1 MAY 1915, Page 22

The psychology of flags would be the subject for a

curious essay. Those variously coloured oblong pieces of material which stir such passionate feelings in the human heart are surely not the least strange of the conventional symbols evolved by mankind. Mr. W. J. Gordon in Flags of the Walla (Frederick Warne and Co., 6s. net), while not going far into such speculations, gives a most admirable history of the different flags of the modern world, aided by a large number of excellent illustrations by Mr. W. J. Stokoe. Many English- men only know in the most general way the history of even their own national flag ; and how many are aware of the evolution of the Stars and Stripes out of the flag of the East

India Company P A study of Mr. Gordon's pages will be rewarded by the discovery of much curious historical informa- tion.