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Mexico - Naval jack

Torrotito de proa

Last modified: 2009-06-19 by juan manuel gabino villascán
Keywords: mexico | torrotito | proa (torrotito de) | bauprés | jack | naval jack | navy | military | tajamar (bandera de) |
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[1945-1994/2000-present Mexican naval jack (torrotito de proa)] 1:1
by Juan Manuel Gabino Villascán, September 1, 2002
Based on [sma00]

Naval jack adopted: September 8, 1945;
by Decree published in the DOF on September 7, 1945.
Naval jack replaced: November 26, 1994;
by Decree published in the DOF on November 25, 1994.
Naval jack re-adopted: October 20, 2000;
by Decree published in the DOF on October 19, 2000.
Note: Naval jacks used before 1945 were after the national flag.


See also:

Description of the naval jack (1945-1994 / 2000-Present)
Torrotito de proa

The first distinctive naval jack was adopted in 1945 according to the article 127 of the Reglamento de uniformes, divisas y distintivos para la Armada de México, publised in the DOF of September 7, 1945 (in effect a day later):

ARTICLE 127.- The national jack [torrotito de proa] shall be a square flag divided diagonally into three stripes: white [upper hoist], green [middle], red [lower fly], and a golden eight-pointed star on each stripe. It shall carry an "admiralty" silver anchor centerede in the flag."

Curiously, the black and white graphic attached in the same decree depicts a naval jack with three five-pointed stars! (perhaps a printing mistake).

Juan Manuel Gabino Villascán, September 01, 2002.


[ped70] states that many Latin American countries commemorate older flags in the jack. In Mexico it is the flag of the Army of the Three Guarantees in square version.

Ole Andersen, 16 Jun 1998, and
Jaume Ollé, 27 Dec 1998


[cen87] depicts a naval jack with a white anchor, instead of silver as ruled by the 1945-decree.

Juan Manuel Gabino Villascán, September 01, 2002.


On October 20, 2000, after being replaced by a six-year period, the 1945 naval jack was re-adopted in the following terms:

Artículo 61.- La Bandera Torrotito de Proa es una cuadra que tiene tres franjas diagonales de igual anchura con los colores de la Bandera Nacional en el orden siguiente, a partir del lado de la vaina en la parte superior izquierda blanco, en la parte central verde y en la parte inferior derecha rojo, al centro de la franja verde lleva un ancla de cepo tipo almirantazgo de color plata, con una altura y base equivalente al 70 y 30% del ancho de la franja.

Lleva tres estrellas de ocho puntas de color dorado colocadas en el vértice superior izquierdo y en los dos vértices inferiores, inscritas en un círculo imaginario con diámetro equivalente al 10% de la longitud de la bandera.

(...)

Which translated is:

Article 61.- The naval jack (bandera torrotito de proa) is square, it has three equal-width diagonal stripes colored after the national flag in the following order: white in the upper part near the hoist, green in the middle, and red in the lower fly, in the center of the green stripe is depicted an admiralty anchor whose heigth and base is equivalent to 70 and 30% the stripe's width.

It has three golden eight-pointed stars placed in the upper corner near the hoist and in the two lower ones, traced within an imaginary circle whose diameter is equivalent to 10% the flag's width accross.

(...)

From [sma00]
Quoted and translated by Juan Manuel Gabino Villascán , May 13, 2001


1994-2000

[Mexican naval jack used from 1994 to 2000] 1:1 [Jack no longer in use]
by Juan Manuel Gabino Villascán, September 1, 2002.
Based on [sma94]

[sma94] dated on November 25, 1994 [in effect a day later], page 125, plate 116, depicts "seal & inscription" naval jack shown in fig 2 of Album 2000 [pay00]. Alas, Mexican saga is not finished, I have just received the Diario Oficial dated 19 10 2000 [sma00], coming back to the precedent naval jack: white anchor in the center, 3 yellow stars in white triangle, red triangle and low hoist green band. Happily the Diario Oficial confirms the presidential mark with 5 stars vertically aligned on the green band (Fig 3 of [pay00]) as "to honour the supreme commander in naval ceremonies". Fig 4 of [pay00] is also confirmed as "for visits to ships and establishments".

Armand du Payrat, January 29, 2001.


Before October 20, 2000, date when the new naval jack came into effect, the vessels of the Mexican Navy used this one, which according the Manual del Marinero [cen87] was described as follows:

"...it will be a square flag with diagonal stripes and colored after the national flag in the following order (from the hoist) white, green and red. In the center, the emblem of the Secretariat of Navy in gold covering 75% the flag's fly..."

Juan Manuel Gabino Villascán, May 10, 2001.


Erroneous reported naval jack

[Erroneous reported naval jack] 1:1
by Juan Manuel Gabino Villascán, September 1, 2002

According to Michel Lupant’s article in Flaggenmitteilungen Nr 100, Jul. 1984 [fmL], the Mexican jack has changed, it is reportedly oblique triband but now from top hoist to low fly, green / white / red; in the middle of each band a yellow octagonal star.

Armand du Payrat, 11 Jan 1999.


Some sources show a different jack, with stripes in a different order: green, white and red, lacking the anchor, but I'm almost sure one more wrong interpretation, hasty and baseless.

José Luis Brugués Alonso
Translated by: António Mártins Tuválkin, January 28, 2001.


See also:


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