Chapter II: Preface: To Third Edition

The celebration of EMPIRE DAY and of other National and Historic Anniversaries, accompanied by appropriate addresses, has greatly developed at home and abroad. The instructing value of Flags as the visible evidences of the progressive periods of National history, and the concentration of patriotic remembrance, having become more appreciated, have led, no doubt, to the request for a re-issue of this book, which had been for some time out of print.

For such purposes, and as an assistance to Readers and Teachers, the material has been practically recast and new matter incorporated, so that with the collations in the Index the phases of the various portions of the Flags, both of the British and other nationalities, may be more conveniently traced and connected.

Much additional information, particularly in the designing and creation of the Flags, has been sought out and, with additional illustrations, recorded with a view that the intentions expressed in their forms may be more clearly evidenced, their meanings realized, and their connection with Constitutional movements developed.

The suggestions and assistance of many correspondents, to this end, has been much availed of and is thankfully acknowledged.

During the interval since the last issue the Liberties and Methods of the British Constitution have still further expanded. Additional Daughter-Parliaments in the Dominions over-seas have been empowered, and their Union Flags created. To these, as also added information on other Ensigns, is due the addition to the Title.

The references in stating the progress of our National Flag are, of necessity, much condensed, but the writer trusts that with the instructing aid and narrations of its exponents, the information here put together may be found of help in causing the study of Flags, and the stories which they voice, to be of increasing interest, and their Union Jack and Ensigns more intimately known to our youth as the living emblems of our British History and Union.

PORT HOPE, _September, 1909_.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER PAGE

A Poem--The Union Jack 11

Notes on Flags 12

I. Emblems and Flags 13

II. The Origins of National Flags 21

III. The Origin of the Jacks 32

IV. The English Jack 41

V. The Supremacy of the English Jack 53

VI. The Scottish Jack 64

VII. The "Additional" Union Jack of James I. 71

VIII. The English Jack Restored 81

IX. The Evolution of the Red Ensign 92

X. The Sovereignty of the Seas--The Fight for the
Flag 102

XI. The Sovereignty of the Seas--The Fight for the
Trade 111

XII. The Union Jack of Queen Anne, 1707 118

XIII. The Two-Crossed Jack in Canada 132

XIV. The Irish Jack 140

XV. The Jacks in the Thirteen Colonies of North America 153

XVI. The Union Flags of the United States 170

XVII. The Jack and Parliamentary Union in Britain 182

XVIII. The Jack and Parliamentary Union in Canada 189

XIX. The Union Jack of George III., 1801 199

XX. The Lessons of the Crosses 215

XXI. The Proportions of the Crosses 222

XXII. Under the Three Crosses in Canada 235

XXIII. The Flag of Freedom 243

XXIV. The Flag of Liberty 253

XXV. The Union Jack as a Single Flag 264

XXVI. The Jacks in Red, White and Blue Ensigns 272

XXVII. The Union Ensigns of the British Empire 280

Appendix A. The Maple Leaf Emblem 295

Appendix B. Letters from the Private Secretary of His
Majesty King Edward VII. 298

