt isles
me, not
3ut out
ot con-
,e slave,
cipation
rs to his
to that
consent,
ay they
leir own

The Flag of Liherty to the Slave. 265

compassion and good-will at any other person's
expense.

Xuiuber Indeinnitj

of Slaves. Paid.

■^•Jamaica ,'U1,700 £0,152,(X)0

Barbad()e.s 83,000 1,721,000

Trinidad 22,.300 1,039,000

Antigua, etc 172,093 3,421,000

Guiana 84,900 4,297,000

Mauritius G8,600 2,113,000

Cape of Good Hope 38,400 1,247,000

Total 780,993 £20,000,000

^ Such has been the story of freedom under
the Union Jack on the other continents. Let
us see how its history compares with that of
other flags on the continents of America.

The stories of the flags of Mexico and the
republics of South America are so changing
and unsettled that they may not be counted
in the consideration, and the flag of Spain in
Cuba never became an exponent of freedom.
The sole competitor for the title of '' the flag
of the free" is the Stars and Stripes of the
United States of North America.

The thirteen colonies of North America
were, at the time of Lord Mansfield's deci-
sion in 1772, colonies of the British crown,
and moved, no doubt, l)y a desire to emulate
their brothers in Great Britain, and wishing to
follow their example, the representatives of

•Extract from Dictionary of Statistics, p. 541, "Abolition of
Slavery."

I ii::

' I

I,il i:;;. "'ii

266

History of the Union Jack.

these colonies met at Philadelphia, on 27th
September, 1774, and in Continental Congress
** declared against the slave-trade, and forbade
any further importation of slaves into British
America." Being then loyal supporters of
the Union Jack, and following its ideals, they
made, as Britons, a first step in the right
direction.

It was, no doubt, under the influence of
this spirit of British freedom that, when they
separated from their British allegiance, they
stated in their Declaration of Independence
(4th July, 1776) :

" We hold these truths to be self-evident,
that all men are created equal ; that they are
endowed by their Creator with certain
unalienable rights; that among these ar3
life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

Yet at the very time when this claim was
made, that all men were born equal, well nigh
a million blacks were held in these same States
in bondage,* and this sounding declaration of
" liberty " did not bring freedom to a single
slave.

Indeed, when, eleven years afterwards, in
1787, the representatives of the thirteen States

* In 1780 there were 1,191,000 slavos in the United States, and
as late as 1860 more than 4,000,000.

n 27th
ingress
■orbade
British
ters of
Is, they
e right

ence of
en they
;e, they
3ndence

ent,

rare

tain

ar3

lim was
ell nigh
e States
ation of
a single

ards, in
n States

States, and

The Flag of Liberty to the Slave. 267

met * in federal convention, ai:d adopted the
Constitution of the United States, the exis-
tence of slavery under the Stars and Stripes
was recognized and its continuance guaranteed.

The framers of the constitution were evi-
dently conscious of the fact that the statements
of their '^ declaration " were not in harmony
with their actions, and therefore the provisions
in their " constitution " concerning slavery
were stated in a veiled and secret form, the
words *' slave " and " slavery " being carefully
excluded. In this way the clauses of the
American constitution have a different inter-
pretation from that which their wording would
apparently convey, for the existence in slavery
of one class of their population was duly pro-
vided for, although not specifically mentioned.

The leaven of English freedom evinced in
1774 had continued to work among some of
the States, even after their separation from the
crown, and emancipation had been begun in
Vermont in 1777, in Pennsylvania in 1780,
and was impending in some of the others, but
had by no means been accepted in all.t

In arranging the proportionate representa-
tion of the several States in the union congress

* 25th May, 1787, at Philadelphia.

t Emancipation was eflFected in Now Jersey in 1804; New York,

1827.

• I '

I! I

'! " I

ii^ii

■li::ii|^:|

* ? t

i':ii!iii|

2G8

History of the Union Jack.

it became necessary to apportion the numl^er
of members of congress to be elected by each,
and in arranging- this representation a conces-
sion was made to the slave-owning States
whereby their slaves were to be counted in
estimating the number of their population.
The Article * enacts :

" Representatives shall be apportioned
among the several States which may be
included within this union according to
their respective numbers, which shall be
determined by adding to the whole number
of free persons, including those bound to
service for a term of j'^ears, and excluding
Indians not taxed, three-fifths of all other
persons."

By the apparently simple but very pregnant
words '' all other persons " were meant the
slaves, who were thus counted in determining
the number of the representatives who were to
be accredited to and elected by the State in
which they were held in slavery, althoagh they
were not themselves accorded any citizenship
or right to vote.

As slavery was, in 1787, legal in some of the
States, and illegal in others, it also became
necessary, in order to gain the acceptance of
the union by the slave-owning States, that

* Article I., Section 2, Constitution of United States, 1787.

The Flag of Liberty to the Slave. 269

lumber
y each,
nonces-
States
nted in
ion.

)ned
/ be
y to
1 be
nber
d to
ding
)ther

pregnant
;ant the
rmining
were to
State in
agh they
bizenship

ne of the
became
)tance of
,tes, that

bes, 1787.

provision should be made for the legal return
to them of any slaves who might escai)e from
a slave-owning to a free State, and a clause
guaranteeing the rendition of fugitive slaves
was therefore eml)odied in the Constitution.
It was enacted :

" No person held to service or labour in
one State — under the laws thereof — escaping
to another shall, in consequence of any law
or regulation therein, be discharged from
such service or labour, but shall be delivered
up on claim of the party to w^hom such
service or labour may be due." *

It is stated on the authority of Madison, t
''the father of the constitution," that the
words used in each case in the original drafts
of these clauses was "servitude," but it was
afterwards changed to " service."

The exi)ulsion of the words, although it
might appear better to the eye, did not alter
the ftict that the whole of the States, which
then framed their Union, although they did not
all practise slavery, yet every one of them then
consented to its perpetuation, and thus slavery
existed legally under the Stars and Stripes
from 1787 until 1865, when happily it was

* Article IV., Section 2, Constitution of United States, 1787.

f. James Madison, subsequently twice President of the United
States, 1809 and 1813.

■ n,

':'r'rC'":«i"'rrr"S"." :>' v*-*r';: --^yr•'

!■

1 . ; ■

270

History of the Union Jack.

terminated * by the proclamation of Lincoln
and the Constitutional amendment.

Such is the story of the slave's "freedom"
under the national flag of the United States.

We may now turn to the story of his free-
<lom under the Union Jack in Canada.

We have seen that slavery, excepting on the
soil of Great Britain, was not abolished in all
other parts of the British Empire until 1833,
and not in the United States until 1865. In
1792, long before either of these dates, self-
government had been granted to Canada, and,
under the two-crossed Jack, at the first meet-
ings which were held by the parliament in
Upper Canada, slavery was abolished on July
9th, 1793. t This was before our present Union
Jack came into existence in 1801, so that in
Canada alone, of all the outer lands over which
this flag has been raised, beginning from the
very day on which it first was displayed, this
three-crossed Jack has always, as in the
motherland, proclaimed freedom to the slave.

Canada in such way added honour to the
flag, and made it more particularly her own ;

* Constitutional amendment abolishing slavery, January 31st,
186,5.

t There were a few isolated instances of slaves M'ho continued in
the possession of their previous owners, but after this date any
slave who came to the country, and every child born of coluui ed
parents, was free.

I 'i'^' ;!'':.:;

^'- I lllii

iii

The Flag of Libektv to the Slave. 271

muary 31st,

for on the continent of Americca, whether he
came from the British West Indies, from the
southern continent, from Cuba or the United
States, in all of which he was still the chattel
of his owner, so soon as the slave reached the
soil of Canada and came under the colours of
our Union Jack, that moment he was free.

The deep significance which this early law
of Canada had given to the Hag has often been
attested by coloured men l)efore their fellow-
citizens and the world, and particularly l)y
Frederick Douglas, the great coloured orator
of the United States. While dilating upon the
great advantage which had come to his own
people since freedom had at last been granted
to them in the United States, he would
nevertheless contrast their condition with that
existing in the neighboring Canadian land,
where the black child sits in the ])ublic schools
by the side of his little white brother, and
travels with him in the same carriage on the
trains, and where the law is administered with
impartiality for both white and l)lack alike.*

* Speaking in the Exposition Hall, at the great Columbian
Exhibition, Chicago, on August 25th, 1893, Douglas said of his
people: "To-day we number 8,000,000 (coloured) people in the
United States. To-day a desperate effort is being made to blacken
the character of the negro and to brand hira as a moral monster.
In fourteen States of this Union wild mobs have taken the place of
the law. They hang, shoot and burn men of my race without law
and without right."

ft * 3

272

History of the LJnion Jack.

Til tt'llin*^ words lie would revert to the
time '' wlieii there was ])ut one Hag in Anieriea
un(U'r whicli the fugitive slave eould be seeure.
When the slave had escaped from the control
of his owner, and was making his way through
the intervening States to the free land of the
lorth, whether he gained the summit of the
highest mountains, or hid in the recesses of
the deepest valleys, the fugitive could find no
safe resting j)lace. If he mingled in the teem-
ing throngs of their busiest cities, he feared
detection ; if he sought solitude on their widest
prairies, beneath the silent stars, he was in
dread of being tracked ; not until he had
sighted the red-crossed Jack, and, crossing
the northern lakes, had touched the strand of
Canada's shore, could the slave fall upon hiii
knees and know that at last he was free."

Thus pure, unsullied in its story, the three-
crossed Union Jack of Canada is the only flag
on the continent of America which has always
been a '' flag of liberty," a flag by which all
men, as their birthright, have been created
equal and free. What higher honour can
Canadians wish for its blood-red folds ?

! :'^!:il

to the
America
I secure,
control
tliroii^U
[I of the
t of the
esses of
find no
le teem-
le feared
ir widest
3 was in
he had
crossing
;5trand of
upon his
ree.

le three-
only flag
.s always
^liich all
created
our caa

CHAPTER XXIV.

THE FLAG OF LIBERTY TO THE PEOPLE.

There is yet the other ideal phase in which
the Union Jack in the outer realms of the
empire and in Canada reigns supreme — that
of "liberty to the people." The inborn hope
which buds and blossoms in tiir hearts of
growing peoples as their energies evolve and
circumstances advance, finds its fruitage in
the possession of mastery over ;heir own
homes, and thus a nation's desire for liberty is
concentrated in the absorbing dream of self-
government.

It was this spirit which spoke in the old
English colonies in America when they averred,
in their address to King George III., that
they were *' being degraded from the pre-
eminent rank of English freemen."* The
position of the citizen in their old homeland
was their highest ideal of the liberties of a
people, and the only one with which, even
in those times, they considered comparison
could worthilv.bc made.

The history of the Union Jack in the

* Address to tlie king.

rw.

Vli

l. ,1 i ' l.'l

' I

274

History of the Union Jack.

parent land is connected, as we have seen, not
solely with national allegiance, but yet more
with parliamentary government ; and its parts
have been combined to evidence the advent of
union under representative institutions.

Such, too, has been the history of its expan-
sion among the great groups of colonies of
the British Empire which dot the outer world,
a development of democratic government
which can best be realized by a comparison
between the forms of government in Canada
and the self-governed British colonies, and
that in the United States.

The creation of the constitution of England
was not confined to a single date, nor was it
the product of the men of a single period ; its
growth has been spread, like that of its flag,
over century after century, as each successive
phase of the ideal dream has become harmon-
ized with the existing requirements of its
subjects. Formed largely upon usage and
precedent, it reflects the current views of the
people, and, therefore, has never been restricted
to invariable forms of words.

There are milestones such as Magna Cliarta,
the Petition of Rights, the Habeas Corpus
Act, the Act of Settlement, and other land-
marks that mark the way ; but as with the

The Flag of Liberty to the People. 275

cen, not
et more
its parts
[Ivent of

s expan-
ionies of
3r world,
^ernmeiit
[nparison
1 Canada
lies, and

■ England
lor was it
nnod ; its
f its flag,
;uccessive

liarmon-
its of its
sage and
ws of the

estricted

la Charta,
LS Corpus
•her land-
with the

Union Jack, so, too, with the liberties of the
British form of government, the story of the
combinations is not the record of a revolution,
but the gradual process of an evolution.

When at the end of the last century our
neighbours in the United States framed their
separate constitution — which, with the excep-
tion of the amendment respecting slavery,
remains identically the same — they based it
on the usages of that day when responsible
government was almost unknown. Creating
an elective king under the name of president,
they endowed him with distinct and extensive
powers, which, as then, he still exercises,
largely of his own private will, or only in con-
sultation with a cabinet which is nominated
by and is responsible only to himself, whose
members are not members of the House of
Representatives, nor are they elected by the
people.

