The masts on these ships were over a hundred feet tall, so from the top you could see for about 12 miles. To communicate their intentions at that distance they needed really huge flags, especially because they might be hull-down - their hull is hidden over the horizon but not the masts - which would mean recognizing the ship was hard.
Of course, but what I wanted to get across was that from the masthead you could see 12 miles, so you’d need a big flag to be discernible from that distance, even if it’s flown from the stern.
So was it a massive ship or is this like 1800s Truck Nutz for insecure Frenchmen?
The masts on these ships were over a hundred feet tall, so from the top you could see for about 12 miles. To communicate their intentions at that distance they needed really huge flags, especially because they might be hull-down - their hull is hidden over the horizon but not the masts - which would mean recognizing the ship was hard.
For everybody else that wanna understand:
Over 30 m tall.
See for about 19 km.
Normally I would have done the conversion but I was feeling especially imperial
Well you didnt go fully into American measuring. The mast was 4 trees tall, and you could see the flag from over 5 corn fields away.
I think this flag is a war ensign, flown from the stern of the ship rather than a mast top.
Of course, but what I wanted to get across was that from the masthead you could see 12 miles, so you’d need a big flag to be discernible from that distance, even if it’s flown from the stern.