Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-08-19
new FLAG APPEARS
ON SEVEN SEAS
Signalizes Return of United
States to Fellowship Among
Maritime Powers.
CoL0Rs OF SHIPPING. BOARD
Wonderful Strides Toward Ocean
Supremacy Now Being Taken
by Government.

In few weeks there will begin to
appear in the seven seas new flag.
symbo lizing tho return OF the United
States in all It's power to fellowship
with the leading maritime nations Of
tho earth.
The new standard is the recently
adopted official flag OF the United
States Shipping Board. the body created
by act of Congress last September.
and organized in January. 1917. to
create n national merchant feet.
In laying a foundation for the new
American merchant marine. in keeping
with the country's rank among the
nations of the Garth. the Shipping Board
is doing things that Americans in the
future may recognize as historic
1t is building a fleet of 1000 cargo
carrying ships. 1t Is taking over for
national use-"commandeering" is the
term sometimes used-more than
100000 tons of shipping now on the
stocks in private yards. 1t is fitting
out the 100000 tons OF German ship
ping that sought shelter in American
ports when tho great war began.
among these ships being the great
54,ooo-ton Vaterland.
WILL TRAIN 10000
MARINERS AND ENGINEERS
1t has established free schools in
navigation and engineering at At
lantic. Gulf. Pacific and Great Lakes
ports. to train not less than 10000
mariners and engineers to serve as
officers on this great new national
fleet. along with the seasoned officers
Of the existing merchant marine, who
will be their seniors.
When this work, now in full swing
has been accomplished. and the official
flag OF the United States Shipping
Board is flying over all the ships under
the boards control-that is. over all
the nations own merchantmen-the
flags fold will futter above the tecks
OF tho largest fleet of merchant vessels
| ever commissioned under one manage
ment.
None of the great privately owned
fleets of England will number as many
vessels or tons as this national fleet of
Uncle Sans. The foremost Of the
fleets of the German shipping COM
panies. which was clnimed (before the
war sent German merchant ships to
cover all over the worldly to be the
largest in existence. would not equal
IL restored to the seas the American
national feet, over which this new nag
will fy.
Each OF tho 1000 new vessels being
built for the Shipping Board will fly
this nag. So Will nearly 800 vessels
taken over from private builders.
Furthermore. the nag will be hoisted
on all the ninety-eisht German ships
seized by this government on It's decla-
ration of war against the imperial
German government. with the excep-
ton of less than twenty taken over
by the Navy Department for use as
transports.
Among shipping mon the new ban
ncr of the United States Shipping Board
Will be termed house" flag. 1t will
be flown. as were the private flags Of
the great mercantile houses that con-
trolled American shipping in the golden
days of the sQuare-riggers, at the ma In
truck.
OLD-TIME HOUSE FLAGS
STRIKING IN DESIGN
Those old-tine house nags wer,
striking In design and coloring. In
order to DO readily recognized they
usually bore some emblem. such as a
globe. A star, CT oss. a ship or an
anchor. The new symbol OF the Ma
tional Merchant Marine will carry out
this idea. On white ground Is shown
the national shield In full colors OF
red. white and blue. supported by a
blue anchor, and hanke.. on the left n,
the letters. ~. s." and on tho right.
IS. b." The proportions of. the flag.
In the stze to be flown by ship OF
5000 tons. are six feet hoist to nine
feet length.
The nag was designed by Charles
Collens. e Boston architect and de-
signer Mr.. Collens made several
| sketches. showing different designs.
and with them enlisted the interest of
Henry Howard. the Shipping Boards
| director of recruiting. whose head
quarters are at the Boston custom
house. Mr.. Howard took the designs
to Washington, and placed them be-
fore the board. u hich adopted the one
| shown on this page.