How entirely he acts without the instruc-
tions or the initiation of Congress, was only
too evidently shown in the recent Venezuela-
Ouiana incident,* when President Cleveland's
message was promulgated with all the indi-
vidual vehemence of an autocrat.

The President of the United States having

* 1896.

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276

History of the Union Jack-

been elected for a definite term of years,
represents the opinion prevailing at the time
of his election ; and no matter how much the
opinion of the nation may, in the interval,
change, he continues to rule until his allotted
term of four years shall have expired, even
though he and his cabinet be in absolute con-
flict with the expressed will of the people.

It is true there are provisions in the consti-
tution for checking his course, or for his
impeachment, but in cases in which this has
been attempted to be enforced the trial has
lasted longer than his term. His appoint-
ment having been the result of an election
contest, the president represents not the whole
people, but only the political party which was
in the majority at the time of his election.

Being then the elected representative of a
definite political party, his acts are expected
by those who have elected him to be used
towards continuing their party in power, and
thus the person from time to time holding the
position of president becomes a distinct
vehicle for the exercise of party political war-
fare.

This written constitution of the UniteJ
States, admirable though it may have been at
the time, and perhaps an improvement upon

The Flag of Liberty to the People. 277

the then existing state of things, was born
over a century ago, in the times of autocratic
government, and though thus out of date it has
remained ever since practically unchanged.*

During this same hundred years, as civiliza-
tion has advanced, education enlightened the
masses, and intelligence expanded among the
people, there has grown up that marvellous
form of government under which we Canadians
and our brother colonists live — the British
constitutional monarchy. In this British
Empire, in the colonial parliaments, as in the
Imperial Parliament, the Queen represents
the people, not a party, and is the permanent
chairman of the nation. The will of parliament,
tempered by her continued counsel, is her
will. The ministers of the crown, who form
the executive, are elected by the people, and
sit in the same House of Commons with the
other elected representatives. Debating with
them on the issues of the day, they are respon-
sible to their fellow-members for the measures
which they introduce ; and when they fail to

* In the United States the members of the Senate are elected bj'
the Legislatures of the States, one for each State, and sit for six
years. The members of the House of Representatives are elected
by popular vote of the electors, the number for each State lieing
determined by its proportional population, and each sits for a fixed
terra of two years.

W-'l

Wuf'

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278

History of the Union Jack.

carry these measures, and cease to secure the
support of the majority of the people's repre-
sentatives, then the ministry resigns, and is
succeeded at the call of the sovereign by a
cabinet which shall represent that majority ; or,
should the matter be considered of sufficient
importance, the whole parliament is forthwith
dissolved by the sovereign as the neutral and
unbiased centre of impartial power, all the
members return for re-election by their con-
stituencies, and the question at issue is quickly
submitted for decision by the ballots of the
electors. Thus the acts of the premier or
chief minister, who is head of the executive,
and of his cabinet, and also of the party of
which he is leader, are at once subject to the
opinion of the people without waiting for the
completion of their term. *

Further, indeed, than this, if a member of
the cabinet should die or resign during the
term of any parliament his successor must,
upon his appointment, return to his individual
constituency and be re-elected, so that the
opinion of the people may be taken upon the
general policy of the cabinet and upon his own
special fitness for his appointment.

*The life of a parliament in Canada is limited to five years,
and, unless it has been dissolved in the interval, must return for
re-eleotion at the end of that term.

The Flag of Liberty to the People. 279

The Governor- General of Canada, as also in
the other colonies, does not, as so many of the
people of the United States imagine, govern
the country, acting with absolute power under
the direction of the Government of Great
Britain ; for in every way, except for the pur-
poses of imperial advice and the declaration of
war, Canada is practically an independent
dominion, as sings the empire poet,*

" Daughter am I in my mother's home,
But mistress in my own."

By virtue of his office a governor-general
represents the person of the sovereign of the
empire in the local government in his portion
of the British realm, and is the connecting
link between the mother parliament in Great
Britain and the parliament in the colony. As in
the parent kingdom the sovereign is secured in
impartiality by the grace of birth, so in the
daughter realm the governor-general is dis-
sociated from all local entanglements by virtue
of being appointed from without by the central
source of honour and power. The distinctive
flag (62) of the Governor-General of Canada
is the " Union Jack," having on its centre the
arms of Canada, surrounded by a wreath of

* Rudyard Kipling.

m :

280

History of the Union Jack.

W: I

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lit:

maple leaves, the whole being surmounted by
a royal crown.

The flag of the governor or administrator in
all other British colonies and dependencies is
also the Union Jack, having upon it the arms

or badge of the
colony, on a white
shield, surround-
ed by a green gar-
land of laurel
leaves, surmount-
ed by a crown.
Military authori-
ties of the Br tish
army when em-
barked on vessels
wear as their spe-
cial flag the Union
Jack with the
royal initials on a blue shield in the centre
surrounded by the same green garland and
surmounted by a crown. In 1870, as a special
honour, the imperial sanction was given to
Canada to place a garland of maple leaves
— its national emblem * — instead of the laurel
upon the flag of its Governor-General.

The Lieutenant-Governors of the provinces

62. Flag op the Governor-
General OF Canada.

* Appendix A. — " The Maple Leaf Emblem."

The Flag of Liberty to the People. 281

provinces

of Canada also wear the Union Jack as their
distinctive Hag, bearing upon it the arms of
their respective provinces, surrounded by a
similar garland of maple leaves ; l)ut as they
are appointed by the Government of the
Dominion, and
not by the Queen,
the garland is not
surmounted by a
crown (03).

In this gover-
nor-general's flag,
with its royal
crown, its maple
leaf and Canadian
coat -of- arms, as
also in the lieu-
tenant- governor's
flag, backed up by
the Union Jack, is symbolized the existence
of British constitutional government in Can-
ada. In this the Queen is the whole Canadian
people, and the premier and his cal)inet are
the representatives of the political jmrty for
the time being in power. The cabinet is
responsible to parliament for the policy which
they introduce, and for which they, as well as
all the other members of the parliament, are

6.3. Flag of the Lieutenant-
Governor OF QUEBKC.

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282 History of the Union Jack.

immediately answerable to the electors, who
are the original source of their power.

This modern flexible system of responsible
government in Canada, so closely in touch
with the people, in contrast with the irrespon-
sible system in the United States, was neatly
brought out by Lord Dufferin during his term
as Governor-General of Canada, in a speech
he delivered at Toronto, in 1874, after his visit
to Chicago :

" More than once," said he, " I was addressed
with the playful suggestion that Canada should
unite her fortunes with those of the great
Republic. (Laughter). To these invitations I
invariably replied by acquainting them that in
Canada we were essentiallya democratic people
(great laughter), that nothing would content us
unless the popular will could exercise an im-
mertiate and complete control over the execu-
tive of the country (renewed laughter) ; that
the ministers who conducted the government
were but a committee of parliament, which
was in itself an emanation from the constitu-
ences (loud applause), and that no Canadian
would be able to breathe freely if he thought
the persons administering the affairs of the
country were removed beyond the supervision
and contact of our legislative assemblies.
(Cheers)."

It is, then, easily seen why Canadians and

IliiilM

The Flag of Liberty to the People. 283

our brother colonists love their Union Jack.
It is the signal of parliamentary government
by British constitutional principles. It repre-
sents progress and modern ideas — the rule
of the people, for the people, by the people,
through their Queen ; and, therefore, it is
the evidence of their affectionate and loyal
allegiance to that monarchy and system of
government under whose benign sway the
colonies have advanced and Canada, above all
other countries on the continent of America,
is the land of the self-governed and the free.

These are the liberties which the Union Jack
signals in all parts of the British Empire to
all the varied nations, with varied tongues,
which have come beneath its sway. It is the
consciousness of such liberty and the enjoy-
ment of such equal rights that has impelled
Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and all the
colonies of the empire to send their sons to
the field of contest in South Africa as a free-
will offering to defend their fellow-men from
oppression and to spread the blessings of
Liberty and Freedom to the peoples of that
continent.

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CHAPTER XXV.

THE JACK IN THE RED, WHITE AND BLUE

ENSIGNS.

This Union Jack, so spread abroad, is in its
simple form a declaration of British pos-
session. It is the military flag of the nation,
is the Queen's colour of every regiment, and is
raised every day from sunrise to sunset over
every one of the British garrisons which sur-
round the world. It is the flag which is raised
and saluted whenever formal possession of
any new territory is taken in the name of the
Queen of Great Britain, and was thus raised
at Khartoum, Bloemfontein, and Pretoria, to
signify the success of the British arms and
the accession of British rule. While the Union
Jack may be raised on land by every British
subject, whether military or civilian, it has
afloat its special significations. Upon the
jackstafF at the bow, as worn on all British
men-of-war, it is a local emblem of a ''Queen's
ship," and at the masthead it is the evidence
of the rank of an " Admiral of the Fleet." *

* Corresponding to the military rank of Field Marshal, there is
in the navy the rank of Admiral of the Fleet. Of these there are
only six, the Prince of Wales being one. As a distinctive flag
each flies the Union .Jack at the main.

.^^ss

The Jack in the Red, White and Blue Ensigns. 285

ND BLUE

, Surrounded by a broad white border, it lie-
comes a Pilot Jack, and is raised on all
ships, merchantmen as well as men-of-war, as
the signal for a pilot.

In its single form the Union Jack has these
special duties, but coml)ined in the upper
corner of a larger flag it creates a general flag
of the nation, and thus environed becomes a
Union Ensign.

Although usage has largely adopted the
name, yet it is a misnomer to call a flag of this
last combined form a Union Jack, this being
the proper name solely for the smaller flag
containing only the three island crosses.
Place this smaller flag in the upper corner of
a larger flag, and it there becomes the sign
of identity, of allegiance, and of the union of
British patriotism with the special story which
is told by the colourings and form of the
other parts, or fly, of such ensign.

The Union Jack is quartered in the upper
canton of three flags, the red, white and blue
ensigns. These flags have arisen from the
flags which were used of old to distinguish the
ships of the respective squadrons into which
British fleets were divided.

Lord Lisle, in the time of Henry VIII.,
divided his fleet at Shoreham in 1545 inta

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28G

History ok the Union Jack.

three s(jUca(li'ons, the nniwank, hntth'i\m\ trimj,
c()ri'es[)on(ling in their positions to the m//,
vetittr and tr<ir* These were the germ of
the ird, irhitt' and hhie s(iua(h*ons of the seven-
teenth eentnry.

There were at that time only two dis-
tinguisliing flags used in the navy, the Royal
Standard and the St. George Jack.

The achnirals hoisted their Hags in accord-
ance with their rank u])on their flagships, in
1545, in the following order : t

Squadron.

1. Battle .

2. Vanwarde

3. Wing . .

Admirals.

(Royal Standard at main.
\St. George at fore.

jSt. George at main.
\St. George at fore.

St. George at mizzen.

The ships of their respective squadrons
displayed :

Squadron. Ships.

1. Battle St. George at main.

2. Vanwarde .... St. George at fore.

3. Wing St. George at mizzen.

Eighty years afterwards, in the time of
Charles I., we learn of another change, when
in 1627 the Duke of Buckingham divided his

• Hakluyt.

t Hannay : " Short History of the British Navy."

W:R

The Jack in the Red, White and Blue Ensigns. 287

fieet into Sijuadrons at the Island of Rlie, each
designated accordiii};' to the Haj^ it carried:

'^ Himself ye admirall and general in chief
and admirall particular of the bloody colours^^
the '' vice-admiral of ye fleete bearing a blew
flag in his main top and was admiral of the
blew colours,** and tlie ^rear admiral bear-
ing a white flag in the main top and was
admirall of ye squadron of white colours/* *

The admirals' Hags were, in 1627 :

Admiral Red flag.

^ I'iC Admiral Blue flag.

Rear- Admiral White flag.

It was into the uj)per corner of these red,
blue and white flags of the scjuadrons that
the St. George's English Jack was placed, in
1649, when the " Comnumwealth Ensign" (PI.
v., fig. 1) was formed and the red, white and blue
national ensigns of the navy first ap})eared.
Difficulties must have been caused by the fact
that from 1660 the English merchantmen were
without authority using the ensign red in
exactly the same form as the flag of the red
squadron, and still more when the general use
of the red ensign by all ships was authorized
by Queen Anne in 1707.

At first the admirals holding the highest

* Extract from Pepy's Diary.

288

History of the Union Jack.

' :,^ -■ *r.

re-

position had carried the red, but afterwards
the seniority had been changed.

