GENERAL STEAM NAVIGATION CO. LTD.

The earliest flag is described as red, with a yellow ring enclosing a yellow disc marked by blue longitude lines and an upright red cross. It was reputedly flown on Trident during Queen Victoria’s voyage in 1842 or 1847 and rediscovered in 1944. Rosanoski doubts the account because he found no other mention of the flag.

The globe and encircling riband represented the original intention to trade worldwide, despite the later emphasis on coastal and short-sea work. This undated version is still shown in sources after 1880, when 1824 was reportedly added; Rosanoski therefore questions its dating and omission of the riband. Reed uses a red globe with black lines and an African outline, while LJC shows no land outline.

The dated form is placed between the reported 1842/1847 flag and the 1880 addition of the date. Griffin appears to outline Europe and Asia; Reed attempts more extensive continental outlines and gives the date in black, while most sources omit land outlines.

Thames excursion steamers used the buff or yellow funnel, sometimes with a narrow black top. Royal Eagle acquired the top in 1939. Several such buff/yellow and black-top combinations are grouped in this version.

Adopted in 1938 for Adjutant, Heron and Philomel, this funnel is confirmed by a Philomel photograph and later appears in general use. A report says it was abandoned about 1969 in favour of a plain funnel, but a 1975 publication still assigns it to General Steam Navigation (Trading). Brown 1951 depicts its panel as a band, while Coastal Ships 1967 does not specify the flag ring.

A narrow black funnel top is an alternative.

This version follows the National Maritime Museum flag, dated about 1951 and measuring 1092.2 by 1752.6 mm. Mitchell omits the funnel date, which Rosanoski assumes is an omission. Talbot-Booth lacks the ring’s Q-like effect, but a Woodwren photograph appears to show it on the funnel emblem.

Brown 1978 appears to change the emblem by adding red continents, which Rosanoski considers probably incorrect against the museum specimen. He notes that small reproductions vary widely in globe colour, outlines, geographical and grid lines, riband and date colour; Stewart and Brown reintroduce continents absent from most intervening depictions.

This funnel was used by Isle of Arran.

The fleet commodore’s pennant places the emblem at the hoist, leaving a long white fly to distinguish it from the house flag. Its different-looking globe is probably a printing effect.