Chapter XXXI: Appendix: A

_THE 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 parts of America, but the tree is in its greatest glory in the northern zones, where throughout Canada, extended along her line of similar latitude, 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 well as being the natural emblem, it is also the typical emblem. It was held in high esteem by the early settlers of Quebec, and was adopted, in 1836, 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; a whole maple tree was shown on the coinage of Prince Edward Island before the time of Confederation, after which event maple leaves have been used on all coinage issued by the Dominion. At the creation of the union in Confederation it was placed in the arms of Quebec and of Ontario, and was heraldically recognized as the "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-Governors 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 1865, 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 champions of Canada--at the oar, on the yachts, on the athletic fields, in military contests, and at the rifle 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, of the North-West Mounted Police and all official Services.

It was 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 reminded them of their far-off home and nerved their hearts for deeds of duty and devotion to Canada and their Queen. The wounded Canadian who, lying wounded on the veldt at Paardeberg, touched the maple leaf upon his helmet and said to his companion, "_If I die, it may help this 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 coat-of-arms, a green maple leaf were placed on the shield in the Canadian ensign, the flag 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[200] that in that year of the Diamond Jubilee a white diamond of one-third the size of the "union" should be substituted for the present shield and coat-of-arms, making a flag (69) which 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 "coat-of-arms" on the shield, and it would also be a national tribute to that Queen under whose commanding 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.

[200] First edition, 1897.

If for similarity with the flags of 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 displayed and the sign of Canada on the red fly of the ensign be clearly distinguished.

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 (Pl. IX., fig. 1), have not been found entirely efficient, for they fail in being easily recognizable.

Whatever the colour may be or the shape of the escutcheon, 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 Canadian ensign.

APPENDIX B.

_LETTERS FROM THE PRIVATE SECRETARY OF HIS MAJESTY KING EDWARD VII._

Buckingham Palace, June 4th, 1902.

Dear Sir: In reply to your letter, I am afraid that the Royal Standard, which is the King's personal flag, can only be hoisted on the Coronation. If permission were given in one case, it would be impossible to refuse it in any other. I must remind you that you can always fly the Union Jack.

Yours faithfully,

F. KNOLLYS.

The Vicar of St. Michael's, Folkestone.

Sandringham, Norfolk, Dec. 29th, 1907.

Sir: In reply to your letter of the 9th inst., I beg to inform you that the "Union Jack" being the national flag may be flown by British subjects, private or official, on land.

Yours faithfully,

KNOLLYS.

Barlow Cumberland, Esq.
Port Hope.