Show I I British Naval Customs A fact not generally known Is that the black silk sik handkerchief which Jack knots around his throat was first worn as mourning for Nelson and has ever since been retained The three while lie stripes around the broad blue collar coial of ot the sailors sailor's Jumper commemorate the victories of ot Trafalgar Copenhagen and the Nile Nie Thus It has been remarked the Nelson legend affects not only J Jacks Jack's ck's work but his food and clothing as well wel The broad blue collar colar itself isel is older than the great Admiral It I was first adopted at that period when sailors plastered their hair into a stiff pigtail with grease and powder At 9 0 o'clock each night the sentry in every ship In har harbor or fires fres off of his rifle rife For the origin of this custom we may have to look back to the days flint of-flint locks lock Then In order to test the prImIng primIng prim prim- rim rim- Ing and see that his weapon was in usable condition the sentry had to fire fre freIt It off of each night There Is no necessity for such u a test with modern n rifles but f the tho out 9 o'clock l ef firing i t is religiously fi s f carried rr J Every officer or man than climbing to the quarter deck salutes The origin of this usage dates back a long way When England was a Roman Catholic country country country coun coun- try a crucifix stood on the quarter quarter deck of all aU ships Every time an any one of the crew approached this holy symbol he crossed himself Out of that he has hasI grown gown the custom of saluting the quarter quarter quarter ter deck London London Family Herald |