The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-06-19
FLAGS OF The NATIONS,
Few Of Earlier Origin Than the Last
Century.


Century.
Bunting is playing a great part in New
York decoration to-day. and has p1yci q
greater part iu decorating history
There's material for good book lh tne
stories of deeds that have been done lh
an countries and IN all times TO save
national emolcms from falling Do TO tne
hands of enemies. The record would De
"a very long one. for even Iu early Eeyp-
tam DAYS. men defended the standards
M any cost. but those carly standards
were of metz. and the waving Tag be-
longs 20 times conn arauFely modeIh
while few of the national flags IN use
to-day can 60 further back than inc last
century for their origin.
During the middle ages banners were
individual rather than national, and each
king ana knight bore his own device.
When ndtona. cmDlems were used they
were OF religious character, and many
of the modern flags bear traces of this
RELIGIOUS symbolism For centuries me
national standard of England bore the
cross OF ST. George wlere the union ls
now placed. This was in grateful recOg-
milton of So. George help az the siege
of Antioch. The English soldiers, so
SAYS the legend, were faint and waverins.
when an innumcllble host of heavenly
George. uut the enemy 10 flight, ana
thouehuully showed the hungry English
men where 20 find food. From that day
the English sw0re by ST. George and
none other until. under James J., SCOT
land and England were united. Then
there was trouble for BritOns and saints.
Tho obstinate Scots refused 90 admit
that there was any saint in tho calendar
who could compare with 81. Andrew. TO
be sure DE had never Jed rentorcemenG
TO their aid. but they had fought under
his white cross ON "a blue ground ever
since he had appeared 10 Achains. King
of scots. before a great battle with Attn
elstaue. and had promised victory TO the
Scottish arms. The Scots wouldn't allow
the cross of ST. George 20 outrank the
cross of St. Andrew. and the difficulty
had hardly been settled when Ireland
came INTO the union. and 81. Patrick
was a candidate for honOrs. The paru-
sans of both ST. George and ST. Andrew
set their faces against the intruder. and
said that he was no saint and that py
RIGHTS he didn't own q cross because he
never laid down his life for faith. How
ever the Irish contcndcd that under
English rule their cross was heavy
enough 20 do for ST. Patrick, too, and
NOW the flag of Great Britain bears the
crosses of three saints, though the
Scotch and Irish suu quarrel because
hcraldic authorities gave ST. Pauick's
emblem advantage
The history of the stars and Stripes IS
too wei known 90 Americans TO need
much comment. At the beginning OF the
Revolution flags of many dinerent de-
signs sparng up. and 1t was not until 1ill
that Washington and his advisers decid-
ed upon "a national flag which was the
basis Of tho present emblem. A Mrs.
Ross OF Arch street Philadelphia, car
rled out the design which proved so sat-
isfactory that 70 was adopted by Con-
rress and has not been changed save I'm
the number OF the stars and stripes and
the arrangement Of the former
Rcd. white and blue are the favorite
colors of flag heraldry and are found IN
many OF the national flags. Tho tri-
color OF France really dates no further
back than the revolution The earliest
national emblem OF France was tho blue
chape OF ST. Martin, later the red ORR
famine OF ST. Denis came into use, and
the Bourbon kings fought under white