File No. 893.015/6.
The American Minister to
the Secretary of State.
No. 603.]
American Legation,
Peking,
July 20, 1912.
Sir: I have the honor to enclose herewith two
copies of a note from the Chinese Foreign Office dated July 13, 1912,
quoting an Executive order regarding the national flag, and transmitting
copies of designs of naval flags, which are also enclosed herewith, it
being thought probable that the Department may deem it advisable to send
these designs to the Navy Department. The Commander-in-chief of the
United States Asiatic Fleet has been furnished with copies of the
enclosures herein mentioned.
I have [etc.]
[Inclosure 1.]
The Vice Minister for Foreign
Affairs to the American
Minister.
Foreign Office
Peking, July 15,
1912.
Sir: The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Lou
Cheng Hsiang, has received a communication from the Ministry of
Marine saying:
“This Ministry has received the order of the President as follows:
The Advisory Council has deliberated and decided that the
five-colored flag shall be the National flag; that for the
Mercantile flag the National flag will serve very well; that
the nineteen-star flag shall be the Army flag; and the blue
sky with a white sun the flag of the Navy. In accordance
with Article 22 of the Constitution, I the President now
therefore proclaim the same.
“Having received the above order this Ministry has drafted designs of
the Naval flags and has fixed the first of August as the date on
which the Naval flags will be officially raised, and this
communication is written to request your Ministry to take note of
the fact and to notify severally the ministers in Peking
representing the various powers.”
I have the honor therefore to send enclosed two copies of the designs
of the Naval flags, that your excellency may acquaint yourself
therewith.
[Extracts from Inclosure 2.]
[Untitled]
National flag or jack, and flag of Merchant Marine. Horizontal is to
perpendicular measurement as 4 to 3; horizontal measurement, 5 feet
English; perpendicular measurement, 3 feet 9 inches English.
[The accompanying design shows a flag of above proportions with five
horizontal stripes of equal width, which, beginning at the top, are
consecutively red, yellow, blue, white and black.]
Naval flag, Naval ensign. Horizontal is to perpendicular as 4 to 3.
The blue field is one fourth of the total surface of the flag. The
radius of the circle of the white sun is one sixth of the
perpendicular width of the blue field. The length of the points
outside the circle of the sun is one half the radius of the sun.
[The accompanying design shows a red flag with a blue canton, in the
center of which is a white, 12-pointed sun.]
[The other designs and descriptions are: flags of the Minister of
Marine, Vice Minister of Marine, Admiral in Command, Vice Admiral,
Rear Admiral, Commodore, Senior Officer Present; flag of ship on
duty or watch flag; Naval pennant.]
