"vessels) and government ensign (for state vessels) are red and blue flags, respectively, each with the national flag in the canton and the coat of arms of Mauritius in the fly. The naval ensign (used by coast guard vessels) is an unusual design consisting of red, white, and blue vertical stripes of unequal widths defaced by a central anchor/key emblem. The flag of Mauritius consists of red, blue, yellow and green bands which stands for: The official colour codes of the flag are in accordance with the Mauritius Standard Bureau. Colour; Pantone Fashion home cotton The official sizes of the"
"plain yellow flag (""Quebec"" or Q in international maritime signal flags), perhaps derives its letter symbol for its initial use in quarantine, but this flag in modern times indicates the opposite—a ship that declares itself free of quarantinable disease, and requests boarding and inspection by Port State Control to allow the grant of ""free pratique"". Plain yellow flags are still commonly used to mark a recent death in a neighborhood in cities such as Jakarta, regardless of the cause. They are placed in intersections leading to the home of the recently deceased as direction markers for mourners, and to mark"
"in a state of war, rather than the conventional blue. The flag that indicates nationality on a ship is called an ensign. As with the national flags, there are three varieties: the civil ensign (), flown by private vessels; state ensigns (also called government ensigns; ), flown by government ships; and war ensigns (also called naval ensigns; ), flown by naval vessels. The ensign is flown from an ensign-staff at the stern of the ship, or from a gaff when underway. Both these positions are superior to any other on the ship, even though the masthead is higher. In the"
"Yellow flag (contagion) In International maritime signal flags, plain yellow, green, and even black flags have been used to symbolize disease in both ships and ports, with the color yellow having a longer historical precedent, as a color of marking for houses of infection, previous to its use as a maritime marking color for disease. The present flag used for the purpose is the ""Lima"" (L) flag, which is a mixture of yellow and black flags previously used. It is sometimes called the ""yellow jack"", which became a name for yellow fever. Cholera ships also used a yellow flag. The"
"Striking the colors Striking the colors—meaning lowering the flag (the ""colors"") that signifies a ship's or garrison's allegiance—is a universally recognized indication of surrender, particularly for ships at sea. For a ship, surrender is dated from the time the ensign is struck. ""Colours. A national flag (or a battle ensign). The colours . . . are hauled down as a token of submission."" International law absolutely requires a ship of war to fly its ensign at the commencement of any hostile acts, i.e., before firing on the enemy. During battle there is no purpose in striking the colours other than"
"the funeral convoy so that it is given the right of way. Yellow flag (contagion) In International maritime signal flags, plain yellow, green, and even black flags have been used to symbolize disease in both ships and ports, with the color yellow having a longer historical precedent, as a color of marking for houses of infection, previous to its use as a maritime marking color for disease. The present flag used for the purpose is the ""Lima"" (L) flag, which is a mixture of yellow and black flags previously used. It is sometimes called the ""yellow jack"", which became a"
"Gaff into the Water."" Striking the colors Striking the colors—meaning lowering the flag (the ""colors"") that signifies a ship's or garrison's allegiance—is a universally recognized indication of surrender, particularly for ships at sea. For a ship, surrender is dated from the time the ensign is struck. ""Colours. A national flag (or a battle ensign). The colours . . . are hauled down as a token of submission."" International law absolutely requires a ship of war to fly its ensign at the commencement of any hostile acts, i.e., before firing on the enemy. During battle there is no purpose in striking"
"Red Ensign The Red Ensign or ""Red Duster"" is the civil ensign of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It is one of the British ensigns, and it is used either plain, or adorned/embellished with a badge or other emblem in the bottom right quarter. It is the flag flown by British merchant or passenger ships since 1707. Prior to 1707, an English red ensign and a Scottish red ensign were flown by the English and Scottish Royal navies respectively. The precise date of the first appearance of these earlier red ensigns is not known, but surviving"
