[183] Order in Council, October 18th, 1865.
[184] In the present day, when ironclads have not more than two, and often only one mast, vice-admirals wear the St. George with one red ball in the upper corner, and rear-admirals with two red balls, to indicate their respective rank.
The ensigns were described in the Order and directed to be used as follows:
_The White Ensign_ (Pl. VIII., fig. 2).--A white flag, with a St. George cross through the whole flag and the Union Jack in the upper canton, to be used at sea only by ships of the Royal Navy or by yacht clubs to which special license has been given.
_The Blue Ensign_ (Pl. VIII., fig. 3).--A blue flag, with the Union Jack in the upper canton, to be used only by ships of the Royal Naval Reserve, or by merchantmen which are commanded by officers of the reserve, and have been duly licensed, or by yacht clubs to which special commission has been granted.
_The Red Ensign_ (Pl. VIII., fig. 1).--A red flag, with a Union Jack in the upper canton, to be used as a national ensign by all British merchantmen.
By the Admiralty Regulations, afterwards issued, instructions are given as to the relative proportions of the parts of these flags.
In the Red and Blue Ensigns the Union Flag in the upper quarter next the staff is to be "in length half the length of the flag, and in width half the width of the flag."
In the White Ensign the Red Cross of St. George, which runs through the whole of the white field, is to be "2-15ths of the width of the flag." The Union is to occupy the upper quarter next the staff, leaving the whole Cross intact. This was virtually adding the Union Jack to the original English Jack of Richard I.
By a special Act it was afterwards more particularly enacted in 1889:
"The Red Ensign, _usually worn_ by merchant ships without any defacement or modification whatsoever, is hereby _declared to be the proper national colour_ of all ships and boats belonging to any subject of Her Majesty, except in the case of Her Majesty's ships, or in the case of any other ships for the time being allowed to wear any other national colours in pursuance of a warrant from Her Majesty or from the Admiralty."[185]
[185] The Merchant Shipping (Colours) Act, 1889.