According to the Boston "Daily Advertiser" the first Stars and Stripes were raised in California, at San Diego, by Captain James P. Arther, when mate of the ship "Brookline," while on a trading cruise in the latter part of 1829. The flag was manufactured from shirts, and Captain Arther writes, with the accuracy of a historian, that Mr. George W. Greene's calico shirt furnished the blue, while he furnished the red and white. The same flag was afterwards frequently raised at Santa Barbara.

This flag, however, was not raised as an act of sovereignty, but to show the nationality of the party and as a signal to other vessels.

Mr. Ed. E. Dunbar, in "The Discovery of Gold in California,” writes: "In 1842 Commodore Jones, of the United States Navy, impressed that the United States were at war with Mexico, took possession of Monterey, hoisted the 'Stars and Stripes' there, and proclaimed California a Territory of the United States. Discovering his mistake the next day, he hauled down our Flag, and made such apology as the circumstances would admit."

The Flag was officially raised in California by Commodore Sloat, at Monterey, July 7, 1846, and at San Francisco, by Commander Montgomery of the sloop-of-war "Portsmouth," July 8, 1846, on the Plaza, which was henceforth named "Portsmouth Square."

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A party of nine officers, thirty soldiers, and two sailors started the ascent of Mount Orizaba, Mexico, where man had never trod before, but only three Army officers and two Navy officers succeeded in reaching the summit, where at an altitude which they estimated at over 18,000 feet they raised the American Flag in May, 1848. A correspondent of the New Orleans "Delta" wrote concerning this feat: "On the highest pinnacle of the frozen summit of Orizaba waves the Star-Spangled Banner! So you can tell Mr. Polk, his Cabinet, and all Congress assembled, that they may pass what laws they please, make treaties, and the Mexicans issue pronunciamentos, but still will the American Flag wave over their country; for who will go up to pull it down?"

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The American ensign was first displayed in Japan on the landing of Commodore M. C. Perry at Uraga, on the bay of Jeddo, in July, 1853. In its cluster were twenty-nine stars.

In 1856, when, after the Crimean War, Sebastopol was opened to all nations, the first vessel to enter its port was the American ship "Troy," with the Stars and Stripes flying.

Raised by Dr. I. I. Hayes in 1854 at Cape Constitution, in lat. 82° 27', the most northern land that had then been reached by man.

"On the 4th of July, 1879, Lieutenant Frederick Schwatka, U. S. Army, on his remarkable sledge expedition of 3,251 statute miles, unfurled for the first time at Cape Felix, King Williams Land, a United States Flag, which is now deposited in the Museum of the United States Military Service Institution, on Governor's Island." (Army and Navy Journal, November 6, 1880.)

One of the first United States Flags ever used at sea is still in existence. It is the Flag bearing twelve stars, which was displayed by Paul Jones from the masthead of his privateer, the "Bon Homme Richard," during the engagement with the English warship "Serapis," on September 23, 1779. In the course of the action the Flag was shot away from the masthead, whereupon Lieutenant Stafford, a volunteer in Paul Jones' ship, leaped into the sea after it, and, though severely wounded in the exploit, succeeded in recovering it and replacing it on the mast. The Flag which Lieutenant Stafford thus so bravely saved was afterwards presented to him by the Marine Committee of Congress, and is now cherished as an heirloom by his family.

MAGNA CHARTA.

[June 15, A. D. 1215.]

From "Select Charters and other Illustrations of English Constitutional History," by William M. Stubbs, M.A., Regius Professor of Modern History.

Johannes Dei gratia rex Angliae, dominus Hyberniae, dux Normanniae et Aquitanniae, comes Andegaviae, archiepiscopis, episcopis, abbatibus, comitibus, baronibus, justiciariis, forestariis, vicecomitibus, praepositis, ministris et omnibus ballivis et fidelibus suis salutem. Sciatis nos intuitu Dei et pro salute animae nostrae et omnium antecessorum et haeredum nostrorum, ad honorem Dei et exaltationem sanctae ecclesiae, et emendationem regni nostri, per consilium venerabilium patrum nostrorum, Stephani Cantuariensis archiepiscopi totius Angliae primatis et sanctae Romanae ecclesiae cardinalis, Henrici Dublinensis archiepiscopi, Willelmi Londoniensis, Petri Wintoniensis, Joscelini Bathoniensis et Glastoniensis, Hugonis Lincolniensis, Walteri Wygornensis, Willelmi Coventrensis, et Benedicti Roffensis episcoporum; magistri Pandulfi domini papae subdiaconi et familiaris, fratris Eymerici magistri militiae templi in Anglia; et nobilium virorum Willelmi Mariscalli comitis Penbrok, Willelmi comitis Saresberiae, Willelmi comitis Warenniae, Willelmi comitis Arundelliae, Alani de Galweya constabularii Scottiae, Warini filii Geroldi, Petri filii Hereberti, Huberti de Burgo senescalli Pictaviae, Hugonis de Nevilla, Mathei filii Hereberti, Thomae Basset, Alani Basset, Philippi de Albiniaco, Roberti de Roppelay, Johannis Mariscalli, Johannis filii Hugonis et aliorum fidelium nostrorum;

1. In primis concessisse Deo et hac praesenti carta nostra confirmasse, pro nobis et haeredibus nostris in perpetuum, quod Anglicana ecclesia libera sit, et habeat jura sua integra, et libertates suas illaesas; et ita volumus observari; quod apparet ex eo quod libertatem electionum, quae maxima et magis necessaria reputatur ecclesiae Anglicanae, mera et spontanea voluntate, ante

MAGNA CHARTA.

