Talk:Flag of Sarawak

message: The first Sarawakian flag flown on 21 September 1848 had a RED and BLACK cross.
It was not a BLUE and RED cross or a PURPLE and RED cross.
After reading so many contradictory versions of what colours were on the first flag, I spent some time chasing down the original sources of misinformation about the flag commonly repeated in articles and books and they all lead to WJ Chater (blue) and Harriette McDougall (purple).
WJ Chater was in charge of the Sarawak Government Printing office. He had  access to documents in the state archives, and he used these documents  to write articles for the Sarawak Gazette.
In his article  "Flags" 30 Nov 1964, WJ Chater theorised that the cross on the first Sarawakian flag  was a blue and red cross and that Charles changed the colour of the  cross blue & red to black & red in 1870. https://www.pustaka-sarawak.com/gazette/gazette_uploaded/1404720332.pdf page 9
He doesn't present his theory as a fact, but somehow it evolved into a historical fact as his theory  found its way into many other places, such as in his book 'Sarawak Long Ago', Wikipedia, news articles and many other modern books.
He developed his theory about the flag, after discovering a proclamation  from Charles that said "change blue bunting to black" in a document that  mentioned the flag. And then supports this out of context phrase with  other pieces of evidence.
Unfortunately I haven't been able to find this particular document to read the full context. If anyone has  seen this complete document, please let me know. If I could find this  document maybe I'd be able to figure out how it might have been misread.
Chater made several errors in his article, so I suspect he may also be wrong about how he read the meaning behind "change blue bunting to black".
- Problem #1 - all other writers
Chater states that other than another author, Jacobs, who quoted Harriette  McDougall that "All other writers for the next twenty years (until 1870)  who mention the flag give the colours of the cross as blue and red."
This statement is incorrect. The only other eye-witness to the flag that  describe the cross as blue and red is Harriette McDougall herself. She in turn gets requoted by other authors.
Harriette McDougall's  reference to the flag bearing a red and purple cross is from a letter  published in her book "Letters from Sarawak" in a letter dated July  1851.
https://archive.org/details/lettersfromsara00mcdogoog/page/n52/mode/2up?q=purple
 But in a letter just a few pages away dated January 1852 she writes:
"When  we were at Singapore during the winter of 1849, Papa had a pulpit and  reading-desk, chairs, and a painted glass east window, made with the  cross of the Sarawak flag, deep blue and red, on a yellow ground, for  the centre light."
https://archive.org/details/lettersfromsara00mcdogoog/page/n98/mode/2up?q=flag
To make things even more complicated  Harriette McDougall wrote a second book "Sketches from Sarawak" this  book was published after 1870, but in the book she describes the flag  used in 1849.
"In the year 1849, the atrocities of the piratical  Dyaks were so frequent, that the Rajah applied to the English Admiral  in the straits for some men-of-war to assist him in destroying them. On  the 24th of July they left us, as many as eighteen Malay prahus, manned  by from twenty to seventy men in each, and decorated with flags and  streamers innumerable, of the brightest colours,-the Sarawak flag, a red  and black cross on a yellow ground, always at the stern." 
https://archive.org/details/sketchesofourlif00mcdoiala/page/36/mode/2up?q=flag
So should we believe Harriette McDougall, Harriette McDougall or Harriette McDougall?
I agree with Chater, that we shouldn't use Harriette McDougall as a reliable source in this case.
- Problem # 2 - There are many eye-witnesses who wrote about the flag before 1870
The  biggest error Chater made and the easiest to disprove is when he stated  that Harriette McDougall was the only eye-witness to write about the  flag raising on 21 Sept 1848. He then explains why he thinks Harriette  McDougall who claimed the flag was a purple and red cross made a mistake.
Harriette McDougall was NOT the only person who saw  and wrote about the flag before 1870. And strangely enough no one else  who saw the flag in person described it as having a blue & red cross.
So lets travel backwards in time and see what everyone wrote.
---
Eye-Witness #6 - 1866 - Cuthbert Collingwood
On  the 17th September, 1866 my jungle rambles came to an end, and we set  sail for the Sarawak River, which we began to approach on the 21st. At  the distance of 17 miles from Tanjong Po the river divides, and beyond  this ships of any considerable draft seldom pass. This is the Antimony  Anchorage, so called from the antimony stores of the Borneo Company,  which are located here. Here were several square-rigged vessels ; and as  we proceeded we met many canoes, containing two or more Malays, who  rested on their paddles to watch us as we passed. Some larger craft also  there were, having an European build (lorchas), and flying the Rajah's  flag—a broad cross, half red and half black, upon a buff ground.  
https://archive.org/details/ramblesanatural02collgoog/page/n233/mode/2up?q=buff
---
Eye-Witness #5 - 1863 - Frederick Boyle
He wrote an article published in Nov 1868, memorialising James and his work in Sarawak after James' death.
The  Boyle brothers visited Sarawak back in 1863 so he would most likely  have seen the flag in person. In the 1868 article he wrote a footnote  about the flag.
