Chart of Naval Signal Pennants

Description

Most likely this is the British copy of the private signals between British and American ships from circa 1798 to 1801. An American copy can be found at the USS Constitution Museum.

During the Quasi-War with France, US naval vessels frequently encountered British naval vessels on the North American seaboard, in the Caribbean, and perhaps in the Mediterranean as well. The two sides agreed on this set of signals to make sure they didn’t accidentally fire on each other since both sides were at war with the French (unofficially in the case of the US).

This chart of pennants would be used when ships of the two nations meet; delineating the call and answer signals on the various days of the week. A Memo at the bottom instructs the signals to use if “the Commanders of either should wish to speak to the other.” A second sheet details how they each should “hail…each other in the night.”

Another possibility is that the signals were arranged during US deployments to the Mediterranean during the First Barbary War. But the Constitution Museum seems to think this is slightly earlier than that. –Our thanks to Professor Evan Wilson of the Naval War College for all this information!

Excellent; bold ink writing; pennant colors are fresh, a couple of folds and partial fold breaks.

(Naval Signal Flags). Manuscript Broadside. Private Signals Between his British and American Ships of War.  No Place (British origin, circa 1798-1801).  4to.; 2p.