Chapter IV_British Flags: Their Early History, and Their Development at Sea With an Account of the Origin of the Flag as a National Device

_Flags of Command_

(i) THE ROYAL STANDARD

Highest in dignity among the flags which have been used to denote the

leader of a British fleet comes the Royal Banner commonly spoken of as

the Royal Standard.

Its use in this connection has for very many years been obsolete, but

before noting the occasions on which it has been flown for this purpose

it will be convenient to sketch its history down to our own times.

The royal arms make their first[215] appearance in 1189 in the Great

Seal of Richard I as a single lion rampant contourné upon the king's

shield. In Richard's second seal, made in 1198 to replace the first

one which was lost during his captivity, the single lion became the

three lions[216] passant guardant in pale which have remained in the

arms of England until the present day. In 1339 Edward III, angered at

the assistance given by Philip of France to the King of Scotland, took

steps to assert a claim to the throne of France, and, in earnest of

this, in January, 1340, he formally assumed the title and arms of King

of France, quartering the arms of France (azure semé of fleurs-de-lis)

with those of England in the royal banner and on the great seal. In

doing this he, somewhat unpatriotically, placed the arms of France in

the first and third quarters, thereby giving them precedence over those

of England.

[Illustration: PLATE VI Royal Standards]

From this date[217] until the death of Elizabeth these were the royal

arms of England, but during the reign of Richard II (1377-99) the

legendary arms of Edward the Confessor (or, a cross patoncé between

five martlets on a field azure) were impaled with them, and Queen

Mary, after her marriage with Philip of Spain, impaled the arms of

Spain. About the year 1411 Henry IV, in imitation of the change made

by Charles V in his arms, reduced the fleurs-de-lis to three in

number. On the accession of James I it became necessary to add the

arms of Scotland (or, a lion rampant within a double tressure flory and

counterflory, gules) and in doing this James took the opportunity to

add arms representing Ireland. For these he took the badge chosen for

Ireland by Henry VIII (a harp or, stringed argent). Mr Serjeant Knight,

in the memorandum referred to on p. 57 becomes very indignant over this

harp, and gives vent to his feelings in the following words:

At the same time (upon what consideration I am ignorant) something

was to be added for ye Kingdome of Ireland or something that

might signify so much and ye Harpe (as at present borne) it

seems resolv'd on. But for what reasons am as ignorant as for ye

former, ye Harpe being no more the Armes of that Kingdome or of

any one from whence that King was lineally descended than any

other Constellation or any of ye Signes of the Zodiack. Having

often contemplated this, ye only satisfaction I could forme to

myselfe was from ye temper of ye times & doe suspect ye Leaven of

Puritanisme in it by soe readily foysting this to ye exclusion of

that of his Mat^y had (as has all his Posterity) an indisputable

Hereditary Right unto, equal to that of England, ... viz the Arms

of Ulster: or, a cross gules.

This harp was not the ancient arms of Ireland. Those arms are supposed

to have been three crowns in pale in a blue field, but as there was

never a native king of the whole of Ireland it is clear that there

could never have been a native coat of arms representative of the whole

country. Placing the arms quarterly of France and England in the first

and fourth quarters of his shield, James put those of Scotland in the

second quarter and those of Ireland in the third. This arrangement was,

however, not invariable. In some of the Irish seals[218] Ireland is

found in the second place and Scotland in the third, while in the Great

Seal of Scotland made in James II's reign the arms of Scotland occupy

the first and fourth quarters, with England second and Ireland third.

After the execution of Charles I, the royal standard was replaced

by the Commonwealth standard, with the cross and harp[219]. During

the Protectorate (1653-9) the standard consisted of: 1 and 4 the

cross of St George, 2 the cross of St Andrew, and 3 the Irish harp,

with an inescutcheon of the arms of Cromwell (sable a lion rampant,

argent)[220]. The Commonwealth standard came back for a few months in

1659-60, to be replaced by the royal standard of James I; the makeshift

used by Mountagu while on his way to fetch Charles II back to the

throne has already been described.

The remaining changes have been succinctly described by Mr

Fox-Davies[221] as follows:

When William III and Mary came to the throne an inescutcheon of

the arms of Nassau (Azure, billetty and a lion rampant or) was

superimposed upon the Royal Arms as previously borne, for William

III, and he impaled the same coat without the inescutcheon for his

wife. At her death the impalement was dropped. After the Union

with Scotland in 1707 the arms of England (Gules, three lions,

etc.) were impaled with those of Scotland (the tressure not being

continued down the palar line), and the impaled coat of England and

Scotland was placed in the first and fourth quarters, France in the

second, Ireland in the third.

At the accession of George I. the arms of Hanover were introduced

in the fourth quarter. These were: Tierced in pairle reversed,

1. Brunswick, gules, two lions passant guardant in pale or; 2.

Luneberg, or, semé of hearts gules, a lion rampant azure; 3.

(in point), Westphalia, gules a horse courant argent, and on

an inescutcheon (over the fourth quarter) gules, the crown of

Charlemagne (as Arch Treasurer of the Holy Roman Empire).

At the union with Ireland in 1801 the opportunity was taken to

revise the Royal Arms, and those of France were then discontinued.

The escutcheon decided upon at that date was: Quarterly, 1 and 4,

England; 2. Scotland; 3. Ireland, and the arms of Hanover were

placed upon an inescutcheon. This inescutcheon was surmounted by

the Electoral cap, for which a crown was substituted later when

Hanover became a kingdom.

At the death of William IV., by the operation of the Salic Law, the

crowns of England and Hanover were separated, and the inescutcheon

of Hanover disappeared from the Royal Arms of this country, and

by Royal Warrant issued at the beginning of the reign of Queen

Victoria the Royal Arms and badges were declared to be: 1 and 4,

England; 2. Scotland; 3. Ireland.

[Illustration: PLATE VII Royal Standards]

The principles which governed the use of the royal standard at sea

prior to the sixteenth century are somewhat obscure. In the thirteenth

century and early part of the fourteenth the three lions (or leopards)

of England appear to have been regarded not only as the personal arms

of the Sovereign but also as the English national emblem, and to have

been used as such by all ships, royal and merchant. By the addition,

in January, 1340, of the arms of France, Edward III adopted a royal

standard that could no longer be regarded in this light. Yet although

the royal standard now became more peculiarly the personal ensign of

the king it is clear, from the frequency with which this flag occurs in

inventories of ships' stores, that its use was not confined to ships

in which the king or his admiral were embarked. It seems, however, to

have been flown only on ships temporarily or permanently in the king's

service, and to have been displayed by such ships from the deck, in

company with the flag of St George and other flags containing royal

badges, or emblems representative of the saints after whom the ships

were named.

There was, however, some distinction by which the presence of the king

could be denoted, and this difference lay most probably in the position

of the standard. We know that the "banner of council" placed in the

shrouds as a signal to call the council to the flagship, which is the

earliest signal recorded as used in the English fleet, dates from this

period, and that it contained the royal arms, with angelic supporters,

or impaled with the cross of St George, and that from the sixteenth

to the eighteenth century this "banner" was the royal standard[222].

But the most prominent position for a flag worn in a ship is at the

masthead, and it would seem that it was this position of the standard

that was reserved for the king or his deputy, the Lord Admiral. When

Edward III led the English fleet to the attack on the French fleet at

Sluys in June, 1340, his ship was decorated with banners and streamers

containing the new royal arms, and had a silver-gilt crown at the

masthead.

Li rois estoit en un vassiel moult fort et moult biel qui avoit

esté fais, ouvrés et carpentés a Zandwich et estoit armés et parés

de banières et d'estramières très rices, ouvrées et armoiies des

armes de France et d'Engleterre esquartelées; et sus le mast amont

avoit une grande couronne d'argent dorée d'or qui resplondisoit et

flambioit contre le soleil[223].

It was, however, not the gilt crown but the flags that denoted the

king's presence, for Froissart explains that it was by these flags

that the French knew the king was himself present. "Bien veoient entre

yaus[224] li Normant par les banières que li rois d'Engleterre y estoit

personelment[225]."

In 1495, when Henry VII was encouraging John Cabot and his sons in

their voyages of discovery, he granted them the right to fly the royal

banners and flags: "plenam ac liberam authoritatem, facultatem et

potestatem navigandi ad omnes partes ... sub banneris, vexillis, et

insigniis nostris[226]," presumably in the same way as they were flown

on the royal ships.

The earliest surviving orders directing the Lord High Admiral to fly

the royal standard at the masthead are those of 1545, at the end of

Henry VIII's reign. "Item the Lord Admiral shall beare one banner of

the Kings Maj^{ts} Arms in his mayne topp and one flag of saint George

crosse in his foretopp[227]."

The royal standard was flown at the main, with the St George at

the fore, by Howard during the Armada fights in 1588 and during the

Cadiz Expedition of 1596. In 1618, by arrangement with the Marquis

(afterwards Duke) of Buckingham, Howard (then Earl of Nottingham)

resigned the office, which was transferred to the Marquis. Buckingham

made his first appearance at sea as Lord High Admiral when he

accompanied Prince Charles on his return from Spain in 1623. For this

voyage, a not inconsiderable sum of money was expended in flags, which

included:

Ye great silke flagg w^{th} ye Kings Armes for ye Prince

the great fflag w^{th} ye Princes Armes & ye armes of Spaine empaled

a fflag for ye foretop w^{th} the Prince of Wales armes

a fflag of Bewpers of 24 breadthes w^{th} the Kings Armes

a fflag of 18 breadthes w^{th} the Kings Armes

an Ensigne of 16 breadthes w^{th} ye Lord Admiralls armes

an Ensigne w^{th} ye L^d Admiralls Badge and Motto[228]

with a number of other flags, ensigns and pendants. As the Prince had

a special silk standard, it would seem that one of the other standards

was for Buckingham[229]. The Earl of Rutland was in command of this

fleet on its outward voyage to Santander, and apparently he was given

permission to fly the standard while in supreme command.

The following year Sir R. Bingley was instructed to put his lieutenant,

with the king's standard, in a ship to transport the Spanish Ambassador

across the Channel[230]. This was a somewhat extraordinary use of the

standard, for, with the disuse of flags placed along the bulwarks, it

had ceased to be generally flown on ships-of-war. The standard was,

however, flown on special occasions by high officers other than the

Lord High Admiral when in command of fleets. Wimbledon wore it in the

Cadiz Expedition of 1625, and no less than £36 (equivalent to about

£400 to-day) was spent on "the great silke fflagg w^{th} his Ma^{ts}

Armes guilded w^{th} fyne gould and wrought w^{th} oyle Coll^{rs},"

and it was worn by the Earl of Denbigh in 1628: but when the Earl

of Lindsey, who had been appointed one of the Commissioners for the

Admiralty after the murder of Buckingham, moved heaven and earth for

permission to wear it while in command of the fleet in 1635, alleging

among other reasons that it had been flown by the Earls of Arundel and

Rutland and by Sir Robert Mansell, and that he himself had had the

honour previously, his repeated applications were in vain; and so "a

little maimed" he had to content himself with the Union flag at the

mainmasthead.

