common names

[Matthew Smith]

Message text written by INTERNET:cguppy at quesnelbc.com
> 
I also have a childhood memory of being told that the various British naval
fleets had admirals with black uniforms striped with different colors  (red
fleet, white fleet, blue fleet, etc). Hence red admiral, white admiral,
etc.
I have no idea if that is true, perhaps someone from Britain has some
thoughts???
<

I'm not sure about the stripes on the uniform being coloured, from what I
know of the Royal Navy in the Napoleonic Wars (mostly from writers of well
researched historical adventure novels), British Admirals (i.e. the ones in
ships, not the butterflies) flew different coloured pennants depending on
rank and possibly seniority.  You therefore had such things as 'Admiral so
and so, Admiral of the Red' or 'Vice Admiral so & so, Admiral of the Blue'.
 Ships under their command flew the ensign with the commanding Admirals'
'colour' indicated.  Eventualy only the titles were used, today all RN
ships fly the 'White Ensign' as used by Admiral Nelson.

Matt

 
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