SAL ( tt9 ) SAM
Salut de Pepce, Fr. tlie sword salute.
Saltjt de mer , Fr. the deference andrespect which are shewn at sea by shipsof interior force, to those of superiorrate. This is done by lowering the flag.The British flag stands paramount to all-others, and is always saluted by foreignships at sea.
SALUTATORES, courtiers, saluters,or persons who pay homage or obeisanceto others. The following article is froma publication (viz. Dictionnairetaire) which made its appearance in 1801,and has been extant in France during allthe stages of her Revolution.
u It has been customary (savs its au-thor), from time immemorial, to cast aridicule upon every species of attendanceon persons in superior stations, withoutany reflexion being made, that such anintercourse must eventually be produc-tive of considerable advantages to allparties. The custom itself has existedfrom the earliest times; and I am confi-dent, that the very persons who, but alittle while back, condemned the prac-tice, are at this very moment sedulous intheir attentions to some man in power;and they are so, not through accidentalcircumstances, but from their own re-flexions, and from mental acquiescence.The Roman soldiers did not scruple tofollow the example of courtiers. Whenthey were encamped, they went everymorning in a body to pay their respectsto their centurion. The centurion waitedupon the tribune: and, after that, thetribune, together with other courtiers,\yen,t tq the general's tent., The pnly ob-jection (observes our author) which I canmake to this ceremony, is in the visit ofthe soldiers to their centurions. Yetthese haughty citizens of Rome (wholooked upon kings as their inferiors) car-ried the system of paying homage to amuch greater extent. They spent a cer-tain portion of the forenoon m waitingupon those of their fellow citizens, whosevotes, or good will, could contribute totheir attainment of any place, or situ-ation, in the Republic . Some, out ofrespect and deference, remained in hum-ble attendance in the anti-chamber;others stood in the vestibule, and whentheir patrons came forth, (in order to gothrough the same ceremony themselveselsewhere,) these saluters, or courtiers,very submissively crouded round theirlitters, and accompanied them to the spotwhere they alighted, paying fresh reve-rence as the concluding homage of the
J morning.—This attendance became- tfcI last a heavy tax upon the several classesof dependent citizens; for they felt, se-verely the consequences of the slightestneglect to their superiors. The mereempty parade of a court, must be con-temptible in the eyes of all thinking men;hut there is certainly a middle trackwhich may always be adopted. Where-as the Romans (with all their pride andapparent independence) went into twoopposite extremes. They affected todespise kings, and yet almost every oneamongst them condescended to play thepart of a menial, anddependent servant;”and so have the French , even in thecoarsest epochs of their revolution.
SALUTE, a discharge of artillery, orsmall arms, or of both, in honour of someperson; also the ceremony of presenting.amis. The colours salute royal persons,and generals commanding in chief;which is done by lowering the point,within one inch of the ground. In thefield, when a regiment is to be reviewedby the King, or his general, the drumsbeat a march as he passes along the line,and the officers salute, pointing theirswords downwards. The ensigns do solikewise, by lowering their colours, whenhis Majesty, or any of the royal family,are present. When the word of com-mand, Shoulderanns ! is given, the officersrecover their swords, and the ensignsraise the colours together.
lloyal Salute. This consists in thedischarge of twenty-one pieces of ord-nance, and is given on the approach ofhis Majesty at rpvfow days; and on so- ,lemn occasions, wherein their Majestiesappear.
The other salutes are,—19 pieces tothe commander iu chief; 17 to a gene-ral; 15 to a lieutenant-general; 13 to amajor-general; 11 to a brigadier-general.
These salutes are answered by one gunless from the body saluted, wheretroops, &c. approach one another.
To he SALUTED, to have the usualcompliments paid, which are prescribedby the rules of the service. It also sig-nifies to be hostilely opposed; as, theenemy was saluted with our guns asthey rushed up the hill.
SAMATA. See Cuirass.
SAMBUCUS , (sambuque, Fr.) an an-cient musical instrument of the windkind, resembling a flute. It probablyderives its name from samhucus , theelder tree; being made of that wood. ,