The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1889-12-26
SALUTESON A MANOF,WAR.
MORE PuNcTILIoUs PoLITENEss
THERE THAN ELSEWHERE.
salutes with Big and Little Guns
Cheering the Ship--Manning the
V..a. nshoc nhaarvancea

salutes with Big and Little Guns
Cheering the Ship--Manning the
Yards-Other Observances.
Most visitors n man-ofwar are
struck By the cleakness, order and com
oactness of everything on board, where
20 many men live so close together, and
yet perfect discipline is preserved-even
greater than the same number in regi-
ment of soldiers. But few moments
consideration will show that, in such
confined space and with constant inter-
course, great attention to forms and to
The exactions of respect must be shown,
TO prevent such mass of men, crowded
close together, from degenerating into
mob. So we see at every moment sa-
lutes by touching and raising the cap,
first by the inferior in rank, but always
scrupulously returned by the superior,
while all the sentries salute passing Off
cers-the juniors by raising the hand to
the rifle, while the latter is at "the
carry" and senior officers by "present-
ing" arms. And this is done whenever
they pass, if it be ten times in an hour.
1t is quite an art to fire what is called
"good salute"-when the guns go off
quickly, but at perfectly regular inter
vals--and nothing jars more upon the
naval ear than salute in which guns
hang fire and the interval is not pre-
| served
In times as late as our war,
were commonly fired from the "bat
or broadsdc guns of any man-of-w
she was fifty-gun frigate, but
her guns were used, and none OF
fired requiring reloading, becar
salute that could be fired required more
than twenty -one guns. But, in these
days of few and heavy guns, salutes are
much less frequent, as such vessels are,
by common consent, not required to go
through the ceremony.
Sometimes brass howitzers, which arc
carried as boat-guns, are used in such
vessels for saluting purposes, and it is
most astonishing to see how rapidly a
yell drilled howitzer crew can fire.
The number of guns allowed to officials
is as low as tive--for a Consul-but it is
always an uneven number, for ever since
| gunpowder was used an even number of
guns was considered unlucky and the
odd number observed.
The writer we'll remembers the start
given by the firing of three guns in a
Yamen, or official residence of high
Chinese official, as party of Americans
were making an official visit. The Chi
uese salute is three guns-and these three
were almost buried in the earth of a
court yard through which the party had
to pass, and were fired almost under
their feet as they passed, causing very
natural start in persons unused to that
way of showing respect.
Statutes with great guns occur more fire.
quently in foreign ports than in our own,
as guns are fired upon the visit of foreign
officers to our men of-war, and also when
ours are returned. Then, on national
holidays or anniversaries, foreign men-of-
war who happened to be in port with the
vessel celebrating are all notified and re-
quested to join in salute, and probably
in dressing the ship with flags.
For instance, in Rio Janeiro, a great
naval stopping place, there will often be
Brazilian, French, Spanish, Portuguese,
English, American and other men, of-war.
Now, if the Fourth of July is at hand,
the American Admiral sends an officer
round to each one, with his compliments,
and to say that on that day he will dress
his ship with flags and fire ma eA eye
lutte at noon; and each of the
Captains sends back his complin ..
will be happy to follow his motto
on the Fourth of July, in addit
dressing of the ship, each one fire
one guns.
If national salute is fired the flag Of
the country saluted is hoisted at the
fore and hauled down at the last gun. II
1t is personal salute the jib is hoisted
with the first gun and hauled down with
the last.
Often with very exalted persons, such
as Kings or Emperors, or the President
of the United States, the yards are imam
ned" that is, life-lines arc rove from the
the riffs of the yards to the masts, snd
the men stand upon the yards close tc
each other.
Sometimes the crews are ordered into
the lower rigging and three cheers are
given, the time being marked by the rol
ling of drums. This is called cheering
ship" and is often done when another
ship of the squadron, which has com
pleted her service, sails ''homewart
bound"
In ships carrying bands, it is custom.
airy for them to play their national air:
when a foreign man war arrives or de-
parts, and the ensign or national flag is
dipped in response to similar courtesy
from foreign ship or forts, or in answer
to the national air, played by foreigr
band.
Men of-war's boats salute each othel
in passing according to the rank Of those
in them. They either cease pulling anC
lie on their oars or toss them; riff under
sail, they let fly their sheets and ther
gather them in again. At the same TIM
the midsnipman or coxswain Of tn
junior boat rises and touches his cap, a
do all the officers in each boat
When coming on board or leaving tn
ship officers are attended by the boat
swain or his mate, with side-boys, wit
are supposed to hand the man-ropes
When there are no man-ropes the boy
stand ON each side of the gangway ant
raise their caps, while the boatswail
pipes long drawn, peculiar sound from
his pipe. In addition to this the Admira
or Commodore is received by 81.
guard, drawn up on the SIS
and the roll of the drum.
When the colors are ea 90
low cred everybody uncove l}
music plays; and every one, o,ucer .
man, on coming upon the quarterback
which is the reserved spot for all cere
mony, touches his cap Golden Days.