Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-11-09

Is considered that king, prince or duke,
being seated, would not be able to de-
fend himself Immediately or even read
fly against sudden attack.
The word salute" itself has the idea
of safety" in it, as it comes directly
from the Latin salus, signifying
health" then welfare" To salute"
is to wish health and safety. The root
of the word goes back to the Sanscrit
sar, which meant to protect" or
guard"
Naval salutes arc interesting to
landsmen as we'll as to jack tars. The
artillery salute is the survival Of one Of
those ceremonial practices which for
merly had some definite meaning, and
Is meant to signify not only an honor to
the flag or representative Of friendly
nation but also that the vessel saluting
has no hostile intent.
Shotted guns fired by the full arma-
ment of the ship were used in the sew
enteenth century, as If to say: Now
every gun is empty and we are unarm-
teenth century fashion, but like many
other customs of that polished. formal
period, were carried to ridiculous ex-
treme.
When in due time it became the
practice to give a special salute for
certain rank or occasion the odd num-
ber of guns-in which all salutes are
measured-was selected in order that
the salute might open as we'll as close
on the honor" side Of the ship, the ves-
sells starboard. When the United
States first attained national standing
the existing national salute Of twenty
one guns was adopted, in accordance
with the usage Of other countries, by
our army and navy.
So in international usage the nation
al salute for every country Is Of twen-
ty-one guns; while the American ma
tional salute, used in our own country,
is one gun for every state, forty-six
guns now being fired on state occasions.
The earliest instance Of this domestic
as given at the raising Of the first
American flag, when Capt. John Paul
Jones fired thirteen guns, one in honor
of each Of the thirteen original states.
The number Of guns fired in an ar
tillery salute varies in accordance with
the rank Of the officer or parsonage sa-
luted. The presidents salute is, Of
course, twenty-one guns. Admirals Of
the navy, generals Of the army, gov
ernors of the states, ambassadors from
foreign countries, and justices Of
the supreme court are saluted by
salvo of seventeen guns. Salutes grad
ually diminish in the number Of guns
fired until they reach the lowest grade,
seven for a junior commanding officer
or our consul at a foreign port.
Custom varies in European countries,
but all foreign rulers have more pow
der burnt in their honor than Is con-
sumed in the American presidential sa-
Lutte King Edward and Queen Alexan-
dra are saluted with a salvo Of fifty-one
guns, and members Of the royal fam
lily and important state and military
personages receive fewer number, the
details of which are Of course set by
law. Kaiser Wilhelm outranks any
other contemporary sovereign, being
saluted by the largest amount Of noise,
the imperial salute consisting Of one
hundred and one guns. This is the
standard for emperors and for some
kings. The birth Of an heir to the
throne of a state is signalized by one
hundred and one guns also, as happen
ed only recently when the little prince
Of Holland was born.