Birmingham state herald., 1896-07-25
A. BIT OF SENTIMENT.
But It Keeps Green the Loyalty of Our Gal
 lant Jack Tars

But It Keeps Green the Loyalty of Our Gal lant Jack Tars.
 Boston Traveller
 The advent of the cold, practical age of
 iron and steel, with its steam and elee-
 trlclty. has robbed the navy of much of it's romance, but a certain kind of senti- ment still sury Ives, and will survive for years to come. While ugly turrets and smokestacks, cumbersome military
 masts and other unsightly proturber-
 ances of various kinds have banished forever the graceful spars white canvas and long, clear decks ofathe past, there yet remain the human heart and soul, the same as they were in 1872, 1861 and 1775. These change slowly, by a stealthy evolution rather than the often radical | revolution which so frequently marks material progress.
 Perhaps the prett.est illustration of the sturdy survival of sentiment in the new | steel navy of the United States s found | in the respect shown the national em- | blem, the beautiful stars and stripes. In | the morning, on board every American | man-of-war, at home or abroad, as the | colors are hoisted, everyone on deck, be | he captain cadet or coal heaver, be he on duty or not, faces aft, respectfully removes his cap, and stands at attention uncovered until the flag reaches the peak on the staff heat, the sentres at the same time presenting arms and the music playing the national air, if at hand, or the stirring notes of "colors," if field
 music only is on board.
 The same ceremonies are repeated when the flag is lowered a sunset. Most commanding officers, too. impress it upon the quartermasters and signal boys, who do the hoising and lowering, that they are not to permit the starry flag to touch the deck but are to hoist 1t from the rail-
 and, when 1t coes down at night, gather its folds reverent1y in their arms fold it carefully and stow 1t away in safety for the night.
 Another bit of sentiment is found in the practice of dipping the colors, an ancient salute for passing ships, akin to the lift ing of oneis hat It is a strict rule in the United States navy that the colors shall only be dipped in answer to similar
 salute; they are never to be the hrst to dip, on the principle that the stars and stripes owe homage to no flag that flies.
 On the other hand. respect is shown to
 the flags of other nations by the sentries and officers of American men-of-war saluting when a foreign man-of-war
 passes or is passed, which salute is al- ways reciprocal. Likewise when an American man-of-war enters a foreign port she fires a gun salute or twenty-one guns in honor of the flag of the nation having jurisdiction over the port, the nag of that nation being hoisted during the firing of the salute, which is always an- swered, gun for gun.
 Throughout the elaborate system of na- val etiquette the SurVlNai or sentiment is
 manifested quite as much as the promo tfon of discipline. Nor is this sentiment
 wholly ornamental It has decidedly practical value. It animates both officers and men into a spirit of daring determi- nation, pluck and patience, which prompts them to heroic deeds, fidelity to
 duty and cheerfulness under privation and diversity which cold logic and ma
 terialistio analysis might not produce. It appeals to the spiritual side Of human
 nature, the ruling quality which enables
 men to overcome physical obstacles. In
 battle mans reason alone may suggest to
 him the proba bility of defeat, in weary dishearten him with the apparent hope Iessness of his efforts; but when he sees the flag which this practical Sentiment has taught him to honor and love emo tions are stirred in him which stimulate him to dogged determination, turning threatening defeat into victory and inn peding failure into success.