A rank of admiral, vice-admiral and rear-
admiral was appointed for each colour. Pro-
motion was made from the rank of captain to
that of rear-admiral of the blue, which was
the lowest, and upward through the red to
admiral of the white, which had become the
highest rank.

There were then nine ranks of admirals
carrying the three ensigns, as follows :

Admiral of the White . .
Vice-Admiral of the White
Rear-Admiral of the White

Admiral of the Red . .
Vice-Admiral of the Red
Rear-Admiral of the Red

Admiral of the Blue . .
Vice-Admiral of the Blue
Rear-Admiral of the Blue

White ensign.
White ensign.
White ensign.

Red ensign.
Red ensign.
Red ensign.

Blue ensign.
Blue ensign.
Blue ensign.

As merchant steamers, which were all flying
the red ensign, increased in size, it became
increasingly difficult for foreigners to distin-
guish these from the ships of the royal navy ;
a difficulty which was further intensified for
them by the fact that a squadron of the royal
navy might be sailing in one coast under the

The Jack in the Red, White and Blue Ensigns. 289

fterwards

and rear-
lur. Pro-
captain to
k^hich was
he red to
3Come the

admirals

s :

lite ensign,
ite ensign,
lite ensign.

1 ensign.
1 ensign.
1 ensign.

e ensign,
e ensign,
e ensign.

all flying
it became
to distin-
)yal navy;
nsified for
f the royal

under the

blue ensign, while another was sailing under
the red, and yet another under the white,
according to the rank of their respective
admirals.

Confusion and possibility for mistakes in
identification in action was sometimes caused
by the ships of one squadron becoming inter-
mingled with those of another. Nelson solved
this difficulty (see page 237) by directing that
only the white ensign, which was the ensign
of his own squadron,* should be used on the
ships of all the squadrons at the battle of
Trafalgar.

The three ensigns, with their successive one,
two and three-crossed Jacks, had continued
to be used in these varying ways during more
than two hundred years, until 1865, when the
positions of the three ensigns were separated
and distinctive duties allotted to each.f The
number of the rank of admirals was at the
same time reduced to three — admiral, vice-
admiral and rear-admiral. All of these were
to fly, as they still do, the white ensign at the
stern, their seniority being indicated by the
position of the St. George Jack at the mast-

* He was at the time vice-admiral of the white and senior officer
present.

tOrder-in-Council, October I8th, 1865.
10

290

History of the Union Jack.

heads''^ (see page 100). These ranks are in
addition to the rank of admiral of the fleet,
which confers the right to wear the Union
Jack instead of the St. George.

The ensigns were described in the order and
directed to be used as follows :

The Red Ermgu (PI. i., fig. 1).— A red flag,
with a Union Jack in the upper canton, to be
used as a national ensign by all British mer-
chantmen.

The White Etmgu (PI. i., fig. 2).— A white
flag, with a St. George cross and the Union
Jack in the upper canton, to be used at sea
only by ships of the royal navy or by yacht
clubs to which special license has been given.

The Blue Emign (PL i., fig. 8).— A blue
flag, with the Union Jack in the upper canton,
to be used only by ships of the royal naval re-
serve, or by merchantmen which are command-
ed by officers of the reserve, and have been duly
licensed, or by yacht clubs to which special
commission has been granted. By a special
act it was afterv/ards enacted in 1889 :

" The Red Ensign, usually worn by mer-
chantships v/ithout any defacement or modi-

* In the prepent day, when ironclads have not more than two,
and often only one mast, vice-admirals wear the St. George with
one red ball in the upper corner, and rear-admirals with two red
balls, to indicate their rank.

iks are in

the fleet,

lie Union

order and

^. red flag,
iton, to be
^itish mer-

— A white
the Union
sed at sea
[• by yacht
)een given.
). — A blue
3er canton,
1 naval re-
command-
e been duly
ich special
Y a special
89:

jy mer-
Dr modi-
more than two,
Nt. George with
a with two red

The Jack in the Red, White and Blue Ensigns. 291

fication whatsoever, is hereby declared to be
the proper nationa' colour of all ships and
boats belongintr to any subject of Hci-
Majesty, except in the case of Her Majesty's
ships, or in the case of any other ships for
the time being allowed to wear any other
national colours in pursuant of a warrant
from Her Majesty or from the Admiralty." *

It may be that the red ensign, which was
the admiral's flag of highest rank in the time
of the Dutch wars, was given to the merchant-
men in recognition of their great services in
the supremacy of the sea ; that the white ensign
was given to the royal navy in memory of
Trafalgar; and the blue ensign to the royal
naval reserve because they are the rear guard
to Her Majesty's ships ; but the Union Jack
was the binding link between them all, and
established their rank and designation as
'' Union Ensigns."

The red ensign, first with its St. George
cross under Charles II., afterwards with its
two-crossed Union Jack under Queen Anne,
and then with its three -crossed Jack, had thus
become the national ensign of all British ships
at sea, and not being restricted to any particu-
lar services, as are the white and blue ensigns, it
has extended in its usage, and has now become

* The Merchant Shipping (Colours) Act, 18S9.

'f:

292

History of the Union Jack.

m-i

the ensign of the British people on shore as
well as afloat.

" Where is the Briton's land ?

• Where'er the blood-red ensign flies,

There is the Briton's land."

Whether it be in the " right little, tight little
islands " of the old land, or in the greater area
of the colonies which stud the globe, the
presence of this union ensign proclaims the
sovereignty of the united nations and the
presence and protection of the British Empire.

Thus the three crosses in the Union Jack
have ceased to have solely their local meanings,
for their story has become merged in the
larger signiftcance which their presence now
imparts to the universal imperial flag as being
the sign of this greater British Union.

CHAPTEK XXVI.

THE UNION ENSIGN OF THE BRITISH

EMPIRE.

A FURTHER evolution in the Union flag has
come step after step, by which the distinguish-
ing emblems of the colonies have become
part, first of the Union Jack, afterwards of
the Union ensigns, and then through the red
ensign to unite home and colony in one Im-
perial Union ensign.

In the century of the expansion of Raleigh's
*' trade command," the governors of the Eng-
lish colonies, principally of those in America,
began giving commissions to their local
colonial ships, authorizing them to engage in
the various free-licensed methods by which
that trade was being obtained. Some incon-
venience seems to have resulted from this
practice, and objection was made by the pri-
vate-owned ships sailing from the home ports.

Under William III. the matter was taken
up, and the Order-in-Council of 1701, set out in
chapter XXI., was passed at Whitehall.* The
white escutcheon ordered to be placed in the

* Order-in-Council Whitehall, July 3l8t, 1701.

r?^

mi:*''
U nil-

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294

History of the Union Jack.

middle of the Union Jack was thus made the
method for the distinction of a colonial flag.

Of the instructions accordingly transmitted
to the governors of the colonies in America
originals are extant of those sent to Massa-
chusetts in 1701, and New York in 1709. Fig.
54 is from an actual tracing from the drawing
of the flag on the margin of the instructions
sent to the governor at Boston.* It will be
noted that the white escutcheon on the Jack
is perfectly plain and without any special dis-
tinctive emblem, such as worn on the
escutcheons on ordnance and other depart-
mental flags.

The white escutcheon of the home depart-
mental flags was thus extended to the English
Jacks used in the colonies, and formed a new
" colonial flag."

The governors, high commissioners or ad-
ministrators of British colonies and depend-
encies were next authorized to place upon
this white escutcheon on the Union Jack the
arms or emblem of the colony in which they
served. In this way it has come that the
arms of Canada, the southern cross constella-
tion of Victoria, the red cross and British lion
of Neiv South Waks\ the black swan of West-

* Massac hixsetts Archives, Vol. 62, p. 489-90.

. i.r.] ii rM * > «« wi t »

The Union Ensign of the British Empire. 295

er7i Amtralia (64), and the other special dis-
tinctive emblems in each of the British colonies
are now displayed upon the centre of the
Union Jacks which form the Gorernjnv'a flag
in each.

In 1865, when colonial navies were first
established, the vessels of war maintained by
the local governments were authorized to use
the blue ensign, with the seal or badge of the
colony in the centre of the fly,* and thus the

VICTORIA. NKW HOl'TII WALKS. WE8TKRN AUSTRALIA.

64. Al'STRALTAN EMBLEMS.

escutcheon being transferred from the centre
of the Jack to the centre of the "fly," was
given another position, and the local stories of
the Australian colonies, which established
these fleets, became embodied in the British
blue ensign, t

A similar privilege, although they are not
commissioned as vessels of war, was after-

* Colonial Defences Act, 28 Victoria, Cap. 14.

t Warrant of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty.

296

History of the Union Jack.

i^'.

m
*■

■;i't^

wards extended to the " fishery protection "
cruisers of Canada, so that these and all other
vessels which are owned by the Government
of the Dominion carry the blue ensign with
the arms of Canada in the centre of the fly
(PL IX., fig. 2).

Authority was also given to all these vessels
owned and commissioned by the colonial
governments to fly a blue pennant of the same
shape as that of the British navy (fig. 23, page
120), with the white ground and red cross of
St. George at the head, but having the fly blue
instead of red. *

By such successive steps the imperial idea
became attached to one of the ensigns of the
British navy.

From the plain white escutcheon in the
centre of the Union Jack, 1701, to the special
emblem in the fly of the blue ensign, 1865,
was a long way, but other steps were yet to
be taken.

The vessels owned by the governments of
the colonies had thus been given their special
British flags, but provision had not been made

* Pennants having this blue fly were worn by the English navy
ahnoat two hundred years previously, as shown in a picture, painted
by Vandervelt, of the action in August 11, 1673, between the
English, French and Dutch, now the property of Her Majesty the
Queen.

SuoGESTCD Canadian Ensign.

,.,, *»*^^

F^rX».^ 11,11/ m I mill III—

-T.

The Union Ensign of the British Empire. 297

for those owned by private citizens. The
plain red ensign has become the national right
of all British subjects on all lands and all seas.
As the colonies developed in native energy so
their merchant shipping increased, and in
recognition of this advance all colonial-owned
merchant vessels were accorded, in 1889,* the
right of wearing, togethct' with the red ensign,
an iiddiiiomd flag on which might be shown
the distinguishing badge of their colony. In
order to prevent the possibility of mistakes in
identification, it was further directed that any
flags of this character were to be made in such
a way as not to resemble any of the existing
flags of the royal navy.

In some of the Australian colonies local
flags of excellent design have been devised,
but these additional and mparate flags were
not all that could be desired, for while the
local flag might give expression to the local
patriotism represented, there comes with it
also an idea of separation, and it does not
succeed in expressing the dominant and pre-
vailing sentiment of allegiance to

"ONE QUEEN, ONE EMPIRE, ONE FLAG."

It fell to the lot of the statesmen of Canada,

* Merchant Shipp'ng (colours) Act, 18S9.

rar

298

History of the Union Jack.

who do not seem to be behindhand in develop-
ing new and imperial ideas, to suggest another
step in the history of the ensign.

The merchant shipping of Canada stands
fifth in rank in merchant shipping among the
nations of the world. *

The government ships were authorized to
use the blue ensign with the Dominion arms
as their distinguishing flag, but as no addi-
tional colonial flag had been adopted for
Canada, her merchant marine used the same
plain red ensign as worn by the merchant
marine of Great Britain, and Canadian mer-
chant ships were unable to be recognized amidst
those of the mother country.

In 1892, to meet this requirement, the Lords
Commissioners of the Admiralty, on the sug-
gestion of the Canadian Department of Marine,
issued a warrant permitting the badge of the
arms of Canada to be inserted in the flag of
the red ensign as well as in the blue, and this
new combined red ensign was empowered to
be used by all citizens of Canada, t

Thus was formed the iir ion flag of Canada.
This ''Ensign of Canada'' (PI. ix., fig. l)is the

* The order is British (home kingdom), United States, German,
French, Canadian.

t Admiralty Warrant, February 2, 1892.

li-^

The Union Ensign of the British Empire. 299

British red ensign, having the Union Jack in
the u})i)er canton and the arms of Canada in
the fly.*

From fig. 65, which shows the federation
badge with the stars of
the ^Southern Constelhi-
tion worn during the ple-
biscite of 1899 in Aus-
tralia, it is evident that
the union of the parlia-
ments of the colonies on
that continent may be
followed by the creation
of a Union ensign for the
new Commonwealth of
Australia.

Like the expansion of
the British constitution
to patriot governments
beyond the seas, so has come the extension,
step by step, of the old union flag to the newly
created colonies. As the spirit of that con-
stitution has been adapted to the local circum-

* The arms of the four provinces which first united are the only
ones which have been officially authorized to be inserted, although
the arms of the whole seven provinces, now comprising the
Dominion, are often to be seen. A simple maple leaf on a white
escutcheon would be infinitely preferable, for which see appendix
A and PI. ix. , fig. 3.