The Great Charter of English Liberty, Granted by King John at Runnimede, June 15, A. D. 1215.

From "Select Historical Documents of the Middle Ages," as translated from "Stubbs's Charters" by Ernest F. Henderson, A.B. (Trinity College, Conn.), A.M. (Harvard), Ph D. (Berlin).

John, by the grace of God king of England, lord of Ireland, duke of Normandy and Aquitaine, count of Anjou: to the archbishops, bishops, abbots, earls, barons, justices, foresters, sheriffs, prevosts, serving men, and to all his bailiffs and faithful subjects, greeting. Know that we, by the will of God and for the safety of our soul, and of the souls of all our predecessors and our heirs, to the honour of God and for the exalting of the holy church and the bettering of our realm: by the counsel of our venerable fathers Stephen archbishop of Canterbury, primate of all England and cardinal of the holy Roman church; of Henry archbishop of Dublin; of the bishops William of London, Peter of Winchester, Jocelin of Bath and Glastonbury, Hugo of Lincoln, Walter of Worcester, William of Coventry and Benedict of Rochester; of master Pandulf, subdeacon and of the household of the lord pope; of brother Aymeric, master of the knights of the Temple in England; and of the noble men, William Marshall earl of Pembroke, William earl of Salisbury, William earl of Warren, William earl of Arundel, Alan de Galway constable of Scotland, Warin son of Gerold, Peter son of Herbert, Hubert de Burgh seneschal of Poictiers, Hugo de Neville, Matthew son of Herbert, Thomas Basset, Alan Basset, Philip d'Aubigni, Robert de Roppelay, John Marshall, John son of Hugo, and others of our faithful subjects:

1. First of all have granted to God, and, for us and for our heirs forever, have confirmed, by this our present charter, that the English church shall be free and shall have its rights intact and its liberties uninfringed upon. And thus we will that it be observed. As is apparent from the fact that we, spontaneously and of our own free will, before discord broke out between our

discordiam inter nos et barones nostros motam, concessimus et carta nostra confirmavimus, et eam optinuimus a domino papa Innocentio tertio confirmari; quam et nos observabimus et ab haeredibus nostris in perpetuum bona fide volumus observari. Concessimus etiam omnibus liberis hominibus regni nostri, pro nobis et haeredibus nostris in perpetuum, omnes libertates subscriptas, habendas et tenendas, eis et haeredibus suis, de nobis et haeredibus nostris;

2. Si quis comitum vel baronum nostrorum, sive aliorum tenentium de nobis in capite per servitium militare, mortuus fuerit, et cum decesserit haeres suus plenae aetatis fuerit et relevium debeat, habeat haereditatem suam per antiquum relevium; scilicet haeres vel haeredes comitis de baronia comitis integra per centum libras; haeres vel haeredes baronis de baronia integra per centum libras; haeres vel haeredes militis de feodo militis integro per centum solidos ad plus; et qui minus debuerit minus det secundum antiquam consuetudinem feodorum.

3. Si autem haeres alicujus talium fuerit infra aetatem et fuerit in custodia, cum ad aetatem pervenerit, habeat haereditatem suam sine relevio et sine fine.

4. Custos terrae hujusmodi haeredis qui infra aetatem fuerit, non capiat de terra haeredis nisi rationabiles exitus, et rationabiles consuetudines, et rationabilia servitia, et hoc sine destructione et vasto hominum vel rerum; et si nos commiserimus custodiam alicujus talis terrae vicecomiti vel alicui alii qui de exitibus illius nobis respondere debeat, et ille destructionem de custodia fecerit vel vastum, nos ab illo capiemus emendam, et terra committatur duobus legalibus et discretis hominibus de feodo illo, qui de exitibus respondeant nobis vel ei cui eos assignaverimus; et si dederimus vel vendiderimus alicui custodiam alicujus talis terrae, et ille destructionem inde fecerit vel vastum, amittat ipsam custodiam, et tradatur duobus legalibus et discretis hominibus de feodo illo qui similiter nobis respondeant sicut praedictum est.

5. Custos autem, quamdiu custodiam terrae habuerit, sustentet domos, parcos, vivaria, stagna, molendina, et cetera ad terram illam pertinentia, de exitibus terrae ejusdem; et reddat haeredi, cum ad plenam aetatem pervenerit, terram suam totam instauratam de carrucis et wainnagiis secundum quod tempus wainnagii exiget et exitus terrae rationabiliter poterunt sustinere.