New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-06-23

and furnishing to the English the artilerists
that sunk the Armada, nulliied the war
craft of Philip II and cleared the seas Of
the flag of Spain.
The Beggars Of the Sea began organized
resistance TO Spanish oppression. OF what
emblem did they make use before adopting,
or being allowed to float at their mastheads,
the orange, white and blue of the Wilhelms
wapen, or arms Of the Prince of Orange?
In 1867 the Netherlands suffered invasion
and desolaton, even as in 1914, from the
Germans. Then the Duke Of Alva, with the
finest army and best military machine in
Europe. occupied the Low Countries. Thou
sands of the refugees from the Belgic prov
inces into Holland were seafaring men. With
their homes destroyed their business ruined
and not few of them MANNED by the In
QUESTION, they thirsted for revenge Two
of the boldest Of them, both sea captains,
Jan Abels and Jan Brock, each with well
manned ship, took to the sea to destroy Span
ish commerce. They were at once branded
as pirates.
"Under the Cross
Yet instead of the traditional black of
maritime maurauders, they hoisted white
flag with a red cross. On land their equally
distressed brethren in exile, who gathered
for worship in freedom of conscience, called
their organizations THE Churches of the
Netherlands Under the Cross" The naval
flag was intended to show the same distress
that had forced them TO revenge as that
which their brethren, exiled from home, were
suffering. In May, 1868, 1900 Dutchmen.
with few English auxilaries, sailed from
Sandwich, England, under this red and white
flag to reinforce by water the attempt of
Count Louis, brother of William of Orange,
who planned to enter the country from En-
den, Germany. To this army of patriots,
hoping 10 regain their country, were pre-
scented six white flags, on each of which was
red cross. Various disasters prevented
junction or cooperation, and Count Louis.
having no artillery, suffered defeat, barely
escaping with his life. Nevertheless, as
Spanish crueltes continued, the Sea Beg
CARS increased to formidable proportions
William of Orange, foiled by Alva, dis
banded his army, but recognizing the new
sea power, issued commissions TO the Sea
Beggars and allowed them the use of his
colors. Their organization and discipline at
once improved. To the red and white was
now joined the orange. and the cross grad
ually disappeared. "OrAnge Boven!" CUP with
the orange, or orange above, over alb has
been the national battle cry for over three
centuries. How did it arise?
At first, in actual sailor practice, the tr!-
color, orange, white and blue in parallel ar
rangement, was adjusted to a uniform canon
only step by step. These shipmen, often at
sea to fight Spain, not TO adopt the profess
sion of mariner, made mistakes, and in hoist
ing the tricolor flag Numbered.
A change of flag had upset the old routine.
The common sailor was not an expert in her
aldry or flag law. Sometimes the blue got
first on top or the halyard hoisted the flag
with the white uppermost. Then the skip
per would roar out "Orange Boven"
Orange at the top! Up with the orange! },
Thus on deck, amid the excitement of naval
array, chase or battle, the orange found its
true place. Many were the legends in
scribed or the devices wrought, first upon the
princes and then on the Dutch national ban
ners. "Pro rege. pro lege, pro gregg" (for the
King, for the law, for the commonwealth
"Pro patria" (for native land), "Nunc aut nun
guam" (Now or never, "Recupare ..ut mort"
(Recuperate or die), in Latin, and "Leve de
Geuzen" Give the Beggars), in Dutch, are
some Of the notices. Ten pennies on a
huge red field meant "No taxation without
consent" (the motto of A. ID. 1850 and de-
fiance of Alva's tax. Other flags bore the
arms Of those ancient city republics which,
when fused together in 1851, created the
Dutch United States.
At the heroie siege of Leyden the tricolor
Of the coming rescuer, who directed the cut
ting OF the dikes and the urging of the Sea
Beggars, foeted from the walls and the arms
of the windmills. In 1874 safeguards ware
taken by the Prince of Orange against the
abuse of his colors by irresponsible parties
In January, 1872 the seven Dutch states