' s ▁du chy , ▁which ▁is ▁today ▁South west ▁Finland . ▁The ▁same ▁coat ▁of ▁arms ▁is ▁still ▁used ▁by ▁the ▁province . ▁ ▁Tri ple - ta iled ▁flag ▁▁ ▁A ▁royal ▁war rant ▁of ▁ 6 ▁November ▁ 1 6 6 3 , ▁reg ulated ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁the ▁triple - ta iled ▁flag , ▁to ▁be ▁used ▁only ▁as ▁a ▁state ▁flag ▁and ▁military ▁en sign . ▁According ▁to ▁the ▁same ▁royal ▁war rant , ▁merchant ▁ships ▁were ▁only ▁allowed ▁to ▁fly ▁square - cut ▁city ▁flags ▁in ▁their ▁respective ▁provincial ▁colours . ▁In ▁practice , ▁however , ▁the ▁merchant ▁fleet ▁began ▁using ▁a ▁square - cut ▁civil ▁en sign ▁of ▁the ▁state ▁flag . ▁In ▁a ▁government ▁instruction ▁of ▁ship ▁building ▁of ▁ 1 7 3 0 , ▁this ▁civil ▁en sign ▁should ▁have ▁the ▁same ▁proport ions ▁and ▁colors ▁as ▁the ▁state ▁flag , ▁with ▁the ▁notable ▁difference ▁of ▁being ▁square - cut . ▁In ▁ 1 7 5 6 , ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁p enn ants ▁by ▁private ▁ships ▁was ▁prohib ited . ▁ ▁Blue ▁en sign ▁ ▁A ▁royal ▁war rant ▁of ▁ 1 8 ▁August ▁ 1 7 6 1 , ▁st ip ulated ▁that ▁an ▁all ▁blue ▁triple - ta iled ▁flag ▁to ▁be ▁used ▁by ▁the ▁arch ip el ago ▁fleet , ▁a ▁branch ▁of ▁the ▁army ▁task ed ▁with ▁def ending ▁the ▁arch ip el ago ▁along ▁the ▁Swedish ▁coast lines . ▁The ▁commander ▁of ▁the ▁fleet ▁also ▁had ▁the ▁right