The Union Jack consists actually of (i) the banner of St. George with its white field reduced to a narrow edging on all sides of the red cross, to enable it to be superposed, without breaking the heraldic rule of colour upon colour, upon (ii) the blue banner of St. Andrew with his white cross; but since the Union with Ireland there has been combined with these (iii) the banner of St. Patrick, which has a red saltire upon a white field. This combination, in order to meet Scottish susceptibilities, has been effected in a very peculiar but ingenious way, first by treating the Irish banner like that of England, and reducing its white field to a narrow edging about the saltire, and then by slitting this down the middle of each arm, and joining the pieces to the opposite sides of St. Andrew's saltire similarly treated, yet so that the Scottish pieces are uppermost next the staff. It thus comes about that whatever be the shape of the flag, whether square or oblong, two straight lines drawn across it diagonally from corner to corner should always equally divide the Scottish and Irish crosses, and if this cannot be done the flag is not correctly built up (pl. XXXI).
[Illustration: PLATE XXXI. RIGHT AND WRONG VERSIONS OF THE UNION JACK.]
It also happens that unless the flag is exactly square the blue sections of the field must differ more or less in size. Ignorant flag-makers try to correct this, but only by dislocating in the middle the diagonal lines that ought always to be straight and continuous.
The right way up of a Union Jack is indicated by the Scottish, that is, the broader white, half of the diagonal members being always uppermost in the two pieces next the staff.
Arms of husband and wife; Dimidiating; Impaling; 'Scutcheons of Pretence; Impalement with Official Arms; Arms of ladies; Heraldic Drawing; Mottoes; Use and Misuse of the Garter; Lettering and Mottoes.
In gathering up for practical consideration some of the points already discussed, as well as others that are suggested by them, something may first be said on the ways of combining the arms of husband and wife. This was done originally by simply setting them side by side, a plan which of course may still be followed whenever it is thought desirable.