Los Angeles herald., 1905-12-10

I !. THE HERALD. 4.
= = - i. .t..s.ts,st
cities of the United States are not sa-
luted by ships of the navy nor may
| salutes be fired in norts or parts of
ports where they are forbidden by the
local authorities.
In the old days of sail it was custo-
mary when saluting sea officers to
hoist the jib as a compliment, but this
| is now forbidden except as a return
to a similar old fashioned courtesy.
Probably the greatest line of demarka-
| ton between salutes is shown to Off
cials whose rank entities them to nine
| teen or more guns. These receive full
honors, including the salute with guns
on the occasion of every visit, while
other officials, whether naval, military
or civil, are not saluted by the same
ship at the same port or by a naval
station oftener than once in twelve
months unless such official has been
advanced in rank. Salutes to port are
returned by the forts ashore, and where
fort or army post is not equipped
for saluting the answer is made by the
senior ship present or by naval bat
| terry or station.
The OutgroWth of Centuries
These ceremonial customs, like the
]
ly came into force as the necessity for
them arose. Those applicable to the
discipline of the ship would be fol-
lowed by the captains and masters
when at sea, and so, like naval law,
they are the outgrowth of centuries.
Many of the laws and customs run
| back, like the common law of Eng
land, to times beyond the memory of
man, thus gaining Il similar authority.
Captain Charles N. Robinson, r. N,
has an interesting chapter in his his
tory of the British fleet, upon the old
customs, taken in part from his own
experience and in part from the writers
on the usage of the sea-"
One of the most ancient of sea Gus
toms, he says, is associated with hon
ors paid to or claimed by various per-
sonages as a mark of respect to them
| selves or to the country they repre-
| sented. Kings Alfred and Edgar are
said to have made the ships of other
countries strike or lower their sails
, when passing English war vessels in
the narrow seas John Selden tells us
that King John decreed that "if the
governor or commander of the kings
naVie in his naval expeditions (Which
We're all in that age upon the south
ern sea-, shall meet any ship whatso-
ever by sea, either laden or empty,
that shall refuse to strike their sails
at the command of the kings govern
ment or admiral or his lieutenant, but
make resistance against them which
belong to his fleet that then they are
to be reputed enemies and they may
be taken, yea, and their ships and
goods confiScated as the goods OF enc
mics"
The Salute Enforced
Scores of instances occurred where
this salute sin honor nj tho HD o.
enforced by shot of gun, and up to the
end of the last century the following
instruction remained i'll the kings reg
ulations:
when any of his majesty's ships
shall meet with any ship or ships be-
longing to any foreign prince or state
within his majesty's seas, which ex-
tend to Cape Fnisterre it is expected
that the said foreign ships do strike
their topsails, and take in their flag
in acknowledgment of his majestys
sovereignty in those seaS and il any
shall refuse or offer to resist it is
enjoined to all flag officers and COM
manders to use their utmost endeaVors
to compel them thereto and not to
suffer any dishonor to be done to his
majesty"
In the regulations of the Trafalgar
period this instruction disappears, but
his majesty's ships are ordered not to
strike their topsails or to take in their
flags unless the foreigners have al
ready done 50 or do so at the same
time. If any of his majesty's sub
jects shall so far forget their duty to
attempt to pass any of his majesty's
ships without striking their topsails
they are to be reported lin order to
their being proceeded against in the
admiralty court"
Today dipping the flag" is an act
of courtesy Men of war never do il
to one another, but if merchant ships
dip" their ensgns to them they reply
in a similar manner. The custom of
striking" or lowering a sail has al
most died out, although British train
ing briggs invariably do IL when, in
cruising about Spthead or tn, round,
they pass a flagship.
Saluting with guns is as ancient as
the guns themselves. The naval writer's
of the Stuart and commonwealth pc
riod describe the huge waste of pow
der and shot which took place in con-
sequence of the great prevalence OF
the practice. Pepys writes that when
the news of King Charles declaration
came to the fleet in the Downs THE
general began to fire his guns which
he did, all that he had in the ship, and
so did the rest of the commanders
which was very gallant and to hear
the bullets go Kissing over our heads
as we We're in the boat"
Dressing ship and manning yards in
honor of some occasion is as old as
the time OF Queen Elizabeth, and fleet
in those days with all its flags abroad,
sllken pendants at the yardarms and
ON the stays, scarlet cloths round the
waist and tops, yards and rigging
crowded with men must have made a
brave sight.