![[Postal flag]](../images/f/fr~post.gif)
Last modified: 2010-11-13 by ivan sache
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Flag of Postal Service - Image by Željko Heimer, 15 October 2001
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The paquebots-poste (lit., postal liners) sailed
between France and its colonies during
the golden age of steam navigation and colonization, that is, from
ca. 1860 to the Second World War.
The liners were used both for passenger and freight transportation,
including postal service.
Flaggenbuch [neu92] shows
the flag hoisted on vessels used for postal service as a French
Tricolore with the three stripes equally wide (odd for a flag
at sea), a short swallow tail (1/3rd of the red stripe) and a small
white canton (width: 3/4th of the width of the blue stripe; height:
1/4th of the height of the hoist) bearing in blue SERVICE / POSTAL.
Still shown in the 1995 recapitulative edition of
Album des Pavillons [pie90],
the flag was discarded from the next release of Album
[pay00], following the suppression of the maritime postal service.
Ivan Sache, 5 November 2000
![[Flying the postal flag]](../misc/fr'post.gif)
Use of the postal flag - Image by Miles Li, 15 October 2001
The French postal flag was normally flown as a jack (A), but before
the 1930s it was flown on top of a rope suspended between the bow and
the foremast (B). In both cases the normal tricolore was also
flown (C) as the actual national ensign.
In case of scenario B, the postal flag was flown at all times (whenever the ensign was displayed).
Miles Li, 15 October 2001
![[Artistic rendition of the postal flag]](../images/f/fr~post1.gif)
Artistic rendition of the postal flag - Image by Ivan Sache, 23 June 2004
A postal flag is shown on a poster advertising the
paquebot-poste of the Messageries Maritimes company. The postal flag was important for advertizing, because it means that
the company appointed for mail transportation was trustable.
The artistic quality of such posters is very high, and their
originals are highly prized by collectors. However, there is some
artistic licence in this poster. The postal flag is shown in the
poster with the fork extending all over the width of the red stripe
and a larger white canton merging with the white stripe.
Ivan Sache, 23 June 2004
There was an unusual British warrant requested in connection with
the French Mail Service.
In 1871 an Edinburgh shipping company applied to the British
Admiralty for warrants for two of their ships to fly the French flag
while under contract to carry French mails between Marseilles and
ports in Algeria. Under the terms of the contract the ships would
have a French crew and Captain and fly the French colours, but retain
a British Master and Chief Engineer and remain registered as British
ships. The warrants were requested because it was thought that flying
the French flag would debar the vessels from claiming the protection
and assistance of a British Consul.
The Admiralty decided that they could not issue a warrant for a
British ship to fly a foreign flag, and passed the problem to the
Board of Trade who asked for a legal opinion.
It was thought that under British municipal law, a British ship
could fly foreign colours providing it was not done with intent to
defraud or deceive, which it was not in this case, since the company
had openly requested permission.
"I am therefore of opinion that as far as municipal law is concerned,
vessels flying French colours under the circumstances described are
subject to the same liabilities, and entitled to the same privileges
as any other British vessel."
The position was different under international law.
"It is simply impossible that a vessel, British according to British
law, but voluntarily assuming in the eyes of all maritime nations the
character of a French ship, can lay claim to all the immunities of a
British ship sailing under British colours. Supposing for instance
that a vessel belonging to a nation at war with France were to fire a
signal to bring her to, and, on her sailing on, were to fire into
her. Is it reasonable to suppose that the British government could
demand any apology or reparation? Such a question is rather for the
Foreign Office than for me but I cannot conceive that there can be
any doubt about the answer. I think speaking generally that as
regards international law the vessels cannot in all respects claim
the protection and assistance of a British Consul in the same way as
British vessels carrying the British flag."
The Board of Trade thought that sanctioning British registered vessels to fly foreign flags would be pursuing a "very illegal and dangerous course", but the Admiralty and Foreign Office directed Consular Officers not to interfere if ships flew the French flag, and to provide normal consular support.
Source: Public Record Office, Kew, MT 9/59-5722.
David Prothero. 21 May 2002
