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France: Naval flags

Naval ensign and jack
Masthead pennant

See also:

Naval ensign and jack

by Željko Heimer

The proportions of vertical stripes on the French flag when used at sea as the civil or naval ensign or jack are 30:33:37, to give a good visual effect when flying, and therefore called optical proportions.

Željko Heimer, 23 September 1995

The Tricolore ensign was adopted by a decree dated 27 Pluviose of the Year II (15 February 1794) and by a decree dated 7 March 1848. The proportions 30:33:37 were decided by a regulation dated 17 May 1853.

Armand du Payrat, 29 August 1997

The regulation of 1853 gives the precise measurements, in metres and centimetres, of the standard legal ensigns, numbered from 1 to 16. #1 is 9 m x 13.5 m and #16 is 50 cm x 75 cm.

Pierre Gay, 24 September 1998

Masthead pennant

by Željko Heimer

The masthead pendant in its present form (replacing the interim design adopted on 24 October 1790), was established by Article IV of a Decree of the National Convention dated 27 Pluviose of the Year II (15 February 1794). The Decree gave the construction details of "one-fifth blue, one-fifth white and three-fifths red", while the table of standard sizes were confirmed by Naval Regulations issued in April 1987.

Christopher Southworth, 1 August 2004

The masthead pennant is a triangular tricolour pennant, proportion 1:20~ or 1:(4+4+12)~)

Source: Album des Pavillons [pay00]

Flaggenbuch [neu92] gives the following table for the size (in cm) of the pennant:

Length

100
150
200
300
500
700
1000
1200
1600
2000

Width

5
5
8
8
10
10
12
12
15
15

Ivan Sache, 30 September 2001

Length	100	150	200	300	500	700	1000	1200	1600	2000
Width	5	5	8	8	10	10	12	12	15	15