During the Civil War the Lord High Admiral's standard held a very

anomalous position. In 1642 the Parliament had appointed the Earl of

Warwick to the office in defiance of the king's wishes, and, although

in active opposition to the king, he flew the royal standard. In the

summer of 1648 the fleet he commanded lay off the Dutch coast, watching

the royalist fleet under the command of Prince Charles. When the

Prince summoned Warwick to take down his standard the Earl replied: "I

am appointed by both Houses of the Parliament of England to be Lord

High Admiral of England, by which right I bear the Standard[231]."

The fleets never came to blows or the two standards might have got a

little mixed. Warwick had, however, provided against this eventuality

just before leaving England by supplying his fleet with pendants of his

personal colours[232].

Shortly after this, the command of the royalist ships was handed over

to Prince Rupert, and in order that the Parliamentary Naval forces

might not have the monopoly of the standard he was given permission to

fly one when he thought fit.

Sir Edward Hyde to Prince Rupert.

Hague 27 Jan. 1649.

Your order for wearing the Standard.... I promised the Prince to

give your Highness advertisement of the debate concerning this

wearing the standard; in which I learned many things, which I never

heard before. It is agreed by all that the standard is properly

and of right to be worn only by the Lord High Admiral of England;

& when I enquired of the order granted for the Lord Willoughby or

Sir William Batten's wearing it, it is said, that it was thought

then necessary, since the Earl of Warwick wore a standard, that

whosoever commanded the fleet that was to fight against him, should

wear one, lest the seamen should be discouraged, and look upon the

Earl as the greater person; so that it is the opinion of all, that,

when you are like to engage with the Rebel's fleet, your men may

expect you should wear that ensign. It is therefore wholly referred

to your Highness to wear it upon any occasions you think fit[233].

At the request of the Council of State, the office of Lord High Admiral

was abolished in 1649 and its powers transferred to the Council, but

as the high authority exercised by the new "Generals at Sea" was in

many respects like that formerly exercised by the Lord High Admiral

they were empowered to wear at the main masthead the special "standard"

referred to above (p. 64) which now took the place of the standard

with the royal arms. In this "standard," which was really only a

modification of the "union" flag, the English lions were replaced by

the St George's cross, the Scottish and French arms disappeared, and

only those of Ireland remained. This upstart flag soon acquired an

honour in battle that had been sadly lacking to the old one since 1588,

for it waved over the heroic fights of the First Dutch War and the

action at Santa Cruz. In May, 1658, it was superseded at sea by the

standard that had been assigned to the Protector in 1653 (see p. 65),

but this flag saw no great deeds and disappeared early in 1659, to

be replaced by the Commonwealth standard. When Mountagu went over in

May, 1660, to fetch back Charles to the throne no royal standard was

forthcoming, so he improvised one as already related (see p. 66).

With the restoration of the Stuarts in 1660 the royal standard resumed

its place as the Lord Admiral's flag, but with the anchor flag as

a substitute when the presence of the king rendered the use of the

standard by the Lord Admiral undesirable.

When William of Orange came over in 1688 to take possession of the

throne of Great Britain for himself and his wife he flew a red standard

containing in an escutcheon his arms impaled with the Stuart royal

arms, with the legend "For the Protestant Religion and the Liberties

of England" above the escutcheon and his motto "je maintiendray"

below[234]; but when the joint sovereigns had been formally proclaimed

king and queen they adopted the Stuart standard with an inescutcheon of

Nassau already described.

The restriction in the use of the standard which had been rapidly

growing[235] since the beginning of the seventeenth century, reached

its culmination in 1702, when the anchor flag definitely superseded it

as the Lord Admiral's flag, although, curiously enough, the standard

remained in use as a signal flag (for calling a council of flag

officers) for nearly another century.

The reason of the abandonment of the royal standard in 1702 does not

appear. In February the Earl of Pembroke, recently appointed Lord High

Admiral by William III, had given instructions for his flagship, the

'Britannia,' then fitting out at Chatham in preparation for the French

War, to be supplied with a standard, but on the 20th March, just after

the accession of Queen Anne, he wrote to the Navy Board:

Notwithstanding any former Orders from me for your preparing any

of the Royal Standards of England, I do hereby desire and direct

you to forbear doing thereof, but you are to cause to be prepar'd

for me as soon as conveniently may be, so many of these flags[236]

which particularly have been worn by the Lord high Adm^{ll} of

England &c., by vertue of his Office, as may be necessary for my

Shipp and Boat[237],

and with this the long-continued existence of the royal standard as a

naval flag of command came to an end.

A number of interesting examples of the use of the standard at sea by

the king and by the Lord High Admiral (the Duke of York) in 1672 are

given in the Journal of Sir John Narborough, then lieutenant in the

Lord High Admiral's flagship, among them the following:

Tuesday being 23rd.... This day the King came on board.... At his

coming this day we put abroad a silk Ensigne and a silk Jack and

all silk Pendants at every yard arm and Top mast head, and at the

Main topmasthead the silk Standard of England, and at the Fore

topmasthead a silk Flagg Red with a yellow anchor and cable in the

Fly: and at the mizen topmasthead a Union Flagg. These we wore all

flying while the King was aboard: But when the King went out of the

Ship and left the Duke aboard the Red flagg was taken in at the

Foremasthead, which had the Anchor and Cable in it, and hoisted up

at the Maintopmasthead. The Standard being struck there, and the

Union Flagg at the Mizen topmasthead was struck....

Wednesday being 5th. (June 1672).... This day the King and several

of the noblemen came on board the Prince[238]. His Royal Highness

caused the Standard to be struck when the King's Standard was in

sight, and when the King was on board the Standard was hoisted at

the Maintopmasthead, and the Red Standard with the anchor in it at

the Foretopmasthead and the Union Flag at the Mizentopmasthead.

Tuesday being 18.... The King had a Standard flying all night at

y^e head of the Yacht's mast, the Queen had a Standard flying at

the head of the Prince's Main topmasthead Flaggstaff, and his R.H.

the anchor Flagg at the head of his Yacht's mast and Prince Rupert

had the Union Flagg at the head of his Yacht's mast....

Monday being 9th. (Sept. 1672).... This afternoon at 4 of the

Clock the King came on board, and Prince Rupert and several of the

nobility were with His Majesty. When His Majesty came within two

miles of the Prince his R.H. commanded the Standard to be struck

until such time as his Majesty came on board. At the striking

of his R.H.'s Standard all the Flaggs in the Fleet were struck

immediately and kept down until the Standard on board the Prince

was hoisted, then they hoisted theirs.

(ii) THE ADMIRALTY FLAG

The Admiralty Flag appears to have originated as a purely ornamental

flag displaying the official badge of the Lord High Admiral for the

decoration of his ship on ceremonial occasions. Its use for such

a purpose would be analogous with the display, in the fourteenth,

fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, of the royal badges, such as the

dragon, swan, antelope, portcullis, ostrich feather or rose.

The office of "Great" or "High" Admiral of England may be dated from

the appointment of John de Beauchamp as Admiral of all the fleets, in

1360, but although the Anchor badge is found upon the seals of the Lord

Admirals of Scotland as early as 1515, no such early instance has yet

been brought to light in England[239]. It may, however, be presumed

that it was in use south of the Tweed from an earlier date, for the

anchor was certainly in use in the sixteenth century as a mark placed

upon ships or goods arrested by the Admiralty Court. The earliest

known instance of the anchor in conjunction with the English Lord High

Admiral's arms occurs at the end of Queen Mary's reign in a volume of

Acts of the High Court of Admiralty dated 11th February, 1558. Here the

arms of Lord Clinton and Saye are surrounded by four anchors without

cable[240].

For the earliest instance of the anchor in a flag we must turn to the

well-known engraving supposed to represent the 'Ark Royal,' Howard's

flagship in 1588, which shows an anchor in the head of a streamer flown

from the foretop[241].

The foul anchor[242] is first found in the seal of Howard after he

had become Earl of Nottingham, and may be seen in a specimen attached

to a document dated April, 1601, now in the British Museum. The badge

appears on the reverse of this seal on the trappings of the horse which

the earl bestrides. In 1623 Buckingham, who had succeeded Nottingham as

Lord High Admiral, was provided with "an Ensigne with ye L^d Admiralls

Badge & Motto." This badge was evidently the anchor and cable, for the

badge of the foul anchor appears prominently four times on the York

Water Gate (Thames Embankment) built for Buckingham in 1626, and in

1627 Buckingham was using as his official seal the anchor and cable

surrounded by the garter and surmounted by a coronet. In the badges on

the gate the end of the cable hangs down over one of the arms, but in

the seal the end is neatly flemished down in three coils upon the shank.

In 1633, when Buckingham was dead and the Admiralty in commission, the

flags surveyed at Deptford included among them a silk "red ensigne with

ye Lo. Admiralls badge." At this date the badge could not have been a

personal one, and there seems no doubt that it was the official anchor

and cable, possibly of the same design as in Buckingham's seal, for

the Commissioners had adopted this form for use in their own seal,

replacing the coronet and garter by the legend "Sig. Com. Reg. Ma. Pro.

Adm. Ang[243]." It will be observed that the field of this flag is

red, as at the present day. The anchor with coiled cable appears again

during the Commonwealth on the seals of the Generals at Sea, but the

design had begun to deteriorate even in Buckingham's time. In his seals

in 1628 some of the turns of the coil pass below the shank, and in the

later seals the coil lays round the shank instead of upon it.

When the Commission was dissolved in 1638 and the office granted to

the Earl of Northumberland (as substitute for the young Duke of York),

Northumberland adopted for his seal a design in which the cable was

draped in graceful turns as a border round the anchor, ending at the

ring on the side opposite to that at which it was made fast. This

design was used by the Committee of the Admiralty and Navy under the

Commonwealth and was adopted by James Duke of York in 1660[244], but in

the eighteenth century it in turn deteriorated, until it reached the

form used in the present flag[245], in which the cable is not made fast

to the anchor at all, but simply passes loosely through the ring and

hangs down stiffly on either side.

