The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1890-01-22
SALUTES ON A MANOFWAR.
MORE PUNcrILroUs PoLITENEss
THERE THAN ELSEWHERE.
Salutes With Big and Little Guns
Cheering the Ship--Manning the
Wards Otbcr nI,opr~anCos

Cheering the Ship-Manning the
Yards-Othcr Observances.
Most visitors to a man-ofwar are
struck by the cleanness, order and com
pactness of everything on board, where
SO many men live so close together, and
yet perfect discipline is preserved-even
greater than the same number in regi.
ment of soldiers But a few moments
consideration will show that, in such a
confined space and with constant inter
course, great attention TO forms and to
the eXactions Of respect must be shown,
to prevent such q mass of men, crowded
close together, from dcgenerating into a
mob. So we see at every moment So
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 hanC TO
the rifle. while the latter is at "thc
carry and senior officers by 'prescnt-
ing" arms. And this is done whenever
they pass, il it be ten times in an hour.
1t is quite an art to fire what is called
"good salute'-when the guns go of
quickly, but at perfectly regular inter.
vals-and nothing jars more upon the
naval ear than a salute in which guns
hang fire and the interval is not pre-
served.
In times as late as our war, salutes
were commonly fired from the ''battery,
or broadside guns of any man-ofwar. II
she was a filty-gun frigatc, but few of
her guns were used, and none Of those
fired requiring reloading, because no
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 arc
by common consent. not required to go
through the ceremony.
Sometimes brass howitzers, which are
carried as boat guns, are used in such
vessels for saluting purposes, and 1t is
most astonishing to see how rapidly
Y ell-drilled howitzer crew can fire.
The numbero guns allowed to officials
is rs low as five-for Consul-but it is
always an uneven number, for ever since
gunpowder was used an even number OF
guns was considered mlucky and the
odd number observed.
The writer we'll remembers the start
given by the firing of three guns in u
Yamen, or official residence of Il high
Chinese official, as party of Americans
were making an official visit. The Chi.
nese salute is three guns-and these three
were almost buried in the earth of a
courtyard through which the party had
to pass, and were fired almost under
their feet as they passed, causing a very
natural start in persons unused to that
way of showing respect.
Salutes 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 arc returned. Then, on national
holidays or anniversaries, foreign men.o
war who happened TO be in port with the
vessel celebrating are all notified and re-
quested to join in Il salute, and probably
in dressing the ship with flags.
For instance, in Rio Janeiro, q great
naval stopping place, there will often be
Brazilian, French, Spanish, Portuguese,
English, American and other men, 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 national sa-
lutte at noon; and each of the foreign
Captains sends back his compliments and
will be happy to follow his motions. So,
on the Fourth of July, in addition to the
dressing of the ship, each one fires twenty
one guns.
If a 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 'man-
ned" that is, life-lines are rove from the
the riffs of the yards to the masts, and
the men stand upon the yards close to
each other.
Sometimes the crews are ordered into
the lower rigging and three cheers are
given, the time being marked by the roll
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 ''homeward
bound"
In ships carrying bands, it is custom
ary for them to play their national air.
when foreign man-of 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 py foreig.
band
Men-of-wars boats salute each othe
in passing according to the rank Of those
in them. They either cease pulling anc
lie on their oars or toss them; or, if under
sail, they let fly their sheets and then
gather them in again. At the same time
the midshipman or coXswain of the
junior boat rises and touches his cap, as
do all the officers in each boat
When coming on board or leaving the
ship officers are attended by the boat,
swain or his mate, with side boys, who
are supposed to hand the man-ropes
When there are no man-ropes the boys
stand on each side of the gangway and
raise their caps, while the boatswain
pipes a long-drawn, peculiar sound from
his pipe. In addition to this the Admiral
or Commodore is received by the marine