Flag of the East India Company English East India Company adopted a flag of thirteen red and white stripes with the flag of England in canton. It was reported that the number of stripes was chosen because many of the East India Company's shareholders were Freemasons, and the number thirteen is considered powerful in freemasonry. However, different reports gave varying initial numbers of stripes. The flag caused problems for the East India Company at first when trading in the Far East, because of its use of the St George's Cross. In Japan in 1616, the Company's ships were turned away because the cross on the flag
Flag of the Russian-American Company shows no eagle on the flag flown from the bastion, but clearly shows the eagle placed in the upper quarter on the flag flown from the RAC ship CHICHAGOV anchored in the roads. Aleksandr Ol'gin's water-colour of July, 1837, shows several RAC flags flown from both bastion and ships in the harbour; all have a golden eagle placed in the upper quarter Two very detailed water-colours by RAC skipper Johann Bartram of Sitka harbour, done between 1840–1845 have precise depictions of the company's flag. Given Bartram's profession, both the details rendered of ships and boats as well as the flag