FLAG

In the British navy flags are either red, white, or blue, and are displayed from the top of the main-mast, fore-mast, or mizen-mast, according to the rank of the admiral.

The first flag in Great Britain is the royal standard, which is only to be hoisted when the king or queen are aboard the vessel: the second is that of the anchor of hope, which characterises the lord high admiral, or lords commissioners of the admiralty: and the third is the union flag, in which the crosses of St. George and St. Andrew are blended. This last is appropriated to the admiral of the fleet, who is the first military officer under the lord high admiral.

When a flag is displayed from the flag-staff on the main-mail, the officer distinguished thereby is known to be an admiral; when from the fore-mast, a vice-admiral; and when from the mizen-mast, a rear admiral.

The next flag after the union is that of the white squadron, at the main-mail-head; and the last, which characterizes an admiral, is the blue, at the same mail-head.

For a vice-admiral, the first flag is the red; the second, the white; the third, the blue, at the flag-staff on the fore-mast.

The same order proceeds with regard to the rear-admirals, whole flags are hoisted on the top of the mizen-mast: the lowest flag in our navy is accordingly the blue on the mizen-mast.

Reference Works