The anchor flag was not used during the Commonwealth, but it was

restored in 1661, when the contractor was paid £2. 10_s._ "ffor shading

the Standard and Ensigne and Jack with a ancor," £5. 10_s._ "ffor

sowing silke and cloth for the sockett and markeing the Ensigne with

the ancor and cable," and £4. 10_s._ "ffor sowing silke and cloth for

socketing & markeing the flag with a ancor and cable[246]."

The subordinate "badge" flag was now promoted to the dignity of a

"standard" and flown at the masthead as a substitute for the royal

standard when the Lord Admiral was unable to fly the latter, because of

the presence of the king in the fleet.

In 1673 the Test Act deprived the Duke of York of his office, which for

the next eleven years was placed in commission. Charles II, just before

his death, revoked the commission, and the office fell in to the crown.

When the Duke of York succeeded to the throne in 1685 as James II, he

retained the office in his own hands, and in token of this placed "a

crown over the anchor as being himself his own Admiral[247]."

In addition to the anchor flag (which when used by the sovereign

is flown at the fore, as the main is already occupied by the royal

standard) a flag of similar design, but with the St George's cross in

the upper canton, was also flown as an ensign at the stern[248]

At this period, according to Lieut. Graydon's flag-book, the Scots

Lord Admiral flew a white flag containing a blue anchor and cable.

The Admiral of Scotland, who according to Pepys[249] was "no officer

of State" and had "no precedence at all given him from his office,"

was abolished after the Union of 1707, when the three small ships

representing the navy of that country were absorbed in the English,

henceforth the British, fleet.

After the Revolution of 1688 the Office of Lord High Admiral was placed

in commission, but it was revived by William III in June, 1702, when

the Earl of Pembroke was appointed. Pembroke had intended to proceed

to sea in command of the fleet then being fitted out in anticipation

of the outbreak of the war with France and Spain, known as the War of

the Spanish Succession, and he would have flown the royal standard in

his flagship. William, however, died on 8th March, and Queen Anne,

immediately after her accession, deprived the Lord High Admiral of

the right to fly the standard, among other perquisites and _droits_.

Pembroke then gave instructions for the anchor flag to be supplied

instead. But as he was not a seaman his proposal to take command of

the fleet had naturally aroused much opposition, and in the end it

was dropped. In May he was replaced as Lord High Admiral by Prince

George of Denmark, the Queen's consort, and although Pembroke again

held the office for a short time after the Prince's death in 1708, no

opportunity arose for the anchor flag to be flown at sea in military

command during his or the Prince's tenure.

[Illustration: PLATE VIII Admirals' Flags]

In 1709 the office of Lord High Admiral was again placed in commission

and it remained in commission for over a hundred years. During this

period the anchor flag was on one occasion flown at sea in executive

command. At the end of March, 1719, Admiral the Earl of Berkeley, then

First Lord of the Admiralty, was appointed to the command of a fleet

then fitting out to repel a naval raid threatened from Cadiz in support

of the claims of the Pretender. Having been given the extraordinary

rank of "Admiral and Commander in Chief of his Majesty's Navy and

Fleets," he was authorised by the king (George I) to fly the anchor

flag at the main whilst so serving, and the flag was in fact flown

for a few weeks at the end of March and beginning of April. The next

occasion on which this flag was flown in executive command at sea

occurred in July, 1828, when the Duke of Clarence (afterwards William

IV), who had been appointed Lord High Admiral in 1827, with the express

understanding that he should exercise no military command, suddenly put

to sea from Plymouth, flying the anchor flag, in command of a squadron

of manoeuvre that it had been intended to place under Vice-Admiral Sir

Henry Blackwood. This extraordinary escapade and the friction which

had been caused by the duke's method of conducting affairs, led to

his removal, and to the office being once more placed in commission.

It is very improbable that it will ever again be conferred upon an

individual. In May, and again in August, 1869, Mr Childers, the

First Lord, accompanied by Vice-Admiral Sir Sydney Dacres, the First

Sea Lord, embarked in H.M.S. 'Agincourt' and took command, first of

the reserve fleet, and then of an experimental squadron, under the

Admiralty flag. This proceeding gave rise to much comment, but since

the Letters Patent appointing a Board of Admiralty give power to "any

two or more" of the Commissioners to exercise all the functions of the

Lord High Admiral, the action of Mr Childers does not seem to have been

_ultra vires_, though it is not one that is likely to be repeated.

Since 1850 the anchor flag has been flown over the Admiralty Office in

London. At sea it is flown in the royal yacht when the sovereign is

present, in recognition of the fact that, under the Constitution, he is

the source from which the Lord High Admiral's powers are derived; the

anchor flag being flown at the fore, the royal standard at the main,

and the Union flag at the mizen. In the Admiralty yacht the anchor flag

is flown at the main when members of the Board are embarked in her. It

is the custom (a custom that was in existence in the early years of the

eighteenth century) to fly the anchor flag on men-of-war during the

ceremony of launching. A similar flag, with the lower half of the field

blue, has been recently adopted as the flag of the Australian Naval

Board.

(iii) ADMIRALS' FLAGS

And so the Admiral of a Fleet or Squadron hath his flag in the

Main-top; the Vice-Admiral in the Fore-top and the Rere Admiral in

the Missen-top, with the Crosses or Colours of their Nation and

Countrymen, And thus far it is usual and common even with Fleets

of Merchant men, agreeing amongst themselves for the Admiral[250]

ships in this kind.

In these words Boteler, writing in 1634, sums up the method of

distinguishing the flags of the principal officers of a fleet which had

been made possible by the appearance of the three-masted ship of war in

the fifteenth century, was adopted by the English in the sixteenth, and

remained in vogue until the disappearance of the sailing ship of war in

the nineteenth century.

But, it may well be asked, what was done to distinguish the admirals

before ships had three masts? It is not easy to answer this question,

for the records throw no light on it and the information vouchsafed

by contemporary chroniclers is very scanty. Perhaps the answer

nearest the truth would be: "nothing, for there were then no grades

to distinguish." Before the sixteenth century there was rarely more

than one admiral in a fleet, and on those rare occasions on which two

or more admirals appear they were usually given the command "jointly

and severally," that is, as co-equals[251]. In such cases it may be

presumed that both, if indeed they were not embarked in the same ship,

bore the St George's flag or royal standard at the masthead and were

distinguished by banners of their personal arms.

In the fleet that attempted invasion under Eustace the Monk in 1217,

only one ship (that of the Commander-in-Chief) appears to have flown a

flag at the masthead, for we are told by a contemporary chronicler[252]

that one of Hubert de Burgh's men agreed, when they engaged Eustace's

ship, "to climb up the mast and cut down the banner, that the other

vessels may be dispersed from want of a leader."

In 1346 there seems to have been still only one flag of command in

a fleet. Edward III had in that year fitted out a fleet in order to

make an incursion into Gascony, but after a false start which had been

frustrated by contrary winds, the king, on the advice of Godefroy de

Harcourt, suddenly changed his mind and set out for Normandy, taking

the flag of command from his Admiral and leading the fleet himself.

Et il meismes prist l'ensengne[253] de l'amiral le conte de

Warvich, et volt estre amiraus pour ce voiage, et se mist tout

devant, comme patrons et gouvrenères de toute le Navie[254].

We have no further evidence as to the method of bearing admirals'

flags in the English fleet until we come to the "Book of Orders for the

War by Sea and Land[255]," drawn up by Thos. Audley _c._ 1530 at the

request of Henry VIII. Here provision is made for only one admiral,

who is to bear two flags; one at the main and the other at the fore,

while all the other ships are to bear one at the mizen. The orders

drawn up by Lisle fifteen years later provide for a fleet divided into

three squadrons, and in this case also each admiral had two flags,

but here the two flags were necessary to distinguish the flagships,

as the private ships had each one flag, at the fore, main, or mizen

respectively, to denote the squadrons to which they belonged.

5. Item the lord Admiral shall beare one banner of the Kings

mai^{ts} Armes in his mayne topp and one flag of saint George

crosse in his fore topp, and every shipp appoynted to the battaill,

shall beare one flag of saint Georges crosse in his mayne toppe.

6. Item thadmirall of the vanwarde ys appoynted to beare too flaggs

of saint George crosse, thone in his mayne topp and thother in his

fore topp. And every shipp appoynted to the vanwarde shall weare

one flag of sainte Georges crosse in his fore toppe.

7. Item thadmirall of the wyng shall beare a flag of saint Georg

crosse in either[256] of his mesyn toppes, and every Shipp

Galliasse pynnesse and Shalupe appoynted to the wyng shall have in

ther mesyn toppe one flag of saint George crosse[257].

The relative dignity of the mastheads, main, fore and mizen, is

seen underlying this arrangement, for the Lord Admiral places his

standard at the main masthead and his St George, as next in rank,

at the masthead next in importance; the second admiral occupies the

two foremost mastheads with his flags and the third admiral the two

aftermost, each being, of course, in a four-masted ship.

It will be observed that there is as yet no mention of "Vice" or "Rear"

Admiral, but the term Vice-Admiral, which is much the older of the two,

was in use in the English fleet in 1547 and in the French fleet at

least as early as 1338. The term Rear-Admiral is more modern. This is

pointed out by Monson[258], but indeed sufficient proof is to be seen

in the fact that the term is not used in either the French or Dutch

navies[259].

The Instructions drawn up in March, 1558, by Wm Wynter, Admiral of a

fleet of ships about to go to Portsmouth, contain "an order for beringe

of the flagge":

Item that every Shippe of Warre do set up a flage of St. George

uppon her Bonaventure myson, excepte Mr. Broke, Captaine of the

reed Gallie, who is apointed to ware the flagge of vize Admyrall

for this present Jorney: And the Victuellers, Hoyes and others

for to ware there flagge bytwyne the myzon and the aftermost

shrowde[260].

Here the Vice-Admiral has but one flag, and although we are not

explicitly told where the Admiral and Vice-Admiral are to fly their

flags, it is evident that it is intended they should be at the main and

fore respectively.

We have no further definite information as to the mode in which the

junior admirals bore their flags until we reach the year 1596. For

the important expedition to Cadiz in the summer of that year a large

combined English and Dutch fleet was assembled, and was divided into

five squadrons; four English and one Dutch. The English ships were

under the command of the Earl of Essex and the Lord Admiral (Howard) as

"Joint Generalls of the Armies by sea and land." Under them were Lord

Thomas Howard as Vice-Admiral of the fleet and Sir Walter Raleigh as

Rear-Admiral. Each of these officers had command of one of the English

squadrons with a Vice- and a Rear-Admiral of that squadron under him.

