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