Fisheries, Bureau of.-(Department of Commerce.) The work of the Bureau of Fisheries comprises (1) the propagation of useful food fishes, including lobsters, oysters and other shellfish, and their distribution to suitable waters; (2) the inquiry into the causes of decrease of food fishes in the lakes, rivers and coast waters of the United States, the study of the waters of the coast and interior in the interest of fish-culture, and the investigation of the fishing grounds of the Atlantic, Gulf and Pacific coasts, with the view of determining their food resources and the development of the commercial fisheries; (3) the collection and compilation of the statistics of the fisheries and the study of their methods and relations. The bureau also bas jurisdiction over the fur-seal herds and the salmon fisheries of Alaska.

An idea of the extent of the fishing industry of the country may be gained from the table at the bottom of this page compiled by the Department of Commerce from reports of 1908.

Fisheries Exhibition, International, at
London, discussed, 4688.
Fishermen, American:

Capture and detention of, 853, 855,
4068.

Outrages committed on, 4542, 4558. Unfriendly treatment of, by Canadians, 4012, 4056, 5114. Vessels sent to protect, 2694. Fishers Hill (Va.), Battle of.-Early's retreat from the Opequan after the battle

Sections

of Sept. 19, 1864, did not stop at Winchester, but continued to Fishers Hill, south of Winchester and about 12 miles from the scene of the battle of Opequan Creek. Here Early rallied his forces. To drive him from nis position, Sheridan dispatched Torbert with 2 divisions of cavalry by a circuitous route to the Confederate rear, and on the evening of Sept. 22 the Sixth and Nineteenth Corps engaged Early in front, while Torbert's forces fell upon the rear. The Confederates retreated and Sheridan followed them through Harrisonburg, Staunton, and the gaps in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Sheridan then devastated the valley so as to render it untenable for Confederate troops. At Fisners Hill he captured 1,100 prisoners and 16 guns. Fishery Commissions. (See Fisheries and Bering Sea Fisheries.)

Five-cent Piece.-In 1792 Congress authorized the coinage of a silver half dime of 20.8 grains in weight. This was the first coin struck by the United States Mint. In 1853 the weight was reduced to 19.2 grains. There were no issues of this coin in 1798, 1799, 1804, and from 1806 to 1828. In 1866 the nickel 5-cent piece was authorized and the legal-tender value reduced from $5 to 30 cents. Coinage of the silver half dime was discontinued in 1873.

Five Civilized Tribes. (See Indian Tribes.)

a

Five Forks (Va.), Battle of.-March 27, 1865, Gen. Sheridan, with 10,000 cavalry, returned with his raid through the Shenandoah Valley and rejoined the Army of the Potomac before Richmond. On the 29th Grant began a movement to turn the Confederate right or destroy their line of retreat south. Sheridan, with the Fifth Corps, under Gen. Warren, and about 9,000 cavalry, crossed Hatchers Run and proceeded by way of the Boydton plank road toward Dinwiddie Court-House. Warren found the Confederates in force on the White Oak road. Sheridan, passing Dinwiddie, turned north. Lee had sent stronger force, chiefly the divisions of Johnson and Pickett, to meet the threatened attempt on the roads to his rear. March 31 this column met and uefeated Warren and then attacked Sheridan at Five Forks and drove him back toward Dinwiddie. The next morning, April 1, Sheridan advanced with his cavalry and the Fifth Corps, about 12,000 strong. By 2 P. M. the Confederates had retired into their main works. Ayres, on the left of the Fifth Corps, made a charge, carrying all before him, and taking 1.000 prisoners Griffin captured the works in his front, taking 1,500 prisoners; Crawford seized

the Ford road in the Confederate rear; Merritt's cavalry made a charge, and the day was won, but not without a desperate resistance. Lee's army was virtually overwhelmed. For 6 miles it fell back along the White Oak road. More than 5,000 prisoners were taken, with 6 guns and 13 colors. Sheridan's loss was about 1,000, of whom 634 were of Warren's Corps.

Five-Forties.-Bonds redeemable by the Government after five years, but payable in full at the end of forty years.

Five-Twenties.-Bonds redeemable by the
Government after five years, but payable in
full at the end of twenty years.
Flag.-A banner

or ensign, sometimes called colors. During the early days of the Revolution the colonists made use of various devices for flags, no less than half a dozen distinct banners being preserved. In three of these the combined crosses of St. George and St. Andrew form the union. The favorite in New England was the pinetree flag, consis.ing of a green pine tree in a field of white. This was also used as the union of a flag with a red field. The rattlesnake flag consisted of 13 pieces of a rattlesnake marked with the initials of the Colonies and the legend "Join or die." Another snake standard consisted of alternate red and white bars with the design of a snake and the legend "Don't tread on me. In 1775 Congress adopted the stripes of a troop of Philadelphia light-horse cavalry. This still retained the British union.

