The Indianapolis journal., 1896-08-30
FLAGS AND THEIR ORIGIN
STARS AND STRIPES APPEARED ON
GEN. wAsHINGTON's SHIELD.
The Development of the Present Brit
ish Fing-Thc Irish Green Was New
er Heard of Until 170S.


New York Evening Sun.
Independence day exhibits an unusual dis
play of bunting but few people understand
the origin of the stars and stripes. 1t is said
to have originated from the shield or coat
of arms of Washington. The Washingtons
were Northamptonshre family, and in
the early part of the seventeenth century
various members OF the family lived az the
village of Little Brington, about six miles
from Northampton. There are tombstones
in the parish church of Lawrence and his
brother, Robert Washington. the former of
whom died in the year 1916. On the tombs
are the shield of the family, and the blazon
shows stars and stripes. The great-grand-
father of the famous President emigrated
and settled at Bridges Creek. Westmore-
land county, in the year 1851 Thus there is
| little doubt that the American flag got its
design from the red and white stripes ana
| stars on the shield of Washington, and the
'eagle issuant'' from his crest. The number
| of stars In the United States banner repre-
| sents the different States enjoying the priv
| Ieges of statehood. The Dukes OF Marl-
| borough hold Blenheim House on the ten
ure of presenting to the sovereign annually,
| on the anniversary of the battle OF Blen-
| helm small flag embroidered with Hover
de-luce and taken from the French on that
| occasion. The flag is hung in the armory
at Windsor. opposite the throne The Dukes
| of wellington hold StrathsEeldshaye House.
presented by "a grateful people to the hero
| of Waterloo" on the tenure of presenting
flag to the sovereign annually. on the an
| niversary of the battle of Waterloo. This
flag is also hung in the armory, opposite
| the throne Before the crowns of England
| and Scotland were united under James the
| First the flag carried by the English was
| white, with the red cross OF st. George en-
| blaZoned on it, while that hoisted upon
| Scottish ships blue, with the cross of
| St. Andrew on it, the red lines of the Eng
lish flag being perpendicular and horizontal
and those of the Scotch flag being diagonal.
| Owing to some misunderstanding between
|. the ships of the two nations, the King
| dered that a new flag should be adopted
4 having the cross of St. George interlaced
with that of st. Andrew on the blue ground
| of the flag of Scotland" All ships were to
| carry this flag at the manmast head, and
English ships were to display the red cross
| Of ST. George and Scottish ships that of ST.
| Andrew at their sterns On April II. in the
year 16O6. the union ia : was first hoisted
| at sea- but it was not until the parliament
tary union of the two countries. in the year
| flag of Great Britain.
| The ST. Patrick cross was added in the
year 1901, and the flag now denotes the
| union OF the three Kingdoms, England
! Scotland and Ireland The silks from which
| British flags are made are all woven in
| Switzerland All the flags for British ships
! OF war. except the royal standards, are
| made in the government dockyards. and the
| enormous number required may be judged
from the fact that in the color loft at Chat
ham alone about eighteen thousand flags
are made in a year. The English royal
standard is never carried into action, even
! though the sovereign IN person commands
| the army.
An heraldc manuscript of the sixteenth
| century preScribeS that the royal stand
ard shall be set before the Kynge's pavil-
| lion or tente. and not be borne in battayle,
al ana TO be IN Length ie eieken yards; Ine roy
/ cept when her Majesty is on board or a
member of the royal family. other than
his own standard is hoisted. 1t resembles
| that of the Queen. except that 1t bears a
label of three points. with the arms of
! Saxony on an escutcheon of pretense.
| Wherever the sovereign is residing the
royal standard is hoisted. and on royal
| ntversaries or state occasions it Is hoisted
at certain fortresses or stations, home or
| foreign, as specified in the Queens regula-
tions, but nowhere else. The Scots adopted
| q thistle as their badge, owing TO its once
| having saved them and given them the
victory over their enemies. the Danes.
THE SCOTCH THISTLE
1t appears that the Danes considered 1T
| cowardly to attack an enemy in the dark
but on one occasion they deviated from
| this rule and crept barefooted toward the
Scots Suddenly one man trod upon a
thistle which made him cry out and this
| alarming the Scots, caused them to fall on
the party of Danes over whom they
gaine1 a complete victory. The Scots now
! use II o thistle, with the motto, Memo me
| impune lacessit' Scottish historians trace
| the Order OF the Thistle back to very re-
| mote antiquity. 1t is said that it was in
| stituted by Achaius /, in the year SO9, on
the occasion of that monarch forming
| alliance with Charlemagne. He took for his
! device the thistle. 1t is also said concerning
the introduction that King Hungus. the
| Pict, had dream. in which st. Andrew
| paid him u midnight visit. and promised
| him a sure victory over his foes the
| Northumbrians. On the following day 81.
| Andrews cross CX appeared in the air,
| and the Northumbrians were defeated. 1t
| is said that from this legend King Achaius
| founded the knightly brotherhood named
| after the saint. The Thistle like other true
orders OF chivalry. was intended to have
| and named but eight knights as members
| Queen Anne increased the number to its
| proper FORM and named four others, while
| George ~ made 1t sixteen. and at this
| of the blood. The last time on record when
| the Fiery Cross was sent through the
-
| raised the standard, at Castleton of Bre-
| mar in the year lI15. His address, calling
out the clans. was dated from Invercauld
| House.
| The ancient flag of Ireland was a golden
| harp on a dark blue ground. as now en-
| blaZoned in the Irish quarter of the royal
| standard. Green was never heard of as
| national color until the year 1893. The revo-
| lutionary Irish leaders. for the purpose of
| uniting all classes of IrishInen and to join
| the Orangemen TO the rest of their coun-
| trymen. adopted the color green green be-
| ing produced by the uniting of blue and
| orange. The battle OF the Standard. fought
| between the English and Scots in the reign
| of Stephen. took its name from the re-
| markable standard taken into action 1t
| was a. car upon four wheels. resembling
| the carroccio of the people of Lomba rdy
| These standard cars are said to have been
| invented or first used by Eribert, Arch
| bishop of Milan, in the year 1885. 1t was a
| car upon four wheels, painted red. and SO
| heavy that il was drawn by four pairs Of
| mast, which supported a golden ball, an
| image of the Savior and the banner of the
| republic. In front of the mast were placed
| a few of the most valiant warriors, in the
| rear of IL band of wariike music. Feel
ings of religion. of military glory. of local
1 attachment. OF patriotism. were all as
| sociated with the carroccio. the idea of
| which is supposed 10 have been derived
| from the Jewish ark OF the covenant. 1t
was from the platform of the car that the
priest adj mustered the offices OF religion
able among the free citizens OF Lombardy
as that entaiied by suffering an enemy
TO take the carroccio. The English stand
| ard presented the mast of vessel