The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1886-11-03
History of the British Flag

The London Daily Ne,oS says We are
all familiar with the white, blue, and red
ensigns, and with the Union Jack, which
occupies the upper quarter nearest the
flagstaff. The white ensign has the red
cross of st. George in addition to the
Union Jack. Without the Jack this
white ensign with red cross represents
our old National flag as it existed from
the time OF Richard 1. until the death of
Elizabeth. This red cross flag, the ban
ner of st. George, appears to have been
chosen by the Soldier King in honor of
the saint who was the patron of soldiers.
1t remained for more than four hundred
years the flag under which the English
warriors fought on land and on sea
When James vi, OF Scotland, succeeded
Elizabeth, the Scotch had a National flag
That also was crosse, but it was shaped
differently from that of st. George, and
was known as the cross of st. Andrew
The ground OF the Scotch flag was blue,
and Its cross was white. To mark the
union OF the two kingdoms under one
sovereign the national banner underwent
change, although Scotland still retain
ed its separate Parliament. In the new
flag the two banners OF Scotland and
England were united. There appeared
IN 1t the oblique white cross of st. An.
drew on blue ground, and the red cross
OF ST. George on white margin, worked
in the blue field. The King was accus-
toned to sign his name in the French
form OF James, Jacques" He was, in
tact, the Union Jacques, or, as we impro-
perly pronounce it, Jack. For local pur
poses the Scotch still continued to use
the white St. Andrews cross on the blue
field, and the English the red cross on
the white field. 1t was stated by royal
proclamation in 1905 that i" whereas
some difference hath arisen between our
subjects of South and North Britain,
travelling by seas, about the bearing OF
their flags TOR the avoiding of all such
contentious hereafter, we have, with the
advice Of our Council, ordered that from
hencefortb all our subjects of this Isle
and Kingdom OF Great Britain, and the
members therefore, shall bear in their
ma1ntop the Red Gross, commonly called
st. Georges Cross, and the White Cross,
called St. Andrew Cross, joined togeth.
er, and In their foretop our subjects OF
1outu OIlJdlu Sudll wear TIE hSu OrOSS
only, as they were wont and our sub.
lects of North Britain in their foretop the
White Cross only, as they were accus-
toned" In 1907; when the Scotch and
English Legislatures were united, the dis.
tinctive flags ceased to be used, and the
united flags as arranged in 1906 became
the single ensign for the United King
dom. it was the sovereign that made
the union and established the national
flag, and an establishment OF distinct Leg.
lslatures again would not alter the flag.
Ireland would take, presumably, for its
local ensign the Red Cross Of St. Patrick.
This Irish banner ought to have appeared
in the Union flag of 1906, but it did not.
Ireland had no distinct recognition in the
Union flag until 1901, when the Irish
and British Legislatures were united.
AT that date the Union Jack underwent
further change, and the red diagonal
cross OF s Patrick on white field was
introduced. Since that date the Union
Jack has shown the red cross and white
margin, recalling the banner Of St.
George the white diagonal and blue
field Of st. Andrews banner, and the red
diagonal cross Of st. Patrick, showing
over the white diagonal cross of the
Scotch banner. The blue ground Of the
Jack is therefore due to Scotland and
the red and white as crosses and margins
to England and to Ireland.