ORIENT STEAM NAVIGATION CO. LTD.

The first flag combined Anderson’s blue flag and white saltire with Green’s red cross over a blue panel on white. The composite was blue with a white saltire and an undefined white diamond carrying the red cross and blue panel. Stewart omits the panel, producing the O133 variant which Rosanoski considers apparently incorrect. The design was apparently adopted in 1878 and lasted to about 1880. O132’s black funnel is surmised from the stated early colour and possible chartered vessels retaining their own funnels.

The next design was white with a cross and crown, described in Rosanoski’s development account as a red cross, and red O, S, N and C in the quarters. Its introduction is placed about 1880. The end is variously given as 1888, about 1892 or 1906; Rosanoski rejects 1906 because Reed 1891 already shows the next version.

A small o was added after C. Loughran dates this change to 1888 and Stewart to about 1892, although Reed 1891 already records it. Both accounts place removal of the letters in 1908.

The letterless flag may instead date to 1909 if tied to the end of Royal Mail’s influence. Lloyd’s 1904 already shows O136 without letters for Orient and also Pacific Steam Navigation, possibly a printing error. LJC 1909 assigns O135 to the Orient Royal Mail service. Harnack shows both black-cowled and plain funnels.

These drawings represent sources whose crown details vary.

The FOTW description gives a white flag with a blue St George’s cross and central gold crown. Rosanoski notes that the illustrated crown differs from Sampson’s source, which more closely resembles O337.

This was an unofficial port signal used from 1926 for a vessel undergoing fumigation, reconstructed from a verbal description.