History of the Union Jack and Flags of the Empire

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 form, 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 suggestion of others, launched upon its public way.

The chapters on the history of the Jacks in the Thirteen American Colonies and in the United States are also new ground and may be of novel interest to not a few. The added information on the proper proportions of our Union Jack, and the directions and reasons for the proper making of its parts, may serve to correct some of the unhappy errors which now exist and may interest all in the observation and study of flags.

An Index has been added, and 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 collection 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, October 1, 1900.

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 Ensig	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.

		Page
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.
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.
	2. 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.

St. George

St. George.

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