=The Foot Guards=, which do not come under the heading of Infantry, follow another set of regulations (see Chapter V.). Here it is of interest to mention that, at one time, the authorities did everything in their power to make them subject to the same regulations, but the Foot Guards determined otherwise. Let us quote from Sir Frederick Hamilton’s “History of the Grenadier Guards.” In September, 1859, when new colours were about to be supplied to the Second Battalion Grenadier Guards, they were given out from the Clothing Department, thus for the first time treating the issue of Royal colours with about the same respect as is accorded to the issue of a pair of regulation boots. Previous, however, to delivery, Colonel F. W. Hamilton was requested to inspect them, when he at once observed the substitution of the regimental for the Queen’s colour and _vice versâ_. He also heard for the first time of the proposal that the battalions should each select, _ad libitum_, one only of the twenty-four Royal badges then belonging to them, and retain it as their battalion badge, leaving the rest to fall into desuetude.” * * * * * As a result of this action, the Guards protested, as only Guards can, against this attempt to rob them of their traditional customs. The matter was laid before Queen Victoria, and in the month of October, 1859, she decided that “the crimson colour, as before, should be ‘the Queen’s’ colour, and that the distinguished company badges, as hitherto borne, should be retained, and emblazoned in rotation in the centre of the Union or regimental colour. Excepting only the reduction in size, and the addition of the proposed gold fringe, Her Majesty would wish no further change to be made in the colours as hitherto borne by Her Regiments of Guards. The service badges or names of actions in which the regiments have distinguished themselves should be borne as hitherto-fore on both colours.” This latter decree settled probably for all time the designs of the colours of the Foot Guards. We have now followed the growth of the military colours of the British Army during the last two hundred and fifty years. In so long a period and where so many different units are concerned, each having peculiarities of its own, it is quite impossible to note every little change and variation which has occurred, but the reader may be assured that all the more important and interesting steps in the progress of these emblems of British pluck and patriotism have received due notice. ----- Footnote 1: Quoted from S. M. Milne. Footnote 2: p. 63. Footnote 3: Prepared in 1747, but issued in 1751. Footnote 4: Napier’s spelling is adhered to. Footnote 5: p. 105. Footnote 6: Cf. the Foot Guards. Footnote 7: