Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-06-14

attract attention and add to the beauty
Of naval maneuvers. But the most spec
tacular of Salutes are the major ealutes
given by the ship itself. The cid meth
cd of manning the yards was extremely
picturesque on board the Square-rigged
sailing vessels, but 1t now has become
obsolete because there are no yardarms
to man. However, 1t may well be dis
carded for that NEST beautiful and inn
pressive Of salutes, the dipping OF the
colors.
It must not be supposed that in dip
ping her colors q ship turns over or
bends her mast double actually to dip
her flag into the ocean. The salute, In
naval language, consists Of lowering the
flag gracefully to half mast and then
running 1t up smartly to the mast head.
This beautiful tribute is given by all
naval vessels as they ascend the Poto-
mac, past WaShington's old home at
Mount Vernon.
And now after the most beautiful we
have the most spectacular OF saluteS,
the cannon salute. It is given only be-
tween sunrise and sunset and the num-
Der Of rounds fired is governed by the
rank of the person or thing being
Saluted.
Statutes Vary With Rank
II the flag or the Nations President
is being honored, 81 guns voice their
respect. but If the Vice PRESIDENT, an
ambassador or a member Of the cabi-
net is being recognized. 10 guns pro-
claim the salute, and when an admiral
or general appears, IT guns belch forth
in his honor. If it is the Assistant Sec
rotary of the Army or Navy who Is pay
ing a visit he is met with Is guns.
while a resident minister, rear admiral
or major general must listen to the
thunder of Is guns. A brigadier gen.
eral needs to count only to IL.
The Ranger remained in French
waters for more than two months be-
fore final arrangements had been COM
pleted for the salute, and then on Feb
ruary IA. 1778, in the harbor OF Que
boron, France, Capt. John Paul Jones
sailed the Ranger, with the flag OF the
United States at her masthead, through
the French feet and received the first
salute ever given the American nag by
a foreign power.
we scarcely can imagine the thrill
that those American sailors must have
felt as they answered gun for gun the
salute of the French men-of-war. II
meant to them something far deeper
than Just the mere act Of firing cannon
and making lots of noise. Their pride,
their happiness and their satisfaction
did not come from the noise, it came
from knowing that after one OF the
toughest voyages in history that good
ship, THE United American Colonies, y
had come safely into the port Of Liberty
where the sea wall of foreign recogni-
ton gave it momentary protection from
the fury of autocratic waves.
Flag Sank With Ship.
And what became Of the flag that re-
ceived that salute, the flag that the
Portsmouth girls gave John Paul Jones?
That flag has more history, for 1t was
the same gilken treasure that the old
sea hero took with him aboard the Bon
Homme Richard. and it was the same
flag that was floating at her masthead
when that noble ship engaged in mortal
combat with the Scraps. 1t was flying
overhead when John Paul Jones bel
lowed forth those memorable words, i
have not yet begun to fight" and 1t
was still flying proudly when the Bon
Homme Richard, with the bodies OF her
nonored dead on her decks, sank be-
meath the moonlit waters Of the At
lantic. 1t was the only flag that ever
went down on a ship that conquered
and captured the ship that sank her.
In the years that have pasesd since
that memorable first salute, Our nag
has been saluted millions of times. but
in all this recognition that first salute
stands out as the most important be-
cause 1t marks the time when OUR cour-
try took her place as one of the inf1u-
ences for good in the world.