"water as its cause in 1854. Cholera is now no longer considered a pressing health threat in Europe and North America due to filtering and chlorination of water supplies, but still heavily affects populations in developing countries. In the past, vessels flew a yellow quarantine flag if any crew members or passengers were suffering from cholera. No one aboard a vessel flying a yellow flag would be allowed ashore for an extended period, typically 30 to 40 days. In modern sets of international maritime signal flags, the quarantine flag is yellow and black. Historically many different claimed remedies have existed"
"Singapore-registered vessels, although this is considered incorrect, as such vessels are required to hoist proper national colours either when entering or leaving port. The ensign is red and charged with a circle enclosing a crescent surmounted by five stars in a circle, all in white. The national flag is not used by coast guard ships and military warships; both classes of ships have their own specific ensigns. The Singapore Government makes announcements regarding the lowering of the flag to half-mast in the event of a death of an important personage or mourning affecting the nation. The flag has been flown"
"and blue naval ensigns, but may use different colours for the field, and be ""defaced"" by the addition of a badge or symbol, for example the sky blue with concentric red, white and blue circles of the Royal Air Force ensign. The Union Flag (also known as the ""Union Jack"") should be flown as a jack by Royal Navy ships only when moored, at anchor, while underway and dressed with masthead ensigns, or if the Monarch or an Admiral of the Fleet is on board. The Union Flag may also signal that a court martial is in progress. The use"
"be flown in good condition, to do otherwise would be to show disrespect to the nation. Due care mut be taken to ensure the flag is being flown the correct way up. The flag is flown from sunrise to sunset and all government buildings are encouraged to fly it. When a flag is to be disposed, it must be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning in private with respect. The civil ensign (seen below) is a red ensign with the coat of arms of the British Virgin Islands. The red ensign is to be flown on board vessels"
"White Ensign The White Ensign, at one time called the St George's Ensign due to the simultaneous existence of a cross-less version of the flag, is an ensign flown on British Royal Navy ships and shore establishments. It consists of a red St George's Cross on a white field with the Union Flag in the upper canton. The White Ensign is also flown by yachts of members of the Royal Yacht Squadron and by ships of Trinity House escorting the reigning monarch. In addition to the United Kingdom, several other nations have variants of the White Ensign with their own"
"Flags of the English Interregnum There were a variety of flags flown by ships of the Commonwealth during the Interregnum of 1649–1660. At sea, royalist ships continued to fly the Union Jack of 1606, while on 22 February 1649 the Council of State decided to send the parliamentary navy an order (signed by Oliver Cromwell on 23 February) that ""the ships at sea in service of the State shall onely beare the red Crosse in a white flag"" (viz., the flag of England). On 5 March 1649 the Council further ordered ""that the Flagg that is to be borne by"
"which a burgee (tapering flag with swallow-tail fly) is flown when in port. There is a system of International maritime signal flags for each letter of the alphabet, and pennants for the numerals. Each flag (except the R flag) has an additional meaning when flown individually, and they take other meanings in certain combinations. A courtesy flag (or courtesy ensign) is flown by a visiting ship in foreign waters as a token of respect. It is often a small (that is, smaller than the ship's own national ensign) national maritime flag of the host country, although there are countries (such"
"not recommended outside Finnish waters to avoid confusion. Officially, however, the yachting club ensign is valid even for international use. Flag of Finland The flag of Finland (, ), also called ""siniristilippu"" (""Blue Cross Flag""), dates from the beginning of the 20th century. On a white background, it features a blue Nordic cross, which represents Christianity. The state flag has a coat of arms in the centre, but is otherwise identical to the civil flag. The swallow-tailed state flag is used by the military. The presidential standard is identical to the swallow-tailed state flag but also has in its upper"
"Flag of the United States Marine Corps The flag of the United States Marine Corps (also known as the standard or battle color) is the flag used to represent the U.S. Marine Corps, as well as its subsidiary units and formations. The official flag is scarlet with the Corps emblem in gray and gold. It was adopted on 18 January 1939, although Marine Corps Order 4 had established scarlet and gold as the official colors of the Corps as early as 1925. The indoor/parade version is bordered by a gold fringe while the outdoor version is plain. It measures on"
