21-gun salute

This article is about the cannon salute. For the three-shot rifle salute given at military and law enforcement funerals, see 3-volley salute.

A gun salute being fired by members of the U.S. Army Presidential Salute Guns Battery

Gun salutes are the firing of cannons or arms as a (military or naval) honour.

The custom originates in naval tradition, where a warship would fire its cannons harmlessly out to sea to show that it was disarmed, signifying the lack of hostile intent.

As naval customs evolved 21 volleys came to be fired for heads of state, with the number decreasing with the rank of the recipient of the honour. Multiples of 21-gun salutes may be fired for particularly important celebrations.

History

The tradition of saluting can be traced to the Middle Ages practice of placing oneself in an unarmed position and, therefore, in the power of those being honoured. This may be noted in the dropping of the point of the sword, presenting arms, firing cannon and small arms, lowering sails, manning the yards, removing the headdress or laying on oars.

The cannon salute might have originated in the 17th century with the maritime practice of demanding that a defeated enemy expend its ammunition and render itself helpless until reloaded — a time-consuming operation in that era. Also, the gun salute was established as a naval tradition by the late sixteenth century. A man o' war which visited a foreign port would discharge all its guns to show that its guns were empty. Since the ship would not have enough time to reload before it was within range of the shore batteries, it was clearly demonstrating its friendly intentions by going in with empty guns.

Salute by gunfire is an ancient ceremony. The British for years compelled weaker nations to render the first salute; but in time, international practice compelled "gun for gun" on the principle of equality of nations. In the earliest days, seven guns was the recognized British national salute because seven was the standard number of weapons on a vessel. In that day, gunpowder made from sodium nitrate was easier to keep on dry land than at sea. Thus those early regulations stated that although a ship would fire only seven guns, the forts ashore would fire three shots to each one shot afloat, hence the number 21.

The system of odd numbered rounds is said to have been originated by Samuel Pepys, Secretary to the Navy in the Restoration, as a way of economising on the use of powder, the rule until that time having been that all guns had to be fired. Odd numbers were chosen, as even numbers indicated a death.

With the increase in quality of naval gunpowder, by the use of potassium nitrate, honours rendered at sea were increased to the shore salute. 21 guns became the highest national honour, although for a period of time, monarchies received more guns than republics. Eventually republics gained equality in Britain's eyes.

India during the period of British rule developed a formal hierarchical system of gun salutes. Apart from the 101 gun Imperial salute reserved for the British monarch, the more important of the hundreds of vassal rulers of princely states involved in indirect rule were classified by the number of guns used when paying honours to them, signifying their prestige in the eyes of the British. The highest of these so-called "salute states" (also in some other parts of the British Empire) enjoyed 21 guns (Hyderabad and Berar, Mysore, Jammu and Kashmir, Baroda, and Gwalior). For years, a few rulers not formally under the control of the British were granted 21 guns (Nepal, Oman, Mosquito Coast and Zanzibar) or even 31 guns (Afghanistan and Siam).

There was much confusion because of the varying customs of maritime states, but finally the British government proposed to the United States a regulation that provided for "salutes to be returned gun for gun." The British at that time officially considered the international salute to sovereign states to be 21 guns, and the United States adopted the 21 guns and "gun for gun" return on August 18, 1875.

By country

Canada

As a member of the Commonwealth, the gun salutes are used at special holidays, state funerals and visits by the Royal Family in Canada.

Individuals who are given the salute outside of the Queen (or King) are:

• Governor General of Canada - installation, special events (e.g. Canada Day), departure
• Foreign heads of state
• members of foreign reigning royal families

Holidays where a 21 gun salute is used:

• Remembrance Day (November 11) - with the presence of the Queen and/or Governor General
• Victoria Day (May 24)

The Prime Minister, heads of foreign missions, foreign heads of government, and the Vice President of the United States are entitled to a 19 gun salute.

A 17-gun salute is given to the Canadian Minister of National Defence when visiting a saluting station (limited to once a year), as well as foreign ministers of National Defence.

A 15-gun salute is given on certain occasions for the Lieutenant Governors of provinces.

Israel

In Israel the practice of gun salute has been eliminated since it "has suffered many terror attacks" [1]. Nevertheless, the 3-volley salute is still used in military funerals.

United Kingdom

21-gun salutes mark special royal occasion throughout the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth, referred to as a "royal salute" (in the British Empire it had been reserved, mainly among colonial princely states, for the most prestigious category of native rulers of so-called salute states), unless rendered to the president or flag of a republic; nonetheless salutes rendered to all heads of state regardless of title are casually referred to as "royal" salutes.

The number of rounds fired in a salute depend on the place and occasion. The basic salute is 21 rounds. In Hyde Park and Green Park an extra 20 rounds are added because they are Royal Parks. At the Tower of London 62 rounds are fired on royal anniversaries (the basic 21, plus a further 20 because the Tower is a Royal Palace and Fortress, plus another 21 'for the City of London') and 41 on other occasions. The Tower of London probably holds the record for the most rounds fired in a single salute — 124 are fired whenever the Duke of Edinburgh's birthday (62 rounds) coincides with the Saturday designated as the Queen's official birthday (also 62 rounds).

Gun salutes occur on:

• Accession Day (6 February)
• The Sovereign's (real, individual) birthday (21 April)
• Coronation Day (the anniversary of The Queen's Coronation, 2 June)
• The birthday of the Duke of Edinburgh (10 June)
• The Queen's official birthday which designated annually as one of the first three Saturdays in June

and other extraordinary events.

Gun salutes also occur when Parliament is prorogued by the Sovereign, on Royal births and when a visiting Head of State meets the Sovereign in London, Windsor or Edinburgh.

