British Flags: Their Early History, and Their Development at Sea: With an Account of the Origin of the Flag as a National DevicePerrin, William Gordon
History
British Flags: Their Early History, and Their Development at Sea: With an Account of the Origin of the Flag as a National Device
Perrin, William Gordon
Flags -- Great Britain
This was followed in 1831 by the grant of a blue ensign to the Royal
Northern Yacht Club; a white ensign with "the Arms of Ireland" in the
lower canton next the staff to the Royal Irish Yacht Club; and a formal
grant of the red ensign with "the Union (with the harp and crown on a
green field in the centre) in the corner" to the Royal Cork Yacht Club.
In 1832 a newly formed Irish club, the "Western Yacht Club," which had
assumed a green ensign, approached the Admiralty with a view to the
confirmation of this flag on the ground that "a white ensign has been
granted to the 'Royal Yacht Club,' a red ensign to the 'Royal Cork,'
a blue ensign to the 'Royal Northern,' and as the only unoccupied
national flag we have assumed the green ensign[336]." They were
informed "You may have as the flag for this Club either a red, white
or blue ensign, with such device within as you may point out, but that
their Lordships cannot sanction the introduction of a new colour to be
worn by British ships." They then chose a white St George's ensign with
"a crown in the centre surrounded with a wreath of shamrock."
There followed other grants of the white ensign, plain or with the St
George's cross in the fly and with or without special badges.
In 1842 the Royal Yacht Squadron, moved by frequent complaints of the
improper conduct in foreign waters of British yachts, erroneously
supposed, from the fact of their having a white ensign, to belong to
that club, asked that they might have "the sole permission to carry the
white ensign," at the same time suggesting that the other clubs should
have a blue one. The Admiralty acceded to this request and issued the
following circular letter:
22 July 1842.
Sir
My Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty having, by their order
of the 6th June 1829, granted permission to the Royal Yacht
Squadron, as having been the first recognised club, and enjoying
sundry privileges, to wear the White St George's ensign and other
distinctions, that their vessels might be generally known, and
particularly in Foreign ports, and much inconvenience having arisen
in consequence of other Yacht Clubs having been allowed by this
Board to wear somewhat similar colours, my Lords have cancelled the
warrant enabling the ___________ to wear the white ensign, and have
directed me to send you herewith a warrant, authorizing the vessels
belonging to the club to wear the blue ensign of Her Majesty's
fleet, with the distinguishing marks of the club, as heretofore
worn on the white ensign; and as it is an ensign not allowed to be
worn by merchant vessels, my Lords trust that it will be equally
acceptable to the members of the club.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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