|
New Zealand Flag Institute |
GLOSSARY
|
|
Flags constructed
primarily for use on an outdoor pole - with heading and grommets or roped. Outrigger pole -
A flag pole
coming off the side of a building at an angle. PALE -
A vertical panel
occupying the central third of a flag. Paying off pennant -
Since the 18th
century it has been the custom for H.M.s’ ships to fly a paying-off pennant
when they leave their station to return to their home port to be paid-off.
The paying off pennant is similar to, and flown in place of, the masthead
pennant. Customarily the length of the pennant should equal the length of the
ship if she leaves her station at the end of a normal period of overseas
service. If however a commission has been extended, the length of the pennant
is increased in proportion to the extra length of service (e.g. a ship 480
feet in length that had a two year commission extended to two years and two
months would have a pennant 520 feet long). It is displayed when entering or
leaving harbours during the passage home for a ship on a foreign station, and
by a ship of the Home Fleet on leaving for and arriving at her home port. A
hydrogen balloon was sometimes attached to the end of the pennant to keep it
flying. Pennant (pennon) -
Either: 1) A small triangular or tapering flag. Frequently used at sea, the pennant is usually, but not always, very much longer than its width. The difference between a pennant and a flag is slight. A pennant is however always of less importance than a flag. However certain pennants have a much greater significance. For instance, a ship of the Russian-American Company flying the flag was a merchant ship, but a ship flying the same flag and a pennant was a |