No. 422.— The Red Ensign.
1. The Red Ensign, a plain red Flag cantoning a Union Jack—having a Jack in the dexter chief angle next to the point of suspension: No. 422. This Ensign shares with the Union Jack the honour of being the “Ensign of England”—the Ensign, that is, of the British Empire. When displayed at sea, it now distinguishes all vessels that do not belong to the Royal Navy: but, before the year 1864, it was the distinguishing ensign of the “red squadron of the Navy,” and of the “Admirals of the Red”—the Admirals of the highest rank.
2. The White or St. George’s Ensign is the old banner of St. George, [No. 418], with a Jack cantoned in the first quarter. It now is the Ensign of the Royal Navy: but, before 1864, it distinguished the “white squadron” of the Navy, and the Admirals—second in rank—of that Squadron.
3. The Blue Ensign differs from the Red only in the field being plain blue instead of red. It now is the Ensign of the Naval Reserve: before 1864 it was the Ensign of “Admirals of the Blue,” third in rank, and of their Squadron of the Royal Navy.
A Red Ensign is often charged with a Crown, or with some appropriate device, to denote some particular department of the public service.
With the Ensigns may be grouped the Flag of the Admiralty, which displays a yellow anchor and cable set fesse-wise on a red field.
The Ensigns are always to be hoisted so as to have the Jack next to the point of suspension, as in No. 422.
Military Flags. 1. Cavalry Standards, being lineal descendants of the knightly Banners of mediæval chivalry, are small square Flags, the colour of the field the same as the regimental facings; and each Standard bears the Number, Motto, and specific Title of its own Regiment, with whatever heraldic Badge or Device may be associated with it. Upon these Standards also are blazoned the regimental “Honours”—such words as Waterloo, Alma, Lucknow, and others, which briefly and with most emphatic significance declare the services of the corps. The Household Cavalry, the Life Guards and Blues, have all their Standards of Crimson, and they are blazoned with the Royal Insignia and their own “Honours” and Devices.
2. Infantry Colours. In the first instance, each Regiment of Infantry had one “Colour”: subsequently, two others were added: and, finally, in the reign of Queen Anne, it was decided that every Infantry Regiment or Battalion of the Line (the Rifles of the Line excepted, who have no “Colours”) should have its own “Pair of Colours.” Of this “Pair,” one is the “King’s Colour”—a Union Jack charged with some regimental Devices: the other, the “Regimental Colour” is of the tincture of the facings, on which the “Honours” and “Devices” of the Regiment are charged, and in the dexter chief angle a small Jack is cantoned: in fact, the “Regimental Colour” is the same as the Red or Blue Ensign ([No. 422]), the Colour of the field varying with the regimental facings, and the field itself being charged with the various Devices.