Maritime Ceremonial. The subject of maritime ceremonial is regulated by usage, and, to a perceptibly increasing extent, at the present time, by treaty and agreement of the maritime powers. Ships-of-war visiting foreign ports have a peculiarly representative character. They are required to pay certain honors to the territorial sovereign and his representatives, and may expect, in return, that equal respect and similar honors shall be shown to the flag under which they sail, and to the state whose commission they bear.

The forms of maritime ceremonial consist in the firing of salutes, in the exchange of visits and other courtesies, and in manning the yards, dressing the ship, and hoisting the flag of the state or person saluted. It was formerly customary, in firing salutes in port, to furl the sails; and a similar practice prevailed of hoisting a particular sail in saluting or returning the salutes of war-ships or fleets at sea. The national flag of a public armed vessel, however, should never be lowered as a token of respect to any foreign state or individual. As an expression of grief it may be lowered to half-mast; it may be dipped in returning a similar salute rendered by a foreign vessel, but in every other case it should be carried in its proper situation at the mast-head during those hours of the day in which its display is required by regulations.'

Ceremonial on the High Seas. When two fleets or shipsof-war meet upon the high seas, one of which carries a commodore or flag-officer, courtesy requires that the commanding officer junior in rank shall salute first. The same rule holds with respect to the flag-ships of squadrons; but a single ship, no matter what its rank, meeting a squadron, salutes first.'

'I Ortolan, liv. ii. chap. xv. pp. 335, 336; I Halleck, p. 114; Queen's Regulations (6th August, 1861), chap. iii. §7; Heffter, § 197.

"I Halleck, p. 114. When a ship of the navy falls in at sea with a friendly foreign ship-of-war flying the flag or pennant of a flag-officer or commodore, she shall exchange salutes with such ship-of-war in

the same manner as when meeting similar ships of the United States, as provided for in Articles 87 and 88, except that the salute will be returned gun for gun. In port, if several flag-officers are to be saluted, the salutes shall be fired in the order of their rank; if of the same grade, priority shall be given, first, to the nationality of the port,

These salutes are returned gun for gun. Vessels carrying sovereigns, members of royal families, rulers of states, and ambassadors are to be saluted first. The question of returning salutes of this class is now regulated by an international agreement which will presently be explained.'

Merchant vessels of the same or different nations, meeting or passing upon the high seas, usually hoist their national colors, but otherwise do not, as a general rule, salute each other. It is customary, however, for them to ascertain, by hailing or the use of signals, the name, origin, destination, and cargo of passing vessels. This information is noted in the ship's log, and, as a matter of commercial news, is sometimes reported to the port of origin of the vessel hailed.

Ceremonial in Foreign Ports; Salutes. When a public armed vessel enters a port of a foreign nation, where there is a fort or battery or where a ship-of-war of that nation is lying, she is required to salute the flag of the state within whose territorial jurisdiction she has come. This salute consists, usually, of twenty-one guns, and will not be dispensed with unless the commanding officer of the arriving vessel is satisfied that the salute will not be returned. In case two or more ships enter in company, only the one commanded by the senior officer is expected to salute. This is the first salute fired after entering the port, and the ensign of the nation saluted is required to be displayed from the main while it is being fired;" it is a compliment to the flag, and is therefore regarded as international rather than personal.

International Agreement as to Salutes. A proposition originating with the British Government has received such general approval and sanction from other maritime powers as to entitle it to acceptance as an international usage. In ac

and, second, to the length of service of the flag-officers in their respective commands. As between flag-officers of the same grade, the last comer will be saluted first. These salutes shall be fired as soon as possible after the usual boarding

visits have been made.-Par. 114
U. S. Navy Regulations of 1896.
1 I Halleck, p. 114.

2

See paragraph 113 U. S. Navy Regulations of 1896; see also I Ortolan, liv. ii. chap. xv. pp. 336338; I Halleck, p. 116,

cordance with its terms the following classification is made of salutes:'

I. Salutes to be returned gun for gun:

I. To the national flag upon arrival in a foreign port.

II. To foreign flag-officers and commodores when met at sea or in port.*

2. Salutes not to be returned:

I. To a president of a republic, royal personages, or members of royal families, whether on arrival at or departure from a port, or upon visiting ships-of-war.

II. To diplomatic, naval, military, or consular authorities, or to governors, or officers administering a government, whether on arrival at or departure from a port, or when visiting shipsof-war.

III. To foreigners of high.distinction on visiting ships-of-war. IV. Upon occasions of national festivities or anniversaries. Visits of Ceremony. The following rules, in which the maritime powers generally have concurred, are observed by all naval officers in the interchange of visits with naval and military authorities on shore and with the officers of friendly foreign ships-of-war in all ports of the civilized world:

1. The senior officer in port, whatever may be his rank, will, upon the arrival of a foreign ship-of-war, send an officer on board the arriving vessel to offer the customary courtesies. In case two or more ships of the same nation arrive in company, the visit is made to the senior ship only; this is called the "boarding visit."

2. When such a visit is made to a public armed vessel, an officer shall be sent to return it at once.

'Adopted by the United States August 18, 1875; see U. S. Foreign Relations, 1875, part ii. pp. 656, 657; see also paragraphs 133 and 164 U. S. Navy Regulations of 1896.

2

In port, if several flag-officers are to be saluted, the salutes are fired in the order of their rank; if of the same grade, priority in saluting is given: first, to the nation

ality of the port, and, second, to the length of service of the several flagofficers in their respective commands. As between flag-officers of the same grade, the last comer salutes first. These salutes are fired as soon as possible after the customary boarding visits have been made. See paragraph 114 U. S. Navy Regulations of 1896.

3. Within twenty-four hours after his arrival, the flag-officer or other officer in chief command of the arriving ship or ships will visit the flag or other officer in chief command of the foreign ship or ships in port, if the latter be his equal or superior in grade. Such a visit made to a public armed vessel is required to be returned within twenty-four hours.

4. In the cases of officers of different grades, the junior is expected to pay the first visit, the same limits of time being observed as to the visit and its return. Where it is impossible to determine the relative or assimilated rank, as between the authorities on land and the officers afloat, the first visit is usually paid by the officials on shore.'

5. Flag-officers return visits of officers of the grade of captain and those of superior grades. It is customary for chiefs of staff to return the calls of commanders or other junior commanding officers.

6. Captains and commanding officers of junior grades will return all visits made to them by commanding officers, whatever their grade.

7. In the case of two or more ships arriving in port, or lying in port when another ship arrives, after the interchange of visits between the senior officers shall have taken place, the captains or other officers in command of the arriving ships-ofwar call upon the officers in command of the ships-of-war in port, by whom the visits are returned.'

1U. S. Navy Regulations (1896), par. 164; I Ortolan, liv. ii. chap. xv. P. 344; I Halleck, chap. v. § 23; I Twiss, § 194; Heffter, § 197.

See pars. 164 and 165 of the United States Navy Regulations of 1896, which contain the following provisions: "Wardroom officers of a ship of the navy arriving in port, shall, after the interchange of the usual visits by their own and other captains, call upon commanding and wardroom officers of other ships-of-war in port, when such visits, in the opinion of their cap

Ceremonial on Land. A similar ceremonial is observed on land, between officers in chief command of armies, forts, and military posts, and military or naval officers representing different states, who come into official or personal contact with them in the performance of their official duties. Suitable military and naval honors are paid to foreign sovereigns and ambassadors, and to, the higher grades of officials of the diplomatic or military service of a foreign state.'