Talk:Flag of Sarawak

WJ Chater's theory about the first Sarawakian flag bearing a blue and red cross is wrong

The first Sarawakian flag flown on 21 September 1848 had a RED and BLACK cross. It was not a BLUE and RED cross or a PURPLE and RED cross.

After reading so many contradictory versions of what colours were on the first flag, I spent some time chasing down the original sources of misinformation about the flag commonly repeated in articles and books and they all lead to WJ Chater (blue) and Harriette McDougall (purple). WJ Chater was in charge of the Sarawak Government Printing office. He had access to documents in the state archives, and he used these documents to write articles for the Sarawak Gazette.

In his article "Flags" 30 Nov 1964, WJ Chater theorised that the cross on the first Sarawakian flag was a blue and red cross and that Charles changed the colour of the cross blue & red to black & red in 1870. https://www.pustaka-sarawak.com/gazette/gazette_uploaded/1404720332.pdf page 9

He doesn't present his theory as a fact, but somehow it evolved into a historical fact as his theory found its way into many other places, such as in his book 'Sarawak Long Ago', Wikipedia, news articles and many other modern books. He developed his theory about the flag, after discovering a proclamation from Charles that said "change blue bunting to black" in a document that mentioned the flag. And then supports this out of context phrase with other pieces of evidence. Unfortunately I haven't been able to find this particular document to read the full context. If anyone has seen this complete document, please let me know. If I could find this document maybe I'd be able to figure out how it might have been misread.

Chater made several errors in his article, so I suspect he may also be wrong about how he read the meaning behind "change blue bunting to black".

- Problem #1 - all other writers Chater states that other than another author, Jacobs, who quoted Harriette McDougall that "All other writers for the next twenty years (until 1870) who mention the flag give the colours of the cross as blue and red." This statement is incorrect. The only other eye-witness to the flag that describe the cross as blue and red is Harriette McDougall herself. She in turn gets requoted by other authors.

Harriette McDougall's reference to the flag bearing a red and purple cross is from a letter published in her book "Letters from Sarawak" in a letter dated July 1851. https://archive.org/details/lettersfromsara00mcdogoog/page/n52/mode/2up?q=purple

But in a letter just a few pages away dated January 1852 she writes:

"When we were at Singapore during the winter of 1849, Papa had a pulpit and reading-desk, chairs, and a painted glass east window, made with the cross of the Sarawak flag, deep blue and red, on a yellow ground, for the centre light." https://archive.org/details/lettersfromsara00mcdogoog/page/n98/mode/2up?q=flag

To make things even more complicated Harriette McDougall wrote a second book "Sketches from Sarawak" this book was published after 1870, but in the book she describes the flag used in 1849.

"In the year 1849, the atrocities of the piratical Dyaks were so frequent, that the Rajah applied to the English Admiral in the straits for some men-of-war to assist him in destroying them. On the 24th of July they left us, as many as eighteen Malay prahus, manned by from twenty to seventy men in each, and decorated with flags and streamers innumerable, of the brightest colours,-the Sarawak flag, a red and black cross on a yellow ground, always at the stern."

https://archive.org/details/sketchesofourlif00mcdoiala/page/36/mode/2up?q=flag

So should we believe Harriette McDougall, Harriette McDougall or Harriette McDougall?

I agree with Chater, that we shouldn't use Harriette McDougall as a reliable source in this case.

- Problem # 2 - There are many eye-witnesses who wrote about the flag before 1870

The biggest error Chater made and the easiest to disprove is when he stated that Harriette McDougall was the only eye-witness to write about the flag raising on 21 Sept 1848. He then explains why he thinks Harriette McDougall who claimed the flag was a purple and red cross made a mistake. Harriette McDougall was NOT the only person who saw and wrote about the flag before 1870. And strangely enough no one else who saw the flag in person described it as having a blue & red cross. So lets travel backwards in time and see what everyone wrote. --- Eye-Witness #6 - 1866 - Cuthbert Collingwood On the 17th September, 1866 my jungle rambles came to an end, and we set sail for the Sarawak River, which we began to approach on the 21st. At the distance of 17 miles from Tanjong Po the river divides, and beyond this ships of any considerable draft seldom pass. This is the Antimony Anchorage, so called from the antimony stores of the Borneo Company, which are located here. Here were several square-rigged vessels ; and as we proceeded we met many canoes, containing two or more Malays, who rested on their paddles to watch us as we passed. Some larger craft also there were, having an European build (lorchas), and flying the Rajah's flag—a broad cross, half red and half black, upon a buff ground.

https://archive.org/details/ramblesanatural02collgoog/page/n233/mode/2up?q=buff

--- Eye-Witness #5 - 1863 - Frederick Boyle He wrote an article published in Nov 1868, memorialising James and his work in Sarawak after James' death. The Boyle brothers visited Sarawak back in 1863 so he would most likely have seen the flag in person. In the 1868 article he wrote a footnote about the flag.

