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**Gun Salutes**

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Today, the firing of guns is seen as a great honor bestowed upon both
military and political officials. Firing guns at the approach of a party
demonstrates not only welcome but also respect and trust. In former
times, however, firing all guns could leave a ship, fort or battery
virtually defenseless, for the reloading took a great deal of time. For
this reason, gun salutes were seen as a great honor.

The practice of firing gun salutes was well established by the sixteenth
century, although gun salutes had existed for centuries. Later, the
number of guns to fire was designated for various ceremonies, honors and
officials --- in relation to their importance and position.

The firing of three rifle volleys (rounds) over the graves of fallen
armed forces members and political leaders can be traced to the European
dynastic wars, when fighting was halted to remove the dead and wounded.
Once an area was cleared of casualties, three volleys were sent into the
air as a signal to resume fighting.

By about 1730, the British navy was prescribing 21 guns for certain
anniversary dates as a personal salute to members of the royal family.
This was not mandatory, however. The 21-gun salute was adopted as the
standard salute for royalty in 1808.

The United States fired a "national salute," on special occasions and
during times of mourning, of one gun for each state in the union until
1841, when the salute was standardized at 21 guns. It was customary at
that time, when naval vessels were visiting foreign ports, to salute the
flag of that nation with the number of guns present in the foreign
country's national salute. It would have been difficult, if not
impossible, for vessels visiting the United States to fire a salute
that, in 1841, doubled the number of guns prescribed by most other
nations (42 as compared to 21). Also, it would have been internationally
discourteous to offer a salute to a foreign port with fewer guns then
prescribed by our own national salute.

The British proposed that the two nations exchange salutes gun for gun
when their vessels visited American ports in the nineteenth century. In
1875, the British minister at Washington, D.C., and the U.S. secretary
of state decided to work towards an agreement on salutes. On August 18,
1875, the United States formally adopted the 21-gun salute, the number
prescribed by Britain, France and other nations.

No one can explain why the number 21 was chosen for national salutes. In
ancient cultures, numerology, the study of numbers, developed symbolism
behind most numbers. These cultures believed the number seven to be
sacred and, therefore, it is believed, multiples of seven would be
looked upon favorably (hence 21). Other gun salutes vary from five guns
(the lowest) to 21 guns (the highest) by increments of two, and are
prescribed in accordance with occasion and level of importance of those
honored. It is generally believed that gun salutes are set off in odd
numbers because of an old naval superstition that even numbers are
unlucky.