''Enseigne de vaisseau non entretenu'' (literally: "Ensign without a salary") was a junior naval rank in the

French Navy The French Navy (french: Marine nationale, lit=National Navy), informally , is the maritime arm of the French Armed Forces and one of the five military service branches of France. It is among the largest and most powerful naval forces in t ...

during the Revolutionary Wars. The duties of an ''Enseigne de vaisseau non entretenu'' were the same as those of an ''enseigne de vaisseau entretenu'' (

Ensign An ensign is the national flag flown on a vessel to indicate nationality. The ensign is the largest flag, generally flown at the stern (rear) of the ship while in port. The naval ensign (also known as war ensign), used on warships, may be diffe ...

), but on a contractual basis rather than a full commission. An ''Enseigne de vaisseau non entretenu'' would wear the uniform and have authority only when on service, and was not paid when off-duty. There was a fixed number (200) of positions for "entretenus", which required a competitive examination. The number "non entretenus" had no such limit, and one could obtain the status by a simple examination or by captaining a merchantman.Les Tropéziens et la marine de guerre
/ref> This allowed the Navy to augment its ranks at a time of crisis and as the personnel of the Navy was thin and disorganised by emigration and purges.

References

{{Reflist, 30em Military ranks of France Naval ranks