The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-09-22
GOVERNMENT Will
CONTRIBUTE FLAG.
Letter Received Yesterday from
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Is
sued by Mr.. Lancaster.

In letter received here yesterday
tho assistant secretary Of the Tercen-
tcnniat Commission, Mt Washington,
announced that the government would
grant the request OF the Association
for the Preservation OF Virginia An
tlquities for large United states flag
to he used on. Jamestown Island. The
report that the flag had been received
stvara1 days ngo was a mistake. IL
iiiA been shipped now. however. and IL
expected here shortly. A second pole
VIII be erected. on tile island for tho
U,iitedi States flag. The f'ag OF The
Association for the Preservation of Vir-
giniW Antiquities Will noat from its
own pole, as before.
Concerning the sensational reports
published In Northern papers Will ref.
.erence to tho flag incident" at James
town. the following Official statement
was Issued yesterday by Mr.. Robert a
Lancaster. DR.:
Having been out OF reach Of
newspapers yesterday my attention
has Just been called to articles
which appeared In the New York
papers In regard to the flag Incl
dent at Jamestown. I am at a loss
lished could have been made up.
and think It little strange that
no representative of any OF the
papers called on me or took the
trouble to And out whether there
was any truth in the rumor before
wiring from here to New York
about 10 important a matter as an
insult to the United States flag.
The truth Of the matter is that.
ut the time the article appeared in
flag erected by the Association for
the Preservation OF Virginia Anti
Iuities to mark the place of the
first permanent settlement in this
States nag substituted for 1t by
some unknown parties. who broke
into the grounds of tho association
after dark. Neither i nor any
officer of the Association for the
Preservation of Virginia Antiqui-
matter arSe on,v newsna,,er r.nre..,...
tlyes who spoke to me about the
matter were. the editor OF the
News Leader and one of the edi-
tors Of The Times Dispatch. both OF,
this city, and their papers are the
only ones giving a correct account
OF the affair.
Being chairman OF committee
In charge OF certain improvements
at jamestown. all negotiations be-
tween the ASSOCIATION for the Pres
ovation of Virginia Antiquities
and the United States government
arc conducted through me, and I
have on several occasions had to
go to Washington to confer with
omcials there In connection with
the work at Jamestown. but I have
never been called upon TO make
An explanation for anything that
!. or the Association for the Pres
ervation OF Virginia Antiquities,
have done. The relations existing
between the government officials
and our association are, and al L
ways have been. pleasant.
I'VE have never been ordered. or
+. even asked by any government Of
fetal to erect United States flag
on our property and no such flag
Is there, now. but we have asked
the government to let us have a
suitable flag to be erected there on
its own pole.
This will in no way interfere
with our flag. which has been
hanging undisturbed since it was
restored by one Of our employees.
No marines have been landed or
gunboat sent to jamestown Island
and no threat has ever been made
to take possession OF our proper
fyv