A contemporary account of the expedition among the Duke of

Northumberland's MSS.[261] contains a series of coloured diagrams

showing the flags flown by the various Admirals. From these we see that

Howard, as Lord High Admiral, flew the royal standard at the main and

the St George at the fore. The Vice- and Rear-Admirals of his squadron

flew, at the fore and mizen respectively, a flag with striped field

(red, white and blue in seven horizontal stripes) and the St George in

the canton. Essex, although superior to Howard in social rank and named

before him in the joint proclamation which they issued, flew only the

St George at the main. The Vice- and Rear-Admirals of his squadron flew

at the fore the St George barred with blue horizontally.

The Vice-Admiral of the fleet flew the St George at the fore, and at

the main, as Admiral of his squadron, a flag with the St George in a

canton and a field striped horizontally green and white. The Vice- and

Rear-Admirals of this squadron flew a similar flag at their proper

mastheads. The Rear-Admiral of the fleet flew the St George at the

mizen, and he and the Vice- and Rear-Admirals of his squadron flew

plain white flags at the main, fore, and mizen respectively. The

squadronal flags of the first three squadrons as depicted in this

manuscript are unique as admirals' flags; they appear to have been

stern ensigns promoted for this special occasion.

Originally it had been intended to use plain flags of different colours

for the four squadrons, as is shown by the following entry in the Navy

Accounts to which Mr Oppenheim drew attention in his _Administration of

the Royal Navy_.

Richerde Waters of London Upholster for iiij^{er} large fflagges

or Ensignes made of fine Bewpers conteyning in each of them

xx*iiij v (85) yards of the same stuffe being each of them of

severall Cullers viz One white, one Orengtawnie, one Blew and the

iiij^{th} Crimson Colo^r which were appointed to be so made for the

distinguishing of the iiij^{er} squadrons of the flete ffor the

service then intended, finding at his owne chardges all manner of

stuffe & workmanshippe. xvi^{li} viiij^s viij^d[262].

Apart from the fact that "the unusual particularity of the item

suggests that it was thought to require some justification, which would

be natural if the flags referred to had never been used[263]," it may

be pointed out that ten squadronal flags were needed, while this item

only refers to four. There is, moreover, another entry in the same

account which gives the sizes and prices of the "Ensignes & fflagges"

provided for the expedition, at a total cost of £371. 8_s._ 4_d._

Descriptions of these flags are unfortunately not given, but it is a

significant fact that of the largest size, sixteen breadths[264], ten

were supplied.

The reason for the abandonment of the original intention to use

plain-coloured flags for the squadrons of the 1596 expedition is not

known, but when, in 1625, another expedition was sent out against Cadiz

the fleet was divided into three squadrons, each under three admirals,

with red, blue, and white flags respectively.

This expedition set sail in October, 1625, but four months earlier a

much smaller fleet, also divided into three squadrons, had been sent

to conduct the Queen from Boulogne to England. The difference in the

Admirals' flags worn on these two occasions is significant, for it

shows that there was no established practice applicable to large fleets.

The Instructions[265] issued by Buckingham in June for the Boulogne

fleet provide that the Admiral shall wear the Union flag at the main,

and each ship of his squadron a pendant at the main masthead. The

Vice- and Rear-Admirals are to have the Union at the fore and mizen

respectively, and the private ships[266] of their squadrons pendants at

those mastheads.

But when the larger fleet was set forth in October each of its three

squadrons had three flag officers. The instructions issued by the

Commander-in-Chief, Sir Edward Cecil (afterwards Lord Wimbledon) on 3rd

October, contained the following provision:

17. The whole fleet is to be divided into three squadrons: the

admiral's squadron is to wear red flags and red pendants on the

main topmasthead; the vice-admiral's squadron to wear blue flags

and blue pendants on the fore topmasthead; the rear admiral's

squadron to wear white flags and white pendants on the mizen

topmast heads.

The wording of this instruction is somewhat ambiguous. Owing to the

absence of a comma after "flags," it may be taken to read that every

ship was to have both a flag and a pendant in one of the three tops,

but this would leave no ready means of distinguishing the flag-ships.

Monson and Boteler, who wrote shortly after this date, say that the

squadrons of a fleet were distinguished by coloured pendants hung

from the main, fore, and mizen tops respectively[267], so that we may

conclude that the arrangement of flags on this occasion was as follows:

The Admiral commanding in chief, although he was not Lord High Admiral,

flew the royal standard at the main.

The Vice- and Rear-Admirals of his squadron flew "a redd flagg with

a little white, and St George's Crosse therein at the topp of the

flaggstaff[268]" (i.e. a red flag with St George in the upper canton

next the staff, as in the red ensign), while the private ships of this

squadron flew red pendants at the main.

The Vice-Admiral of the fleet and the Vice-Admiral and Rear-Admiral

of his squadron bore plain blue flags at the appropriate mastheads,

and the private ships of this squadron wore blue pendants at the fore

topmast head.

The Rear-Admiral of the fleet and the Vice- and Rear-Admirals of his

squadron had white flags[269], while the private ships of this squadron

had white pendants at the mizen topmast head.

No mention is made of the Union flag, which should normally have been

flown by the Vice-Admiral and Rear-Admiral of the fleet at the fore and

mizen respectively, but as "every flag officer both of the fleet and of

the squadrons was a soldier[270]" anomalies were to be expected. Sir

Francis Stewart, the original Rear-Admiral of the fleet, and the only

seaman among the flag officers, was left on shore at the last moment

because his ship, the 'Lion,' was found to be leaky. Wimbledon sent for

his flag and conferred it on Denbigh, the Vice-Admiral of his squadron.

Denbigh's former place was given to Delaware, the Rear-Admiral of

the second, or blue squadron. This naturally gave offence to the

Vice-Admirals of the second and third squadrons, and a furious squabble

arose, which only interests us in two points so far as the flags were

concerned. One is that in the course of the squabble the red flag,

which became the object of contention, is referred to repeatedly as the

"flag of St George," the other is that in a weak attempt at a solution

of the difficulty created by his action Wimbledon authorised Valentia,

the Vice-Admiral of the blue squadron to

carrie the redd flagg with the St George's Cross in the maine topp

as a kind of extraordinary or cheife deputy or Vice Admirall to the

Admirall or to his Squadron, soe to distinguish him from my Lo.

Delaware with some preferment alsoe to my Lord of Valencia.

A few days later Wimbledon requested him "to weare his flagg no longer

in the maine topp," and finally both Valentia and Delaware "for reasons

best known to themselves took downe their flagges." The whole episode

forms a truly comic opera performance that must have greatly amused, if

it did not disgust, the seamen of the fleet.

The main interest in this miserable expedition lies in the fact that it

was the first occasion of the division of the fleet into red, blue, and

white squadrons.

Two years later an expedition was fitted out under the command of

Buckingham, the Lord High Admiral, intended for the capture of the

Ile de Ré. On this occasion, in addition to the main fleet, which was

again divided into red, blue, and white squadrons under three principal

officers:--the Lord Admiral, with the standard at the main; the

Vice-Admiral, with the Union at the fore and a blue flag at the main;

and a Rear-Admiral, with the Union at the mizen and a white flag at the

main, each of these having a Vice- and Rear-Admiral under him--there

were two subsidiary squadrons, one under Lord Denbigh, who flew the

St George at the main, and the other under Sir John Pennington, who

flew the St Andrew's cross at the main, the only occasion on which the

Scots' flag has been flown by an admiral of an English fleet.

The method of bearing Admirals' flags now became regularised. If the

fleet was small and had only three flag officers, the senior flew the

Union flag at the main--unless he were the Lord Admiral, or had special

permission to fly the standard--and the other two flew the Union at

the fore and mizen respectively. If the fleet were larger the number

of flag officers, who, it must be remembered, had as yet no permanent

tenure of the rank, was increased to nine and the fleet was divided

into squadrons distinguished by the red, blue and white flags of their

Admirals and by the corresponding pendants of the ships; but this

distinction of colour did not as yet extend to the ensigns on the poop.

This arrangement persisted until the end of the reign of Charles I,

but in the first great fleet fitted out by the Commonwealth, at the

beginning of the First Dutch War, the precedence of the colours was

changed. As already related, the standard and Union flag flown by the

principal admirals had been replaced by flags containing the cross and

harp, but from the following proposals referred by the Commissioners

for the Admiralty and Navy to their subordinate Board, the Navy

Commissioners, it will be seen that it had been at first intended to

adhere to the order of colours--red, blue, white.

The 3 Generals to weare each of them a Standard, the one to have

a pendent under the Standard & an Ensigne of Redd, the second

a pendant under the Standard & an Ensigne of Blew, the third a

Pendant under ye Standard & an ensigne of White.

One Vice Admirall of the ffleet to weare the usuall fflagg in his

foretopp wth a pendant under his fflagg and an ensigne of Redd.

One Rere-admirall to the ffleet to be a Vice-admirall of a grand

Squadron, to weare the usuall fflagg in his mizon topp & a blew

fflagg in his foretopp wth a pendant under it & an ensigne of Blew.

One Vice admirall to the Grand Squadron to weare a white flagg in

his foretopp & a Pendent & Ensigne of white.

Three other Rere-admirals: one of them to weare a Redd flagg,

another a blew flagg & ye other a White in their mizon topps, wth

Pendents & Ensignes of their respective Colo^{rs}.

The rest of the fleet to be devided into 9 parts & to be put under

the 9 flags before mentioned & to weare the colo^{rs} of the

flagg they are put under, viz^t. A pendent & Ensigne of the same

colo^{rs} the flagg is off under w^{ch} they are put.

All the shipps to weare Jacks as formerly.

If any of the Generals shall goe out of their shipps then that

shipp to take downe ye Standard & to putt upp a flagg of the

colo^{rs} of thet pendant yt shipp weares[271].

[Illustration: PLATE IX Early Ensigns, etc.]

The arrangements here proposed merit attention, for they contain

several departures from the custom hitherto prevailing. The three

principal admirals, being of co-equal authority, are each to fly the

same standard at the main masthead, but to distinguish them they are

to have pendants and ensigns of three different colours. The Vice-

and Rear-Admiral of the fleet are retained, but they no longer have

separate squadrons, the senior becomes Vice-Admiral to the first, or

red squadron, and the junior, Vice-Admiral of the second, or blue

squadron. To these are added a squadronal or "occasional" Vice-Admiral

for the third or white squadron, and three Rear-Admirals, one for each

squadron. The private ships are to have an ensign, as well as the

customary pendant, of the squadronal colour.

The Navy Commissioners, after remarking upon rates of pay suitable to

the various grades of flag officers, confess their incompetence to

advise about the flags. "As to the distinguishment of weareing the

fflaggs, Pendants and Ensignes, wee are not capable to give our advice

therein, but must leave it to those Comand^{rs} at Sea (whoe best knowe

the causes of such kind of distinctions) to advise."

