Thus around the whole world, in every zone, through both hemispheres, about every ocean, the Union Jack never ceases to flutter in the breeze.
A Frenchman lately, speaking in public, described half humorously how, as he journeyed round our globe, at each halting-place, at each coaling-station, he found invariably “that bit of Rag,” so dear to the Briton.
And no wonder! for it is the Rag which stands for Freedom.
In the lower Creation, under ocean-waters, we have seen how the fierce perpetual struggle for existence goes on; how, with scarcely more than one exception, that of the mother for her little one, each creature lives and thinks and fights for itself alone. But man is capable of better things. A man may forget self for his Country’s sake. He may lose sight of ease and gain, in thought for the poorer, the weaker, the darker tribes of Earth—under that protecting Flag.
Wherever it goes, north or south, east or west, there go also Freedom, Justice, and a liberal recognition of the rights of Man, even of the feeblest, even of the blackest-skinned. For the first time in the World’s History this grand and high ideal rules in the counsels of an Empire wide as the Ocean itself.
Transcriber's Notes
The following changes have been made to the text as printed.
1. Illustrations and footnotes have been located in appropriate paragraph breaks.
2. Obvious typographical errors have been corrected.