The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-01-26

noticeable inequalities in the number of stars.
For the correction of this matter on the mo-
tion of Peter Wend Dver, of New York, Con-
gress appointed committee, of which Mr..
Wendover was chairman, "to inquire into the
expediency of altering the flag of the United
StafeS." The committee seems to have been at
loss what to do with itself or the flag and so
asked the advice of Capt. Samuel c. Reid Dur
ing the war, then Just ended, Capt. Reid had
won good deal of fame for himself by the gall
liant way in which he had fought the privateer
Gen. Armstrong against British boat squad
ron in Fayal Roads-an assault in defiance of
the neutrality laws. Probably the committee
thought that man who could defend the flag
with such valor ought to know what changes
in it would be good and while this inference
was not by any means logical, it proved to be
ab.olutely correct. Admiral Preble writes:
Capt. Reid, thus called upon, recommended
reducing the stripes to thirteen, to represent
the thirteen original States. and the stars to be
increased TO the number of all the States,
formed into one great star, whose brillancy
should represent their union and thus symbol
ize in the flag the origin and progress Of the
country, and its motto. E PLuribus Unun. He
also proposed that there should be the addition
of a star for each new State admitted The
flag thus designed he intended for merchant
vessels and proposed as distinction that the
stars on the ensigns of vessels of war should be
placed in parallel lines" The COMMITTEES re-
ported conformably with this suggestion, but
OoiSicoo III aOCOptluS LHt Reu6rdl IedtuT6s
OF the report, lost sight of the nice distinction
between the merchant service and the navy
The act ITO establish the flag Of the United
States'-and the word to Establish" was used
here advisedly, in place of the word ''alter,"
as Implying that the change was made only to
insure stabiity-was approved April 4th, 1878
IL proved that the flag should simply be
thirteen horizontal stripes, alternate red and
white," and that the "union have twenty
stars, white in blue field" that this change
IN bA lada on md Aafta tla Al, -
July following the admission of every new
! State one star be added to the union Of the
nag This act still remains in force, and as
lt Tails to specify in what order the stars shall
be arranged these continue to be divided ac-
cordlng to the fancy of each individual flag
maker. In the navy circular order of Sep
tember Is, 1918, prescrbes that they shall be
arranged In even, parallel lines, and so the
nag is carried by our ships OF war and flown
over our dockyards and naval establishments.
ln the army custom has decided that the stars
shall be grouped in one large star, and flag
thus constructed usually is tiown over our mil
itary posts Outside of the service the stars
are set on pretty much at random. 1t would
be desirable, OF course. to have this matter set
tied into positive form; but it is not a case
for correction that compels attention, since on
~ very few people have ever noticed that
dlferences exist, or have given much thought
TO the flag at all. Indeed the thought which
must foice itself upon most of the American
readers OF Admiral Preble's very valuable
work is ] elf-admontory reflection upon their
shameful ignorance of the entire subject. And
with this wholesome reflection must arise,
presently, very sincere feeling of thanks for
the instruction which the book contains con-
cerning supremely national institution with
which we should all be familiar Certainly
any American, possessing even the smallest al
lowance of patriotism, must feel his blood
somewhat stirred by what the Admiral has to
tell of the flag that is the outward and visible
sign to all the world of our national existence