This was on the 14th January, 1653, but in the order to hasten the

supply of flags to the fleet dated 4th February these flags are named

in the order red, white, and blue. The reason for the change is not

known, but it may be remarked that the white escutcheon of England had

precedence of the blue escutcheon of Ireland in the Generals' standard,

and this may have led the Generals at Sea to change the order of

precedence of the squadronal colours.

On the 18th February the fleet came into collision with the Dutch at

the Battle of Portland. On that occasion Blake and Deane, two of the

original Generals at Sea, were embarked together in the flagship of

the Red Squadron, which flew the standard, but Monck, who had recently

been appointed as the third General in the vacancy caused by the

death of Popham, took command of the White Squadron, while Penn, the

Vice-Admiral of the fleet, commanded the Blue. The Admiral's flags,

other than the standard, were "clear" colours, in other words plain

flags, but the pendants and ensigns all had "a red cross in chief."

The Vice- and the Rear-Admiral of the Fleet, who acted as Admiral of

the Blue and Vice-Admiral of the Red respectively, probably flew, in

addition to their plain blue and red flags, the Commonwealth "Union"

flag of the cross and harp, but about this time the latter flag seems

to have lost its red and yellow border and to have been of the same

form as the "Jack." Thus in an order dated 2nd March for a further

supply of flags to be hastened to the fleet, then re-fitting for a

renewal of the conflict, these flags are described as "of ye Jack

colours[272]."

3 Standerds of ye usuall colo^{rs} w^{th} ye field Red

4 fflags of ye Jack colors

6 fflags cleare white

6 fflags cleare blue

40 pendants red }

40 pendants blue }

40 pendants white } as ye last was w^{th} the red crosse in chiefe[273]

40 Ensignes red }

40 Ensignes blue }

40 Ensignes white }

100 Jacks

At the Restoration the standard and jack flags reverted to the forms

in use before 1649. The existing method of displaying the admirals'

flags and the precedence of the squadronal colours remained unaltered,

but a more strict regulation of their use gradually makes itself felt,

and precise instructions as to the wearing of their flags begin to

appear in the commissions of appointment issued to the flag officers.

This was no doubt the logical outcome of the improved methods of naval

administration, and especially of such improvements in the status of

officers as the establishment of "Half-pay," of the introduction into

the fleet of suitable youths with the express purpose of training them

as officers, and the institution of qualifying tests before promotion

to the rank of lieutenant. All these reforms tended to make the navy a

regular profession for its higher officers instead of a mere haphazard

calling, but it must be remembered that as yet the only established

"Flag" ranks were those of Lord Admiral and Vice- and Rear-Admiral of

England (or "of the Fleet"). All other Admirals were only "occasional,"

and officers holding such "occasional" rank yielded up the dignity on

hauling down their flag and may frequently be found serving later as

simple "Captain."

An important step forward was made in recognising that there might

be two or more ships in company without either of them necessarily

becoming an "Admiral" ship. This led to the institution in 1674 of the

"Distinction-Pendant," which will be discussed in detail later. (See

Broad Pendant, p. 102.)

When the Revolution of 1688 put an end to Pepys' activities at the

Admiralty he was engaged in codifying the regulations relating to

flags, and had laid before the king (as Lord High Admiral) a "new

establishment" under which "no flags are to be issued but by particular

warrant, which I suppose is to express their no., colors, and

dimensions according to the occasions which they are issued for[274]."

The position at the end of Pepys' career is well summarised in the

table overleaf drawn up by him--one of the many instances of his

fondness for methodical statements.

The last entry is of especial interest. When the stricter regulation

enforced had prevented many officers from wearing flags who would,

in similar circumstances, undoubtedly have had that privilege in the

first half of the century, much importance was attached to the right

to exhibit a naked flagstaff. One striking instance of this occurs in

1687, when Sir Roger Strickland was appointed Vice-Admiral of the fleet

under the Duke of Grafton, ordered to transport the Queen of Portugal

(the king's sister) to Lisbon. Strickland, not unnaturally, wanted to

wear a flag as Vice-Admiral. Not many years earlier he would have done

this as a matter of course; now he had to obtain the king's permission,

which was granted. But he had omitted Pepys from his reckoning. The

king's sign manual warrant was accompanied by a long letter from Pepys

dissuading him from exercising the right:

a thing so extraordinary, so irregular, and so unjustified by any

practice past, and unlikely to be ever imitated in time to come,

as this which you have thus contended for, of having two of the

Top Flags of England exposed to sea, in view of the two greatest

Rivalls of England for Sea Dominion and Glory (I mean the Dutch and

French) with no better provision for supporting the Honour thereof,

then Six Ships, and two of them such as carry not above 190 men and

54 guns between them, and this too obtained through meer force of

Importunity,

and hinting that the king will take it well if he does not hoist the

flag, though he may bear the flagstaff. Like a wise man, he took

Mr Secretary's hint, and resigned the honour. The king thereupon

authorised Strickland to bear the naked staff only, and informed that

officer that he was pleased to find that Pepys' advice had been taken,

for it had been offered with his privity.

A DESIGNATION OF THE SEVERAL FLAGS AND COLOURS USED IN THE ROYAL NAVY

OF ENGLAND FOR DISTINGUISHING DEGREES OF COMMAND THEREIN (Table Part 1)

--------------+----------------------------------------------

| The various Flags and Colours used

| in the Navy of England denoting command

+---------+---------+--------+--------+--------

--------------+---------+---------+--------+--------+--------

Ld High Adm^l |At the |At the | -- | -- | --

| | | | |

Vice Adm^l | -- | -- |At the | -- | --

| | |w^h a | |

| | | | |

Rear Adm^l | -- | -- |At the | -- | --

| | |w^h a | |

| | | | |

Admiral of | -- | -- |At the | -- | --

| | | | |

Admiral | -- | -- | -- | -- |At the

| | | | |

Admiral | -- | -- | -- | -- | --

| | | | |

{ Red | -- | -- | -- |At the | --

{ | | | |Foretop |

Vice { | | | | |

Admiral{ White| -- | -- | -- | -- |At the

of the { or | | | | |Foretop

{ Blue | -- | -- | -- | -- | --

| | | | |

{ Red | -- | -- | -- |At the | --

{ | | | |Mizentop|

{ | | | | |

Rear { | | | | |At the

Admiral{ White| -- | -- | -- | -- |Mizentop

of the { or | | | | |

{ Blue | -- | -- | -- | -- | --

| | | | |

Admiral of the| -- | -- |At the | -- | --

| | | | |

Vice Adm^l | -- | -- |At the | -- | --

| | | | |

Rear Adm^l | -- | -- |At the | -- | --

| | | | |

Adm^l or | -- | -- |At the | -- | --

| | | | |

Private | -- | -- | -- | -- | --

--------------+---------+---------+--------+--------+--------

A DESIGNATION OF THE SEVERAL FLAGS AND COLOURS USED IN THE ROYAL NAVY

OF ENGLAND FOR DISTINGUISHING DEGREES OF COMMAND THEREIN (Table Part 2)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

The various Flags and Colours used

in the Navy of England denoting command

---------+--------+------------+-------------+-------------+-------------

| | | | |

| | | | |

---------+--------+------------+-------------+-------------+-------------

| | | | |

-- |At the |At the Poop | -- | -- |At the Fore

| | | | |

-- | Do |At the Poop | -- |At the Fore- |At the Main

| | | | |

-- | Do | Do | -- |At the Mizen-|At the Main

| | | | |

-- | Do | Do | -- | -- |At the Fore

| | | | |

-- | Do | Do White | -- | -- |At the Fore

| | | | |

At the | Do | Do Blue | -- | -- |At the Fore

| | | | |

-- | Do | Do Red | -- | -- | }

| | | | | } At the

-- | Do | Do White | -- | -- | } Main and

| | | | | } Mizentops

At the | Do | Do Blue | -- | -- | }

| | | | |

-- | Do | Do Red | -- | -- | }

| | | | | } At the

-- | Do | Do White | -- | -- | } Main and

| | | | | } Fore tops

At the | Do | Do Blue | -- | -- | }

| | | | |

-- | Do | Do Ordinary| -- | -- |At the Fore

| | | | |

-- | Do | Do | -- | -- |At the Main

| | | | |

-- | Do | Do | -- | -- |At the Main

| | | | |

-- | Do | Do | -- | -- |At the Mizen

| | | | |

---------+--------+------------+-------------+-------------+-------------

Although Pepys' influence ceased at the Revolution, and his proposed

"establishment" of flags was never ratified, the work of regulation

and restriction went on through the reigns of William and Mary and

Anne, culminating in the abolition of the Lord Admiral's standard and

the confining of the Union flag at the masthead to the "Admiral of the

Fleet." Nevertheless, several curious anomalies remained until the

opening years of the eighteenth century. Officers appointed to the

chief command of squadrons sent to the Mediterranean or West Indies

were, whatever their rank, usually authorised to wear the Union flag

at the main so soon as they had left the Channel. Thus in 1690 Captain

Lawrence Wright was authorised to wear the Union flag at the main when

sent to the West Indies in command of a small squadron.

Whereas his Ma^{tie} thinks fitting for his Service that in ye

present Employment on which you are going of Commander in cheife

of the Squadron of their Ma^{ts} Shipps appointed for service in

ye West Indies you should weare a fflagg at the Maintop. These

are in pursuance of his Ma^{ts} pleasure signified to this Board

on that behalfe to authorize and require you that in your Voyage

outwards bound to ye West Indies, soe soon as you shall be out of

ye English Channell, you weare ye Union fflagg at the maintop-mast

head of their Ma^{ts} Shipp on board w^h you shall be in person in

your aforesaid Employment as Comand^r in cheife, and to continue

soe to doe untill in your returne from the West Indies you shall

againe arrive in the Channell. And for soe doing this shall be your

Warrant. Given under our hands & ye Seale of ye Office of Ad^{ty}

this Sixth day of ffeb^y 1689 (1690)

To Capt^n Lawrence Wright

Commander in cheife of their Ma^{ts} Ships

now bound to ye West Indies[275].

The position occupied by Captain Wright was equivalent to that for

which, at a later date, the title "Commodore" was borrowed from the

Dutch. The Distinction Pendant, which it might be thought would be more

applicable to such cases, was as yet confined in its use to the Downs.

Ten months later Captain Aylmer was sent to the Mediterranean in a

similar position, but instead of being allowed the Union flag he was

only granted a special distinction pendant with the Union instead of

the St George's cross at the head. Cases in which captains were ordered

to wear the Union flag at the main are rare, but junior flag officers

in command of squadrons were, during the reigns of William III and

Anne, frequently directed to wear the Union flag as though they were

full admirals. Thus Sir George Rooke, when appointed Commander-in-Chief

in February, 1693, of a fleet destined for the Mediterranean was

instructed:

12. So soone as you shalbe out of ye English Channell in your

voyage outwards bound, you are to wear the Union Flag at ye

Mainetopmast head and to continue so to do untill in your returne

you shalbe againe in the Channell[276].

