ADMIRAL COONTZ.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19094, 12 August 1925, Page 16

ADMIRAL COONTZ.

INTERVIEW ON ARRIVAL.

CROSSING THE LINE.

KING NEPTUNE'S RECRUITS.

[by telegraph.—press association.] WELLINGTON Tuesday

Immediately the Seattle had berthed on the eastern side of the Pipitea Wharf, the berthing arrangements bei»g assisted by a naval party from H.M.S. Dunedin, Admiral Coontz was besieged by a host of callers. Never heless, at 2 p.m., he acoorded a brief interview to representatives of the press: ' "We have had a very pleasant trip from Melbourne, with the exception of one day," he said. " The seas were moderate and we have arrived here m good time. Last night was especially beau iful. We sighted the mountains of the South Island about 3 or 4 o'clock in the afternoon, and in the evening, so clear was the weather, that we picked up the first light at a distance of 35 miles instead of 15 as we expected. " What struck us most this morning was the green on the beautiful hills and the sheep browsing on the hillside. We were surprised at the large numbers of people who lined the foreshore and neighbouring hillsides as we came in. Sly first impressions are that you. have a most wonder f ul harbour."

" What do you think of Wellington Hnrbour in comparison with Auckland, which you saw in 1908 ?" he was asked. " Oh, you're not going to catch me on that lay," laughingly replied the admiral. " If you press the matter I shall say that they are both the same." " A vast number of our young men have never been in southern seas before and have never been to a foreign country. This was shown by the fact that when crossing the equator King Neptune was able to welcome into his realm over 22,000 of them." Admiral Coontz stated, when discussing the object of the cruise that they were drilling all the time and testing the fleet's capacity to go long distances. Up to the present time all the ships were intact and had all reached their harbours with the exception of one. The fleet was self-con ained in the matter of fuel and foodstuffs, with the exception of fresh vegetables. " We are all looking forward with eager anticipation to meeting your people," said Admiral Coontz, "and to seeing your wonderful coujitry." *

THE STAKS AND STRIPES THE STORY OF " OLD GLORY." FACT AND FICTION. BY cf A. GORDON. There are more legends, or rather fairystories, concerning the American flag than there are about any flag of old Europe. For example, it is said " the flag maytrace its ancestry back to Mount Sinai." Neither the " Meteor Flag of England" nor the Oriflamme has such a lineage as this. In the early part of the rebellion against Britain in the 18th century there was no flag common to all the 13 colonies. Each colony, and even each body of troops, seems to have had one or more. These bore all kinds of emblems and mottos; arms and an anchor; a beaver and a buck; while one standard was simply, a piece of damask from a chair-back. Favourite badges were rattlesnakes requesting not to be trodden on, and green pinetrees, appealing to the Deity. On the flag of the Massachusetts Navy snake and tree met, the mottos forming this startling prayer: "An Appeal to God, Don't Tread on Me.." The first flag used by all the colonies was one that, like our own Union Flag, was originally a ship flag. It consisted of 13 horizontal red and white stripes with the British Union device of 1707 (that is, without the so-called Cross of St. Patrick), at the top corner of the hoist. This was intended as an ensign for the armed vessels acting under the Continental Congress, and is known as the " Congress Colours" or " Grand Union Flag." It was first unfurled on December 3, 1775, on board the Alfred, in the Delaware River, being hoisted by the wellknown John Paul Jones, the Scotsman who turned against his own country. It seems to have first come ashore on January 2, 1776, when it was displayed at Cambridge, Massachusetts, in the presence of General Washington and the Continental Army. The first purely-American flag, designed to indicate independent nationhood, was formed by removing the British Crosses from the Congress colours and putting stars in their place. Though all ties with Britain were broken by the Declaration of Independence of July 4,. 1776, it was not until June 14, 1777, that .Congress chose the design now in being. It is often said and as often denied that the design of the flag was derived' from the arms of General Washington—a silver shield with two red bars and three red stars. "Perhaps its official adoption was facilitated by the coincidence which, howsoever it arose, certainly exists between them;" The general constantly used his arms and the resemblance seems too striking to have been overlooked. Other origins have been suggested, even a felino one. This was given by an Englishman, Captain Smyth, who, in 1780, wrote, "Mrs. Washington has a mottled tom-cat with 13 yellow rings around his tail and his flaunting it suggested to the Congress the adoption of the same number of stripes for the rebel flag." The flag with 13 stars and stripes was used for 18 years. On May 1, 1795, after the admission of two new States,, the number was increased to 15 each, the stars being (Arranged in horizontal rows. 'lt was seeing this 15-striped flag floating , over Fort McHenry in September, 1814, during the war wUh Britain, that inspired Francis Scott Key to write "The Star-Spangled Banner." And it was the ensign worn by tho "Chesapeake" when she was captured in 15 minutes by H.M.S. Shannon on that summer afternoon, June 1, 1813. On July 4, 1818', tho number of stripes was fixed at 13, the stars were increased to 20, corresponding to the number of ■States at the time, and it was enacted "That on tho admission of every newState into the Union one star be added to the union of the flag." Since July 4, 1912, they have numbered 48, in six rows of eight each. Until about 1795 merchant vessels wore tho stripes without tho stars as their ensign; now there is no difference between the flags of war and trading 'ships, though there are ensigns for the Coastguard, yachts, power-boat squadrons, and a flag for custom houses. The yacht ensign is like the national flag,.except the 48 stars are replaced by 13 in a ring round a "foul" anchor in white. The starspangled part of the banner is used as a jack-flag, which they call the "Union Jack," as we do.

The handsome flag of the President will not be seen in these waters, but the arms will. It is blue with a white star in each corner and the arms of the United States in the middle. These, which were adopted June 20, 1782, consist of a shield with 13 white and red vertical stripes and a chief or band of blue at the top (representing the States united under Congress) borne on the. breast of an eagle holding a branch of olive (for peaco) in his right talon and 13 arrows (for war) in his left; a scroll in his beak with the national motto, "E Pluribus Unum" (Out of Many, One), and a '.'crest'' of clouds, sunrays, and 13 stars above his head. The number of thirteens in these arms is remarkable; a Mr. C. A. L.Totten saw no less than 13. Of the "Star-Spangled Banner" Henry Ward Beeeher said, "The stars upon it were like the bright morning stars of God, the stripes were beams of morning light. Jt is. the-banner ci Dawn."