* A cross, half red, half black, on a yellow field, is the Sarawak flag
---
Eye-Witness #4 - 1850 - Rev. McDougall
"The east window is of coloured glass, and given by my friend Mr. Jackson, the Assistant Resident at Singapore.
The  central light will represent the Sarawak cross, a red and purple cross  on a golden ground. It is the national flag, and will please the native  eye, besides being an appropriate Christian emblem."
- why did he also think it was purple?
---
Eye-Witness #3 - 1849 - Charles Thomas Constantine Grant - Sarawak Government Officer 1849-1862
"It was on a fine day in the summer of '49 that I again found myself in the Sarāwak river…
A  low mist hung over the river, early one morning, as we got into our  boat and started with the first of the flood tide, on a trip to the  up-country Dyaks...
Bidding  the steersman direct the boat's course up the river, he dipped his long  paddle into the water, dashing the spray into the air; his example was  vigorously followed by the rest of the crew, and thus we started. Our  Sarāwak Flag, a golden ground with a black and red cross, waved over the  stern, as we passed between the houses of the Malay town."
---
Eye-Witness #2 - Sep 21 1848 (the day the flag was hoisted for the first time) - Henry Keppel
Captain  Henry Keppel was at the ceremony itself, in fact he was likely standing  right in front of the flagpole. Not only was he at the event he's the  one who captained the Maeander, the ship that brought James back to  Sarawak from England in 1848.
"The business commenced by the chief of each department welcoming back the Rajah.
The  Europeans presented him with a rich and valuable sword. Then came the  Rajah's speech, — in the course of which he presented each of the Datus  with a handsome state sword, and afterwards introduced to the people his  heir-presumptive his probable successor in the government of Sarawak.
A  new flag, which the Rajah had brought from England, was then unfurled  for the first time — displaying a black and red cross on a yellow field.  This was to be henceforth the national flag of Sarawak. It was hoisted  and saluted in due form, the Maeander's band by a lively air  contributing to the effect."
https://archive.org/details/visitIndianArch00Kepp/page/30/mode/2up
And finally the one Eye-Witness that trumps absolutely everyone else.
---
Eye-Witness #1 - Sir James Brooke - the White Rajah of Sarawak and the designer of the flag.
but  before you read the quote I need to explain a term - "cross per pale" -  this is a term used in heraldry to describe a cross that is divided in  half vertically. Were the McDougalls told the cross was "per pale" but they heard "purple" ?
Sarawak 14th March 1849
My Lord
In  accordance with your Lordship's instructions of the 25th January 1847  and the sentiments expressed in my despatch of the 30th of June 1847  relative to the additional Article for introducing a flag amongst the  natives, proposed to be inserted in the Treaty with the Sultan and  Chiefs of Borneo, I beg to acquaint your Lordship, that on my return to  Sarawak, feeling how desirable such a measure would be, I hoisted a  flag, and recommended its adoption by all native prahus and other  vessels belonging to this country. I subsequently waited to ascertain  before reporting to your Lordship, how far the native community was  inclined to adopt the use of the flag, which is a yellow field, with a  cross per pale red and black, and I am happy to add, that they have  eagerly embraced this distinguishing mark of Country, which they look  upon as a security to these vessels and they are moreover anxious to  carry the register proposed in the additional articles.
I  venture, therefore to apply for your Lordship's sanction to use this  flag which will form at first a broad distinction between Sarawak and  the neighbouring rivers, and which may gradually be extended amongst the  well disposed communities on this coast, when they shall be found fit  to use it rightly. The discord and destruction of Borneo Proper, the  total want of all the machinery of Government and indeed of Government  at all, render it improbable, that a flag should emanate from that City,  but in the course of time, should the rule of the native Chiefs  improve, and some degree of order be restored, it will be advisable to  recommend the adoption of the present Flag to the Sultan and ruling  Pangerans, who would doubtless readily adopt it, as a national emblem  already in use in their dependencies.
The  highly beneficial tendency of this flag, not only in ultimately  becoming a distinction between the well disposed and piratical rivers,  but in giving a spirit of national pride to the natives, and assuring  them of the protection to be gained from it, is so evident that I need  not dwell on it, but the sanction of Her Majesty's Government can alone  afford a stability to the flag which it will otherwise require many  years to attain. In requesting this sanction, I may venture to mention  the large interests which are gradually developing in this country, and  its rapid increase both in commerce and population. It is for these  reasons I solicit the sanction for Her Majesty's Government for the  introduction of the flag which will afford a recognized permanency to  this country , and should Her Majesty's Government deem it right a  further measure of protection might be accorded.
I have the honour to be,
My Lord
Your Lordship's humble Servant.
J Brooke
Commissioner & Consul General 
Transcript of Original letter = http://archive.brooketrust.org/DA/showObject.php?id=FO12.7.45
Photostat of Original letter = https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-806748698/view
MatSallehSesat (talk) 04:07, 24 July 2022 (UTC)
thread_title:  WJ Chater's theory about the first Sarawakian flag bearing a blue and red cross is wrong