Military saluting stations are London and York in England, Edinburgh Castle in Scotland, Cardiff (Wales)and Hillsborough Castle in County Down, Northern Ireland.

In London, salutes are fired in Hyde Park and The Tower of London; on State Visits, at the State Opening of Parliament and for The Queen's Birthday Parade, Green Park is used instead of Hyde Park. In Hyde Park, the salute is fired by The King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery. The first round is fired at noon (11am on The Queen's official birthday). At the Tower of London, the salute is fired by the Honourable Artillery Company at 1pm. Salutes also are fired occasionally at Woolwich by the Royal Artillery.

Salutes fired at the Tower of London to mark the anniversaries of the birth, accession, coronation of the Sovereign, and other royal occasions are 62 guns, and 41 guns are fired at Hyde Park or Green Park on Royal occasions.

Salutes in Northern Ireland are usually fired at Hillsborough Castle by 206 (Ulster) Battery, although recently they have also been fired at HMS Caroline in Belfast Harbour.

19-gun salutes are used for 5-star generals, ambassadors, and heads of government (e.g., the Prime Minister).

United States

A myth common in the United States relative to the origin of this tradition is that the year 1776 inspired the 21-gun salute because the sum of the digits in 1776 is 21 (i.e., 1+7+7+6 = 21). However, this is not true. Beginning in the colonial period, the United States fired one shot for each state in the Union as its national salute. This practice was partly a result of usage, because John Paul Jones saluted France with 13 guns at Quiberon Bay in 1778 when the Stars and Stripes received its first salute. The practice was not officially authorized until 1810, when the United States Department of War declared the "national salute" to be equal to the number of states, which was 17 at the time. This was continued until 1841 when the "national salute" was reduced from 26 to 21.

Constitution renders a 21-gun salute to Fort Independence during her Independence Day turnaround cruise.

In 1842, the United States declared the 21-gun salute as its "Presidential Salute." In 1890, the "national salute" was also formally reestablished as the 21-gun salute, although the traditional modern Independence Day salute is a 50-gun salute -- one round for each state in the union. This "Salute to the Nation" is fired at noon on July 4, (Independence Day) at U.S. military installations. The U.S. Navy full-dresses ships and fires 21 guns at noon on July 4, Independence Day and February 22, Presidents' Day. On Memorial Day, batteries on military installations fire a 21-gun salute to the nation's fallen. As well, batteries at Naval stations and the ships themselves, fire a salute of 21-minute guns and display the ensign at half-mast from 8 a.m. until completion of the salute.

Today, a 21-gun salute is rendered on the arrival and departure of the President of the United States; it is fired in concordance with four ruffles and flourishes, which is immediately followed by Hail to the Chief -- the actual gun salute begins with the first ruffle and flourish, and concludes after Hail to the Chief has ended. A 21-gun salute is also rendered to former U.S. Presidents, foreign Heads of State (or members of a reigning royal family), as well as to Presidents-elect. In such a ceremony, the national anthem of the visiting dignitary's country is played, following the salute.

Each round in a gun salute is fired one at a time. The number of cannon used in a battery depends upon the intervals between each round fired. For example, a 3-gun battery has 2 of its guns firing, each at 5 second intervals between rounds, with 1 gun at the ready in case of a misfire; such a battery would be used at an Armed Forces Full Honors Funeral, or for an arrival ceremony of a dignitary at the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington National Cemetery. A 4-gun battery has its first 3 guns firing rounds at 3 second intervals, with the 4th gun (again) at the ready in case of misfire.

The U.S. Army Honor Guard Standard Operating Procedure for Gun salutes provides a 2-man gun crew (one loader, one gunner) for each cannon, as well as a 5-man 'staff' of soldiers to give the fire commands. The staff includes an Officer in Charge, a watchman (who marks the intervals and signals each gun to fire), an assistant watchman (as a backup), a counter (who keeps track of the number of rounds fired and signals the last round to the Officer in Charge), and a Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge (who marches the battery into place as well as signals the backup cannon to fire in case another gun misfires).

Naval vessels now have saluting guns installed which are used solely for such purpose. The traditional timing chant, "If I wasn't a sailor, I wouldn't be here. Fire #1," etc., has been replaced by stopwatch.

A 21-gun salute is also fired at noon on Memorial Day to honor the nation's fallen. A 50-gun salute (one round for each state in the Union) is fired at noon on the 4th of July.

19-gun salutes are reserved for deputy heads of state, chiefs of staff, cabinet members, and 5-star generals.

Deaths of presidents

A U.S. presidential death also involves 21-gun salutes and other military traditions. On the day after the death of the president, a former president or president-elect—unless this day falls on a Sunday or holiday, in which case the honor will be rendered the following day—the commanders of Army installations with the necessary personnel and material traditionally order that one gun be fired every half hour, beginning at reveille and ending at retreat.

On the day of burial, a 21-minute gun salute traditionally is fired starting at noon at all military installations with the necessary personnel and material. Guns will be fired at one-minute intervals. Also on the day of burial, those installations will fire a 50-gun salute—one round for each state—at five-second intervals immediately following lowering of the flag.

Media

• Six shots from a 21-gun salute on December 4 celebrating the birth of the new Norwegian Prince, Sverre Magnus, the previous day]]

See also

• Salute for salutes in general.
• 3-volley salutes issued by a seven-member firing parties at military funerals.
• State funeral
• Celebratory gunfire

External links

• Navy Regulations, 1990, Ch 12, Flags, Pennants, Honors, Ceremonies and Customs
• AR 600-25 Salutes, Honors, and Visits of Courtesy
• Origins of the 21-gun salute
• The 21-Gun International Salute
• RoyalArk- India - salute states
• Urban Legend re: Sum of Digits of 1776
• Honours and salutes - Department of Canadian Heritage