• A cross, half red, half black, on a yellow field, is the Sarawak flag

--- Eye-Witness #4 - 1850 - Rev. McDougall "The east window is of coloured glass, and given by my friend Mr. Jackson, the Assistant Resident at Singapore. The central light will represent the Sarawak cross, a red and purple cross on a golden ground. It is the national flag, and will please the native eye, besides being an appropriate Christian emblem." - why did he also think it was purple?

--- Eye-Witness #3 - 1849 - Charles Thomas Constantine Grant - Sarawak Government Officer 1849-1862 "It was on a fine day in the summer of '49 that I again found myself in the Sarāwak river… A low mist hung over the river, early one morning, as we got into our boat and started with the first of the flood tide, on a trip to the up-country Dyaks... Bidding the steersman direct the boat's course up the river, he dipped his long paddle into the water, dashing the spray into the air; his example was vigorously followed by the rest of the crew, and thus we started. Our Sarāwak Flag, a golden ground with a black and red cross, waved over the stern, as we passed between the houses of the Malay town."

--- Eye-Witness #2 - Sep 21 1848 (the day the flag was hoisted for the first time) - Henry Keppel Captain Henry Keppel was at the ceremony itself, in fact he was likely standing right in front of the flagpole. Not only was he at the event he's the one who captained the Maeander, the ship that brought James back to Sarawak from England in 1848. "The business commenced by the chief of each department welcoming back the Rajah. The Europeans presented him with a rich and valuable sword. Then came the Rajah's speech, — in the course of which he presented each of the Datus with a handsome state sword, and afterwards introduced to the people his heir-presumptive his probable successor in the government of Sarawak. A new flag, which the Rajah had brought from England, was then unfurled for the first time — displaying a black and red cross on a yellow field. This was to be henceforth the national flag of Sarawak. It was hoisted and saluted in due form, the Maeander's band by a lively air contributing to the effect." https://archive.org/details/visitIndianArch00Kepp/page/30/mode/2up

And finally the one Eye-Witness that trumps absolutely everyone else. --- Eye-Witness #1 - Sir James Brooke - the White Rajah of Sarawak and the designer of the flag. but before you read the quote I need to explain a term - "cross per pale" - this is a term used in heraldry to describe a cross that is divided in half vertically. Were the McDougalls told the cross was "per pale" but they heard "purple" ? Sarawak 14th March 1849

My Lord In accordance with your Lordship's instructions of the 25th January 1847 and the sentiments expressed in my despatch of the 30th of June 1847 relative to the additional Article for introducing a flag amongst the natives, proposed to be inserted in the Treaty with the Sultan and Chiefs of Borneo, I beg to acquaint your Lordship, that on my return to Sarawak, feeling how desirable such a measure would be, I hoisted a flag, and recommended its adoption by all native prahus and other vessels belonging to this country. I subsequently waited to ascertain before reporting to your Lordship, how far the native community was inclined to adopt the use of the flag, which is a yellow field, with a cross per pale red and black, and I am happy to add, that they have eagerly embraced this distinguishing mark of Country, which they look upon as a security to these vessels and they are moreover anxious to carry the register proposed in the additional articles. I venture, therefore to apply for your Lordship's sanction to use this flag which will form at first a broad distinction between Sarawak and the neighbouring rivers, and which may gradually be extended amongst the well disposed communities on this coast, when they shall be found fit to use it rightly. The discord and destruction of Borneo Proper, the total want of all the machinery of Government and indeed of Government at all, render it improbable, that a flag should emanate from that City, but in the course of time, should the rule of the native Chiefs improve, and some degree of order be restored, it will be advisable to recommend the adoption of the present Flag to the Sultan and ruling Pangerans, who would doubtless readily adopt it, as a national emblem already in use in their dependencies. The highly beneficial tendency of this flag, not only in ultimately becoming a distinction between the well disposed and piratical rivers, but in giving a spirit of national pride to the natives, and assuring them of the protection to be gained from it, is so evident that I need not dwell on it, but the sanction of Her Majesty's Government can alone afford a stability to the flag which it will otherwise require many years to attain. In requesting this sanction, I may venture to mention the large interests which are gradually developing in this country, and its rapid increase both in commerce and population. It is for these reasons I solicit the sanction for Her Majesty's Government for the introduction of the flag which will afford a recognized permanency to this country , and should Her Majesty's Government deem it right a further measure of protection might be accorded. I have the honour to be, My Lord Your Lordship's humble Servant. J Brooke Commissioner & Consul General

Transcript of Original letter = http://archive.brooketrust.org/DA/showObject.php?id=FO12.7.45 Photostat of Original letter = https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-806748698/view

MatSallehSesat (talk) 04:07, 24 July 2022 (UTC)

Brooke's use of the St. George flag

There is no proof James Brooke ever used a St. George flag or even a swallow tailed St. George flag.

And he definitely did not use the St. George flag to be the 1st flag of Sarawak.

The closest we can come is that there was a RYS burgee and white ensign on the Royalist, which was sold off in March of 1844.

The flag did not fly over Fort Belidah, because Fort Belidah was burnt down almost immediately after being surrenderred by the rebels 20 Dec 1840.

No one knows when Fort Belidah rebuilt. The next time it's mentioned at all is when the Chinese are forced to pay to build a replacement Fort Belidah in 1852.