SALUTATION, the act of saluting, greeting, or paying respect and reverence to any one. There is a great variety in the forms of salutation. The orientala salute by uncovering their feet, laying their hands on their breast, &c. In Eng land, we salute by uncovering the head, bending the body, &c. The pope for merly paid reverence to none except the emperor, to whom he stooped a very lit tle, when he permitted him to kiss his lips. A prince, or person of extraordi nary quality, is saluted at his entering a garrison by the firing of the cannon round the place. In the field, when a regiment is to be reviewed by a king, or his gene ral, the drums beat as he approaches, and the officers salute him, one after another, as hepasses by, stepping back with the right foot and hand, bowing their half pikes to the ground, and then recovering them gently, bringing up the foot and hand, and planting them ; which done, they pull off their hats without bowing. The ensigns salute all together, bringing. down their colours near the ground di rectly before them, at one motion, and having taken them up again, gently lift their hats.. At sea, they salute by a dis charge of cannon, which is greater or less, according to the degree of respect they would show ; and here ships always sa lute with an odd number of guns, and galleys with an even one. To salute with muskets is to fire one, two, or three vol. lies ; which is a method of salutation that sometimes precedes that of cannon, and is chiefly used on occasion of feasts. After the cannon, they also sometimes salute or hail with the voice, by a joint shout of all the ship's company, repeated three times ; which salutation also occasionally obtains, where they carry no guns, or do. not care to discharge any. Saluting with the flag is performed two ways, either by holding it close to the staff so as it cannot flutter, or by striking it so as it cannot be seen at all, which is the most respectful. Saluting with the sails is per
formed by hovering the topsails half-way of the masts. Only those vessels that carry no guns salute with the sails.
The following regulations en this sub ject are deserving of notice : "When any of his Majesty's ships shall meet with any ship or ships belonging to any foreign prince or state, within his Majesty's seas, (which extend to Cape Finisterre,) it is expected that the said foreign ships do strike their topsail, and take in their Hag, in acknowledgment of his Majesty's so vereignty in those seas: and if any shall refuse, or offer to resist, it is enjoined to all flag-officers and commanders to use their utmost endeavours to compel them thereto, and not suffer any dishonour to be done to his Majesty. And if any of his Majesty's subjects shall so much for get their duty, as to omit striking their top-sails in passing by his Majesty's ships, the name of the ship and master, and from whence, and whither bound, toge ther with affidavits of the facts, are to be sent up to the Secretary of the Admi ralty, in order to their being proceeded against in the Admiralty Court. And it is to be observed, that in his Majesty's seas, his Majesty's ships are in nowise to strike to any ; and that in no other parts, no ship of his Majesty is to strike her flag or topsail to any foreigner, unless such foreign ship shall have first struck, or at the same time strike her flag or topsail to his Majesty's ship. The flag officers and commanders of his Majesty's ships are to be careful to maintain his Majesty's honour upon all occasions, giving protection to his subjects, and en deavouring, what in them lies, to secure and encourage them in their lawful com merce; and they are not to injure, in any manner, the subjects of his Majesty's friends and allies."