The Flag of Columbus--Early Settlements in North America--the Birth of the United States--Early Revolutionary and State Flags--the Pine-tree Flag--the Rattle-snake Flag--the Stars and Stripes--Early Variations of it--the Arms of Washington--Entry of New States into the Union--the Eagle--the Flag of the President--Secession of the Southern States--State Flags again--the Stars and Bars--the Southern Cross--the Birth of the German Empire--the Influence of War Songs--Flags of the Empire--Flags of the smaller German States--the Austro-Hungary Monarchy--the Flags of Russia--the Crosses of St. Andrew and St. George again--the Flags of France--St. Martin--the Oriflamme--the Fleurs-de-lys--Their Origin--the White Cross--the White Flag of the Bourbons--the Tricolor--the Red {v} Flag--the Flags of Spain--of Portugal--the Consummation of Italian Unity--the Arms of Savoy--the Flags of Italy--of the Temporal Power of the Papacy--the Flag of Denmark--its Celestial Origin--the Flags of Norway and Sweden--of Switzerland--Cantonal Colours--the Geneva Convention--the Flags of Holland--of Belgium--of Greece--the Crescent of Turkey--the Tughra--the Flags of Roumania, Servia, and Bulgaria--Flags of Mexico, and of the States of Southern and Central America--of Japan--the Rising Sun--the Chrysanthemum--the Flags of China, Siam and Corea--of Sarawak--of the Orange Free State, Liberia, Congo State, and the Transvaal Republic 86 CHAPTER V. Flags as a Means of Signalling--Army Signalling--the Morse Alphabet--Navy Signalling--First Attempts at Sea Signals--Old Signal Books in Library of Royal United Service Institution--"England expects that every man will do his duty"--Sinking Signal Codes on defeat--Present System of Signalling in Royal Navy--Pilot Signals--Weather Signalling by Flags--the International Signal Code--First Published in 1857--Seventy-eight Thousand Different Signals possible--Why no Vowels used--Lloyd's Signal Stations 127 ALPHABETICAL INDEX TO TEXT 141 COLOURED PLATES 149 {1} THE FLAGS OF THE WORLD. CHAPTER I.