In the year 1707, being the sixth year of the reign of Queen Anne, the Parliaments of England and Scotland were at length brought into Union in one Parliament. Up to this time there had not been one distinctive "Union Jack" to represent both the kingdoms--no one flag taking the place of the separate national Jacks of St. George and St. Andrew, which the English and Scotch subjects of the Sovereign had each been instructed and continued to use, according to their nationality. In Acts of Parliament which had been passed in the Parliaments of England and Scotland, prior to their ceasing to act and becoming merged in the one "Union Parliament of Great Britain," authority had been given to the Queen to create a flag, in which the two national flags, the "_Crosse of St. George_" and the "_Crosse of St. Andrew_," should be joined together to form a _Union Flag_. [Illustration: PLATE V. 1 UNION JACK OF ANNE--1707 2 RED ENSIGN OF ANNE--1707. 3 UNION JACK OF GEORGE III.--1801] The Queen accordingly called her councillors together, and a Committee of the Lords of the Privy Council was appointed "_to consider of several matters in Execution of the Act lately pass'd for the uniting of the two Kingdoms of England and Scotland_." Instructions were given by this Committee to the Right Honourable the Earl of Bindon, Deputy Earl Marshal of England, "to give Direction to the Kings of Arms and ye Heralds to consider of the Alterations to be made in the Ensigns Armorial and the Conjoyning the Crosses of St. George and St. Andrew to be used in all Flags, Banners, Standards and Ensigns at _Sea and Land_, and that they lay before the Committee Drafts of the present Flags of England and of Scotland, and of such alterations as they propose for the Flags of the United Kingdom."[59] [59] Minute of Council, 17 March, 1707. These directions were carried out and various designs prepared by the Heralds and the Committee were thereafter presented for final adjudication and authority at a meeting of the Privy Council, as recorded in the Minutes: "At the Court at Kensington, the 17 day of April, 1707. "Present: "The Queen's Most Excellent Majesty in Council: "Whereas upon a Report from the Lords of Her Majesty's most Honourable Privy Council appointed to consider of divers matters in execution of the late Act for Uniting the Two Kingdoms, who were attended by the Kings of Arms and Heralds with divers Drafts proposed by them relating to the Ensigns Armorial for the United Kingdom and for adjoining the Crosses of St. George and St. Andrew pursuant to the said Act, Her Majesty is pleased to approve of the following particulars, viz.: "That the Draft marked A be made use of for the manner of bearing Arms for the said United Kingdom. * * * * * "That the Flaggs be according to the Draft marked C, wherein the Crosses of St. George and St. Andrew are Conjoyned."[60]