An interesting, but hardly verifiable legend is connected with the design of the first American flag. The story runs that in June, 1776, a committee of Congress, consisting of George Washington, Robert Morris, and Colonel George Ross, waited upon the widow of Colonel Ross's nephew in her upholstery shop in Philadelphia, and asked for assistance concerning the design of the new flag to be adopted by the Congress. The committee had already planned a flag consisting of thirteen stars and thirteen stripes, but the stars were six-pointed. When Betsy Ross advised, however, five-pointed stars, and showed how they could be cut with but one clip of her scissors, the committee adopted her suggestion. It is said that it was Washington who suggested that the stars be arranged in a circle, in order to show that all the states were equal, and that no one of them was entitled to take precedence over any other. The house in which this story is centered is located at 239 Arch Street, Philadelphia, and is called the Betsy Ross House.

June 14, 1777, the flag of the United States had its statutory beginning in the following resolution: "Resolved, that the flag of the United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation." The banner of the United States is commonly sunposed to have been based upon the Washington coat-of-arms. It was first displayed in the battle of Brandywine, Sept. 11. 1777. On the admission of Vermont and Kentucky in 1794, two more stars and two more stripes were added. April 4, 1818, the flag was reestablished with thirteen stripes, representing the thirteen original states, and twenty stars, one star for each new state admitted. to be added to the flag on the 4th of July succeeding such admission.

The official flag of the United States bears forty-eight stars arranged in six rows of eight stars each. The garrison flag of the Army is made of bunting, thirty-six feet fly and twenty feet hoist; thirteen stripes,

and in the upper quarter, next staff, is the field or "union" of stars, equal to the number of states, on blue field, over onethird length of the flag, extending to the lower edge of the fourth red stripe from the top. The storm flag is twenty feet by ten feet, and the recruiting flag nine feet nine inches by four feet four inches. The "American Jack" is the "union" or blue field of the flag. The Revenue Marine Service flag, authorized by act of Congress, March 2, 1799, was originally prescribed to "consist of sixteen perpendicular stripes, alternate red and white, the union of the ensign bearing the arms of the United States in dark blue on a white field." The sixteen stripes represented the number of states which had been admitted to the Union at that time, and no change has been made since. June 14, the anniversary of the adoption of the flag, is celebrated as Flag Day in a large part of the Union.

Military, but not necessarily civil regulations, demand the observance of the following ceremonies concerning the flag:

It should not be hoisted before sunrise nor allowed to remain up after sunset.

At "retreat," sunset, civilian spectators should stand at "attention" and uncover during the playing of the "Star Spangled Banner." Military spectators are required by regulation to stand at "attention" and give the military salute.

When the National colors are passing on parade, or in review, the spectator should, if walking, halt, and if sitting, arise and stand at attention and uncover.

When the flag is flown at half staff as a sign of mourning it should be hoisted to full staff at the conclusion of the funeral.

In placing the flag at half staff, it should first be hoisted to the top of the staff and then lowered to position, and preliminary to lowering from half staff, it should be first raised to the top.

On Memorial Day, May 30, the flag should fly at half staff from sunrise to noon and full staff from noon to sunset.

The United States Union Jack has fortyeight stars in a blue field; the United States Narrow Pennant, for man-of-war, thirteen white stars in a blue ground next the staff, the remainder of the pennant being red and white; the President's flag has the United States Arms in a blue field; the flag of the Secretary of the Navy has a chain and anchor in a blue field, surrounded by four white stars; Admiral, United States Navy, four white stars in a blue ground: ViceAdmiral, three white stars in a blue ground; Rear-Admiral, two white stars in a blue ground: United States Naval Dispatch, five blue crosses potent in a white ground, one in each corner and one in the center: United States Naval Convoy. white triangular flag, two free sides having red border; United States Revenue Service, sixteen perpendicular, alternating red and white stripes, the upper quarter next to staff having in white ground a blue eagle between semi-circle of thirteen blue stars; United States Lighthouse Service, triangular flag with blue lighthouse in white ground, all sides of the flag having red border: Quarantine flag. plain yellow; United States Yacht Ensign, thirteen horizental alternating red and white strines with anchor and chain surrounded by thirteen white stars in blue ground, in upper left-hand corner next to staff. See illustrations opposite.

Flags:

Confederate, captured, to be presented to Congress, 3309.