At that date Rooke was Vice-Admiral of the Red, and flew, while in

the Channel, the red flag at the fore.

[Illustration: PLATE X Ensigns, etc.]

Early in 1702 an important alteration was made in the white squadronal

colours, which led to the introduction of the St George's cross in the

admiral's flag and in the fly of the ensign. It will be remembered

that hitherto the white colours consisted of: (1) a plain white flag

for the admirals; (2) a plain white ensign with a small St George's

cross in the upper canton next the staff; (3) a plain white pendant

with a St George's cross at the head. In February, 1702, the Earl of

Pembroke, then Lord High Admiral, sent the Navy Board instructions for

fitting out the fleet intended to operate against the French; these

instructions included:

An account of what Flagg-Ships are ordered to be fitted out at

Chatham and Portsmouth, and what Flags they are to wear.

_Chatham_:

Britannia Ld High Admiral The Standard

Sr George Rook

Soveraigne Adml of ye White Union Flagg

Marq^s of Carmarthen

Prince George Rear Adml to L^d Adml. Redd flagg

Sr Dav^d Mitchell

Boyne Vice Adm^l of ye White Union fflagg

Sr Clo. Shovell

Queen Adm^l of ye Blue Blue Flagg

_Portsmouth_:

Roy^l William Mr Aylmer

Vice Adm^l to ye L^d Adm Redd fflagg

Victory Sr Jno. Munden

R^r Adm^l of ye White Union Flagg

St George S^r Staff^d Fairborne

Rear Adml of ye Blue Blue Flagg

The Vice Adm^l of the Blue vacant by Mr. Benbow being in the West

Indies.

The Lord High Adm^l and the Flagg Ships of his squadron to have

Redd Ensignes and Pendants as usual to ye Private Ships.

The Admiral of the White to have Ensignes with the usual Cross

in the Canton, with this distinction; that a third part of the

said Ensignes for himself and the Flaggs and private Ships of his

Squadron are to be White in the middle of the Flye:--and this to be

in the whole length of the Ensigne.

The Adm^{rll} of the Blue and the Flagg Ships of his Squadron to

wear blue Flaggs and Blue Ensignes and Pendants to the private

ships with the usual Cross in the Canton of each as hath been

usually worne by ships of the Blue Squadron.

But as for the Pendants to the Private Ships of each Squadron, and

the Flaggs to wear in the Boats by the fflagg Officers, particular

directions will be suddenly given therein[277].

The white admirals' flag was to be replaced by the Union, and the white

ensign by a red one with a broad white horizontal stripe through it.

The reason for some such change is obvious when we recollect that at

this date the French flag was white. Six weeks later were given the

further directions that had been promised "suddenly." After cancelling

the order for the standard, as already related[278], Pembroke instructs

the Navy Board:

And whereas it may be necessary to distinguish the Vice and Rear

Adm^{ll} of each squadron by some particular mark in the fflaggs

which they carry in the heads of their Boats, I do hereby desire

and direct you to cause the distinctions exprest in ye papers

herewith sent you to be made in the Flaggs which the respective

Vice and Rear Adm^{lls} shall be furnished with for the Boats as

aforesaid: as also that what Pendents there shall now or for the

future be wanting for the Fleet, be made somewhat broader than they

now are, and shorter according to the draught in one of the said

papers, that so the inconveniencys that attend the present Lengths

of them by entangling in the Rigging or otherwise may be

prevented[277].

This was accompanied by a diagram showing the following boat flags.

Vice Admiral of the Red Plain red flag[279]

Rear Admiral of the Red Red flag with a white ball in hoist

Vice Admiral of the White Union flag with a white ball in hoist

Rear Admiral of the White Union flag with two white balls

placed diagonally

Vice Admiral of the Blue Blue flag with a white ball in hoist

Rear Admiral of the Blue Blue flag with two white balls

placed diagonally[280]

The need for some distinction in the flags of the admirals of the same

squadronal colour, when displayed in a boat, or indeed any small craft

in which only one position was available, must, one would suppose, have

been felt often before, but this was the first attempt to solve the

difficulty. Its main interest lies in the fact that it supplied the

solution of the similar difficulty which arose, nearly three hundred

years later, when the three-masted sailing-ship had given place to the

two-masted iron ship, which often had only a single masthead available

for the Admiral's flag.

The changes promulgated by the orders of the 5th February and the 20th

March, 1702, already quoted, did not end there, for the officers of

the fleet were not satisfied with an arrangement that made over the

Union flag to the admirals of the second squadron of the fleet and

introduced a red and white ensign. Accordingly, on the 6th of May,

Pembroke issued the following further order:

Whereas I did some time since direct in what manner the Flaggs

and Ensignes should be made for such ships as should be appointed

to be of the Squadron of the Adm^l of the White, and whereas upon

consulting with the Flagg Officers of the Fleet, it is thought

more advisable that the said Flaggs and Ensignes should be rather

made white with a large St George's Cross, according to the sample

herewith sent you: and I do therefore hereby desire and direct you,

to cause all such of the said Flaggs and Ensignes as have already

been made by your orders to be altered, and that such as are still

to be made be conformable to what is before directed, as also

the Flaggs necessary for the Boats of the Ships of the aforesaid

Squadron[281].

The drawing included with the order shows a very broad red cross, in

width equal to one-third of the depth of the whole flag[282].

This alteration necessitated a change in the boat flags of the Vice-

and Rear-Admirals of the White. The balls became blue and were gathered

into the upper canton instead of being placed diagonally across the

flag; the white balls in the red and blue flags also underwent the same

alteration in position.

In November, 1805, as a special compliment to the navy, the rank of

Admiral of the Red was created. As this introduced three red flags in

place of two, the boats' flags of the Vice- and Rear-Admiral of the Red

were altered so as to have the same number of balls as the other Vice-

and Rear-Admirals.

No further alteration took place in the Admirals' flags until 1864,

when the division of Flag Officers into the three categories "of

the Red," "of the White," and "of the Blue" was abolished and the

squadronal colours discontinued. The reason for this change will be

discussed in dealing with "Flags of Distinction," and it will therefore

be sufficient to note here that the white colours were retained for the

navy, red balls being substituted for blue in the "boat" flags.

The invention of the modern battleship, with only two masts (one of

which was often unfitted for the display of the Admiral's flag owing to

the presence of a masthead semaphore) had caused the general adoption

by Vice- and Rear-Admirals of the "boat" form of their flags instead

of the plain flag at the fore or mizen respectively, and this led to

the question being raised in 1898 of a suitable flag for Vice- and

Rear-Admirals, who often found the main masthead alone available for

their flag, while on the contrary an Admiral was, in other ships,

often obliged to hoist his on the foremast. In view of the fact that

many of the great maritime nations had adopted the British method

of differencing by balls (or stars) it was not thought desirable to

abandon this method, but to make the flags more easily distinguishable

the balls were increased in size to one-half of the depth of the

canton, which necessitated placing the second ball of the Rear-Admiral

in the lower canton next the staff, instead of in the upper one.

With the arrangement then adopted, which clearly distinguishes the

flags of the three grades in all conceivable circumstances, we may

assume that finality has been reached.

(iv) PENDANTS OF COMMAND

(_a_) _The Commodore's Broad Pendant_

Although the use of a specially large pendant to denote the presence

of the officer in command of a squadron was not unknown in early

days[283], the custom was not adopted in the English fleet until the

latter part of the seventeenth century. Introduced first in 1674

simply to denote the ship of the officer in command for the time being

of that important roadstead the Downs, the natural rendezvous of all

ships going to and from the Thames and Medway, the custom was extended

in 1690 to embrace the case in which a small squadron was sent abroad

under a captain for whom there was no room on a Flag List which had

become restricted to the nine admirals of the red, white, and blue

colours.

On 14th November, 1674, in the course of a debate by the King and the

Admiralty Board concerning the flying of pendants by foreign men-of-war

in the Downs, the question was raised as to the desirability of marking

the ship of the officer in command there, when that officer was not of

flag rank. The summary of this discussion, recorded by Pepys in the

Admiralty "Journal," contains so many points of interest that it seems

desirable to reproduce it in full.

14 Nov^r 74

Present

The King

Prince Rupert Mr Sec^y Coventry

Lord Treasurer Mr Sec^y Williamson

Mr Vice Chamberlaine

Navy Offrs attending

Upon readeing another Lre from Capt Dickinson in ye Hunter,

Command^r in Cheife in ye Downes, disireing direction how to

demeane himselfe in reference to any forreigne Men of Warr which

shall come into and remaine in ye Downes with ye Pendant in ye

Mainetop, while his Ma^{ts} ship at ye same time Comanding there

shall ride without other Marke or distinction then that of a

Pendant in ye Maintop, viz^t whether hee shall suffer ye said

forreigne Man of Warr to continue rideing with his Pendant up, or

cause it to be taken downe; and it being, upon discourse thereon,

observed first that Pendants originally were not at all designed as

a mark or distinction, but only ornament. Next, That at this day

ye weareing of a Pendant at ye Maintopp is yt which is everywhere

become ye Marke of distinguishing a Man of Warr from a Merch^t man.

Thirdly, That our Ensigns and Jacke, together with their lyeing in

ye Adm^{ls} Birth, will sufficiently informe as well straingers

as his Ma^{ts} Subjects which is ye Comand^r in Cheife without ye

helpe of ye Pendants, soe as noe mistake can arise from ye want

of it either on occasion of applications to be made or respect

to be paid to her. Lastly, That noe difficulty has at any time

heretofore been made of permitting Straingers Men of Warr to weare

their Pendants in presence of ye Comand^r in Cheife in ye Downes,

noe more than elsewhere. The respect challenged by his Mat^y lying

not in ye lowreing of ye Pendant but ye fflagg or Topsaile which

was now avered by Mr Vice Chamberlaine and S^r Jeremy Smith, as it

had lately been to Mr Pepys by ye body of ye Trinity House of whom

hee had on this occasion lately inquired after the knowledge and

observation of ye Eldest Seamen there. Whereupon it was resolved by

his Mat^y and their Lord_ps_, that ye loureing of ye Pendant and

kepeing of it downe is not in this case to be exacted, and y^t Capt

Dickinson should be accordingly directed therein, But in case upon

further inquiry into this matter (w^{ch} Mr Pepys was ordered to

make w^{th} ye Off^{rs} of the Navy) it should be found needfull

(with respect either to decency or use) that some distinction be

observed betweene his Ma^{ts} Ship Commanding in Cheife (and not

beareing a Flagg) and others of his Ma^{ts} Ships or his Subjects

rideing in ye Downes at ye same time, some convenient marke or

distinction be by them Propounded to his Ma^{ty} & my Lords on that

behalfe in order to their further determination thereon.

