[To THE EDITOR OP THE " SPECTATOR.''] SIR, —I am very
much afraid that you may unintentionally mislead people in your note of last week under the above heading. Merchant Shipping Act, 1894, 73rd Section, reads, inter alia, as follows :— " The Red Ensign usually worn by merchant ships, without any defacement or modification whatever, is hereby declared to be the proper National Colours for all ships and boats belonging to any British subject, except in the case of Her Majesty's ships and boats, or in the case of say other ship or boat for the time being allowed to wear any other National Colours in pursuance of a warrant from Her Majesty or from the Admiralty. If any dis- tinctive National Colours except such Red Ensign, or except the Union Jack with a white border, or if any dolours usually worn by Her Majesty's ships, or resembling those of Her Majesty . . . . is hoisted on board any ship or boat belonging to any British subject without warrant . . . . the master or owner thereof, if on board . . . . shall for each offence incur a fine not exceeding .f,500. Any commissioned officer on full pay
. . . may board any ship or boat on board which colours are hoisted contrary to this Act and seize and take away the colours "
The lady was quite right in flying the Red Ensign, even in the Yangtze gorges : she would be quite. wrong to hoist the Union Jack unless she had a warrant.—I am, Sir, &c., ROYAL NAVY.
P.S.—You are, I believe, quite right in saying that the Union Jack may be hoisted on shore in England, not elsewhere, and even then not near a military port.
[If "Royal Navy " will look again at our note he will see that we were speaking, not of flags on the sea or tidal waters, but on shore. We think he is wrong in holding it an offence to fly the Union Flag on shore near a military port. Can he quote any Statute or Admiralty Regulation enforceable in a Civil Court to that effect P—ED. Spectator.]
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