24. The "Blue Blanket," 1482, 51 25. Flag of the Covenanters, 1679, 52 26. The Union Flag as now borne, 59 27. The Union on the Bronze Penny, 64 28. Regimental Colours of 24th Regiment, 97 29. Queen's Colours of 24th Regiment as presented to the Queen, 98 30. The Oriflamme, circa A.D. 1248, 104 31. The French Eagle, during the Empire, 108 32. United States Flag, as used in 1777, 111 FLAGS. On that morning when the news arrived from South Africa of the disaster at Isandlana, there was general mourning for the loss of so many brave men; but there was mourning also of a different kind,--with some perhaps even deeper--for the loss of the colours of the 24th Regiment. And yet, after all, it was only a bit of silk which had been lost, having on it certain devices and inscriptions--a thing of no intrinsic value, and which could be replaced at a cost merely nominal. But it possessed extrinsic qualities which could be measured by no money value, and every one felt that the loss was one to redeem which, or rather to redeem what that loss represented, demanded, if necessary, the putting forth of the strength of a great nation. And so, when it was found that the colours never had been really lost--that they had been saved by brave men who had laid down their lives in defending them--there was throughout the nation a feeling of intense relief that national honour had been saved; a feeling of rejoicing far beyond what was evoked by the news of the capture of the Zulu king and the termination of the war. So at sea. In our great wars in which the navy of Great Britain played so prominent a part, we became so accustomed to see the flag of the enemy bent on under our own ensign, that if an exceptional case occurred where the position of the two flags was reversed, it went home to the heart of every loyal subject with a pang which the loss of many ships by storm and tempest would not have produced.