Appendix C. Canadian War Medals 299

Appendix D. A Record of the "Diamond Anthem" 300

Index 313

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

NO. PAGE

1. Assyrian Emblems 15

2. Eagle Emblems 16

3. Tortoise Totem 18

4. Wolf Totem 18

5. The Hawaiian Ensign 30

6. A Red Cross Knight 35

7. Colours of 10th Royal Grenadiers, Canada 39

8. St. George's Jack 41

9. The Borough Seal of Lyme Regis, 1284 46

10. Brass in Elsing Church, 1347 49

11. The _Henri Grace à Dieu_, 1515 60

12. St. Andrew's Jack 64

13. Scotch "Talle Shippe," 16th Century 67

14. Royal Arms of England, Henry V., 1413, to Elizabeth 71

15. Royal Arms of James I., 1603 72

16. Jack of James I., 1606 74

17. The _Sovereign of the Seas_, 1637 85

18. Commonwealth Twenty-Shilling Piece 87

19. Commonwealth Boat Flag 88

20. The _Naseby_. Charles II. 95

21. Medal of Charles II., 1665 98

22. Whip-lash Pennant, British Navy 108

23. Union Jack of Anne, 1707 118

24. Draft "C," Union Jack, 1707 121

25. The Red Ensign in "The Margent," 1707 125

26. Fort Niagara, 1759 128

27. The Assault at Wolfe's Cove, Quebec, 1759 130

28. St. Patrick's Jack 141

29. Labarum of Constantine 142

30. Harp of Hibernia 143

31. Seal of Carrickfergus, 1605 148

32. Royal Arms of Queen Victoria 148

33. Medal of Queen's First Visit to Ireland 149

34. The Throne of Queen Victoria in the House of Lords, 1900 150

35. Arms of the Fitzgeralds 151

36. Medal of Louis XIV., "_Kebeca Liberata_," 1690 165

37. New England Ensign 166

38. The Louisbourg Medal, 1758 168

39. The First Union Flag, 1776 174

40. The Pennsylvania Flag, 1776 176

41. Arms of the Washington Family 177

42. Washington's Book-Plate 178

43. Washington's Seals 179

44. Fort George and the Port of New York in 1770 187

45. Royal Arms of George II. 190

46. The Great Seal of Upper Canada, 1792 195

47. Upper Canada Penny 198

48. Draft "C" of Union Jack, 1800 200

49. Royal Arms of George III., 1801 202

50. Union Jack of George III., 1801 203

51. Outline Jack--The Proper Proportions of the Crosses 209

52. The Union Jack and Shackleton at Farthest South 213

53. Square Union Jack 219

54. Oblong Union Jack 220

55. Flag of a French Caravel, 16th Century 223

56. The Colonial Jack, 1701 226

57. Jack of England, 1711 227

58. Jack in Carolina, 1739 228

59. The Combat between _La Surveillante_ and the _Quebec_, 1779 229

60. Ensign of 7th Royal Fusiliers, 1775 230

61. "King's Colour," 1781 231

62. The War Medal, 1793-1814 236

63. The Service Medal, Canada, 1866-1870 237

64. The North-West Canada Medal, 1885 240

65. Flag of the Governor-General of Canada 259

66. Flag of the Lieutenant-Governor of Quebec 260

67. Australian Emblems 283

68. Australian Federation Badge 287

69. Suggested Canadian Union Ensign 297

COLOURED PLATES.

PLATE I. _Frontispiece_
1. English Jack--St. George's Crosse.
2. Scottish Jack--St. Andrew's Crosse.
3. Irish Jack--St. Patrick's Crosse.

PLATE II. 22
1. Germany. 2. Italy.
3. Greece. 4. Hawaii.
5. Champlain, 1608. 6. French from 1794.

PLATE III. 76
1. The Percys' Ensign, 1560.
2. Union Jack of James I., 1606.
3. Colonial Union Jack, 1701.

PLATE IV. 92
1. Commonwealth Ensign, 1648.
2. Cromwell's "Great Union," 1658.
3. Ensign Red--Charles II., 1660.

PLATE V. 118
1. Union Jack of Anne, 1707.
2. Red Ensign of Anne, 1707.
3. Union Jack of George III., 1801.

PLATE VI. 174
1. Grand Union, 1776.
2. United States, 1777.
3. United States, 1909.

PLATE VII. 218
1. Present Union Jack upside down.
2. Jack wrongly made.
3. Jack wrongly made.

PLATE VIII. 272
1. Red Ensign.
2. White Ensign.
3. Blue Ensign.

PLATE IX. 280
1. Canadian Union Ensign.
2. Australian Union Ensign.
3. New Zealand Union Ensign.

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.

"It floats over Cypress and Malta,
O'er Canada, the Indies, Hong Kong;
And Britons, where'er their flag's flying,
Claim the rights 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.

"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."

NOTES ON FLAGS.

NAMES OF PARTS.

Particular names are given to the several parts of a flag.

The part next the flagstaff, or width, 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 "_cantons_": two "_next the staff_," two "_in the fly_."

These descriptive terms should be noted, as they will be in constant use in the pages which follow.

USAGE.

A flag at half-mast is a sign of mourning.

A flag reversed is a signal of distress.

The lowering of a flag is a signal of surrender.

The raising of the victors' flag in its place is a signal of capture.

The nationality of a country is shown by its flag.

The nationality of a vessel is made known by the flag she flies at the stern.

To hoist the flag of one nation under that of another nation, on the same flag-staff, is to show it disrespect.

History of the Union Jack

And Flags of the Empire.