65. Australian
Federation Badge.

300

History of the Union Jack.

I :i:

M^.i

!'!

Stances in each, so the red ensign, which is
the embodiment of the power and glory of
the British nation, has been emblazoned with
the local fervour of each young and growing
people, who, ardently loving their new land,
yet stand unconquerably in union with the
motherland, and rejoice at seeing their own
emblem set upon the mother flag.

Such a flag, such a real flag, tells its grand
story in a way that a national flag ought to do ;
for the red ensign of the homeland, with the
signal of the colony added to its folds in these
far-ofl' lands, signals to the beholder that it is
the imper'K(I Union Enshfu of the British
Empire.

When the Canadian sees the union crosses
displayed on his Canadian ensign, or the dis-
tant colonist on that of his colony, it speaks
to him, not only as his own native flag, but
yet more as his sign of brotherhood in an
empire wider than his own home, broader than
the continent on which he lives, for it is tue
visible evidence of his citizenship in the Empire
of Great and Greater Britain.

The fervid ekxjuence of Daniel Webster, in
1834, described that empire as "■ a power dotted
over the surface of the whole globe with her
possessions and military posts, whose morning

The Union Ensign of the British Empire. 301

leir own

dnim-beat, following the sun and keeping
company with the hours, circles the earth with
one continuous and unbroken strain of the
martial airs of England." *

If this heart-rousing testimony of the ma-
jesty of the empire, of which \he colonies
form a part, had been given by one of our-
selves, it might have been tinged with the
suspicion of self-glorious boasting ; but spring-
ing from the lips of so distinguished a citizen
of the United States, its fervid utterance is
the candid acknowledgment of a nation
wider than his own, whose grandeur com-
pelled his admiration.

If over half a century ago this admission
was true, how much more so is it at the pres-
ent day? t

Those ''possessions" which fired the states-
man's imagination have marvellously in-
creased; that ''power" has expanded beyoml
his utmost dreams. Since that time no nation,
not even his own, has progressed like has the
British nation. Canada, then lost to view in a
solitude of far-off forests or of pathless plain,
has arisen like a young lion, and carrying the
Union Jack in continuous line of government

* Speech, May 7, 1834.

tApPENUTX D. -The "Diamond Anthem,'- of 1897.

^Mi' -

mr^^^v^m^^^

:^02

History of the Union Jack.

5; il

, I

from shore to shore, has gripped the American
continent from sea to sea. Australia has risen
beneath the southern star, India in itself be-
come an empire, and Africa, youngest born of
all the lion's brood, is welding fast another
continent beneath the imperial sway.

These are the nations of the Union Jack,
the galaxy of parliaments of free men, which
have arisen round the centre isles and the
throne of her who, with her statesmen,

" Knew the seasons when to take
Occasion by the hand and make
The bounds of freedom wider yet."

In this nation of nations, Canadians join
hands with their brothers around the world,
and raise aloft the Union Jack in the imperial
flag as the glad ensign of their united allegi-
ance, a union for which Canadians and brother
colonists, as much as any, have proved their
faith, and ever stand in foremost rank ready
and willing to defend.

There is something marvellous in the world-
wide influence of this three-crossed flag of the
parent nation, whose sons have followed its
ideals through all the centuries. Sometimes
they have made mistakes, but undaunted,
masterful and confident, have profited by the
hard won experience, and progressing with

The Union Ensign of the British Empire. 303

.merican
lias risen
tself be-
b born of
another

3n Jack,
;n, which
and the

ians joni
^e world,

imperial
ed allegi-
d brother
ved their

nk ready

le world-
ag of the
owed its
ometimes
daunted,
3d by the
ing with

the march of time, find at the close of this
nineteenth century that they *' have builded
better than they knew."

Thus, when in the opening month of 1890
Britain stood alone, as said a Canadian states-
man,* in ^^ splendid iaohition,'' there was heard
coming, not only from Canada, but from every
daughter nation around the seas, the same
brave refrain which had been sung by a Cana-
dian poet when the sanctity of the flag had
been violated in the stirring times of the
'' Treat aflair," 1861 :

" When recent danger threatened near,
We nerved our hearts to play our part,
Not making boast, nor feehng fear ;
liut as the news of insult spread.
Were none to dally or to lag;
For all the grand old Island spirit
Which Britain's chivalrous sons inherit
Was roused, and as one heart, one hand.
We rallied round our flag."

And now again in 1899, when Ijrother
Britons in Africa were suffering injustice,
when our British colonies were being invaded
and the Union Jack attacked by a hostile foe,
the empire arose, and the bold refrain passed
into chivalrous action.

* Hon. G. K. Foster, Minister of Finance of Canada, in a speech
in the House of Commons, Ottawa.

1,1

! 1

304

History of the Union Jack.

In ships that ploughed furrows around the
world the sons of the empire came — colonists,
yeomen and imperial forces — in one united
armament blent, to give their glad devotion in
life or death for Queen and Union Ensign on
the South African hills and veldt.

Such, then, is the story, such is the meaning
of our Union Jack ; the emblem of combined
constitutional government, the proclaimer of
British liberty, the Union sign of British rule.

Mindful of its story, happy in their lot^
facing the world, its sons encircle the earth
with their glad anthem,

God S((re Vktoritr, Queen and Empres>\

ii I

,1*

)un(l the
olonists,
e united
motion in
nsign on

meaning
3ombined
laimer of
tish rule,
their lot,
the earth

^mpress.

APPENDIX A.

T//£ MAPLE LEAF EMBLEM.

The maple leaf emblem of Canada, as compared with the rose,
shamrock and thistle of the British Isles, has but so recently
entered into the realm of national emblems that some of the reasons
for its adoption may well be given.

The maple tree is found in luxuriance in every province of
the Dominion. Varieties of it grow, it is true, in other pai'ts of
America, but the tree is in its greatest glory in the northern zones,
where throughout Canada, extended along her line of similar lati-
tude, it attains to its greatest and most robust development. It
flourishes in Newfoundland, in the Maritime Provinces, and in
Quebec. It is the finest forest tree in Ontario. Manitoba maples
form the foliage of the North- West, and anyone who has seen the
giant maple leaves of British Columbia will say the maple leaf is
the natural emblem of Canada.

As wel, as being the natural emblem, it is also the typical
emblem. It was held in high esteem by the early settlers of
Quebec, and A^as adopted, in J 836, as the French Canadian emblem
for the festival of St. Jean Baptiste. It was placed on the coinage
of New Brunswick early in the century, and a whole maple tree
was shown on the coinage of Prince Edward Island before the time
of Confederation. At the creation of the union in Confederation it
was placed in the arms of Quebec and of Ontario, and was heraldic-
ally recognized as tlie emblem of Canada.

Maple leaves form the wreaths on the flag of the Governor-
General of the Dominion and on the flags of the Lieutenant-Gover-
nors of all the provinces. The maple leaf was the emblem placed
by His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales on the colours of the
" Royal Canadians," the 100th Regiment, raised in Canada in 1805,
and it is still worn as the regimental badge of their successors, the
Royal Leinster Regiment.

It has been worn on the breasts of all the representative cham-
pions of Canada— at the oar, on the yachts, on tlie athletic fields,
in military contests, and at the xitte ranges — as the emblem of their
country.

It is on the "Canada Service" and " North- West " medals,
and on the uniforms and accoutrements of the Canadian militia
and of the North -West Mounted Police.

It M as the distinguishing emblem on the uniforms and helmets
of the lusty and loyal sons of the Canadian contingents who served
in South Africa in 1900, where the presence of that emblem re-
minded them of their far-ofl" home and nerved their hearts for deeds

306

History of the Uxion Jack.

Mil

IT!

of duty and devotion to Canada and their (^ueen. The wounded
Canadian who, lying stricken on the veldt at Paardeberg, touched
the maple leaf upon his helmet and breathed out the words, "//" /
die, it may help thin to live" spoke that which burns within the
heart of every Canadian lad and fires the inborn energy of his
race.

It has been extolled in poetry and prose ; it is the theme of the
songs of our children ; and the stirring strains of " The Maple
Leaf" form an accompaniment to our British national anthem.

Everywhere throughout the world the maple leaf has won
recognition as the emblem of the Canadians, and surely might
well be displayed upon their national flag.

If, instead of the Dominion arms, a green maple leaf were
placed on the shield in the Canadian ensign, the nag would be
fairer to see and more easily distinguished. Green is the emblem
of youth and vigour. Or, if the colour used were scarlet, the
colour of courage, then in either case the natural and emblematic
attributes of the leaf would be represented.

It was suggested * that in the year of the Diamond Jubilee a
white diamond of one-third the size of the "union" should be
substituted for t) e present shield and coatof-arms, making a flag
(PI. IX., tig ,5) V } ii would signalize an historic epoch. The single
maple leaf on the white diamond in the fly of the red ensign would
tell as bravely and more clearly the story of the " cont-of-arms " on
the shield, and '* wo"^% also be a national tribute to that Queen
under whose com).iai\(iin»r influence the colonies have arisen around
the empire, and be a record of that Diamond Jubilee of Victoria
which was the revelation of their union and the united testimony
to their affection and allegiance.

If for similarity with the flags of the other branches of the
Empire a white escutcheon or circle should be preferred to the
diamond, the maple leaf upon it would be equally well displaj-ed.

Flags are signals to be used for conveying information to persons
at a distance ; their details should, therefore, be simple in form and
be displayed in simple colours. The multi-coloured quarterings of
the Dominion arms, as shown on the shield upon the Canadian
ensign (PI. ix., fig. 1), have not been found entirely efficient, for
they fail in being easily recognizable.

Whatever the colour may be, the single maple leaf on a white
ground would tell at a glance that the emblem was the emblem of
its people, and that the flag was the ensign of Canada.

* First edition, 1S97.

J^^

APPENDIX B.

CANADIAN WAR MEDALS.

The War Medal (59) was granted in 1848, to be worn by the
men of the British forces who had served in the fleets and armies
during the wars from 1793 to 1814. Among these the Canadian
militia was included.

Clasps were granted to those men who had been present at the
actions of St. Sebastian, Vittoria, Salamanca, Talavera and Vimiera,
in the Peninsular campaign ; and in the Canadian campaign, for the
actions at Fort Detroit, Augn: i, 16th, 1812 ; Chateauguay, October
26th, 1813; and Chrystler's Farm, November 11th, 1813. The
medal from which the drawing is made is engraved, "A. Wilcox,
Canadian Militia," and bears the clasp " Fort Detroit."

The Canada General Service Medal (60) was granted in 1898
to the survivors of the Canadian militia and Imperial troops who
had been out in active service in Canada in repelling the l^'enian
Raids of 1866 and 1870, or in the Red River Expedition. There
are three clasps— " Fenian Raid, 1866," "Fenian Raid, 1870,"
"Red River, 1870." Upon the reverse side is the Cana<lian ensign
surrounded by a wreath of maple leaves. The drawing is made
from the medal of the writer, as engraved, " Ensign, 10th Royal
Reg't."

The North- West Canada Medal (61) was granted in 1886 to all
who had served in the Canadian North-West in 1885. The clasp
"Saskatchewan" was accorded to all who were present at the
actions of Fish Creek, April 24th ; Batoche, May 12th ; and French-
man's Butte, May 27th, 1885.

The force serving in the operations of 1885 was drawn entirely
irom the Canadian militia and the North-West Mounted Police,
with the addition of the Imperial officers on the staff.

APPENDIX C.

A SAMPLE RECORD.

The service record of the Nelles family, of Hamilton and Western
Ontario, gives some idea of the calls in Canada to military service :

Great-grandfather . On British side in 1776.
Grandfather . . . In War of 1812.

Father In Rebellion of 1837.

Son Fenian Invasion. 1866.

Nephew .... North-West, 1885.

Nephew .... Canadian Contingent, South Africa, 1899.

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APPENDIX D.

TJIE ''DIAMOND ANTHEM:'

A GOOD EXAMPLR of the expansion of the sphere of the Empire is
afforded by the record of the " Diamond Anthem," which was simg
in succession around the world in the colonies on Sunday, June
20th, 1897; the detailed reports of wliich were received at intervals
extending over many months subsequent to the event.

EXTRACTS

From the Report of the Preddeut of the Sons of Emjland, made

to the Anmial Afeetiny held at St. Catharinen,

Canada, March 8lh, 1808:

It has been my happy lot to be the President of the 8ons of
England during the record year of Her Majesty's reign, an epoch
year in the history of our British Empire.

Our Society had arranged to join heartily with all other societies
in testifying together with them our united aft'ection and loyalty
upon the 22nd of June, the officially appointed Jubilee day.

