Rensselaer Republican, Volume 25, Number 2, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 September 1892 — NATAL ETIQUETTE. [ARTICLE]

NATAL ETIQUETTE.

Politeness Exceeding Anything Practiced on Terra Firma. Everybody Salute* Everybody Else—What Constitute* a Good Gun Salute—Manning —the Yard*, Cheering the Ship, Etc.—The Gun* Allowed Various Officials. Most visitors to a man-of-war are struck by the cleanliness, order and compactness of everything on. board, where so many men live so closeiogcther, and yet perfect discipline is preserved—even greater than among the 6ame number in a regiment of soldiers. But a few ~ moments’ consideration, writes Dr. E. Shippen. in Golden Days, will show that, in such a confined spaced trod with constant intercourse, great attention to forms and to the exactions

of respect must be shown, to prevent i such a mass of men, orowded close loi gether, from degenerating into a mob. I So wo see, at cVery moment, salutes by touching and raising the pap/ first by the inferior in rank, but always ) scrupulously returned by the superior, while all sentries salute passing offieers—the juniors by r.dsing the hand to-the rifle, while tile latter is at “the carry.” and senior offiuors by “presenting" arms. Add this is done whenever they pass, if it be ten times in an hour. i This saluting ir. military services is based upon the theory that small arms aro placed at the disposal of the person whom it is desired to honor; while with the great guns it was formerly the habit to lire salutes while shotted, and thus leave the pieces harmlessy and at the mercy of the party saluted. But this firing of shotted guns led to so many accident* to the persons whom it was designed to honor that it gradually foil into disuse, and blank cartridges were used instead. The number of guns allowed to officials is as low as live—for a Consul, but ikjfl-fijways an uneven number—for, ever since guupowder was used, an oven number of guns was considered unlucky aud tho odd number obI served. The writer woU remembers tfyi start given by tho firing of three guns in a Yamen, or official re3idenco of a high Chinese official, as a party of Amcri- ■ cans were making an official visit. | _The Chinese salute is throe gun 9 and these three were almost buried in the earth of a court-yard through which the pas ty had to pass, and were fired almost under their feel as lhev passed, causing a very natur.il start iu persons unused to that way of showing respect. Salutes with groat guns occur more frequently in foreign ports than in our own. :is guiv3 are fired upon the visit of foreign officers to our men-of-war, and also whaa ours are returned! Then, on national holidays or anniversaries, foreign men-of-war who happened to be in port withtbo vessel celebrating are all notified and requested to join, in a salute, probably iu dressing the ships With flags. For instance, in Rio Janeiro, a great naval stoppiug place, there will often be Brazilian. French, Spanish, Portuguese, English, American and other juen-of-war. Now, if the Fourth ol July is at hand, the American Admiral sends an officer round to each one, with ltls compliments, and to say that on that day ho will dross Ills ship with flags and lire a national salute at noon; and each of tho foratgx rap tains sends/ back his compliments and will ba happy to follow bis motions. So, on tho Fourth of July, in addition to the dressing of tho ship, eaoh one fire 3 twenty-one guns. If a national salute is fired the flag of the country saluted is hoisted at the fore, aud hauled down at the la<t gun. If it is a personal s.-ilnLn lha hoisted with the 'first gaa satLimuled down with tho last. | Often with very exalted persons, such as kings or tho president of the United States, the yards nrj “manned;" that is, life-lines aro rove from tho lifts of the yards to tho masts, and tho men stand upon the yards close to hßadrotber. —-—■— — * —

Sometimes the crews are. ordered into the lower rigging and three cheers are givon, the time being marked by the rolling of drums. This is called “cheering ship,” and is orien done when another ship of the squadron, which h is completed her service, sails •‘homeward bound.” Whon coming on board or leaving the ship officers arc attended by the boatswain or his mate, with sido-bovs. who are supposed to baud the manrones. Whoa there are no mau-tropqs the boys stand on each side of the gangway and raise their caps, ivhilo the Ooatswain pipes a long-drawn, peculiar sound from his pipe. In addition to this the Admiral or Commodore is received by tho marine guard, drawn up ou tho quarter-deck, and the roll of tlio drum. * Whou tho colors are hoisted or loworod everybody uncovers and the music plays; aud overy one, officer or man, on coming upon the quarterdeck, which is the reserved npot for all ceremony, touches his cap. At first people inaku a great many mistakes and ominlssions in all this cap-touch mg; but in a very short time it becomes a second nature aud is done almost mechanically.