"Maritime flag A maritime flag is a flag designated for use on ships, boats, and other watercraft. Naval flags are considered important at sea and the rules and regulations for the flying of flags are strictly enforced. The flag flown is related to the country of registration: so much so that the word ""flag"" is often used symbolically as a synonym for ""country of registration"". Ensigns are usually required to be flown when entering and leaving harbour, when sailing through foreign waters, and when the ship is signalled to do so by a warship. Warships usually fly their ensigns between"
"vessel flying no known national ensign. A year earlier, Arthur Lee, American commissioner in France, wrote in a letter to Henry Laurens that the U.S. ships' ""colors should be white, red, and blue alternately to thirteen"" with a ""blue field with thirteen stars"" in the canton. Benjamin Franklin and John Adams, ambassadors to France, wrote a similar description of United States flags: Apparently based upon this description, a recognizable ensign was quickly made to fly aboard the ""Serapis,"" and Dutch records edited to include a sketch of the ensign to make it official. The Dutch could, therefore, recognize the flag"
"for maritime use. Most countries do not have a separate state ensign, although the United Kingdom is a rare exception, in having a red ensign for civil use, a white ensign as its naval ensign, and a blue ensign for government non-military vessels. There is a great deal of protocol involved in the proper display of national flags. A general rule is that the national flag should be flown in the position of honour, and not in an inferior position to any other flag (although some countries make an exception for royal standards). The following rules are typical of the"
"black flag borne quarterly from sunrise to sunset. The United States puts immediate quarantines on imported products if the disease can be traced back to a certain shipment or product. All imports will also be quarantined if the diseases breakout in other countries. According to Title 42 U.S.C. §§264 and 266, these statutes provide the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (""the Secretary"") peacetime and wartime authority, respectively, to control the movement of persons into and within the United States to prevent the spread of communicable disease. Communicable diseases for which apprehension, detention, or conditional release of"
"of some type is referred to as a standard. When the national flag is flown from a ship, it is referred to as the national ensign. Flag of the United States Marine Corps The flag of the United States Marine Corps (also known as the standard or battle color) is the flag used to represent the U.S. Marine Corps, as well as its subsidiary units and formations. The official flag is scarlet with the Corps emblem in gray and gold. It was adopted on 18 January 1939, although Marine Corps Order 4 had established scarlet and gold as the official"
"be ""16 perpendicular stripes, alternate red and white, the union of the ensign to be the arms of the United States in a dark blue on a white field."" (There were 16 states in the United States at the time). The purpose of the flag is to allow ship captains to easily recognize those vessels having legal authority to stop and board them. This flag is flown only as a symbol of law enforcement authority and is never carried as a parade standard. Flag of the United States Coast Guard The flag of the United States Coast Guard is white"
"as white. The crest is the part above the shield, excluding the helmet. The wreath is twist of cloth and the colours are those already mentioned vis white and green. A “Lymphad” is a sailing ship and “proper” means it is shown in its natural colours. The sail is set for sailing and a “Pennon” is the long flag flying from the mast and being “gules” it is red. The smaller flags are blue (“azure”) and are also flying. In front of the ship is a whale and again “proper” means it is shown in its natural colours. The Supporters"
"merchant ships at the time. The flag of the British Antarctic Territory has a white field defaced with the Territory's badge, while the British Indian Ocean Territory flag has a white and blue wavy-striped field, also defaced. Finally, there is one ""orange"" ensign, used by the Orange Order in Canada. This flag is an orange ensign defaced with a white shield, and a red Canadian Maple Leaf within it. The Royal Hospital School is the only independent school in the United Kingdom to have been continuously awarded the ""Queens Banner"" and its own distinctive school ensign. Prior to 1864, red,"
