Delaware gazette and state journal., 1895-09-26
The NEW STAR.
Another State Represented In the
.N Va Star Spangled Banner.

Shipbuilder.
An order for placing an additional
star TO the national colors (making 45)
was issued by Secretary Lamont on the
26th ult 1t will represent Utah. The
order ia accompanied by one changing
the size of the colors. Heretofore the
standard has been six feet by five. The
new order makes the regular size feet
6 inches by feet inches. The order
provides for the new colors to be issued
TO all infantry, artillery, the battalions
of engineers, and also for new standards
for all cavalry. Utah will not attain
Statehood until July 4th, 1896, but all
the flags heretofore contracted for aud
issued will contain the star heralding
the admission of that Territory into the
Union
Such was, in substance, the order
from the War Department, and as 1t is
a very timely subject to stir up the
patriotism of all American citizens,
we will give our readers brief history
Of the noble career of the Stars and
Stripes. The American Congress in
session at Philadelphia Pa, established
by It's resolution OF June 14th, 1777, a
national flag for the United States of
America. 1t was resolved "That the
flag of l3 United States be 13 stripes,
alternate red and white: that the union
be l3 stars, white in blue field, repre-
senting new installation. Although
nearly o year previous, July 4th, 1875,
these Is United Slater had been de
clared independent, this resolution is
the first legislative act recorded re-
lating to a national flag for the new
sovereignty. The use Of the ID stripes
was not a new feature, as they had
been introduced lin alternate white and
bluel on the upper left hand corner of a
standard presented TO the Philadelphia
Light House by its captain in the early
part Of l775, and moreover the union
Rag of the ID united colonies raised at
Washington's headquarters, at Cam
bridge, January I'd, 1776, had the l3
stripes Just as they are this day; but
il also had the crosses of St George
and st. Andrew on a blue ground in the
corner. There is no satisfactory evil
dence, however, that any flag bearing
the union of the stars had been in pub
lie use before the resolution of June,
l777. 1t is not known to whom the
credit of designing the stars and stripes
is due. 1t is claimed that Mrs. John
Ross, an upholsterer, who resided on
Arch street, Philadelphia, Pa, was the
maker of the first flag combining the
stars and stripes Her descendants as
sert that committee of Congress,
accompanied by Gen. Washington, who
was in Philadelphia in June 1776,
called upon said lady and engaged her
to make the flag from a rough drawing,
which, at her suggestion was redrawn
by Gen. Washington with pencil, in
her back parlor, and the flag thus
drawn was adopted by Congress.
Although the resolution establishing
the flag was not officially promulgated
by the Secretary Of Congress until
September Sd, It'll, it seems well au-
thenticated that the stars and stripes
were carried at the battle of the
Brandywine, September 1lth, 1777,
aud thence forward during all the bat,
ties of the Revolution. Soon after its
adoption the new flag was hoisted on
the naval vessels of the United States.
The ship Ranger, bearing the stars and
stripes and commanded by Capt. Paul
Jones, arrived at a French port about
December LIST, l117,t and her flag re.
ceived, on February l4th, 177S, the
first salute ever paid to an American
flag by foreign naval vessels. The flag
of the United States remained un-
changed for about IS years after its
adoption. BY this time two more
States Vermont and kentucky had
been admitted into the Union, and on
January 18th, 1I94, Congress enacted
''That from and after the first day of
May, 1875, the flag ofthe United States
be 10 stripes alternate red and white
that the union be Is stars, white in
blue field" This flag was the national
banner from lT95 to 1918, during which
period occurred the war of 1912 with
Great Britain. BY 1918 five additional
States Tennessee, Ohio louisiana,
Indiana and Mississippi) had been
admitted into the Union and therefore
further change in the flag seemed ia
be required. After considerable dis
cussion in Congress on the subject the
act of April 18th, 1888, was passed,
which provided "That from and after
the 4th day Of July next the flag of the
United States be l3 horizontal stripes
alternate red and white; that the union
have 20 stars, white in blue field.
That on the admission OF every new
State into the Union one star be added
to the union of the flag and that such
addition shall take effect on the 18th of
DuiS neAt suCcttuinP sucn dulhlsslon
The return to the l3 stripes of the 1777
flag was due in measure to rever-
ence for the standard of Revolution
but it was also due to the fact that a
further increase of the number OF
stripes would have made the width of
the flag out OF proportion to lis length,
unless the stripes were narrowed, and
this would have impaired their dis
tinctness when seen from distance.
No act has since been passed by Con
gress altering this feature of the flag
and it is the same as originally adopted
except as TO the number of stars in its
union. In the war with Mexico the
national flag bore 30 stars in its union
during our Civil War 80 and since July
4th 1891, A stars.