It seemed to me, however, that the Sons of England owed it to
their Queen to do something more, and therefore I devised and
with their aid organized the "■Jidnlee Sen-ice of a continnoun anthem
aro^ind the world" to take place on Sunday, the 20th of June, the
actual anniversary day of Her Majesty's accession.

The idea when first mooted met with immediate acceptance as a
happy conception, but many doubts were expressed as to the possi-
bility of its being actually accomplished, for it seemed to the faint-
hearted almost an impossibility to arrange for a connecting line of
services, which should take place in succession around the whole
circle of the earth for the space of twenty-four hours. Yet I have
much pleasure in informing Grand Lodge that the Jubilee service
has been carried out in actual fact and in completest detail.

It is not possible within the limits of this report to give more
than a sketch, but some record is due of a " service " which was so
universally and ardently adopted, which is alwolutely unique in
history, and which, moreover, is one capable of being carried out
only by our nation, upon whose Sovereign's dominions the sun
never sets.

My project was that, commencing from the earliest hour of the
morning at Windsor Castle on the 20th of June, the Sons in the
Colonies should join their voices in succession and encircle their
Queen with the continuous singing of the National Anthem all

Appendix D. — The Diamond Anthem. 309

through the hours of that great day of her life, and on through the
night until daylight the next morning.

On the opposite side of the world from the Heart of the Empire
at Windsor Castle are the Fiji Islands, the Colony situate nearest
to longitude 180°. At these Islands, being on the opposite side of
the world, it is 4 o'clock in the afternoon at the same moment at
which it is 4 o'clock in the morning of the same day in England.
The problem was therefore to have the National Anthem commenced
la Fiji at the beginning of Her Majesty's day, and sung thereafter
precisely at 4 p.m., as the sun arrived at that moment in succession
over each place in the Colonies and passed onward around the world.

A form of service was devised, of which a copy is appended,
suitable for any Sunday afternoon service, in which the National
Anthem should be sung at the exact moment of 4 o'clock.

A time-table of longitudes, prepared by the Meteorological
Department of Canada, showing the meridian or sun time at each
place, and full descriptive circulars with forms of service, were sent
in multitude to friends and correspondents in every Colony and
Dependency owning allegiance to the Union Jack.

With the co-operation of the Right Rev. the Bishop of Toronto,
who is a member of our Order, I opened up communication with
the Colonial bishops and clergy, and their services were enlisted.
Patriotic societies and the secretaries of the Royal Colonial Insti-
tute were asked to assist, and letters were sent to the captains of
every British passenger sliip which would be at sea on the 20th of
June, asking them to sing the Anthem, fire a gun, and note the
position of their ship at 4 p.m. on that day.

Our own brethren in Newfoundland and Canada took the service
up with energy and enthusiasm. The Sons of England in South
Africa answered with alacrity, Australia and New Zealand joined
in heartily, and thus, by prompt and efficient action, the organiza-
tion was completed and ready for the eventful day. Copies of the
time-table were sent to Her Majesty, by reference to which it could
be seen at any hour how far the Anthem had proceeded on its way
and in what Colony it was at any moment being sung.

In acknowledging receipt the Colonial Secretary, the Right Hon.
Joseph Chamberlain, says to His Excellency Lord Aberdeen : " I
have the honour to acknowledge the I'eceipt of your dispatch of the
24th April, with its enclosures on the subject of the Continuous
Service around the World which is being arranged by the Sot-.s of
England in commemoration of the 00th Anniversary of the Queen's
Accession to the Throne. I have to inform you that, in accordance
with your request, the matter has been brought before the notice of
the Queen, and that Her Majesty was graciously pleased to express
her sincere appreciation of the loyal feelings that have prompted
this interesting method of Commemoration."

Two thousand six hundred personal letters were written, 60,000
copies of the service sent out, and after months of work the 20th of
June came and the Anthem passed around the world.

Reports and letters kept coming in month after month in reply

Ji* : >

310

History of the Union Jack.

"i -Si

,1i

to my request, and giving an account of the proceedings held in each

Elace. A few extracts only con bo given here as samples of many
undreds of similar character which have been received from the
continuous line now recorded around the world, telling of how the
anthem was sung at each place as shown in the Time-Table attached.
The service commenced on Sunday afternoon, 20th June, in
Levuka, Fiji Islands. Dr. Garner Jones, headmaster of the Levuka
Public Schools, writes: "Owing to geographical position — viz.,
178° 51' e. long. — the inhabitants of Levuka, Fiji Islands, enjoyed
the unique honour of initiating ' The Wave of Song ' that hailed
the Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty's Ascension. Tiie service was
an open air one, being held in the Government school grounds, Rev.
W. Floyd, of the English Church, officiating. The attendance was
large and included representatives of various races who claim Her
Majesty as their Sovereign. English, Scotch, Irish, Australian
and Now Zealand Colonials, Chinese, Germans, Swedes, and among
them the characteristic bushy hair of the Fijian and other South
Sea Islanders was prominent, there found themselves shoulder to
shoulder in the antipodes of the British Empire earnestly rolling
forth our grand old National Anthem, thus giving the keynote of
thanksgiving to the entire woild. The Masons and Oddfellows
appeared in regalia and the Levuka brass band was in attendance.
Surrounding the main body of the assembly were the Levuka school
boys, drawn up with their wooden rifles. Punctually at five
minutes to 4 o'clock the procession of choristers left their temporary
vestry and slowly approached their stand. At 4 o'clock precisely,
meridian time, the British Ensign was hoisted, which was the pre-
arranged signal, the band immediately struck up, and every throat
commenced ' (iod Save the Queen,' while the public school guard
stood at the 'Present.' Undoulitedly tlie occasion was unique, and
Ijevuka never forgot for a moment that her geographical position
was unique also, in so far as she enjoyed the proud distinction of
being allowed to start the wave of song which in its course would
pass over in rotation all the British possessions on the face of the
globe."

At that same moment at which it was 4 p.m. Sunday in the Fiji
Islands, and 4 a.m. Sunday at Windsor (.astle, when^ Her Majesty
was in I'esidence, the Executive of the Sons of England met at
Shaftesbury Hall, Toronto, it being then precisely IO.Tjo p.m. on
Saturday, June 19th, and sang the National Anthem, commenced
that same minute in Levuka on Sunday afternoon, and which for
the next seventeen and a quarter hours was to be coming steadily
nearer with the sun until it was over Toronto at 4 o'clock (4.18
Standard time) on Sunday afternoon, when the Sons of England
and Britons in Toronto again joined in the loyal strain as it passed
by them onward toward the West.

Three minutes after Levuka had commenced, Suva, the Fiji
capital, took up the strain. Mr. Hamilton Huntt-r says: "I am
glad to report that the Special Jubilee Service was a great success
m this Colony. It was not merely confined to the English Church,

Appendix D. — The Diamond Anthem. 311

but was heartily taken up by the Roman Catholic, Presbyterian
and VVesleyan Churclies. The National Anthem was sung on the
stroke of four. I have to thank you for*having enabled us to eet
' The Wave of Song' in motion by your timely warning,"

Seventeen minutes later, or before the services in the Fijis had
closed, the Anthem was taken up in Napier, New Zealand. The
report says : " The Jubilee services at the cathedral yesterday will
be remembered by the Napier people for many a long year, and it
is (piestionablu whether a more imposing ecclesiastical spectacle
was ever witnessed in Now Zealand. The cathedral was crowded
to excess, all the friendly societies of Napier being present." The
Dean writes : *' As Dean of the easternmost cathedral in the British
Empire, the cathedral upon which the rays of the rising sun first
fall, I have to report that, in accordance with your wishes, we
joined in the great circle of Anthem singing, as arranged for by the
Sons of England, at 4 o'clock on the afternoon of Sunday last. The
service was a very magnificent and enthusiastic one, I convey my
most hearty good wishes to you and to the members of the great
organization you represent,"

The wave swept across Australia, At Melbourne, Victoria,
B. Cowderoy, Estj., Secretary R.(J I., reports: " Fioth cathedralH
(Anglican and Roman Catholic) were crushingly full. In the Exhi-
bition building several thousands, after addresses by leading W< s-
leyans, took up the National Anthem at our Standard time. In
the tiwu hall the Anthem was sung with fervor at 4 p.m. by 4,000
with most impressive effect. I am an octogenarian, ])ut in tliis
matter I am as young as my eight grandsons, and thank you, Mr.
Cumberland, for your happy suggestion which has given added
interest to all that is being done." Adelaide, South Australia,
reports : " The Bishops of the Diocese entei-ed heartily into the
scheme. The (iovernor and his staff were present. The National
Anthem wa<» sung with intense fervor and most thrilling e fleet."
So it passed through the other cities and over the continent of
Australia.

Across the Indian Ocean. — S.S, Emprens of India marked the
latitude 20 6' n, ; long. 1'20^ 20' e, : "Rockets tired and National
Anthem sung at 4 p m. off Alligator Rock."

It first touched Africa and was hailed by the lodge of the Sons
of England at Durban, Natal, and then in continuing lino across
South Africa, in all the principal cities and at Cape Town the record
was maintained.

On the Atlantic Ocean it was taken u]) on many British ships at
sea, among which a few only may be mentioned. R,M,S. Tantallon
Castfe, lat. 7° 17' n. : long, 14° 33' w., off west coR.st <f Africa:
" Guns fired and Anthem sung at 4 p.m." S.S. Greek, S it. !8° 10' n. ;
long, 17" 38' w, : " Fired rocket and sang National Anthem." S.S,
Nnmidiaii: "'God Save the Queen' sung precisely at 4 p.m."
Ship's position, lat. ii4" 42' n. ; long. 20" 43' w, S,S, Catalonia:
" At 4 p.m. I had two explosive gun signals fired on my ship in
lat. 50"^ 12' n. ; long. 22" 6' w. It was blowing a south-west gale

312

History of the Union Jack.

with high Buas, and it waH a great diHappointnient to me that we
could not hold the service I had intended, but all classes of passen-
gers were so sea-Hick." *

By the equivalent time of 7.31 o'clock in the evening at Windsor
Castle the Anthem had crossed the Atlantic, and first touched the
shores of America at St. John's, Newfoundland, when it was met
by Lodge Dudley S.O. K. assembled, together with the (^overnor-
(Jeneral and all tlie friendly societies in the cathedral. " The
service was impressive in the extreme." From here westward
through Canada I need not dilate how that as the sun crossed the
continent the line through the villages, towns and cities of Canada
was so complete that the singing oi the Anthem in one place had
not ceased oefore it was taken up in the next, as savs tne report
from Orillia : "As the familiar words were sung with lusty fervor
by nearly a thousand voices, until the volume almost raised the
roof, the sun passed the hour of four. In imagination the congrega-
tion could hear the strains as they rolled up from the east and died
away into the west." At Toronto, "3,000 people were packed
into the cathedral. After completion of the prayers there remained
four minutes before it was our turn to take our place in the circle
of song. By direction of His Lordship the Bishop the congregition
knelt in silent prayer for Her Majesty and the welfare of the Em-
pire. An immense throng of 0,0(30 or 7,000 people frlled the church-
yard and the adjacent streets outside, and n regimental band had

js to lead their singing. At t'ne
lich had l)een arranged to strike
ian time for 4 p.m. at Toronto,

Deen stationed on the cathedral ste

first stroke of the cathedral bell, w

at 4.18 p.m., being the real meric

the congregation rose to their feet and at the second joined with

those outside in uplifting with heait and voice their loyal prayer,

• God .sare our (fracioiis Queen ' Those were moments of a life-time

while we waited in silence for the coming of the Anthem."

The utmost enthusiasm was everywhere displayed, the churches
were crowded, and the details of the service faithfully carried out,
immense interest being taken in signing the anthem exactly at the
correct moment.

Thus actually minute after minute the Anthem strain followed
the hours across this continent to the shores of the Pacific at Vic-
toria, British Columbia, where an open-air service was held at the
equivalent of 12.13 midnight at Windsor Castle. "Among those
present at Beacon Hill Park were the Lieutenant-Governor, the
Mayor, the Admiral and crews of the ships in haibour. At 4
o'clock the bugles rang out, the royal standard was run up to the
masthead, and the National Anthem was sung with full force by an
assemblage of 12,000 people.

From here, leaving the land, the Anthem wafted its way back
to the place of beginning, beinc; joined as it passed by the S S
Aorangi, in lat. 32° 25' n., long. 147° 49' w., and by the SS. Empress
of China, lat. 41° 16' n , long. 152° 30' w., until at length it came
to the little island which is as far on one side of long. 180°, the
central degree of longitude, as Levuka, from where it had started,

Appendix D. — The Diamond Anthem. 813

is on tho other. Hero the West had met the East. I will in olosing
|jive in full a letter received from the lighthouse-keeper on the
ihIuiuI :

" Wailamjilai-a LniiiTHorsE, Fi.ii,

" 17 South, Mir 6' West hong.,

"2tilh September, 1897.

