The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-08
ETIQUETTE OF THE NAVY.
Numerous Regulations Observed ON
Uncle Sans Ships.
San Francisco Call.

Dan FRANCISCO Gail.
The. many little points of etiquette OBJ
served on board an American man-of-war
are distinctly worth public interest. From
the moment an officer or man steps aboard
until after he has left he must observe con-
ventional ceremonals of many kinds.
In the first place in going aboard or leav-
ing the ship the starboard gangway is re-
served for the use of the commissioned ofii-
GERS and their visitors. All others must use
the port gangWay.
Upon stepping aboard the first thing to be
done is to salute the deck" by touching
or lifting the hat or cap. This is meant as
q mark of respect to the coors, and is ac-
knowledged by the officer of the deck. The
quarterback is sacred to the officers, and
the side of it occupied by the officer of the
deck is generally avoided even by them.
No enlisted men are permitted to go on the
quarterback except on duty.
one OF the prettiest of naval ceremonies
takes place when the colors are hoisted at
a. M. and again when they are lowered
at sunset. These two functions are accom-
panied by appropriate military music, all
hands, officers as we'll as men, who happen
to be on deck at the time standing up at
the colors reach the flagstaff head or are
lowered into the arms of the quartermaster
who receives them, as the case may be-
IT is customary for officers always to
salute the captain when passing him, but
not to salute each other on board ship, when
merely passing, except when, on duty, an
official communication is to be made. The
junior always salutes first, the senior re-
turning the salute. The men always salute
dressed by him.
Officers below the grade of commander
are always addressed as plain Mr. with
the exception that the surgeons are called
doctor" In the familiar unofficial inter
course the chief engineer is addressed as
chief and the paymaster as pay"
Usually the marine, officer, is .ioculariy
spoken to as major or colonel"
Commanders and captains are always
admirals are addressed by their titles. But
the commanding officer of vessel. no mat
ter what, his rank, is always. addressed by
those under him as captain" Many small
vessels and torpedo boats are commanded
by lieutenants and even by ensigns. yet
they are called captain" as long as they
retain command.
Unlike civil life, the navy regards it as
a compliment to drop the Mr." in per-
application of that little prefix implies wide
disparity in rank, and junior thus feels
fattered by the elevation to equality made
by senior in dropping it.
The most striking illustration of this pc
culiarity is to be found at the Naval Acad-
envy, where the fourth classmen or 'plebs"
are ostentatiouSly termed 'miSters, and
the Mr. is always used in addressing
them. When, at the end of their plebe-
dom. they enter the third class, they glee-
fully welcome the dropping of the prefix
in conversation with the other upper class
men, and the worst snub first or second
classman can give to one of the third class
is to make use of the old Mr.. again In
speaking to him.
There are certain interesting formaHties
in entering, leaving and sitting in the ship S
small boats. Entrance goes according to
rank junior first, in conformity with the
principle that the captain is always last to
abandon the ship In sitting in the boat
the senior sits farthest aft the others rang
ing themselves forward of him. according
to graduation of rank. In leaving the boat
the senior goes first which suggests the
rule that in an attack on shore or a board
ing party the senior leads the way.
There are three principal ceremonies at
tending the official arrival on board. or the
persons
One is the piping over the SIDE" consist
ing of the attendance at the gangway Of
shrill piping of the boatswain as the per
son honored comes or goes over the side
For commanding officer. admiral or
other high functionary, the marine guard
is paraded on the quarter deck, present
ing arms. with the field music giving the
appropriate number of 'ruffies'' as the
from the gangway. This is the second
honor. The third is the firing of gun sa-
the personal rank. The President of the
United States and members of royal fami-
lies receive twenty-one guns. the national
salute, which is the highest honor number
officially recognized. Other officials receive
varying numbers below this. the following
being examples: Admiral seventeen guns
vice admiral, nfteen; rear admiral. thirteen
commodores, eleven; governors of States
Cabinet ministers, diplomatic representa-
tives, generals of the army and consular
officers are all entitled to gun salutes.
The salute is not fired until the object
of it is in his boat and pulls ahead of the
ship, when the first gun is fired and his
flag is unfurled from the masthead, to be
pulled down with the last gun. While the
salute is in progress the visitors boat
stops, proceeding after the last gun.
1t is a marked breach of courtesy to fire
either more or less guns than the person
saluted is entitled to, and when such is
done his representative promptly calls upon
the saluting ship for explanation. and
If this is not satisfactory serious offense is
given.
There is ceremony even in marking the
passages Of time on beard ship There is a
clock near the captains cabin, which the
captains orderly watches. and each half
hour he goes on deck. ard, saluting, re-
ports to the officer of the deck the number
of bells such as zone bell sir three
bells sir" and so on. The officer returns
the orderlys salute, says very good