"strictly enforced. A national flag flown at sea is known as an ensign. A courteous, peaceable merchant ship or yacht customarily flies its ensign (in the usual ensign position), together with the flag of whatever nation it is currently visiting at the mast (known as a courtesy flag). To fly one's ensign alone in foreign waters, a foreign port or in the face of a foreign warship traditionally indicates a willingness to fight, with cannon, for the right to do so. As of 2009, this custom is still taken seriously by many naval and port authorities and is readily enforced"
"if none are authorized. Fringe is generally not seen on the National Colors when carried by Marine Corps unit (the exception being indoor parades). Instead, a red, white, and blue tassel is used to decorate. Prior to Executive Order 10812 of 24 April 1959, the United States Navy used the U.S. Naval Infantry Battalion Flag as its unofficial colors. While the Navy uses a number of maritime flags, such as the Ensign and Jack of the United States, the Flag of the United States Navy is normally seen only at ceremonies and parades. The display of streamers and fringe is"
"officers"". Ashore, they are usually displayed within the owner's office or raised on a secondary flagstaff near the unit colors; while they are flown aboard ship according to rank. The appearance consists of a number of stars equal to the officer's rank insignia, the colors determined by service: red with white stars for the Army and Marine Corps, blue with white stars for Naval commanders and Air Force. Certain staff and non-line officers have unique colors: white with blue stars for non-command Navy admirals, while Army chaplains and medical generals use ecclesiastical purple and maroon backgrounds, respectively. Unique flags are"
"pennant may be flown during religious services. This pennant, white with a blue cross (or blue tablets and Star of David for Jewish services), is the only flags authorized to be flown above the national ensign, and only when at sea. In addition, hospital ships display the Red Cross. Ships and units ashore may also fly burgees displaying unit citations. Flags can also be used for signaling. Officers with certain offices or billets, as well as all generals and admirals, have a personal flag assigned to represent their authority and/or command; thus why they are often referred to as ""flag"
"of a merchant ship: A merchant ship may strike its colours as a ruse de guerre in an attempt to escape capture, since it does not engage the enemy in combat. In distinction to striking one's colours, hoisting a white flag, in itself, is not an indication of surrender. Rather, hoisting a white flag indicates a request for a truce in order to communicate with the enemy. Under the Geneva Conventions, persons carrying or waving a white flag are still not to be fired upon, nor are they allowed to open fire. Nailing the colors to the mast is a"
"ordinary, rectangular flag. Swedish warships, or ships carrying a military commander, fly the Swedish ensign a triple-tailed or swallowtail and tongue version of the rectangular flag. The Swedish East India Company displayed a fork-tailed or swallow-tailed flag on their ships. The intention was that the ship should resemble a warship and thereby not attract pirates. This was against the rules and regulations for flags at that time. The use of the swallowtail was prohibited in a royal decree in 1751, but the SOIC ignored this and ordered their flags in Canton instead. In a memorandum to the Riksdag in 2012,"
"and states that ""The flag which every British ship is entitled to fly is the Red Ensign (without any defacement or modification) and, subject to (a warrant from Her Majesty or from the Secretary of State, or an Order of Council from her Majesty regarding a defaced Red Ensign), no other colours."" Many civil vessels continue to fly the white bordered Union Flag without official opposition, making it the de facto Civil Jack. The Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) was one of a few non-government institutions using the Union Jack in part of the flag. HBC rival North West Company had"
"(Royal Navy), the Red ensign (Merchant and private boats) or the Blue ensign (government departments and public corporations). Similar ensigns are used by other countries (such as New Zealand and Australia) with the Union Flag in the canton. Other Commonwealth countries (such as India and Jamaica) may follow similar ensign etiquette as the UK, replacing the Union Flag with their own national flag. The flag in a white border occasionally seen on merchant ships was sometimes referred to as the Pilot Jack. It can be traced back to 1823 when it was created as a signal flag, never intended as"