To Barlow Cumherland, Esq.^ Toronto.

" My dear Sir, - As you expressed n wish in your circular to hear
how tho anniveisary of the day on wiiich Her Majesty hegan her
happy reign was observed in eM'\\ locality, and also on board pas-
senger ships at sea. I hope you will be pleased to hear that all your
instructions were carried out here, as fully as (iircumstances per-
mitted, my situation here being unique. As this is the coiuiecting
link between the westei-n and eastern henu.spheres it may luippen
that you will find by overlooking the places where the ceremony
wag observed, timt my endeavours were smicessful in conunencing
or finishing the general celelirution of the \\orld. Heiiig only 54
minutt-s west of the meridian, all ships passing either way ought to
change the name of the day on their reckoning while within sight
of this island, I obtained the correct astrononucal time from the
oaptain and officers of the steamer that calls here every three
months A doubt being exjjressed abo\it the proper day, and as
good action could not be performed too often, I observed I)oth the
*20th and 21st June in tho same way. I also had a bonfire lit on
both nights, so that ships passing either eastward or westward
couM see that the anniversary was being kept to suit either con-
tingency. I would have written you earlier but there has been no
means of communication between this island since the 16th of June
last until to- day.

" Alfrfd Fhesch, LUjhthouse-k'teper."

Here the circle of the worM was complete and the Anthem had
come back to the place of beginning.

Thus have we linked our fellow colonists hand in hand in one
continuous line around the world, and changed the historic but
ideal " drumbeat " of the " Martial Airs of England " into the abso-
lute fact of the ^'^ Diamond Anthem" with which we ha\e encircled
the earth and accompanied the hours throughout the Diamond
Jubilee Ascension Day of our beloved Queen.

One of the great records of Her Majesty's reign is the marvellous
incease of her colonial kingdom. It is largely through her own
personal inil'.vence that during those sixty j'ears it has been ex-
tended and cared for. Gladly has this tribute of attection been
given by her grateful colonists to their Queen by thus joining
''^ Handu all Round" in their rejoicings, in a way which it was
impossible at the beginning of her reign, but which, by her broad-
minded advance, she has herself made practicable, and which
therefore marks the record of her great life-work.

314

History of the Union Jack.

In conclusion I express my thanks to the staff of the Head
Office for their cheerful aid in the vastly increased correspondence
entailed by the Jubilee Work, to our own District Deputies and
officers, and to the officers and members of other Societies and to
the niembei s of the Clergy for the ethcieut an«l enthusiastic arrange-
ments they made for the Sons of England service in their separate,
localities. I hope and feel that our united labours will have been
for the strengthening of our patriotism, the awakening of new
energies for Union, and the deepening of British interests through-
out our Empire.

BARLOW CUMBERLAND,

President.

i »i

I', i

1 ■

. J

' 7~. ' ' — "" '"

Ik- J '&

m '1

« =» — ! . _ . i . . . ^A^."-v1-■;.t^.., »

66. Starting of the "Diamond Anthem" at Levuka, Fiji Islands.

Fiji Islands.

Appendix D. — The Diamond Anthem. 315
diamond jubilee

HER MAJESTY QUEEN VICTORIA,

SUNDAY, JUNE 20Tn, 1897.

ORDER FOR THE SONS OF ENGLAND JUBILEE SERVICE
AROUND THE WORLD.

\. Members of Societies will meet at their lodge rooms, or some
convenient place, and, clad in their regalia, march in procession,
carrying the Union Jack at their head,' to the church selected.

2. Where there are two or more lodges in the locality they will
attend one combined service, which shall be held in a church
selected by the joint committee.

.'{. The Pre'-ident shall, on arrival at the church, deliver the
Union Jack to the minister, to be draped upon the pulpit or upon
the reading desk.

4. The service shall commence at .3.30 p.m.

5. The opening hymn shall be the "Old Hundredth "—'• All
people that on earth do dwell."

6. At 4 p.m. precisely, according to astronomical time, being
the time at which the sun passes over each locality, the congrega-
tion will stand and sing the three verses of the National Anthem,
"God Save the Qneen," to be immediately followed by (1) The
(collect of thanksgiving for Her Majesty's accession to the throne ;
(2) The prayer for the (^ueen and Royal Family, as formerly used
in tlie thanksgiving servicfi on 20th June.

7. The rest of the service to be a usual Sunday afternoon ser-
vice, but with an interval to permit of the National Anthem being
sung as above, at the proper time, according to the tinie-tal)le
herewith.

8. The collection shall be given, as has been desired by Her
Majesty, to some charitable purpose.

9. 'I'he closing hymn shall be, "The day thou gavest. Lord, is
ended." No. 477, A. & M.

10. Tlie lodges will invite the colonial and municipal authorities
and all sister societies to attend the service.

By request.

Barlow Cumberland,

■ Presidtnt Sons of England in Canada.

f!R55^

316

History of the Union Jack.

TIME-TABLE

OF THE

DIAMOND JUBILEK SERVICES

WHICH WKRE HKLD IN SUCCESSION ON

SUNDAY, JUNE 20, 1879.

The National Anthem was sung at 4 p.m., local time, or, in Australia and
Canada, where "Standard Time" is used, at the equivalent local minute as
shown, being the time at which the sun passed over each place at 4 p.m., " Sun
Time."

The day commenced at Longitude 180°. The second column ^ js the equiva-
lent time at Windsoi Castle throughout the twenty-four hours.

PLACE.

!■

I
I

FIJI ISLANDS :

Levuka (Long. 178° 56' e.)
Suva

NEW ZEALAND :

Napier

Auckland

AUSTRALIA :

Brisbane

Sydney

Hobart

Melbourne

Adelaide

Perth

Empress of India

SOUTH AFRICA:

Durban (Port Natal) ....

Addington

East London

King William's Town

Graham's Town

Port Elizabeth

Cape Town

ATLANTIC OCEAN :

Ships at Sea—
State of Nebraska .....
Tantallon Castle

^I.i

Time
Wind
Castl

P.M.

A.M.

20th.

4.00

4.05

4.00

4.08

4.00

4.20

4.00

4.21

3.50

5.50

3.55

5.66

4.11

6.11

4.20

6.20

3.46

6.46

4.16

8.16

LONGITUDE

120° 26' e.

7.58

P.M.

4.00

1.56

4.00

1.57

4.00

2.08

4.00

2.11

4.00

2.14

4.00

2.18

4.00

2.46

LONOITUDB

11° 18' w.

4.46

14° 33' w.

4.68

PLACE.

ATLANTIC OCEAN -.—Con.

Ships at Si&\—Contintied.

Greek

Lake Huron

NuinUlian

Catalonia

Mohaivk

Magdalena

St. Paul (U. S, M)

Berlin (U. S. M.)

NEWFOUNDLAND :

St. John's

CANADA ;

Cape Breton —
Sydney

Prince Edward Island—
Charlottetown

Nova Scotia —

New Glasgow

Truro

Halifax

Springhill

Stellarton

Windsor

Digby

Yarmouth

" X 4J

Longitude

17° 38' w.

20° w.
20° 43' w.
22° 6' w.
22° 40' w.
27° 22' w.
33° 12' w.
65° 32' w.

P.M.

4.00

4.01

4.12

4.10
4.13
4.14
4.17
4.17
4.17
4.23
4.24

P.M.

20th.

5.11
6.20
6.23
5.28
5.31
5.49
6.13
8.22

7.31

8.01

8.12

8.10
8.13
8.14
8.17
8.17
8.17
8.23
8.24

Appendix D. — The Diamond Anthem. 317

T IME-T ABLE. —Continued.

iVlCHS

r, in Australia and
it local minute as
;e at 4 p.m., " Sun

n t J8 the equiva-

jon.
tied.

Longitude

17° 38' w.

20° w.
20° 43' w.
22° 6' w.
22° 40' w.
27° 22' w.
33° 12' w.
65° 32' w.

P.M.

4.00

4.01

4.12

4.10
4.13
4.14
4.17
4.17
4.17
4.23
4.24

* 00 ai

M 'mm

H^O

P.M.

20th.

5.11
6.20
5.23
5.28
5.31
5.49
6.13
8.22

7.31

8.01

8.12

8.10
8.13
8.14
8.17
8.17
8.17
8.23
8.24

PLACE.

Time at
Windsor
Castle.

PLACE.

Time at
Windsor

CANADA •.—Continued,

New Brunswick —
Moncton

P.M.

20th.

3.20
3.24
3 27
3.30

3.48
3.48
3.49
3.50
3.54
3.54

3.59
4.03
4.03
4.04
4.04
4.05
4.05
4.07
4.08
4.09
4.10
4.11
4.13
4.13
4.14
4.15
4.15
4.15
4.16
4.16
4.17
4.17
4.18
4.18
4.18
4.18
4.18
4.18
4.19
4.19
4.20
4.20
4.21
4.21

P.M.

20th.

8.20
8.24
8.27
8.30

8.48
8.48
8.49
8.50
8.. 54
8.54

8.59
9.03
9.03
9.04
9.04
9.05
9.05
9.07
9.08
9.09
9.10
9.11
9.13
9.13
9.14
9.15
9.15
9.15
9.16
9.16
9.17
9.17
9.18
9.18
9.18
9.18
9.18
9.18
9.19
9.19
9.20
0.20
9.21
9.21

CANADA :— Continued.

OsTARio— Continued.
Gait

P.M.

20th.

4.21
4 21
4.21
4.22
4.23
4.24
4.24
4.24
4.24
4.25
4.26
4.27
4.28
4.29
4.30
4.32
3.. 57
3.57
4.18

4.28
4.32
3.40
3.4.5
3.58
4.22
4.26

3.49
3.53
3.. 58

4.12
4.13

147° 49' w.
152° 39' w.

179° 6'w.

P.M.

20th.
9.21

St. John

Brantford

9.21

Frederirton

Simcoe

9.21

Woodstock

Paris

Woodstock

9.22

9.2a

Quebec—
Sherbrooke

Sudbury

9.24

Stratford

9.24

Lennoxville

Ingersoll

9.24

Richmond

0>\ en Sound

6.24

Quebec

St. Thomas

London

9.2S

St. Lambert's

9.26

Montreal

Ooderich

9.27

Petrolea

9.28

Ontario—

Chatham

9.29

Cornwall

Sarnia ...

Windsor

9 30'

Ottawa

9.32

'Brockville

Port Arthur

9.57

Carleton Place

Fort William

9.57

Smith's Falls

Bat Portaire

10 la

Almonte

Manitoba and North-
west Territories-
Winnipeg

Arnprior

Kingr.ston

Pembroke

10.28

Belleville

Carman

10 32

Brandon

10.40

Peterborough

Russell

10.45

Regina

10. 5&

Medicine Hat

11.32

Calgary

11.3ft

Lindsay

British Columbia—
Donald

Oshaw.i

Cannington

11 49

Whitbv

Revelstoke

11.53

Huntsville

Chilliwack

11.58.

Bracebridge

Vancouver

a.m.

Orillia

Aurora

2l8t.

12 12

Toronto

Victoria

PACIFIC OCEAN :

Ships at Sea—
Aoranai

12 13

St. Catharines

Welland

Niagara Falls

Barne and Allandale

Grimsby

1 51

Hamilton

Empress of China

wailangilala island.

2.11

Orange\ ille

Collingwood

Ouelph

3 56

mimmiamwv'v>wimma.tvmmiim9vfwu»mfi

•m

ill

|!i ill

I
1

■

INDEX

Achaius, king of Scots,

•2.

ing ot P

Acre, siege of, 47.

Admirals, titles under Common-
wealth, 104 ; three ranks, 286, 287 ;
nine ranks, 288 ; reduced to three,
289.

Admirals' flags, under Henry VIII.,
285, -286; Commonwealth, 102, 103,
287; Charles I., 286, 287; subse-
quent centuries, 288 ; present day,
73, 100, 289 ; on ironclads, 290 ; of
Lord High Admiral, 109.

Admiral of fleet, rank and flag, 284.

Admiral of Narrow Seas, 89, 114.

Admiralty badge on epaulettes, 53.

Admiralty regulations, penalty for in-
fraction, 58; proportions in Union
Jack, 223.

Alfred the Great collects first navy,
60 ; sea maxim, 60.

Ambassador's flag, Russian, 49.

America, Flag of Liberty, 265, 272.

Apia, seamanship at, 128.

