Flags

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Flags

Flag design

burgee. A swallow-tailed flag. The flag of the Red Star Line (below) is a burgee.

canton. The upper quarter of a flag next to the flag staff.

field or ground. The background color of a flag.

fimbriation. A narrow stripe of colour, usually white, that separates colors or symbols from the baclground colour of a flag.

flag staff. Also called a flag pole or mast.

fly. The length of a flag measured horizontally between the hoist end and the fly end. The fly end of a flag is the end furthest from the flag staff.

fly end. The end of a flag furthest from the flag staff.

halyard. The rope used to raise a flag on a flag staff.

hoist. The vertical width of a flag measured from the top to the bottom.

hoist end. The end of a flag nearest to the flag staff.

pennant. A triangular-shaped flag. The flag of the Clyde Steamship Company (below) is a pennant.

quarter. A flag can be divided into four parts, called quarters, by lines. The P&O flag (left) is divided into quarters using diagonal lines. The Southern Railway flag (right) is divided into quarters using horizontal and vertical lines.

P&O flag

Southern Railway flag

saltaire. A cross made by two diagonal lines, connecting the corners of a flag. Also known as a St Andrew`s Cross. The Royal Mail Lines flag (below) contains a red saltaire.

St George`s Cross. A cross made by one horizontal and one vertical line, connecting the midpoints of opposite sides. The Orient Line flag (below) contains a blue St George`s Cross

truck. The small sphere on the top of a flag staff.

Flag usage

ensign. A large flag hoised on a staff at a ship`s stern, showing the nationality of a ship.

house flag. It is usual for a merchant ship to fly the flag of its owner (usually the company flag), called a `house` flag. During the early 20th century, house flags were flown at the highest point of the ship, except on Brocklebank ships, where the house flag was flown at the bow.

Red Ensign. The ensign flown by British merchant ships. It has a red field with the Union Jack in the canton.

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