Page:Notes by the Way.djvu/147

 NOTES BY THE WAY.

��77

��Cussans on its incorrect blazonment.

��Official sizes of the Flag.

��reference to the unfortunate Charles I., who at his coronation wore a robe of white velvet. It is remarkable what mistakes have hitherto been made, not only by private persons, but by Government officials, in depicting the flag. Cussans in his ' Hand- book of Heraldry,' published by John Camden Hotten in 1869, mentions that in the then existing bronze currency the shield on which Britannia is represented as seated is incorrectly blazoned. The National Ensign is made to appear as a single saltire, sur- mounted by a cross, both fimbriated ; and Mr. Cussans continues, " The same device is sculptured in the marble monument to General Howe in St. Paul's Cathedral." Strange to say, the mistake in the coinage is maintained in that issued during 1899.

[The Supplement issued with ' N. & Q.' on June 30th contained a coloured illustration of the National Flag. This led the Editor to append the following note to my article of July 14th:

As our illustration of the Fla g was drawn to scale from the official description, we think it well to give the official sizes, taken from ' The Foreign Office List for 1900,' published by Harrison & Sons. They are as follows :

For use on shore 8 breadths, i.e., 12 ft. by 6 ft.

For use on shore when\ 4 breadths, i.e., 6 ft. by 3 ft. specially ordered /12 breadths, i.e., 18 ft. by 9 ft.

For use on boats 4 breadths, i.e., 6 ft. by 3 ft.

For use on board ship 8 breadths, i.e., 12 ft. by 6 ft.]

The right of British subjects to fly the Union Jack still being 1908, June 27. disputed, in order that the question might be finally settled, I wrote to Lord Knollys, who courteously forwarded my letter to the Home Office, and I have received the following reply :

The Under Secretary of State, Home Office, Whitehall, 19th June, 1908.

SIB, With reference to your letter of the 29th ultimo addressed to Lord Knollys, I am directed by the Secretary of State to say that he is of opinion that the Union Jack is to be regarded as the National Flag and may be used generally by British subjects on land. I am, sir, your odedient servant,

E. BLACKWEIX.

I have in addition to this received intimation, confirming Lord Knollys's former letter on the subject, that the Union Jack may be used by all British subjects, but not, of course, the Royal Standard, which is the personal flag of the Sovereign.

The following report refers to the proceedings in the House 1908, July 25. of Lords on the 15th of July :

" Earl Howe asked the Government, with a view to removing any possible doubt that might exist on the subject, whether it was a fact that the full Union Jack might be flown on land by every citizen in the Empire, as well as on the Government offices and public buildings.

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