On the 18th Pepys sent the Navy Board a memorandum

to put them in mind of considering how far it may be necessary for

the ship which shall command in chief there, and which from her

quality and the saving of charge shall not be allowed to wear a

flag, be appointed to bear some mark of difference, and if so what

may be proper to be established without exposing the King to the

extraordinary charge of a flag[284].

After a week's consideration the Navy Board replied that

in case the evills that may arise from the want of this distinction

are such as shalbee thought necessary to bee prevented, wee

doe humbly acquaint yo^r Lo^{pps} that in our opinion severall

inconveniences fitt to be prevented may accrew in case severall

of his Ma^{ties} Shipps doe at one and the same tyme ride in the

Downes and it bee not knowne which of the said shipps doeth command

there in cheife[285].

They therefore humbly conceived it expedient to appoint, as a mark of

distinction, a Red Pendant, somewhat larger than ordinary, on a small

flagstaff at the main topmast head. With a view to saving expense they

were careful to suggest that the

Flaggstaff & Pendant when the shipp by whome it was worne happens

to leave the Downes shall bee delivered to such other shipp there

as shall bee appointed to succeed in the roome of the former, or

if there bee noe such shipp there, then that the same bee sent

on shore to Deale and lodged there with his Ma^{ties} Muster

Master[286]

until it was again wanted. Their fear that they might have to supply

every likely ship with a staff and distinction pendant is perhaps the

reason of the hesitating reluctance which their letter displays.

The Admiralty approved their proposals, and on the 12th December issued

the necessary order, being careful to add that it was done "without any

extra wages to be allowed for the same[287]."

The arrangement seems to have been viewed with some apathy by those

concerned, probably because there were no extra wages attached, for

in June, 1676, Pepys wrote to his brother-in-law, the Muster Master

at Deal, reminding him that it was his duty to see the order complied

with, and at the same time informing Captain Sir R. Robinson, then

Commander-in-Chief in the Downs:

I am to note to you that his Majesty's last orders authorised

you to wear the pendant of distinction which was some time since

established ... the wearing which pendant I fear hath been for some

time neglected, but the King's said orders will remedy it by your

calling for it from his Agent at Deal and putting it up according

to the establishment ... which will abundantly I hope distinguish

you[288].

Pepys in his _Miscellanea_ has given us a drawing and description of

this pendant, from which it appears that it had the St George's cross

in a white field in chief and was five breadths (4 ft 7 ins.) broad at

the head, and 21 yards in length, whereas the ordinary pendants were

only three breadths (2 ft 9 ins.) at the head and varied in length

from 22 to 32 yards according to the size of the ship. Both were

"swallow-tailed" (i.e. slit at the end of the fly).

In 1683 the Navy Board had again to be reminded that this distinction

pendant was to be used, but by 1692 it had become so popular that

"some Commanders of their Ma^{ts} ships do take the liberty to wear

distinction pendants without order for the same[289]," and they were

strictly forbidden to do so.

In 1695 the use of this pendant was extended to the senior captain of

ships cruising in the "Soundings" at the entrance to the Channel.

In the meantime another form of distinction pendant was introduced, in

which the St George at the head was replaced by the Union. This form

was for use abroad, in analogy with the practice by which Admirals sent

abroad were ordered to wear the Union flag when out of the Channel,

instead of their squadronal flag. As early as 1687 Pepys had noted the

use abroad of a red ensign with the Union instead of the St George

in its canton. At this date the St George's flag was still being

flown by Genoese ships, and it was doubtless the desire to avoid any

misunderstandings on this account that led to the disuse, before 1707,

of the St George's flag by English men-of-war outside home waters. For

some unexplained reason this form of ensign had become known as the

Budgee flag, and this name was later transferred to the Union Broad

Pendant, which became known as the Budgee Pendant[290] and was no doubt

the parent of the modern word "Burgee."

The first instance of the use of the Budgee Pendant occurs in December,

1690, when Captain Aylmer, appointed Commander-in-Chief of the squadron

intended for the Mediterranean, was ordered to be supplied with a

distinction pendant "made with ye Union Crosses in place where other

Distinction Pendants have only St Georges Crosse[291]."

Three years later the Earl of Danby, Captain of the 'Royal William'

in the fleet under the three joint-admirals, was ordered to wear this

same pendant and given precedence next to the Flag Officers[292],

and in 1697 Captain J. Norris was appointed Commander-in-Chief of a

squadron bound to Newfoundland and ordered, when out of the Channel, to

"wear such a swallow tail pendant as Mr Aylmer had when he commanded a

squadron in the streights, and which was afterwards worne by the Earle

of Danby[293]."

All these officers, whether commanding-in-chief like Aylmer or in

subordinate command like Danby, were serving in a position afterwards

known as that of "Commodore." This title, derived from the Dutch

"Commandeur" (originally the senior officer of a merchant fleet)

which had been adopted in the Dutch navy from their merchant service

at the end of the sixteenth century, was introduced into the English

navy about 1695, no doubt as a consequence of the close connection

between the two navies under "Dutch William." It was, however, not yet

officially recognised; in their official orders the officers were

simply "Captain" or "Captain and Commander in chief." They received a

special allowance, usually 10_s._ a day, while so acting. Later on the

importance of some of these positions was enhanced by the introduction,

in certain cases, of a second captain into the Commodore's ship. This

practice, which was in vogue at least as early as 1720, does not seem

at first to have entailed any difference in flag or pay, but it made

an important difference in prize money, for those Commodores who had

Captains under them were treated in this respect as though they were

flag officers.

In 1731 the Admiralty attempted to establish the rank of Commodore

by providing for three posts of this rank in the _Regulations and

Instructions for his Majesty's service at sea_, then for the first time

gathered together in one book, but the Privy Council struck out all the

articles relating to this proposal before recommending the book for the

king's approval. The title was, however, formally recognised in 1734 by

an Order in Council which, in laying down the relative precedence of

Sea and Land Officers, provided "That Commodores with Broad Pendants

have the same respects as Brigadiers-General," but the rank remains to

this day a "temporary" one, carrying special pay and privileges but

giving the captain holding it no authority over captains senior to him

on the list.

Regulations governing the rank first appeared in the _King's

Regulations_ of 1806. The Broad Pendant was to be of the squadronal

colour and was to have the further distinction of a white ball if the

Commodore had no second captain in his ship.

There shall be a temporary rank of Commodore which shall be

distinguished by a Broad Pendant, Red, White or Blue....

If the Commodore commands the ship himself the Pendant shall have

a large white Ball near the staff and he shall not rank as a Rear

Admiral.

Prior to 1806, Commodores appear to have kept their pendants flying

in all circumstances. The new regulations, however, directed that if

the Commodore met a senior captain, that captain was also to hoist a

broad pendant, but if there were more than one senior to him then the

Commodore was to strike his broad pendant instead.

This anomalous arrangement was altered in the Regulations of 1824,

which provided that no Commodore should fly his broad pendant, or

even hold the rank, while in the presence of a senior captain; but

the difference in the two positions, dependant on the presence or

absence of a second captain in the commodore's ship, was accentuated

by dividing the commodores into two distinct classes on this basis;

the first class flying the red or white pendant and the second the blue

only.

A plain Red Broad Pendant, or a White Broad Pendant with a Red

Cross in it, is to be worn by Commodores of the First Class; but

when more than one such Commodore shall be present, the Senior only

shall wear the Red Pendant, and the other, or others, the White

Pendant.

A Blue Pendant is to be worn by Commodores of the Second Class.

With the abolition of the squadronal colours in 1864, the red and blue

broad pendants disappeared. Commodores of the first class were to wear

the white broad pendant at the main and those of the second class the

same pendant at the fore. In boats the latter were to have a red ball

in the upper canton of their pendants. From the same cause as that

which affected the admirals' flags, this form with the ball soon became

the only one in use for the second class.

Originally fourteen times as long as it was wide at the head, the broad

pendant became gradually shorter. By the time the red and blue forms

were abandoned it had reached its present proportions, in which it is

only twice as long as its greatest breadth.

In 1913 the provision that Commodores should strike their broad pendant

while in the presence of a senior captain was deleted from the _King's

Regulations_. Commodores take rank and command of each other according

to their seniority as captains and without regard to the class to which

they belong, so that a Second Class Commodore flying a Broad Pendant

with a ball might be the superior officer of a First Class Commodore

flying the pendant without the ball, normally the superior flag, and

the relative precedence of these flags would thereby become inverted

while these two Commodores were in company or in the same port.

(_b_) _The Senior Officers' Pendant_

Ten years after the institution of the Distinction Pendant to denote a

Commander-in-Chief who did not hold flag rank, Lord Dartmouth, then in

command of an expedition against Algiers, hit upon the idea of granting

a similar pendant to the senior captain of three or more ships that

might casually happen to be in company. His orders, dated 1st January,

1684[294], contain the following provisions:

1. That every younger captain, upon his meeting with an elder

Captain at sea or in port (though the rate of the ship which he is

in be superior to the other) pay all fitting respect and obedience

by taking in his Pendant....

3. That (abroad) wheresoever more than 2 ships happen to be or

meet together the eldest Captain shall put up and wear a Pendant

of distinction and the other captains shall wear the Ordinary

Pendant.

4. That the said Pendant of distinction in this Fleet shall be

red with a large Cross at the head and double the breadth of the

ordinary Pendant, two thirds the length of it, and cut with a long

and narrow swallow tayle.

It was within the competence of Dartmouth to give such an order to the

squadron serving under him, but the practice seems to have been kept up

after he had left the Mediterranean, for Captain Sir Roger Strickland,

writing to Pepys from the Bay of Bulls in September, 1686, complained

Had I wore a Flag in this Expedition, I might then have had a sight

of Capt. Priestman's orders for his keeping the King's Ships under

his command so long here, at so extra an expence, & I am no less

surprised at his wearing a swallow-tail'd flag at his main topmast

head much broader than his ensign, having a St Andrew's Cross in

it as well as St George's, being indeed such a thing as I never

saw, seeming to turn the King's flag & Pend^t into ridicule when

at ye same time ye D. of Mortmar rides by him w^h only a small

Pend^t...[295].

From a "particular draft" of this pendant given to Pepys it appears

that it was very broad and short, with a red swallow-tailed fly, and a

blue saltire, surmounted by a red cross, on a white ground at the head.

