The Cairo bulletin., 1908-05-26
NEW Works. HISTORY IN FLAGS.
Dutch, English and American Embiems
That Have Waved over the City.

Dutch, English and American Emblems
That Have Waved over the City.
The first European visitor to Man
haitian island was Henry Hudson who
In 1909 sailed up the river now bear
ing his name. The flag under which
he sailed was that of the Dutch East
India Company, which was the flag
of the United Provinces OF the Meth
erlands, orange. white and blue ar
ranged in three equal horizontal
stripes. in the centre of the white
stripe being the letters "A. 0. c.
Algemeene Oost-lndise Compagnie
General East India Company.
From the time of the discovery no
visitor came into these waters or
which there is record until l6l2, when
Manhattan was settled under the East
India Company, which continued IN
possession until 1922 when the GOV
eminent fell into the hands OF the
West India Company, The flag OF the
Dutch West India Company was the
same as that of its predecessor save
that il bore the letters &c. W, c.
-Gooesroyeore West-Indese Com
pagnie privileged West India Com
pany).
This was the dominant flag till 1861,
when this island was surrendered TO
the English, and the Union Jack
(crosses of England and Scotland) OF
Great Britain supplanted the tricolor
of Holland and the name OF New
Amsterdam was changed TO New
York. The Union Jack at present
is derived from the union of the
three crosses of st. George, ST. An
drew and ST. Patrick, adopted in 1901,
when the act of union with Ireland
was passed.
In the month of July. 1913. the
Dutch again took possession of the
city, which they occupied until Now
ember 10, 1914. when by virtue of a
treaty of peace between England and
Holland the Union Jack again fioated
over the city.
From this time there was no inter
ruption in the supremacy Of the En-
glish until the year 1859, when the
memorable rule of I.eisler speedily
terminated by his death, occurred.
He was warm supporter of William
and Mary. and II is possible that,
while he held possession of the fort.
the flag Of William, not then pro-
claimed King OF England, might have
Aoated over New York. But there is
no record Of this.
Were it so however, il could have
been but for very brief period, and
the English flag waved undisputed
until the era of the American revolu-
ton
At the beginning of the Revolution
here, as in New England, the people
although agrieved, were loyal. and
upon the same day. June %. 1775, New
York witnessed the double entry OF
George Washington, just elected by
the Provincial Congress General-in-
Chief of the American Forces. and on
his way TO take command AT Cam
bridge and Tryon, the English Gov
ernor. who had arrived the day be-
fore. Il was about this time that the
first raising Of any but the English
flag in New York occurred. Before
this, indeed, liberty poles had been
raised and cut down again; but now,
March, IT'S, a Union flag, with red
field, was hoisted in New York upon
the liberty pole on the Common bear
ing the inscription George Rex and
the liberties of America and upon
the other side mo Popery."
The British, Under Gov. Tryon, va
rated New York in 1775, but there is
no record which gives any positive
date as to the raising of the Ameri-
can flag here.
The city was held by American
troops, after this event. until Septem-
Der -, 1875. when Washington re-
treated to Harlem and afterward from
the island, and the city was occupied
by Sir Henry Clinton and from that
time held by the British until the close
of the war. They evacuated the city
November %, 1888. Since then no
flag but the Stars and Stripes has
waved over the city in token of pow
or and authority