If, instead of the Dominion coat-of-arms, a green maple leaf were placed on the shield in the Canadian ensign, the flag would be fairer to see and more easily distinguished. Green is the emblem of youth and vigour, or, if the colour used were scarlet, the colour of courage, then in either case the natural and emblematic attributes of the leaf would be represented.
It was suggested[200] that in that year of the Diamond Jubilee a white diamond of one-third the size of the "union" should be substituted for the present shield and coat-of-arms, making a flag (69) which would signalize an historic epoch. The single maple leaf on the white diamond in the fly of the red ensign would tell as bravely and more clearly the story of the "coat-of-arms" on the shield, and it would also be a national tribute to that Queen under whose commanding influence the colonies have arisen around the empire, and be a record of that Diamond Jubilee of Victoria which was the revelation of their union and the united testimony to their affection and allegiance.
If for similarity with the flags of other branches of the Empire a white escutcheon or circle should be preferred to the diamond, the maple leaf upon it would be equally well displayed and the sign of Canada on the red fly of the ensign be clearly distinguished.
[Illustration: 69. SUGGESTED CANADIAN UNION ENSIGN.]
Flags are signals to be used for conveying information to persons at a distance; their details should, therefore, be simple in form and be displayed in simple colours. The multi-coloured quarterings of the Dominion arms, as shown on the shield upon the Canadian ensign (Pl. IX., fig. 1), have not been found entirely efficient, for they fail in being easily recognizable.
Whatever the colour may be or the shape of the escutcheon, the single maple leaf on a white ground would tell at a glance that the emblem was the emblem of its people, and that the flag was the Canadian ensign.
_LETTERS FROM THE PRIVATE SECRETARY OF HIS MAJESTY KING EDWARD VII._
Dear Sir: In reply to your letter, I am afraid that the Royal Standard, which is the King's personal flag, can only be hoisted on the Coronation. If permission were given in one case, it would be impossible to refuse it in any other. I must remind you that you can always fly the Union Jack.