Armada, defeated under cross of St.
George, 56, 68, 112.

Armagh, City of St. Patrick, 213, 217.

Armaments of feudal nobles, 38.

Arms, Savoy, 25 ; Earl of Elgin, 73 ;
Washington, 199 ; Fitzgeralds, 217 ;
Ancient, of Ireland, 210, 212 ;
Henry V. to Elizabeth, 79 ; James
I., 80 ; Anne, 147 ; George II., 160 ;
George IIL, first, 168; altered, 219;
Victoria, 215.

Assyrian emblems, 15.

Athelstane, merchant navy, 61.

Australian federation badge, 298.

Austria, eagle, 17 ; white cross, 49.

Aztecs, eagle emblem, 18.

Banner, feudal period, 38 ; Common-
wealth, 96 ; Robert Bruce, 73 ; St.
Andrew, 71, 73; St. Denis, 28
St. George, 46 ; Joan of Arc, 28
St. Martin, 28 ; St. Patrick, 205
personal of sovereign, 101, 110.

Barbarossa, Emperor, 27.

Barton, Sir Andrew, 77, 78.

Bavaria, national colours, 27.

Beyrut, grotto of St. George, 47.

Birkenhead, sinking of the, 237.

Blake carries whip-lash, 120.

Blue ensign, who entitled to use, 290 ;
on colonial ships, 295. See Ensign.

Border to St. George, narrow under
James, 86 ; when enlarged, 136 ;
justified, 222, 225,

Broad white of St. George, in 1801,
241 ; same size as St. Andrew, 244-
249.

Broad white of St. Andrew, 223, 224.

Bourbon standard, 28-30.

Brian Boru, legend, 212 ; harp, 214.

British Constitution, expansion told
by Jack, 149 ; in Canada, 159, 165;
government under, 277 ; other colo-
nies, 280, 283.

Broom carried by Tromp, 1 19.

Bruce, Robert, banner, 73.

Bunker Hill, flag raised at, 196.

Cabot, 56, 66, 171.
Calliope, H.M.S., seamanship, 128.
Cambridge, grand union, 19.'».
Canada comes under British flag, 139 ;

reconciliation, 150 ; invaded, 154 ;

evolution of inhabitants, 159 ; wars,

254, 256, 259, 260.

Index.

319

ndrew, 223, 224.

30.

12 ; harp, 214.

expansion told
anada, 159, 165;
277; other colo-

€anadian Ensign, created, 298; added
meanings, 258, 300.

Cantons, quarters of flag, 26.

Cape of (iood Hope, Dutch connec-
tion, 123, 126.

Cappadocia, birthplace of St. George,
48.

Castle Island, troubles about flags,
178.

Chapleau, Sir Adolphe, 156.

Chateauguay, battle of, 238, 255.

Charing Cross, 54.

Charles I., proclamation, 90, 116.

Charles II. , flags changed, 103 ; fresco,
107.

Cinque Ports, Jacques used, 43,

Cockade, origin tricolour, 29.

Colonial contingents, at Havana, 188;
South Africa, 304.

Colonial flags, first authorized, 244 ;
white escutcheon on, 293 ; blue en-
sign, 295 ; broader significance, 300.

Colours,- British regiments, 39, 40;
French, 28 ; New England com-
panies, 178.

Commonwealth ensign, 96-102; in
America, 180.

Commonwealth flags, altered, 95 ; sa-
lute claimed, 118.

Commonwealth shilling, 95, 102.

Constantine the (ireat, 208, 209.

Constantius Chlorus conquers Ibernia,
208 ; harp ou labarum, 208,

Constitution of United States, adopt-
ed, 267 ; government under, 275.

Cornette blanche, 28.

Cornwallis, fl<g surrendered, 248.

Counterchanged, Scotch and Irish
crosses, 221 ; controversy, 230.

Cromwell's Jack. 97, 102, 217.

Cross, red, St George, 48 ; red, St.
Patrick, 205 ; red, France, 41 ;
white, France, 239 ; white, Aus-
tria, 49 ; white, Greece, 26, 48, 49 .
white, St. John, 25, 51 ; white sal-
tire, St. Andrew, 73 ; blue saltire,
Russia, 73; yellow, Italy, 41 ; black,
Germany, 41 ; yellow, Sweden, 49;
green, Flanders, 41 ; blue, Norway,
49.

Cros-es, objections to use in flag,
177 ; requirement for entry in
Union Jack, 146, 149 ; proportion
in, 223, 250 ; wrongly made, 232 ;
how made correctly, 234.

Crusaders' crosses, 41 ; nations en-
gaged, 47.

Cumberland, F. W., 170.

Declaration of Independence, United

States, 198, 266.
De Monts, 172.
De Ruyter, 123.
Diamond Anthem, accompanying the

sun, 308.
Douglas, Frederick, contrasts liberty,

271.
Dragon, legend, St George, 47, 51,54.
Drumbeat following the hours, 300,

313.
Dufferin, Lord, 21, 282.
Dutch, sea rivalry, 64, 65, 114, 116,

122; wars, 119, 123, 125.
Dutch flag in America, 173.

Eagle emblems, 16- 18, 49.

East India Company, flag, 195.

Edgar, Lord of Ocean, 62.

Edward I. adopts St. George emblem,
51 ; sea titles, 56, 63.

Edward II. , Lord of the Seas, 63.

Edward III., sea maxim, 64; fleur-de-
lys in arms, 220.

Egyptian standards, 14.

Elizabeth, shipping extended, 68 ;
Alfred maxim maintained, 112;
privateers, 113; harp and crown,
21L

Emancipation in England, 264 ; Brit-
ish colonies, 264 ; United States,
267, 269 ; Canada, 270.

Emblems, instinct for, 13 ; evidences of
patriotism, 20,21 ; Israelites, 15; As-
syrians, 15 ; Peruvians, 18 ; Indians,
19 ; Irish, 206, 217 ; colonies, 294.

Endicott, John, defaces flag, 177, 178.

England, dominant partner, 46 ; me-
teor flag, 58.

320

History of the Union Jack.

English cross, white changed to red,
41.

English Jack, heraldic description,
46 ; groundwork Union Jack, 4'> ; ;
glory roll, 56; established claims in
America, 67 ; Armada defeated, 68 ; i
rivalries with Scotch, 80 ; joined i
in additional Jack, 88 ; taken from j
navy, 89 ; restored by Common- i
wealth, 9 • ; displaced by His Ma-
jesty's .lack, 97 ; Admiral's flag, '
100 ; inserted in Commonwealth \
ensign, 102 ; red ensign, 104, 108 ;
prowess rocogni/ed, 120 ; term in
ensign closed 13.3 ; white ground
restored, 136, 225.

Ensign, first English national, 101 ;
ensign red, 104 ; first British union,
131 ; first authorized for colonies,
244 ; first union ensign of United
States, 195 ; colonial, 295 ; Cana-
dian, 298 ; Imperial union, SOO ;
Red 99, 101, 104, 111, 127, 134,
285, 287, 290; White, 102, 236, 285,
287, 290 ; Blue, 102, 285, 287, 289,
290.

Ensign staflF, reason for name, 44.

Errors in painting flags, 106.

Escutcheon, in (commonwealth flags,
95 ; Union Jack, 244 ; colonial flags,
294 ; transferred to fly, 295.

Facings, British uniforms, 40.

Fenian raids in Canada, 256.

Field, portion of flag, 26.

Fimbriation, heraldic description,
86 : in Union Jack, 224 ; contro-
versies, 226.

Flags {symbolical), study of educa-
tional value, 14 ; tell history, 14,
23, 35, 36, HI, 180, 189, 203, 229 ;
incarnation of sentiment, 21 ;
valued when meaning known, 22;
voices in, 24 ; followed for consci-
ence sake, 157 ; sought by Puritans,
175 ; religious objection to cross,
177 ; meaning of colours in Union
Jack, 227 ; speak in colours, 238 ;
ideals expressed, 262 ; freedom to

slave, 263, 270 ; liberty to people,
273.

PMags {actual), technical division, 26 ;
measurements, 223, 250 ; how use
arose on land, 59 ; importance at
sea 59 ; penalty for infraction, 58 ;
meaning of movements on flag-staflf,
59; wars caused by, 113, 119, 1.'4 ;
ships confiscated if not shown, 182;
effect of omission on shore, 179 ;
raised as sign of taking possession,
57, 66, 139, 173, 284.

Flag salute, John, 63 ; Edward I.,
63; Mary, 67; James, I., 114;
Charles I., 116; Commonwealth,
118 ; accorded by Dutch, 120, 124,
126.

Flag of liberty, in America, 265, 272.

Flag-ships, why so called, 100, 286.

Fleur-de-lys, emblem of France, 38 ;
Canad i colonized under, 28 ; Fron-
tenac defends, 185 ; succeeded by
Union Jack, 152, 159 ; on arms
George II., 160 ; introduced by
Edward III., 220 ; removed, 220 ;
why in royal arms, 160, 241 ; iii
arms Quebec, 281.

Fly, portion of flag, 26.

Forecastle, derivation of name, 65. .

Fort Detroit, taken by British, 255.

B'rance, tricolour, 28; in Canada, 31.

Franklin, Benjamin, 198.

French Canadians, descendants of

"Normans, 160; accept changed

rule, 161 ; defend Union Jack, 154,

238, 255, 257 ; British in patriotism,

15H.

French cross, in Union Jack, 239.

French language, in English Parlia-
ment, 161 ; in Canada, 162.

Frontenac, 185.

Generals at Sea, title of Admirals, 104.

George III. , three parliaments united,
219 ; three crossed Union Jack, 219.

Germany, standard of, 27.

Glory roll, English Jack, 56 ; Jack of
James I., 87 ; firtt Union Jack,,
138 ; second Union Jack, 236.

srty to people,

i.1 division, 26 ;
250 ; how use
importance at
infraction, 58 ;
ts on flag-staff,
113, 119, 1J4 J
ot shown, 182;
m shore, 179 ;
ing possession,

; Edward I.,
mes, I., U4 ;
ommonwealth,
ntch, 120, 124,

srica, 265, 272.
led, 100, 286.
jf France, 38 j
der, 28 ; Fron-

succeeded by
159 ; on arms
introduced by
removed, 220 ;

160, 241 ; in

jf name, 65. .
iritisli, 255.
n Canada, 31.
8.

Bscendants of
cept changed
ion Jack, 154,.
in patriotism,

Jack, 239.
nglish Parlia-
a, 162. •

^.dmirals, 104.
ments united,
ion Jack, 219.
|27.
, 56 ; Jack of
Union Jack,,
ick, 236.

Index.

321

Gcveppor's flags, 182, 242, 244, 279,

280, 294, 295,
Governors of colonies, position, 279.
Great union, Cromwell, 97.
Grand union ensign, thirteen colonies,

195 ; carried after Independence,

198.
Great seal. Upper Canada, 165 ;

Elizabeth, 211.
Greek, national ensign, 26.
Greek church, reverences St. George,

48.
Greek cross, carried by eight nations,

49 ; 8t. John, 51.
Guiana, exchanged for New "^'ork,

128. J,

Hanover, white horse, 220.

Harold, lo-es control of seas, 62.

Harp, first placed in roval arms,
80, 145 ; in flags, 96, 97", 102 ; on
shillings, 9."), 102;onniedalofTromp,
103; taken out of flags, 104; usage
by sovereigns, 211 ; in Royal Arms
of Victoria, 212, 215.

Hiliernian harp, in labarum, Constan-
tius, 208 ; changed to Christian
cross, 210 ; in royal arms, 212 ;
changed to Irish harp, 215.

Havana, colonials at c<pture, 188 ;
restored to Spain, 152.

Hawaii, national ensign, 32.

Henri Grace a Dien, parent sh p of
navy, 65.

Heralds, devised Jack of James I.,
85; objections to Union Jack, 136,
226, 231,249; requirements met,
250.

Heraldry, rules for fimbriations, 86 ;
for crosses, 250.

His Majesty's Jack, 37, 179.

Hoist, part of flag, 26.

Ireland, becomes kingdom, 144 ;
cross not entered, 145 ; when en-
tered, 147.

Irish harp, Brian Boru, 214 ; used by
Victoria, 215 ; on throne, 216 ;

Irish Jack, heraldic description, 205 ;

not joined with St. George, 145 ;
when joined, 148 ; ground recog-
nized, 225

Israelites, standard, 15.

Italy, national ensign, 24.

Jacks, erroneous explanation of name,
37, origin of name, 44 ; why two
used under James I., 83; regula-
tions James l., 85 ; Charles I., 92;
(/ommonwealth, 96; Charles II.,
99 ; present daj', 100.

