Page 293 - Gulf Precis(VIII)_Neat

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CHAPTER X.
Salutes to be fired from His Majesty’s ships to Native Chiefs and
Political Officers in the Persian Gulf.
91. In October 1879 the Marine * Department forwarded to the Foreign
Department for consideration a latter from
Pointed A., January 1680, Noj. 306-402.
the Naval Commander-in-Chief on the sub­
ject of the salutes from Her Majesty's ships in Indian waters, to which the officers
in the diplomatic service of the Government of India were entitled, and the right
of such officials to fly flags at sea, and what flag they should fly.
92. In the matter of salutes, the Marine Department was of opinion that the
regulation laid down in the Secretary of State’s despatches No. 135, dated 27th
December 1877, and No. 12, dated 21st February 1878, and Foreign Department
Notification No. 2-D. C. P, dated 1st January 1877, would meet all requirements.
(The notification modified by the despatches fixed the royal salute, barring the
actual presence of the Sovereign, at thirty-one guns.)
93. Reference was made by the Naval Commander-in-Chief to the practice
obtaining in the Persian Gulf of firing irregular salutes, and of political officers
flying their flags on Her Majesty's ships. The Commander of H. M.
S. Daphne reported to the Commander-in-Chief that on visiting Basrah, he found
that on a former occasion the Vice-Consul and Political Agent had been saluted
with nine guns, and he therefore did the same. He also observed H. M. S.
Arab leaving Maskat with the Officiating Political Agent on board, and flying a
jack with a device in the centre. As these practices seemed to be irregular, he
asked for instructions as to the salutes the Political Agents in the Persian Gulf
were entitled to, and on what occasions, if any, they were permitted to hoist their
Jacks on board Her Majesty’s ships.
94. The Naval Commander-in-Chief, in forwarding this, said he only asked
for information on these matters, in order that he might be able to give such
instructions to the Commanding Officers of vessels in the Persian Gulf, as will
ensure uniformity of procedure which did not at that time appear to exist.
95. The Government of India requested the Resident, Persian Gulf, and
Political Agent, Turkish Arabia, to report what was the practice hitherto adopted
in regard to salutes and the flying of flags in the Persian Gulf.
96. The Resident replied, in his No. 385, dated 4th November 1879, as
follows
(1) As to salutes.—When paying official visits to, embarking on board of,
or disembarking from Her Majesty’s vessels in course of duty, the Resident was
saluted with thirteen guns, and the Political Agent, Maskat, with eleven (as laid
down in Government orders on the subject of salutes) within the limits of their
jurisdiction, provided the ship was a saluting one, i.e., carrying more than ten
guns.
Since 1871, when Her Majesty's ships were substituted for those of the
Bombay Marine, the actual practice had been somewhat different. Admiral
Cockburn relaxed the standing orders, and allowed the Naval Commanders discre­
tion as to saluting (His Excellency’s order lays down that when it is considered
necessary, or on particular occasions, salutes might be fired even by ships carry­
ing fewer tjian ten guns—when a salute be deemed necessary by the Captain, or
requested by the local authorities). The result of this order was that Naval
Commanders saluted political officers and foreign flags or not according to their
individual taste and judgment, and there has been a want of uniformity in con­
sequence. Hearing that a fresh order had been issued, the Resident asked the
Senior Naval Officer to furnish him with a copy. Under this new order salutes
to political officers in the Persian Gulf were virtually abolished unless specially
asked for.

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