Captain Priestman was brought to book and had to apologise to the king

for his action.

The practice of wearing a senior officers' pendant, although never

officially recognised, appears to have extended and to have been put

down by the following order issued in July, 1692:

Whereas we are informed that some of the Comanders of their Ma^{ts}

ships do take the liberty to wear Distinction Pendants without

any order for the same, contrary to the Rules of the Navy: We do

hereby strictly charge & require all Capt^{ns} & Comanders of

their Ma^{ts} Ships & Vessels & others hired into their service

That they do not presume upon any pretence whatsoever to wear any

other Pendants in the Ships they comand, then the Ordinary Pendants

w^h have by the constant practice of the Navy been worne in their

Ma^{ts} Ships of Warre without particular order in writing from

this Board for soe doeing[296].

After this we hear no more of this pendant until the great change

of 1864, when the following provision was made in the regulations

promulgated on that occasion:

When two or more of Her Majesty's Ships are present in Ports or

Roadsteads, a small Broad Pendant (White, with the St George's

Cross) is to be hoisted at the mizen-top-gallant-mast-head of the

Ship of the Senior Officer.

A slight modification was introduced in the _King's Regulations_ of

1906, which ordered that in ships with less than three masts this

pendant should be hoisted at the "starboard topsail-yard-arm." This was

again modified in 1913 when the senior captain at a port, if the senior

naval officer there present, was instructed to hoist this pendant at

the masthead while any Commodore junior to him on the list of captains

was also present in that port.

FOOTNOTES:

[215] The art of Heraldry was not established until the thirteenth

century, and the armorial bearings associated with the names of our

kings before Richard I are the inventions of the mediaeval heralds,

who, in their anxiety to give their art a foundation in the past, did

not hesitate to assign arms even to the psalmist David.

[216] Or leopards. See _Ency. Brit._ s.v. "Heraldry."

[217] The claim was renounced by the Treaty of Bretigny in 1360, to be

renewed again at the suggestion of Parliament in 1369: presumably the

French Arms were not used between these years.

[218] E.g. seal of the Exchequer of Ireland (Commonwealth).

[219] See p. 64 and Plate VI, fig. 5.

[220] See p. 65 and Plate VI, fig. 6.

[221] Fox-Davies, _Complete Guide to Heraldry_, 1909, p. 607.

[222] Its use was discontinued on the official adoption of Howe's

Signal Book in 1790.

[223] Froissart, I (_MS. de Rome_).

[224] eux.

[225] Froissart, I.

[226] _Hakl. Voy._ VII, 141.

[227] _S. P. Henry VIII_, CCV, 160. Instructions drawn up by Sir John

Hawkins in the latter part of Elizabeth's reign contain the same

provision. "Item the Ld. Admirall shall beare a flagg of the Armes of

England upon the Top of his Mayne-mast. And a flagg of St. George one

the foretopmast."

[228] _Rawlinson MS._ A 192.

[229] Buckingham flew the standard during the Ile de Ré expedition of

1627.

[230] _Cal. S. P. D._ 15th June, 1624.

[231] Penn, _Memorials of Penn_, I, 262.

[232] _S. P. D. Chas. I_, DXVIII, 120: "I desire you to provide and

send downe twenty Pendents of my Colours viz. Yellowe and Tawny for the

ships that accompany mee to sea. And I shall n(ee)d a newe Standard for

the St George."

[233] _Clarendon S. P._ II, 468, 9.

[234] These arms and device were also used on Proclamations issued in

January, 1689.

[235] This is especially seen in the case of the Earl of Lindsey, who

had nevertheless been granted the extraordinary privilege of pardoning

penalties inflicted by Martial Law in his fleet, a power that did not

appertain even to the Lord High Admiral.

[236] I.e. the anchor flag; this is confirmed by a sketch of the flags

ordered on 20th March, 1702, in _Rawlinson MS._ C 914.

[237] _Adm. Sec. Out Lrs._ 182.

[238] I.e. H.M.S. _Prince_.

[239] This is perhaps due to the fact that the English Lord Admirals

adopted a ship in full sail upon the obverse of their seals. We have

no specimen of the reverse or counter-seal earlier than that of

Nottingham. As the anchor is found on the reverse of this seal it is

possible that it was upon the reverse in the earlier seals.

[240] The author is indebted to Mr R. G. Marsden for this reference.

[241] Reproduced in Hakluyt Society's edition of _Hakluyt's Voyages_,

IV, 208. The engraving may be dated circa 1600.

[242] A conventional design of an anchor and cable, in which the cable

is entwined about (or, as seamen say, foul of) the stock and shank.

[243] The seal of the Royal Commissioners for the High Admiralty of

England.

[244] A variation of it, in which the cable passes loosely through the

ring and ends in extravagant flourishes on either side, was in use by

Pepys in 1673.

[245] Plate VIII, fig. 1. On the seals the anchor was vertical, but in

the flags it was usually placed horizontally. The foul anchor in the

Admiralty seal since 1725 has, however, been of a design similar to

that on the York Water Gate.

[246] _S. P. D. Chas II._ LXVI. 74.

[247] _Pepys MSS._ Miscellanea, IX.

[248] _Pepys MSS._ Miscellanea, IX.

[249] _Ibid._ Naval Minutes.

[250] Throughout the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries the term

"Admiral" was used of the ship as well as of the officer in command.

The rank, moreover, until the latter part of the seventeenth century,

was purely local and temporary, and simply denoted the senior officer

for the time being of the ships in company.

[251] See lists in Nicolas, _History of the Royal Navy_, I, 435, and

II, 524. It is a curious circumstance that in nearly all these cases

the fleet was directed against Scotland. One exception to the rule

occurs in 1315 when John of Argyle was appointed "Captain of our fleet

of ships which we are shortly about to send to the Scottish parts."

Under him were placed "William de Crey and Thomas de Hewys, Admirals

of the fleet of the King's ships," who were "commanded that they be

obedient and responsive to the same John."

[252] _Vide_ Nicolas, _History of the Royal Navy_, I, 178.

[253] Ensign, in the original sense of insignia; the modern "ensign"

does not appear to have been used in the English navy before the latter

part of Elizabeth's reign.

[254] Froissart, I, 255.

[255] _Harl. MS._ 309, fol. 4.

[256] I.e. in _both_ the main-mizen and the bonaventure (or after)

mizen tops; the large ships of this period were four-masted.

[257] _S. P. Henry VIII_, CCV, 160.

[258] "Though the use of a Rear Admiral is but a late invention in

comparison with the other two and is allowed but the ordinary pay of a

Captain" (_Naval Tracts of Sir Wm Monson_ (N. R. S.), IV, 1).

[259] The French employ the term "contre-amiral" and the Dutch the

curious locution "Schout-bij nacht," i.e. "Bailiff by night." The

offices of Lord High Admiral, Admiral, and Vice-Admiral were adopted by

England from the French.

[260] _Pepys MS._ and _Rawlinson MS._ C, 846.

[261] Edited by Sir Julian Corbett and published by the Navy Records

Society in 1902 (_Miscellany_, vol. I) with facsimiles of the diagrams.

[262] Pipe Off. Dec. Acc. 2232.

[263] Corbett, _op. cit._ Descriptions of flags are very rarely given

in the accounts; usually only the size and price appear.

[264] These flags would be about 6 yards long by 5 yards deep.

[265] _S. P. D. Chas I_, V, 31.

[266] A ship not bearing an admiral's flag was called a "private

ship"; but before 1650 the term "private man-of-war" almost invariably

denotes a merchant ship having letters of marque, afterwards called a

"privateer."

[267] Cf. _Boteler Dialogue_, 5: "The use of them is in Fleets to

distinguish the Squadrons, by hanging of them out in the Tops; as all

those Ships of the Admirals Squadron hang them out in the Main-top;

those of the Vice Admirals in the Fore-top; and those of the Rere

Admirals in the Missen-top; and here also they are of different

Colours." See also Monson, Book III.

[268] _A Relation Touching the Fleet and Army of the King's most

excellent majesty King Charles, set forth in the first year of his

highness's reign, and touching the order, proceedings and actions of

the same fleet and army_, by Sir John Glanville, secretary to the

Council of War (_Camden Soc._ N. S. vol. XXXII, p. 83).

[269] _Op. cit._ "The Rere Admirals place with the white flagg to be

borne in the mayne topp was assigned ... to my Lord Denbigh."

[270] Corbett, _Fighting Instructions_, 1530-1816 (N. R. S.), p. 49.

[271] _S. P. D. Inter._ XXXII, 39.

[272] _Rawlinson MS._ A 227. Cf. also the Instructions of Goodson

to Penn 21st June, 1655. "You shall wear the jack-flag upon the

maintopmasthead" (_Memorials of Penn_, II, 116).

[273] Strictly speaking, the "chief" embraced the whole of the hoist.

In the ensigns the cross occupied only the upper part of it, being

placed in a white canton in the red and blue ensigns. See Plate IX,

figs. 10, 11, and 12.

[274] _Pepys MS._ Miscellanea, IX. Pepys proposed also to restrict the

number of admirals' flags flown, according to the number of ships in a

fleet.

[275] _Admiralty_ 2/5.

[276] _Admiralty_ 2/11.

[277] _Admiralty_ 2/182.

[278] See p. 80.

[279] The rank of Admiral of the Red was not created until Nov. 1805.

The Admiral of the Red Squadron was either the Lord High Admiral,

flying the anchor flag, or the Admiral of the Fleet, flying the Union.

[280] See Plate VIII, fig. 4.

[281] _Admiralty_ 2/182.

[282] See Plate X, fig. 6.

[283] A broad green pendant was used by Doria at Lepanto (see p. 112),

and Drake was noted by the Spaniards for the inordinate size of the

pendant he displayed.

[284] _Catalogue of Pepysian MSS._ (N. R. S.), II, 400.

[285] _Admiralty_ 1/3546.

[286] _Admiralty_ 1/3456.

[287] _Admiralty_ 2/1.

[288] _Catalogue of Pepysian MSS._ (N. R. S.), III, 210.

[289] _Admiralty_ 2/9.

[290] In 1710 Captain Warwick was refused permission to use the "Bugee

Pendant"; _Admiralty_ 2/453. Millan's Signal Book (1746) contains an

illustration of the "Budgee Broad Pendant."

[291] _Admiralty_ 2/171.

[292] _Admiralty_ 2/11. Orders of 31st March and 1st May, 1693.

[293] _Admiralty_ 2/23, 15th March, 1697.

[294] _Pepys MS._ 2867.

[295] _Pepys MSS._ Miscellanea, IX.

[296] _Admiralty_ 2/9.

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