Jack at bow, 44, 65, 93, 95, 97, 108,
127, 284.

Jack of James I. , created by rivalries,
78, 80, 146; an additional Jack, SI ;
proclamation, 82 ; used on all sh ps,
89 ; restricted to king's ships, 91 ;
abolished, 95 ; restored, 97 ; not a
national Jack, 92, 110, 143; not a
Union Jack, 88, 14'^ ; never placed
in ens'gn, 110, 145 ; glory roll, 87 ;
carried on J/«i(^o(t'cr, 177 ; abolish-
ed in New England, 180,

Jack -staff", reason for name, 44,

Jack White, plain St. George, 99.

.Jacques, surcoats, 40 ; by whom
worn, 43, 74.

James 1., changes royal standard, 70,
145; creates Jack, 82; urges union,
84 ; consents to repatriation of
Puritans, 175.

.Joan of Arc, banner, 28.

King of seas, Edward III. , 64.
King's colours, 38, 40, 91, 98, 179,

243, 248, 284.
Knights, Jacques worn, 41 ; St. John,

25 ; change cross, 51.

Labarum, Constantine, 207 ; Constan-

tius Chlorus, 208.
Lake George, name changed, 191.
Le Moine, Sir James, 31.
Lieutenant-Governor, flag, 281.
Lion of Scotland, in royal arms, 80.
Lord High Admiral, flag of, 109.

ti^J>^

»^

322

History of the Union Jack.

1 'i 1

' 'i

f 1

Lord of Oceana, title, 62 ; of seas, 6.3.
Louisbourg medal, Jack on, 188.

Mackinac, fort taken, 255.
Madison. Jas., President U.S., 269.
Maltese cross, 51.
Mansfield, decision slavery, 264.
Maple leaf, in governors' flags, 280 ;

emblem, 305.
Massachusetts ensign, authorized,

244.
Mayflower, pilgrims sail on, 175.
Medals, 108, 185, 187, 215, 255, 256,

259, 260, 304.
Merchant Navy, first developed, 61 ;

distant voyages, 68, 113 ; uses

King's Jack, 98 ; wins trade, 125 ;

accorded Red Ensign, 128, 135,

291.
Monson, Sir William, 87, 1 14, 1 16, 117.

Nantucket, Griswold at, 171.

Napoleon I., flag, 30.

N(uehy, 97, 105, 109, 127.

National flags, origin, 23 ; signal
dynasties, 36 ; evolution, IJritish,
101, 109, 135,297; colonies, 295 ;
Canada, 298 ; France, 28 ; Ger-
many, 27 ; Greece, 26 ; Hawaii,
3-2; Italy, 24, ; Russia, 73; thir-
teen colonies, 195 ; United States,
106, 198

Navigation Act, Commonwealth, 118.

Navy, English, first collected, 60 ;
constructed, 65 ; weakened, 117 ;
defeated, 119 ; wins command, 128 ;
Scotch, always small, 75 ; defies
English, 77 ; colonial,. 295.

Nelson, 139; signal, 237; White En-
.sign. ?89.

New England Ensign, 186 ; Lake
George, 191 ; Bunker Hill, 196 ;
controversies respecting cross, 177,
178, 179, 182, 183.

New South Wales, emblem, 294.

New York, taken, 123 ; exchanged,
126.

Nineveh, emblems found, 15.

Normans, ancestors Canadians, 160 ;
liberties gained, 162.

Orders of knighthood, 49, 73, 206.
Oriflan)me, St. Denis, 28.

Parliaments, not united, 84 ; separ-
ate flags, 85, 142; Irish, 144;
Union Jack tells union of Scotch,
146 ; of Irish, 147 ; precedence of
union acknowledged, 232 ; colonial,
168, 29I».

Patron saints, England, 46 ; Scotland,
71 ; Ireland, 205.

Pennants, command flags, 57 ; Henry
VIII., 65 ; royal navy, 120 ; ad-
mirals, 133 ; colonial navy, 296.

Paardeberg, Canadian at, 306.

Pennsylvanian ensign, 194, 197.

Peruvians emblem, 18.

Philip II. salutes English Jack, 67.

I'ilgrim Fatliers, company formed,
175, land in America, 175 ; loyal
subjects of James I., 176.

Pilot Jack, flag, 285.

Pine tree flag, Massachusetts, 186.

Poland, white eagle, 17.

President of United States, position,
275, 276.

T'russian, black eagle, 17.

Puritans, migrate to Holland, 174 ;
prefer English flag, 175 ; reach
America, 175; flags carried, 170.

Quarters of flags, 26 ; of Union Jack,

230.
Quebec, contest, 246.
Quebec, defended under fleur-de-lys,

IS5 ; Wolfe and Montcalm, 151 ;

defended under Union Jack, 154.
Quebec Act, eflect of, 153, 163.
Queen Anne, creates first Union Jack,

130 ; established Red Ensign, 133 ;

border St. George enlarged, 136.
Queen Mary, Jacques worn, 43.
Queen Victoria, uses Irish harp, 215 ;

Diamond Jubilee, 308.

Index.

32:i

madians, 160 ;

49, 73, 206.

28.

3(1, 84 ; separ-
; Irish, 144 ;
lion of Scotch,
precedence of
, 232 ; colonial,

, 46 ; Scotland,

igs, 57 ; Henry
avy, 120 ; ad-
,1 navy, 296.
at, 306.
194, 197.

lish Jack, 67.
upany formed,
ca, 175; loyal
, 176.

husetts, 186.

tates, position,

17.

Holland, 174 ;
175 ; reach
carried, 170.

of Union Jack,

er fleur-de-lys,
ontcalm, 151 ;

on Jack, 154.

153, 163.

st Union Jack,

d Ensign, 133 ;
larged, 136.

worn, 43.

rish harp, 215 ;
D8.

Raleigh, sea maxim, 113, 128, 171.

Red hnsign, see Ensign.

Red fighting flag of navy, 125, 287.

Regulations for Union Jack, 222, 223.

Responsible government contrasted,
275, 277, 278, 281, 282.

Revenge, glorious contest, 68.

Richard I. adopts St. George, 50 ;
star and crescent badge, 5 <.

Right of search causes war, 254.

Rivalries create Jack of James, 78, 80.

Roman eagle, 10.

Royal arms, fleur-de-lys, 160, 220, I
241 ; royal standard, 101 : remov- i
ed from ships, 95; harp inserted,
80, 145 ; changed, 212, 214 ; see
Arms.

Royal Standard, flag of sovereign,
79, 220; present regulations, 110;
origin of Irish blue ground, 212.

Royal standard at stern, 45, 93 ; re-
placed by ensigns, 108 ; meaning
.f change, 111.

Royal standard at main, 105, 108,
109. 110.

Royal yacht squadron flag, 58.

Russian flags, 49, 73.

Saints, reverenced, not canonized, 50.

St. Andrew, banner and legend, 71 ;
why adopted by Scotland, 72 ;
Kussia, 73.

St. Andrew cross, white of Scotland,
72 ; blue of Russia, 73 ; England
invaded, 74 ; in Great Union, 97 ;
united in James' Jack, 82 ; in
Union Jack, 1.32 ; same size St.
I'atrick, 224; counterchanged with,
231 ; why higher position, 232 ;
same size as border St. George,
242 ; examples of narrow form, 244 ;
proportion continued, 249.

St. Denis, red banner, '28.

St. George, banner and legends, 46 ;
Christian hero, 48 ; reverenced in
East, 48 ; why adopted by Eng-
land, 50 ; Christian attributes, 53 ;
knightly attributes, 55.

St. George cross, in nobles' standarJ,
38 ; invasion Scotland, 43 ; (ireek
ensign, 48 ; adopted by England,
50, 51 ; in (Jreat Unicm, 97 ; pen-
nants, (15, 120, 296 ; receives hom-
age of Dutch, 121 ; united in James'
Jack, 82; in Union Jack, 132;
white border widened, 1.3(5 ; sur-
mounts other crosses, i:2I ; why it
surmounts, 229 ; carried on M'ty-
Jloirer, 176 ; controversies in New
England, 177 ; left out of c >lonist
colours, 178 ; restored to New Eng-
land ensign, 183 ; taken at Quebec,
185.
St. George Jack. See English Jack.
St. George and dragon, early in-
stances, 51, 55.
St. (Jeorge's day, origin, 48 ; first

kept in England, 51.
St. Helena taken by Dutch, 126.
St. John, knights of, 25, 51.
St. Martin, blue banner, 28.
St. Patrick, banner and legend of,
205 ; adopted by Ireland, 206 ; em-
blems of 206; founds Armagh, 213.
St. Patrick cross, origin of, 2(J6 ; first
used as banner, 217 ; not sign of
fealty, 144 ; when placed in Union
Jack, 148 ; same size as St. An-
drew, 224 ; why counterchanged.
232.
Saltire, shape, 71; origin, 207; errors

in Union Jack, 233.
Sardinia royal arms, 25.
Scotch Jack, heraldic description, 73 ;
flag of Bruce, 73 ; forays, 74, 75, 77 ;
national flag. 92 ; placed in union,
133, 146.
Sea maxims, Alfred, 60; Edward III.,

(54; Raleigh, 113.
Sewall, Samuel, 183.
Shamrock emblem, 20(5.
Slavery under various flags, 263.
Sluys, naval victory, 56, 64.
South Africa deeds, 237 ; colonial

contingents, 283, 304.
Sovereign of Britain, position of, 277.
Spain, 152, 171, 188.
Stars, varieties, 201.

' vl

i t

I n

324

History of the Union Jack.

Stars and Stripes, United States, 35,

106, 198, 205.
Stern, place of honour, 108.
Supremacy of seas, 60, 70, 100, 112,

122, 128.
Surcoats, 40, 43, 74.
SurveiUante, engagement of, 246.
Switzerland, white cross,, 49.

Thane, rewaid, 61.

Thirteen Colonies, Union Flag, 190;
troubles, 192 ; Grand Union, 195 ;
heritage in Jack, 202 : in Stars
and Stripes, 203. 265, 273.

Trafalgar, white ensign, 236, 289.

Tricolour, 28, 30, 31.

Tromp, Admiral, 103, 119

Union Jack, first, 130 ; glory roll,
138 : second, 219, 221 ; glory roll,
236 ; present day, 228.

Union Jack (/o»'m) tells history of race,
36 ; origin of name, 37 ; conibina
tions, 45, 229; designers, 136; regu-
lations for making, 222 ; fimb ia-
tions, 224 ; errors, 23'2, 233 ; how
to make correctly, 234, 235 ; pro-
portions, 222 ; meaning of colours,
227 ; lessons of grounds, 2,30 ; rea-
sons for proportions, 249 ; heraldic
requirements met, 250

Union Jack [maye), Queen's colours,
40 ; in Hawaiian ensign, 32 ; in
ensign of Thirteen Colonies, 190-
195 ; raised by Washington, 19.5 ;

in United States ensign, 196; Penn-
sylvanian ensign, 197; red, white
and blue ensigns, 285, 290 ; Hignal
of British rule, 149, 284, 235, 292,
302, 314.

Union Jack (sigiiificancf), displacea
national Jacks, 135 ; more than
union of Lhi ones, 145; requirements
entry cross, 146 ; emblem pa lia-
mentary union, 149, 168 ; defence
of home, 150, 1.^)5, 255 ; slavery,
264 ; liberty, 273 ; democratic ex-
pansion, 274 ; equal rights, 283,
303.

United Empire Loyalists, 157, 164,
167.

United Stites ensign, 35, 106, 198,.
202. ^

Vandervelt, 93, 107, 296.
Venezuela, 126.
Victoria, emblem, 294.
Virginia, 126, 171, 176.

War of 1812, battles, 255.
Warwick, Earl of, 109.
Washington, ancestry, 199,200 ; flag^

194, 197, 200 ; stars, 202.
Web ter, Daniel, 300.
Western Australia, emblem, 294.
White ensign. See Ensign.
Whip lash, 120.

Yard-arm, origin of name, 65..

^ s

fl**lr p

B8 ensign, 196; Penn-
gn, 197; red, white
;n8, 285, 290 ; signal
!, 149, 284, 235, 292,

thificancf), displaces
3, 135 ; more than
IS, 145; requirements
46 ; embleni pa lia-
, 149, 168 ; defence
lf)5, 255 ; slavery,
273 ; democratic ex-
equal rights, 283,

Loyalists, 157, 164,

nsign, 35, 106, 198,.

V
107, 296.

1, 294.
1, 176.

ttles, 255.
)f, 109.

estry, 199, 200 ; flag,,
stars, 202.
, 300.

lia, emblem, 294.
See Ensign.

1 of name, 65..

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